So it’s over, bar the shouting – which the fans continue to indulge in. White Hart Lane is closed. And so is this liveblog. Bye!
A rainbow breaks out above the stadium, and on commentary we get emotional overdrive: “Even the heavens are feeling nostalgic. A minimum shift in site but a maximum feeling of loss.”
White tickertape cascades out of tickertape cannons, and that appears to be that.
“Finally, it’s time to say farewell,” says the stadium announcer, and a generously-proportioned opera singer launches into When the Spurs go Marching On.
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The current squad come out to join in the fun, and the brass band strikes up again. They must have lips of iron.
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The chairman, Daniel Levy, gets a solo spot to deliver a pre-recorded speech. “We are moving forward,” he says. “We are building what will be one of Europe’s best stadiums, and we will be one of Europe’s top clubs.”
The vast majority of the choir are wearing plastic ponchos, but for a few brave souls. Still, they’ve got great voices, and there’s nothing the rain can do to dampen those.
Chris Waddle is the last ex-player to emerge. There are a few faces missing, including off the top of my head Jürgen Klinsmann, Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne. Still, onwards and upwards, in the shape of a gospel version of When the Spurs Go Marching In.
For the entire duration of these lengthy former-player-introductions, a brass band has been playing We Love you Tottenham on a constant loop. I pity them.
The band must be f,king knackered #spursparade
— Don Hutchison (@donhutch4) May 14, 2017
Due to continued rainfall they’ve had to issue their legends with Tottenham umbrellas, which is a pity, as they look less dignified with clear brollies.
Terry Naylor comes out, and that must mean we’re over halfway through the alphabet!
Pat Jennings has a fabulous thatch. The colour may have gone, and for that matter the sideburns, but the volume is still there.
I don’t know how they’ve chosen their invitees. Edgar Davids (40 games in his dotage), for example, is here. José Dominguez (45 appearances, in pretty bleak days) is not. To be fair, neither really seem to qualify as club legends.
We have caught up with history, and a parade of notable former players starts with Clive Allen, followed by Martin Allen and Les Allen. So presumably alphabetical with a bit of first-name-based confusion.
We’ve just been shown this goal. What a beauty.
It starts with a Kenneth Branagh-narrated history of White Hart Lane.
It has begun.
The pitch has been cleared, as indeed has the away end, and the farewell ceremony is about to begin.
This isn’t bad:
Our record at White Hart Lane this season:
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 14, 2017
P19
W17
D2
L0
GF 47
GA 9
Pts 53#TheLaneTheFinale#COYS pic.twitter.com/UG4p0DK9rf
Their away record is a bit ropey – six wins, six draws, four defeats, the joint fifth-best in the division, with Arsenal, at 1.50 goals per game – but home fans have had a whole lot of fun.
José Mourinho’s post-match interview wasn’t the most cheerful. He admitted that at times United “played with no concentration, no focus”, and also that that was “fine with me”, and that United’s league fixtures are “just matches we don’t want to play”.
I make that a team in the maximum of its potential, with motivation to win the last match at home. And another team trying to find some balance even with players not in their best position, to give minutes to the people that need minutes and to protect the people that needed to be protected. At 2-0 we brought more quality to the team, or to be fair more balance to the team. The team improved a lot. We had 2-1, could have had 2-2. I’m happy with the individual performances. The two goals are two very bad goals conceded, but the team had … no experience together, played with no concentration, no focus. That’s fine with me.
When people say we gambled by going to the Europa League, we didn’t gamble. Nobody can play two big competitions with 15 players, which is what we have at this time. What we did was compulsory. I’m happy with the situation. No injuries, and one last match to play. Because at this moment the Premier League for us is just matches we don’t want to play.
I’m going to stick around to see what the farewell ceremony’s like. Daniel Taylor hasn’t dallied, though: here’s his match report:
Mauricio Pochettino says:
I think it was a perfect performance. I’m happy for the victory, happy for our fans. Our fans deserve to enjoy, and I’m very pleased for the players because they deserve too. I think we controlled the game, I think we played better and deserved the victory. It was another great performance at White Hart Lane, the last, and now it’s to be focused in the last two games.
