Golden Cockerel update

It is of huge importance to the Club that our rich heritage is embraced at the new stadium.

As such, we were delighted to announce recently that an iconic Golden Cockerel, a scaled-up replica of the original, will return home and take pride of place on top of the South Stand.

Our original designs had the new Cockerel facing North, overlooking the stadium bowl – this resonated given our proud North London heritage and the fact that the Cockerel that sat on top of The Lane’s East Stand also faced in this direction from 1958.

Interestingly, when this Cockerel was replaced due to weather damage in the 1980s, it was placed facing the opposite direction, South, with its right flank towards the pitch, resulting in strong feelings from fans being expressed that the Cockerel should be repositioned back to how it was. The Cockerel was subsequently repositioned and remained facing North until the Finale of White Hart Lane.

This influenced our initial thinking in terms of which direction the new Cockerel should face, particularly as it will not be sitting on either the East or West Stand. Indeed, many fans would have noticed the new Cockerel facing North while playing matches in the new stadium on EA SPORTS FIFA 19.

We were also aware though that the Cockerel that sat on top of the Lane’s West Stand, however, faced in the opposite direction - South. In fact, from 1909, when the Golden Cockerel was first seen at the Lane, it resided in this position before it was moved to the East Stand 49 years later.

We noted discussions amongst our fans on the subject and having received emails on this, we decided to review the positioning of our new Cockerel.

The one consistency throughout history (other than with the repositioning of the East Stand Cockerel in the 1980s) was that the Cockerel was always positioned with its left wing facing the pitch. Therefore, to any fan or player looking up, the Cockerel appeared as it does on our famous Club crest.

After further discussion within the Club and consulting our Club Historian, we have taken the decision to maintain this tradition at the new stadium - our new Cockerel will therefore be positioned with its left wing facing towards the pitch. Additionally, this change will be reflected in FIFA 19 in the upcoming months.

Not only does this ensure that fans and players within the bowl will view the Cockerel as it appears on our crest, it also maximises the visual exposure of this beautiful sculpture from all angles, no matter where you are positioned within the bowl.

We should like to take this opportunity to thank all fans that have shared their views with the Club. The Golden Cockerel will be lifted into position soon.

The original Golden Cockerels that were removed from White Hart Lane for safekeeping will also feature throughout the new stadium campus.

The Cockerel that sat on top of the East Stand during the Lane’s final days has now been put on display within the Tottenham Experience and can be seen from the High Road above the entrance to the new Spurs Shop.

The second Cockerel from The Lane, that sat on top of the West Stand, will be placed in the players’ tunnel, with the original from 1909 remaining at Lilywhite House, the Club’s executive offices, where it currently resides.

Meanwhile, the Tottenham Hotspur Clock, adorned with the Golden Cockerel motif, that was a feature on the High Road between 1934 and 2007 and is now within the reception area at Lilywhite House, will be moved to the Club Museum when it opens.