WHITE HART LAME
Spurs first game at new £1bn stadium watched by 59,215 fans despite 62,062 capacity
The victory over Crystal Palace was a complete sell-out but reduced attendance left some puzzled by rows of empty seats
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR waited 690 days to return back home to N17 - but could not even fill their new stadium.
The official attendance for Spurs' 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace was 59,215, some 2,847 less than the 62,062 capacity.
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Of course, a small number of seats will have been covered to segregate the away supporters who made the short trip from South London.
But that still leaves more than 2,000 seats unaccounted for.
It also means their attendance tonight was a massive 22,117 less than their last 'home' game - the 1-1 draw with rivals Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.
Some suggested that the reason behind the empty seats was due to corporate places not being filled.
While others claimed Spurs may never be able to play in a full house - because their floating pitch knocks out three rows of seats.
They say there is an official "absolute" capacity for safety certificate purposes, but that is only available for events when the pitch is not in place - such as NFL games and rugby.
But that is not true - with Spurs only keeping rows back from sale because they needed to ensure the smooth operation of the stadium on opening night.
Go Compare adverts star Wynne Evans sings his heart out at the Spurs stadium opening ceremony
A DAY TO REMEMBER
Tickets were thought to be impossible to get hold of as fans begged and bartered their way to get a glimpse of the action.
Among those 59,215, though, were plenty of ex-players including Robbie Keane and Ossie Ardiles as well as comedian Michael McIntyre.
And, of course, chairman Daniel Levy was sat proudly in his seat for the opening ceremony and then the main performance.
Go Compare star Wynne Evans and X Factor star Lanya Matthews sang 'Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur' before a rapid firework display concluded the ceremony, which also featured an emotional video and a choir from Gladesmore Community School.
But while some fans in the stadium were reduced to tears, others watching on at home described it all as "embarrassing" and "cringeworthy".
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Once the festivities were concluded, Spurs struggled to break through a resolute Eagles side.
But after 55 minutes, Son Heung-Min finally got the landmark goal and wrote his name into pub quizzes for years to come as his deflected goal found the bottom corner.
Christian Eriksen then sealed the win - and a crucial three points in the race for the top four - sweeping home with ten minutes to go.
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