Tottenham scrap playing drums over PA system after one game at Wembley following criticism
The drum noises ended at half-time after the Premier League contacted Spurs to remind them that they are not supposed to enhance the stadium atmosphere
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Your support makes all the difference.After just one match at Wembley Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur have scrapped their plan to play drum noises over the PA system in an effort to help create atmosphere inside the ground.
Chelsea fans were quick to notice that the loudspeakers inside the national stadium, which is hosting Spurs while White Hart Lane is redeveloped, were pumping out drumming on occasion during the first half of Sunday’s Premier League encounter.
Many fans took to social media to mock the north London club, with the idea originally hoped to help increase the atmosphere inside Wembley after the lack of noise was noted during last season’s Champions League matches.
The attempt was also noticed by Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who admitted that it “wasn’t working very well”, and while there is no rule that bans clubs from doing something like this, there is an understanding between the Premier League clubs that it shouldn’t be done.
“In the first half, if you have to put some noise over the speakers to make some atmosphere, I don’t think it is working very well.
“It feels a bit different playing here because obviously their home ground is not this one. They have the capacity now to bring a lot of fans into the stadium. In the second half they were pressing and 70,000 people started to wake up.”
According to The Times, Spurs have already shelved plans to continue the PA system, and the Premier League actually contacted the club during the first half of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat by Chelsea to inform them that they shouldn’t be doing so, even if there is no regulation against it.
Spurs responded by ending the drums at half-time, although the club’s actual drummer in the stands will be allowed to continue, albeit without the aid of the PA system.
Courtois meanwhile believe that Tottenham were not as imposing at Wembley as they usually are at White Hart Lane because their support is located much further away in the stands at the national stadium, which can hold up to 90,000 people – although only 73,587 tickets were sold for last weekend’s encounter.
“The difference is that the fans are more separate from the pitch than at White Hart Lane. You feel more pressure there when they are pressing and the pitch is smaller,” he said.
“Also these stadiums make you want to play even better. It is like a Champions League game where you can rise above yourself. All the teams that come here, instead of being impressed they will give more — so for Spurs it won’t be easy but if they have their fans, with 80,000 or 90,000 people, they can make it difficult for a lot of teams.”
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