What an evening at the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame.
There are some evenings you know you will remember for the rest of your life, and this was certainly one of them.
To be there as four very special people were inducted into the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame was an incredibly proud and emotional occasion. Four very different stories, four incredible contributions to our football club, but one thing connecting them all, a deep love for Tottenham Hotspur.
And for me personally, seeing my great friend Chris Hughton receive this honour was something very special indeed.
Chris was such a special player, he had everything and in my honest opinion he would be very close to being selected in an all time Tottenham 11, he was that good.
Chris is one of those people who you feel privileged to call a friend. His dedication, his loyalty and his love for Spurs are second to none. What makes it even more special is the person Chris is away from football, a genuinely wonderful human being with a beautiful family.
I couldn’t have been happier for Chris and his family. To see him receive the recognition he so richly deserves was a very proud moment for everyone who knows and loves him.💙
Then came another Spurs great, Ledley King.
Another very Special player and like Chris would be very close to being in an all time Tottenham 11, he was also that good.
Ledley has given so much to this football club, both on and off the pitch. His contribution to Tottenham goes far beyond what happened during his playing career. He continues to represent everything that is good about our club, and the respect and affection Spurs supporters have for him says everything.
Just like Chris, Ledley thoroughly deserves his place in the Hall of Fame. And once again, behind the footballer is a fantastic human being and a lovely family. It was wonderful to see them share such a special moment together. 💙
Then came a piece of Tottenham history.
Jenna Schillaci became the first woman ever to be inducted into the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame.
What an achievement.
Jenna made over 300 appearances for our Ladies team and captained them for much of that time. But her contribution wasn’t simply measured by the number of games she played or the times she wore the captain’s armband.
She was there through the journey.
She saw our women’s team grow from its early days and helped lay the foundations for what it would eventually become. To then see that journey continue all the way to promotion to the WSL makes her recognition even more special.
Jenna wasn’t just part of Tottenham’s history, she helped make it.💙
And then came the moment that, for me, was perhaps the most emotional of the evening.
Bobby Buckle. Our founder.
Back in 1882, four 13-year-old boys decided to form a football club.
Just think about that for a moment.
Four young boys with an idea, a love of football and a dream. One of those boys was Bobby Buckle.
And 144 years later, that little football club they created has grown into one of the biggest and most recognised football clubs in the world. It is simply incredible.
Bobby wasn’t just there at the beginning. He scored Tottenham’s first ever goal and became our first ever chairman. His name is woven into the very fabric of our club.
And when I think about that, I honestly become emotional. Because without Bobby Buckle, there is no Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. It’s as simple as that.
Every player who has pulled on that shirt, every supporter who has stood on the terraces, every family who has passed their love of Spurs down through the generations, every great moment and every difficult one, none of it would have happened without those four young boys taking that first step back in 1882.
Bobby was there at the beginning of our story.
And now, 144 years later, his name has finally been placed among the greats in the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame.
What a wonderful way to honour a man who helped give us the club we love.💙
Congratulations to Chris, Ledley, Jenna and Bobby.
Four incredible inductees, four incredible stories and four people who have each left their own lasting mark on Tottenham Hotspur.
It was a real honour to be there and witness each of you being inducted. Every one of you richly deserved this moment. Thank you for everything you have given to our great football club.
And most of all, thank you for being part of the Tottenham Hotspur story.
Congratulations to you all. You are amazing.
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