Bill Nicholson Gates returns home
The famous Bill Nicholson Gates-Die has been proud of our old White Hart Lane Stadium for generations now being officially at home in Tottenham who have formally reopened by our chairman, Daniel Levy, and Bill's daughter, Jean Bell, today.
The ceremony was attended by the board of the club, Bill's Friends and Family, representatives of our Fan Advisory Board (FAB) and Supporters' Trust and a number of former players of Bill – Steve Perryman, Cliff Jones, Pat Jennings, Martin Chivers, Phil Beal, Terry Nabyb
The iconic black and golden iron gates have been safely kept on storage since 2015, after they have been removed before the construction of our new stadium. The gates work in close consultation with our FAB and have been restored to their new location within Paxton17, between the ticket office and historic buildings in the north of the stadium.
They were synonymous with the big Bill Nic after a famous photo taken by Peter Robinson during Bill's time as a manager – and it was Peter who returned as an official photographer for today's event.
His iconic original image is decorated with hoarding behind the restored gates, making a permanent visual from Bill and a fantastic photo option for fans who attend our stadium.
When the gates formally reopen, Daniel Levy said: “We were honored to be accompanied by Bill's family, friends and former players about what a historical occasion has been.
“Generations of fans, players and employees passed the Bill Nicholson Gates on their way to White Hart Lane – they are of enormous historical and cultural significance and I am extremely proud that they have returned home.
“The iconic image of Bill that keeps the gates open is etched in the heads of so many fans and has now been immortalized here in Tottenham.
“We look forward to welcoming fans to the stadium for the new season and the Gates will be seen a photo option and local interest for many years to come.
Jean Bell said: “On behalf of Bill's family I want to thank Daniel and the club for the preservation of this beautiful, iconic gates and for re -training outside the spectacular new stadium.
“Dad was very proud of Tottenham Hotspur. In addition to the pursuit of success on the field, he was also established that the club should establish a reputation for warm and generous hospitality. I think this sentiment is recorded in Peter's famous photo of the gates, where he seems to welcome everyone in White Hart Lane.
“We are delighted that the position chosen for the gates will give supporters the opportunity to have their own photos taken with them. We hope that this older supporters will encourage their memories of the track and to inspire younger supporters to find out more about the history of the club and the beautiful part of the dad that played in it.”
Bill himself went through those gates for the first time as a young player in 1936 when he arrived for a trial, an important player in Arthur Rowe's Trailblazing 1950-51 League Title Winning Side before he became the most decorated manager of the club, who won eight large trophies in 1961 and Fa Cup.
The gates will now be part of our Heritage Tour that offers fans and visitors an in -depth journey through the club and the legendary past of the area, architectural precious stones and the remarkable persons who have formed his inheritance.
In the meantime, the iconic, original photo of Peter Robinson can currently be seen in OOF Gallery – free of charge and accessible via the Spurs store at the Tottenham experience – in addition to some of its largest works, until 31 August.
'Double Vision' is investigating Robinson's 60-plus-year-old career and documents world football from the lower competitions to the very first level. The exhibition splits its work into a series of theme sections, from the psychology of taking a penalty, to players who poke injury and hurriedly drawn shirt numbers.
A large one-off signed print of the Bill Nicholson Gates photo will be auctioned for a charity, with proceeds divided between the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation and Tottenham Tribute Trust (TTT)-a first-class independent loving institution who is in a situation of the quality of the lives of former players.