If you want a first class football 'fan' experience, regardless of whether you are a supporter of the club or not, then go to the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Some new stadium designs in recent years have delivered perfection, but not soul. Tottenham have managed to do both, so the delay to the opening of the 62,062 capacity ground has been worth the wait.
I attended last Saturday's game against West Ham United. The first thing I noticed on the walk from Tottenham Hale tube was the shimmering gold cockerel, the club symbol, peering through the houses from its perch at the top of the South Stand. That image disappeared as I got closer to what is a giant edifice that dwarfs the Tottenham High Road. It dominates the area.
I took a detour into the club shop, which is vast and contains all the usual items, from jerseys to scarves to hats to hoodies. I was highly impressed by some 1980's retro shirts that retained the polyester sheen and the 'Holsten' beer branding. Does 'Holsten' even exist anymore?
The next thing I was surprised by was the ease of access. The concourses are spacious and the ground is cashless. There are plenty of upmarket eateries and the beer is served through the bottom of the plastic glass, locked in by a magnet. Novel. The idea is that supporters will come before and stay after the game for refeshments, which is a new departure for a Premier League club.
The seats are very close to the pitch, and for home fans there is a 17,000 seater, two tiered South Stand which resembles Dortmund's 'Wall' and Liverpool's 'Kop'.
Another huge element of the fan experience is that noise travels as a strong euphony, which is also the case at Anfield, but less so in my view at Old Trafford and Twickenham. The noise of the away fans permeated the atmosphere, and West Ham had a lot more to cheer.
I would describe it as a '22nd Century' stadium. There are no bad seats and it will be fit for purpose for NFL games. If the club can match the ambition and delivery of the stadium in the summer transfer market, then there are great days ahead for Tottenham Hotspur.
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