Tottenham's first match in its new stadium may have to wait until February. GETTY IMAGES
Tottenham Hotspur is "facing a further delay" to the opening of its new stadium due to "difficulties staging test events over the Christmas period," according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. The club "must hold several different events in order to gain a safety certificate," and is preparing to welcome 6,000 fans selected by a ballot for a tour of the ground on Sunday, but is "struggling to fit in the larger events in time" to meet its preferred opening date of the Premier League game against ManU on Jan. 13. Tottenham "had provisionally scheduled test events" for successive Sundays on Dec. 30 and Jan. 6, but the "first date in particular is proving problematic due to a shortage of staff and police resources in the build-up to the new year." Metropolitan Police manpower is "already stretched by the London derby between Crystal Palace and Chelsea taking place that day" and it is understood Tottenham has altered its plans. The club is "making good progress after numerous setbacks, but the inability to open" against ManU could set Tottenham back by "almost a month due to a quirk of the fixture list" (LONDON TIMES, 12/10).