I think it’s fantastic to achieve second position. We’re a little disappointed, but we have to move on. Being unbeaten at White Hart Lane, in the last season here. There’s lots of things to be happy about today. I think when we move to the new stadium the club, we will move the last step, in the last level.
Next season is so far away. Now we are thinking here, in White Hart Lane. It’s true we need to feel Wembley will be our home. I’m sure next season we will change in our mind and start to feel that Wembley will be our home. I’m very, very proud. To finish second is a great achievement for the club. It’s true we feel disappointed, but we’re happy and looking forward to the ceremony.
Clarification: I got the earlier stat wrong – it wasn’t United’s first goal away at a top six side for 864 days, but the first by a José Mourinho-managed side. United scored at Chelsea just 15 months ago, so it is their first of the season.
1 - Man Utd's goal was the first scored by a Jose Mourinho side in eight away league games against the current PL top six. Awaited.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 14, 2017
For the first time in 864 days, a Jose Mourinho managed side has scored a goal away from home against a current PL top six team pic.twitter.com/b9rAEoz5vd
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 14, 2017
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Harry Kane speaks!
What a way to finish. We wanted to win so badly on our last game here. To score the winning goal would be special and for it to happen, yeah, amazing. Christian said to me before he took it, “Get across the keeper.” And he put in a perfect ball.
We were disappointed after losing out on the title again, but we’ve got to grow from it. Third, second, and hopefully next year we’ll be No1. We so badly wanted to win today. Now we can enjoy it, take our families round and say thankyou to the fans for what’s been a really special season.
Dele Alli also speaks!
The fans deserved it. It’s been a great season and hopefully we can build on it from here. We want to win every game we play. When it was 2-0 we felt comfortable until they got that goal. I think it was a fantastic performance, a real professional one, but maybe a bit more difficult than it needed to be at the end. We’ve still got two games to go and we’ve got to make sure we finish the season as strong as possible. You hear a lot about Wembley not being good for us, but what happened in the Champions League wasn’t down to playing at Wembley. We’ve got to make sure it’s as much as a fortress as this has been.
Tottenham will finish second in the Premier League, their highest position since 1963 (the last time they were second), and before that 1961, when they won the Double.
The post-match farewell ceremony isn’t due to start for 20 minutes, so there’s time for the pitch to be cleared.
19 - Spurs have gone unbeaten at home for the first time in a league season since 1964/65 (W17 D2 L0 this season). Swansong. pic.twitter.com/yEd1jSFSzO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 14, 2017
The pitch has been invaded by cheerful fans. The players have now escaped down the tunnel, but more fans continue to spill onto the pitch.
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Final score: Tottenham 2-1 Manchester United
90+5 mins: They lose possession, and Spurs run down the right. Alli tries to waste time by taking the ball to the corner, doesn’t do it very well, loses the ball, but there’s no time for United to counter! It’s all over!
90+5 mins: Half a minute to go. The crowd in full voice. One last ball down the left, and a final United throw-in …
90+4 mins: Spurs could have scored a third! Nkoudou finds all sorts of space in the penalty area, drives towards the byline and then sends in a cross that goes past De Gea at the near post and would have been tapped in had any Spurs player made the run required to do so. Instead, it’s cleared.
90+2 mins: Chance for United! The ball is played over the top of the home defence by Carrick and Rashford is off. Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Walker set off after him, and he’s surrounded by the three of them as he finally attempts to chip Lloris … and misses the target.
90+1 mins: Eriksen goes off to a large ovation, and Nkoudou replaces him.
90 mins: Into stoppage time, and there will be five minutes of it. Can the party still be pooped?
89 mins: United are exerting some real pressure now. A couple of minutes of possession ends with Martial on the left taking on Walker, and losing – the Spurs man steals possession, and to make things worse he backheels the ball out of trouble and to his nearest team-mate.
