Ledley King has urged Tottenham to carry on promoting homegrown players when they move to their new stadium.
King, one of the best Spurs players of the modern era, received some of the loudest cheers during the farewell ceremony yesterday at White Hart Lane which followed the 2-1 win over Manchester United.
Demolition work started on Monday after 118 years as Spurs’ home.
King joined Spurs at 14, making his first-team debut in 1999. He made 325 appearances and would have made many more were it not for a knee problem that forced him to retire in 2012, aged 31.
Harry Kane has picked up the baton left by King, while other homegrown players — Ryan Mason, Andros Townsend and Harry Winks — have impressed in recent years. King is desperate for that tradition to be maintained and told Standard Sport: “It is vital for that connection to be maintained. After I retired, the club lost a bit of that identity.
“Then, when Harry Kane broke into the team, the fans were able to get behind a local lad again.
“It’s a credit to [manager] Mauricio Pochettino, who has really encouraged the players to develop their craft.
“If they progress, they will get their chance.”
