'Welcome home' Levy writes emotional 2000-word message after 18-year journey to new stadium

DANIEL LEVY feared Tottenham’s magnificent £1billion stadium would not be completed.

The Spurs chairman posted an emotional, 2,222-word “thank you” message to supporters on the club’s website today.

And he confessed the 18-year project has caused “a lot of heartache” that had left everyone involved in it “drained”.

Levy said: “There have been moments during this project when we thought we weren’t going to make it, we weren’t going to be able to deliver it.

“We have been living and breathing this project for so long, it has almost overtaken our lives and we are all drained but excited too.

“It has been really tough. When you have put so much of your life into this project it is inevitable it is going to be moving.

“If I look at what we’ve achieved, it’s been a lot of heartache and it wouldn’t have happened without a lot of determined and committed people.

“The board has gone through some difficult times.”

“We’ve achieved this as a team. Thank you Spurs family. We are now all back home.” Daniel Levy

Levy said he wanted to give this area of North London a boost after the 2011 riots, insisting the stadium will bring “hope, prosperity and uplift to Tottenham , embracing the local community”.

He thanked locals who “tolerated the construction mayhem on their doorsteps”.

And Levy added: “We are six months late after an 18-year journey and I hope what we have delivered for you and for future generations of supporters means that the frustrations and inconveniences of these past few months is forgiven. Thank you for bearing with us.

“We have paid an inordinate amount of attention to detail to make it special and to feel like home.

“We’ve achieved this as a team. Thank you Spurs family. We are now all back home.”

Electric stall-room

Levy revealed the project has involved more than 90 individual property transactions and the relocation of nearly 80 businesses.

He added: “Eighteen years ago we embarked on what has been a monumental and, at times, almost overwhelming task. The financial, operational, logistical, planning and resourcing it has taken has been immense.

“Millions around the world have watched daily and read about every step of the construction of what is now probably one of the most famous stadiums in the world.

“The news that we had hit our biggest stumbling block of all — the issues with the critical safety systems — was the darkest day of the project and the start of some of the most difficult months.

“At one point we had over 4,000 people on site working 24/7.”

But, finally, last month Tottenham were granted their safety certificate for the 62,062-seater arena.

Levy added: “We have created a new landmark in London, one that is truly global, and one that will stage the world’s two most popular sports, Premier League football and NFL, along with many other sports and world-class entertainment.”