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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Tom Doyle

New Tottenham stadium: Spurs Legends revealed for test event vs Inter Milan

Tottenham have revealed the identities of a number of former players who will form their Spurs Legends side to face Inter Milan's legends side at the club's new stadium on March 30.

Tottenham need to hold two test events order to receive a formal safety certificate ahead of the first Premier League game at their 62,062-capacity new stadium - scheduled to be Crystal Palace on April 3.

Spurs' Under-18s side will face Southampton at the new ground on Sunday, 24 March with a 30,000-capacity crowd, with Spurs Legends to face Inter Forever the following Saturday with an increased 45,000-capacity crowd.

Spurs revealed the first eight names for their Legends squad (which will be managed by Gary Mabbutt): Robbie Keane, Darren Anderton, Rafael van der Vaart, Dimitar Berbatov, Erik Thorstvedt, Allan Nielsen, Stephen Carr and David Howells.

On Tuesday, nine further names were announced: Jurgen Klinsmann, Nayim, Micky Hazard, Mark Falco, Teemu Tainio, Paul Stalteri, Pascal Chimbonda, Chris Perry and Neil Sullivan

Keane retired from professional football last November, but Spurs fans will be hoping to see his famous cartwheel celebration usher in a new era for the club.

Anderton also won the League Cup in a 12-year spell at Spurs, making 299 appearances for the club in total.

Van der Vaart and Berbatov both hold soft spots in many a Spurs fans' heart despite their relatively short spells in north London, while more former players will be announced in due course.

Keane said of being picked: "It means such a lot to me to have the opportunity to play in this game.

"Spurs is obviously a club that I hold very close to my heart and I have so many great memories of playing for the club over the years, but to see the new stadium and how good it looks, it’s going to be absolutely unbelievable to play inside it as one of the first players ever to do so.

"The stadium is incredible and I can’t wait to get out there and play in it."

Klinsmann said: "It's a huge honour and pleasure to be part of the first senior game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with all the amazing Legends.

"I can’t wait to be back again in Tottenham and to feel the very unique spirit that surrounds Spurs."

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