Renaming White Hart Lane station as Tottenham Hotspur is a blow to loyal fans and the neighbourhood’s historyWhat’s in a name? Everything, if you’re a football fan. The sport has always been driven by finance, but the post-1992 fetish for name-changing has taken commercialisation to a whole new level. And it’s spilling into our public spaces.History, tradition and community are all high on the list of the reasons why long-suffering supporters stay loyal to their teams. It is fashionable to caricature those who campaign against the corporate rebranding of their clubs as traditionalist dinosaurs. But in an era when local neighbourhoods have become fractured, clinging to the original name of your team, stadium and even local railway station has become one of the few remaining signifiers of community spirit. Related: London railway station to be renamed Tottenham Hotspur Changing the name of the overground station in the club’s catchment area to Tottenham Hotspur is a huge blow to the area’s heritage Related: Football tournaments penalise GCSE students. Can’t we avoid this fixture clash? | Gavin Kelly Continue readingreadfullarticle
