Harry Winks: "My dream was to play once for Spurs..."

Harry Winks will never forget his Spurs debut. It’s indelibly inked into his memory, into his DNA. 27 November, 2014, off the bench against Partizan Belgrade, a 1-0 win at the Lane in the Europa League. He was 18. Now he has another date to look back on for the rest of his life.

‘Winksy’ reached 99 appearances for the Club in our Champions League triumph against Borussia Dortmund on 5 March. Fate - or at least injury - conspired to make sure he made his 100th appearance on one of the biggest nights in our history, the first Premier League match at the new stadium, the night we returned home with a 2-0 win against Palace.

Back from injury, Harry, now 23, returned to action off the bench in the second half and impressed again as we ensured the celebrations ended on a high.

For a Spurs fan, born just up the road at Hemel Hempstead and a player who joined the Club’s Academy system aged six and progressed through every step up to the first team, starting Champions League matches against Real Madrid aged 21, this really was a special moment.

“It was the perfect way to celebrate my 100th appearance, it was incredible, to reach that milestone in the new stadium and get the win was brilliant,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for more.

“Ever since I was a kid the dream was always to play just once for Tottenham but to play 100 times, especially with the 100th in the new stadium, it couldn’t have worked out better.

“I remember my debut and it’s been a long journey but it’s gone so fast. To play 100 times for Tottenham is a milestone I’m delighted to achieve and hopefully this journey will go on and on.

“It’s special for me and my family, coming from the Academy at six and going through the whole process and now playing 100 times for the Club is incredible.

“Hopefully it’s just the start as well. It’s been an incredible journey, I’ve loved every minute and hopefully there are many, many more milestones to come.”

So what did this Spurs man through and through think of the occasion and our new home?

“Wow, it was incredible, from the first minute to the last the fans were fantastic but the whole spectacle, the magnitude of the game... the show before the game was something I’ve never seen before. It gave me goose bumps watching it.

“The fans feel right on top of you when they are singing but his is another scale, a different level. That South Stand, it’s something I can’t quite explain. To be out there, you can feel it, hear it. It’s going to be incredible to play here.

“That was one of the reasons we went out there and performed so well against Palace - the magnitude of the occasion, the lads channelled the emotion so well and made it the best we possible could.”