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86 mins: Apparently Rooney’s was the first goal United have scored away from home against a current top-six side for nearly two and a half years, or 864 days in old money.
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85 mins: Alli, on the ball, tries to dance past two defenders in the area, gets in a muddle and falls over. Still, Spurs win a throw-in.
84 mins: Off the line! Spurs nearly restore their two-goal lead, with Alli finding space in the area, cutting onto his right-foot and shooting past De Gea towards the far post, but Jones heads it clear of danger!
82 mins: A change for Tottenham, who take off Trippier, who has struggled of late against Martial’s pace and recently needed treatment to some kind of leg-knack, and bring on Walker.
81 mins: “On 5Live, Steve Claridge keeps trying to make ‘diag’ happen – instead of ‘diagonal ball’ – but it’s not going to happen,” writes Steven Hughes. I certainly hope not.
80 mins: It is raining.
79 mins: A final change for United sees Juan Mata depart and more pace, in the shape of Marcus Rashford, arrive.
77 mins: Spurs win a throw-in and take it before United are at all ready. Eriksen has space on the left, and Kane space in the middle, but the Dane’s cross is woeful and the visitors survive.
74 mins: Martial, whose pace on the left is troubling Spurs at the moment, is brought down by Wanyama, who is booked.
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73 mins: So, a test for Tottenham’s focus. Over the last 10 minutes their play had become less focused, as if they were happy to play out the remaining time rather than intent on using to the greatest effect. That should sharpen them up.
72 mins: Spurs immediately bring Dembele on for Son.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-1 Man Utd (Rooney, 71 mins)
Hold on, the visitors have pulled one back! Martial does well on the left, beats Trippier and crosses low to Rooney, whose touch hits Vertonghen’s toe and flies in!
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68 mins: “How awesome would it be if all three Premier League games today ended 4-0?” wonders JR. “I’ll answer my own question and say that would be pretty frickin’ awesome.” Well that would depend on who you ask, probably. It would certainly be entertaining. A 2-0 win over the current representatives of a great, storied and once dominant club is a fine way to close this ground, but three or four would be better.
64 mins: United, who have decided to actually play rather than just man-mark poorly and destroy undistructively, counter quickly, and Martial’s shot from 20-odd yards curls a lot, but not quite enough.
63 mins: A lovely, lovely move from Tottenham slices and dices the United defence, but Alli’s cross from the left is a poor ending to a fine tale, and is headed clear.
61 mins: A double substitution for United: Tuanzebe and Lingard are off while Herrera and Mkhitaryan are on.
59 mins: United make a chance! A decent move ends with the ball being passed to Lingard, just outside the penalty area, but his low shot buzzes wide.
58 mins: As Spurs try to switch play by sending a crossfield pass in his direction, Trippier dramatically attempts to con Blind into conceding a penalty. He goes down, but the referee doesn’t buy it.
55 mins: United are teetering here, and this scoreline could end up being big, bad and ugly. Son gets too much space in the area but forces only a corner, from which Wanyama heads high.
53 mins: Spurs break beautifully, with United overcommited in attack for perhaps the first time. It ends with Kane, who could have passed to Alli on his left or Tripper on his right, both of them unmarked, but instead shoots wide from the edge of the area.
52 mins: Son’s 20-yard power-drive curls towards De Gea rather than away from him, and the keeper gathers.
1 - Harry Kane has now scored against 24 of the 25 opponents he has faced in the Premier League (Cardiff being the exception). Portfolio.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 14, 2017
50 mins: Not a difficult finish, but a very fine one. Like that back-header against Chelsea in the FA Cup, it was just a moment of pure instinct, but such beautiful, clinical instinct.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-0 Man Utd (Kane, 49 mins)
And Spurs score from it! Eriksen’s cross is lovely, Kane flicks out a boot and sends it into the roof of the net with the outside of his right foot!
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48 mins: Alli has the ball on the left, taps the ball inside and runs between Smalling and Bailly before falling over. The referee, rather generously, gives the free kick …
46 mins: Peeeep! Spurs get the second half going.
