Pre- season tour begins in just 2 months

One season over, a World Cup, a pre-season tour and an early start to a Europa League campaign, not much of a summer off this year for players or fans.

This summers pre-season tour is in July to the United States and Canada with three fixtures arranged. We start on Saturday July 19th, just a couple of months away in what will be our third visit to the US in five years.

The States affords excellent facilities and the chance for players to improve their fitness in match conditions and hot weather. The US will be in the middle of their season so the games are never easy bearing in mind our players are not match fit yet. We have seen with our injured players and late signings how important it is to have a full pre-season so tours like these serve a dual purpose.

The US and Canada tour games are:

Sat July 19th - Seattle Sounders vs Tottenham Hotspur - 9pm UK time
Wed July 23rd - Toronto FC vs Tottenham Hotspur - 9.30pm UK time
Sat July 26th - Chicago Fire vs Tottenham Hotspur - 1am (Sun) UK time

Saturday July 19th
Seattle Sounders vs Tottenham Hotspur
Kick off: 13:00 (local time) / 21:00 (GMT)

Seattle Sounders will be a new experience for us not having played them before. USA national captain Clint Dempsey is the link between the two teams leaving Spurs last summer for Seattle in a MLS record deal of $9 million (£5.36 million).

Pre- season tour begins in just 2 months


Seattle are the NFL champions and have the highest average crowd capacity in the MLS, nearly 40,000. It seems an opportune time to be visiting the States with interest in football, both the MLS and Premier League, reportedly having taken a leap forward. Those of us old enough to remember will recall our former American goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who played for Seattle from 2009 to 2011.

Wednesday July 23rd
Toronto FC vs Tottenham Hotspur
Kick off: 19:00 (local time) / 00:00 (GMT)

The next leg of the tour sees us reunited with old boys Jermain Defoe and Ryan Nelsen at Toronto FC. Defoe joined Head Coach Nelsen at the end of February after Toronto made him an offer that was simply to big to turn down.

Pre- season tour begins in just 2 months


Defoe left for £6 million and was hoping to make the World Cup squad with regular football. He scored on his debut and netted 3 goals in 2 games before an injury kept him out. Unfortunately Roy Hodgson decided not to take Defoe to Brazil but he'll look forward to seeing some old friends and getting a big cheer from the travelling Spurs fans.

Saturday July 26th
Chicago Fire vs Tottenham Hotspur
Kick off: 19:00 (local time) / 01:00 (GMT)

The final leg of the tour takes Spurs to Chicago where the 20,000 seater stadium is home to one of our loan players, 19 year-old Grant Ward who signed for Chicago Fire in March.

Pre- season tour begins in just 2 months


There will be open training sessions, meet and greet the player sessions, evening with Spurs legends and football coaching courses surrounding each visit to boost local football and raise awareness of Tottenham Hotapur in the States.

Saturday August 2nd
Tottenham Hotspur vs Celtic
Kick-off: 15.30 (local time) /13:30 (GMT)

Having completed a US and Canada visit we have a game in Finland on Saturday August 2nd when we take on Celtic in Helsinki at 1.30pm UK time.

Pre- season tour begins in just 2 months

It will be another chance for Spurs to catch up with Teemu Tainio who has become the first honorary member of Spurs Official Supporters Club in Finland.

“It was perfect, especially being a life-long Spurs fan, it was really nice to be recognised in this way.

“There are a not a lot of Finnish players who have been able to play for the team they’ve supported all their life, so it was a real honour for me.”

Ville Miettinen ia the chairperson of Spurs Finland and he explained that getting Teemu on board was is the culmination of a long-term goal.

“It’s been our long-term goal to get Teemu to be an honorary member, and we’re really glad it happened.

“I don’t think there could be a better person to be the first honorary member than a Finnish player who has won a trophy with Spurs - and one who actually supports the club!

“We currently have around 150 members - now plus one honorary member - and I think there will be a significant rise before the friendly against Celtic.”

Teemu played in Ledley King's testimonial match now plays for HJK in Helsinki and won the Carling Cup with Spurs in 2008.

“It was a fantastic night for Ledley and he fully deserved it. I was so happy to come back to Spurs and be part of such a big occasion - and for the fans to still recognise me!"

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