Wear Lilywhite to help make it a Glory, Glory Night!

Our all-Lilywhite strip is synonymous with some of our most famous European nights – and as we prepare to host Ajax in our mouth-watering UEFA Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday night, we ask you to embrace this theme by wearing something white to the game.

It was our legendary former manager Bill Nicholson who decided to introduce an all-Lilywhite kit for our first-ever competitive European match against Polish side Gornik Zabrze in September, 1961. That tradition has continued ever since.

The popular explanation for us adopting this strip was that it stemmed from Bill Nicholson’s admiration for the all-conquering Real Madrid side of the late 1950s. But in actual fact, as documented in the fantastic coffee table book ‘The Spurs Shirt’, released late last year, the real reason for the decision to wear white rather than navy shorts in European matches was purely a practical one. With European matches played in midweek and usually under floodlights, which were not nearly as bright as they are today, Bill Nick wanted his players to be more visible to each other and therefore maximise their performance. Thus, an all-Lilywhite kit was used.

As we look forward to Tuesday night’s huge game and another cracking atmosphere at our new stadium, you can get involved too by wearing something white. The weather forecast is mild ahead of kick-off, so we encourage fans to remove their jackets to make the stadium a sea of Lilywhite and truly make it a night to remember!

To further build the incredible atmosphere, we shall be bringing back our iconic ‘To Dare Is To Do’ mosaic in the South Stand – which proved so inspiring in the last round against Manchester City – and all other fans in the East, North and West stands will receive flags.

All ticket holders in the South Stand will find a coloured, 100 per cent recyclable plastic bag on their seat upon arrival. By holding the bag up with the plain side facing towards the pitch as the teams enter the field of play, we shall display a motif of our ‘To Dare Is To Do’ motto that will fill the entire South Stand – providing an unforgettable visual impact.

We kindly fans coming to the game for their co-operation for a total of 60 seconds to create an iconic image that will be seen around the world – once again showcasing our new home in all its glory.

After the match, we would ask that you kindly dispose of your bag within one of our dry mixed recycling bins located around the stadium – or take home with you to re-use. We shall also ensure that any left behind will be collected and recycled.