The players are back out for half two. It looks like there are no changes to either side.
Alec McAuley emails to nominate this, by “the best English player in the years I’ve been watching the game”, as the finest goal seen at White Hart Lane (the third, in case you don’t go straight to the right place). It’s a good ’un.
Half time: Tottenham 1-0 Man Utd
45+2 mins: Lots of shots, not many genuine chances, and a very one-sided game so far.
45+1 mins: Great chance for United! Which they puzzlingly reject! Rooney’s pass finds Bailly bursting into the box, and instead of taking the ball on and scoring with ease, he tries a first-time pass to his left, and fails.
45+1 mins: Another save from De Gea! He’s played in on the right side of the penalty area, but his low shot towards the near post is beaten away.
45 mins: A dangerous counter-attack from United, with Mata picking out Blind in all sorts of space on the left, and as the defence adjusts to that Blind finding Mata in all sorts of space in the middle. He then passes to Tuanzebe, who is tackled.
44 mins: Rooney fouls Dier, greeting the referee’s whistle with a mouthful of abuse. Careful son, you’re on a booking. Meanwhile, Jermain Defoe has heard the fans singing his name, and has returned the compliment:
#TheLaneTheFinale pic.twitter.com/UQ55psDdF6
— Jermain Defoe (@IAmJermainDefoe) May 14, 2017
42 mins: Wanyama gives the ball away for no apparent reason, allowing Martial to hare off with it towards the Spurs goal. He gets as far as the edge of the area, when Alderweireld catches up with him and he falls over.
40 mins: “Rather lovely seeing all the former spurs players in the stands,” writes Tekin Sahan. “Haven’t spotted Sol Campbell yet though.” Yes, I wonder if he received an invite. This , weirdly, is what he had to say about his weekend plans on Friday.
Friday morning, weekend here we come! pic.twitter.com/UBI7M4xUB6
— Sol Campbell (@SolManOfficial) May 12, 2017
38 mins: Spurs fans have spent a few recent minutes singing Aaron Lennon’s name, which is kind of them. They’re acting like a giant human football-song-based jukebox, also wheeling out popular old numbers in praise of Teddy Sheringham, Jermain Defoe and even Steve Archibald.
37 mins: Wayne Rooney brings Eriksen down with a late lunge, and receives the day’s first booking.
36 mins: Breaks in play allow the broadcasters to show us various Spurs legends, sitting in the stands. I hope they invited Jose Dominguez to their big party. He was really fun.
34 mins: Tottenham have been so much better than United, it’s like comparing chalk with much worse chalk.
32 mins: “United are the very embodiment of Jose’s sartorial choice today,” suggests David Flynn. “Slightly too tight grey training top, navy suit jacket and slacks. It’s probably all good quality expensive gear, there’s nothing wrong with the individual items but bring it together it doesn’t quite work and nobody is too sure what exact look he’s going for.”
30 mins: Another De Gea save! This time Dele Alli thunders a shot from the corner of the area towards the top near corner of goal, and De Gea’s palms are stung once again.
28 mins: Spurs win a free-kick on the left, take it, move the ball to the right and then win a free-kick there as well.
25 mins: De Gea saves again! This time it’s a cross from Eriksen on the right, which deflects off Tuanzebe’s shin, loops high into the air and would have dropped under the bar had a back-pedalling goalkeeper not tipped it over!
22 mins: Kane finds space on the right, carries the ball into the area, and then sees his low cross turned behind. The corner is sent in, headed out, and then Eriksen’s second cross is lovely. De Gea comes out, but Kane meets it at the near post before the Spaniard can get there, and heads over an empty goal!
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19 mins: Son has a great chance! But De Gea saves! Son, central, passes to Alli, but hits it too hard and the ball bounces back off his team-mate into his stomach, United’s defence is totally confused, and Son is free to simply run into the area unmolested. His shot, though, is straight at De Gea, and thus doesn’t go in.
18 mins: Martial finds some space on the left, beats Alderweireld to Rooney’s pass, cuts inside and then curls a shot just wide of the far post.
16 mins: Spurs are moving beautifully in attack, players zipping hither and also thither in pursuit of space while defenders stagger about dizzily. Son’s run into the box goes unshadowed, but the attempted pass towards him hits a defender.
14 mins: Now for some top-level tactical analysis:
Man Utd are all over the gaff
— Don Hutchison (@donhutch4) May 14, 2017
12 mins: Bailly gets the ball on the right, and has a firt chance to strut his full-back stuff. And it’s good stuff: he take on the nearest defender, beats him for pace and puts in a very fine cross. It’s headed behind for a corner, from which Rooney heads over.
11 mins: Besides, Carrick is pretty much man-marking Alli, so they’re both getting a taste of the personal treatment.
9 mins: “Is Eriksen really worth man-marking?” wonders Ian Copestake. “You may as well go for Alli if one is going to go in for that sort of nonsense in this game.” Eriksen is the string-puller though. He’s the puppeteer. Alli is just a really fantastic puppet.
8 mins: United attack, and Blind’s fine cross from the left picks out Juan Mata in the middle. Sadly the Spaniard a) is offside, and b) fluffs his header in the most ridiculous style possible.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Man Utd (Wanyama, 6 mins)
An early goal! Spurs win a corner, which Eriksen takes from the left. He plays it back to Davies, who curls a beauty of a cross to the far post, where Rooney is supposed to be marking Wanyama but isn’t, and the header is emphatic!
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5 mins: Commentator to Jamie Redknapp: “Jamie, as an ex-Tottenham man, how are you feeling?” Redknapp: “Yeah, obviously a lot of emotions.” OK, can we just park this emotional stuff for a while?
3 mins: More tactical nuance: Tuanzebe isn’t so much in midfield as man-marking Christian Eriksen wherever the Dane goes.
2 mins: The first shot of the day comes from the right boot of Wayne Rooney, from inside his own half! It doesn’t really get off the ground, sadly.
2 mins: So United play 4-2-3-1, with Tuanzebe in midfield and Bailly at right-back.
1 min: Peeeeeeep! They’re off! For the last time! I will now stop saying things are happening for the last time.
The players have left the tunnel, and have shaken hands, and are pretty much ready to play football.
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The teams are in the tunnel. For the last time. Well, the last time in this particular tunnel. The next time they are in a White Hart Lane tunnel, there will be posh fans looking at them through one-way glass while eating cheese.
Mauricio Pochettino speaks!
First of all, it’s a very good time to congratulate Antonio and Chelsea. They won the league. We tried to push to the end, difficult for us, but [we are now] trying to finish in the best way the season. Today I think a very special game for us. The last game here. It will be emotional for them. All the people that love Tottenham will be here with us, sharing the moment, and it will be very emotional, a moment to never forget. First of all we need to be focused and try to play well, to deserve to win, against a very good team, and then we’ll see what happens.
And José Mourinho also speaks!
I can’t lie, I can’t say today’s more important than Wednesday. They all know our [most important] game is the [Europa League] final, but the way they perform can influence me. They have to take care about it and use that as the main motivation. If they are motivated then we can be Manchester United. Even losing there are certain levels of performance and attitude we have to keep.
A battle of the game-associated hashtags today. On one side, #TheLaneTheFinale, on the other #ILOVEUNITED. I find United’s big and very regular far-east fan-fest events a bit mind-boggling, which isn’t meant to be critical in any way, I’m still struggling to come to terms with the idea of large crowds in Thailand wanting to watching English football with Mikaël Silvestre.
Legends aplenty at White Hart Lane today. #TheLaneTheFinale #COYS pic.twitter.com/xsVPkBqscg
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 14, 2017
Great support here in Thailand! #ILOVEUNITED pic.twitter.com/IHpgDwkMXS
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 14, 2017
They’ve got some big names in the house today.
Dimitar Berbatov, Pat Jennings, @RayClem1, Mike England, @LedleyKing, @PeterCrouch, Keano, Carr and more on #TheLaneTheFinale! #COYS pic.twitter.com/YmfELpi1uW
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 14, 2017
Text-based confirmation of today’s teams:
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Wanyama, Dier, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane. Subs: Walker, Janssen, Vorm, Nkoudou, Sissoko, Dembele, Wimmer.
Man Utd: de Gea, Smalling, Bailly, Jones, Tuanzebe, Rooney, Carrick, Blind, Lingard, Mata, Martial. Subs: Rashford, Romero, Ander Herrera, Mkhitaryan, Darmian, McTominay, Mitchell.
Referee: Jon Moss.
If you didn’t know Kenneth Branagh was a Spurs fan, here’s his football story:
A bit more about the post-match ceremony. Important point of information: the ceremony’s musical director, Steve Sidwell, is not the same Steve Sidwell who used to play for Chelsea and Fulham, and recently helped Brighton to promotion:
The Ceremony begins with The Story of White Hart Lane, produced by Theo Delaney and narrated by Oscar-nominated actor/director and lifelong Spurs fan, Sir Kenneth Branagh.
This will be followed by an introduction of former players that have graced the hallowed turf and ‘Oh When the Spurs Go Marching In’ – performed by the London Community Gospel Choir, with accompaniment from the specially-assembled Tottenham Hotspur Marching Band, arranged by Grammy Award-winning musical director,Steve Sidwell.
We shall then look ahead to our exciting future and welcome the current First Team onto the pitch.
This is followed by the Final Farewell – we invite you all to raise your flags as ‘Glory, Glory Hallelujah’ is performed by Tottenham Hotspur fan and world-renowned tenor, Wynne Evans, accompanied by the London Community Gospel Choir and the Tottenham Hotspur Marching Band, arranged by Steve Sidwell.
Kieron Trippier starts for Spurs, with Kyle Walker dropping back to the bench. As for United, they start with four centre-backs plus a bonus Daley Blind. If Tuanzebe plays at right-back again, that looks like a probable back five.
The teams
Both teams have tweeted their starting XIs, and these will be them:
#THFC: Lloris (C), Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Wanyama, Eriksen, Son, Dele, Kane. #TheLaneTheFinale pic.twitter.com/mHVQElQALq
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 14, 2017
The #MUFC team for #TOTMUN... 🔴 pic.twitter.com/za0Q4gJwyx
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 14, 2017
So what is the best goal White Hart Lane has ever seen (and is available on YouTube)? The shortlist can’t be all that short, and both goals in this game have to be on it:
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Hello world!
So, first, to business: if Spurs win this they will come second this season; if they draw they will probably come second; if they lose they might finish third. If Manchester United lose their slim chances of qualifying for the Champions League through the league will be over, if they draw they will be small, but if they win they will merely be unlikely.
But the drama does not end there, for this is the last competitive game at White Hart Lane, or at least at this White Hart Lane. United, the stadium undertakers, were also the opposition when Upton Park was laid to rest a year ago, when they helpfully allowed West Ham to beat them 3-2. Will they make life more difficult for Tottenham this year?
Whatever happens, there will be a post-match ceremony, starting about quarter of an hour after the final whistle. Few plans are known, other than the inevitable parade of former players. Also: “Fans will be provided with a pack upon arrival into the stadium that includes a special edition t-shirt and flag, which we ask you to raise during the final Farewell to create a lasting vision of the Lane in all its glory.”
Music news: Chase and Dave are both present, but will be appearing at half-time rather than in the ceremony. Other Spurs-supporting musicians include Phil Collins, Paul Young and some of Electric Six.
Chas & Dave arrive at White Hart Lane - they're making a half-time appearance today pic.twitter.com/cawEZ899eG
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) May 14, 2017
So, it’s a big day for everybody. We have to hope that the game itself provides the stadium with a fitting send-off. Whatever happens, though, we’ll deal with it together. Welcome!
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