The MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, today sent a letter to FA chairman Greg Dyke urging him to allow Spurs to play at Wembley while White Hart Lane is being redeveloped.

Earlier this week, Tottenham revealed updated plans to turn their site into a 61,000 all-seater stadium. It means they will have to play the 2017-18 season elsewhere, while work is completed.

The club looked at moving home games for a year to MK Dons’ ground in Milton Keynes, but have made the national stadium their first choice.

Talks have already taken place about basing themselves at Wembley. However, they could be in competition with Chelsea, who face spending three years away from Stamford Bridge if designs to build their new ground are finalised.

It was reported earlier this week that Chelsea have offered £11m-a-year to move into Wembley in 2017, although talks are at such an early stage they are in no position to make any firm bids.

But that has prompted Lammy to send a strongly worded message to Dyke of the importance of Spurs staying in the capital. “What I hope is avoidable is a scenario in which the club is forced to leave not just White Hart Lane, but London too,” he wrote. “A season spent playing at Milton Keynes would make following their club extremely difficult for supporters, the vast majority of whom are based in north-east London.

“It would be also detrimental to London, given that Tottenham contributes £120million a year to the economy. Tottenham playing their homes games at Wembley would result in significant new revenue for the FA — revenue that could make a difference to grassroots football facilities. I am of the view that such an arrangement would be in the interests of all parties. However, it is important that any decision is based on more than mere financial considerations.”

Tottenham's new stadium - In Pictures 6 show all Tottenham's new stadium - In Pictures 1/6 Capital gains Spurs hope to create a thriving and exceptional sports, leisure and entertainment destination in Tottenham Tottenham Hotspur FC 2/6 World class arena The stadium will be the finest anywhere in the world, pledge Spurs Tottenham Hotspur FC 3/6 Top of the world A 'Sky walk' will allow visitors access to stadium roof Tottenham Hotspur FC 4/6 Job creation Once complete Tottenham will go from supporting 1,800 jobs to supporting 3,500 in the area Tottenham Hotspur FC 5/6 A whole new ball game The new venue will host at least two money-spinning NFL games a year for a decade Tottenham Hotspur FC 6/6 Ground force The new stadium will include the largest single tier stand in the UK, now increased to 17,000 seats. Tottenham Hotspur FC 1/6 Capital gains Spurs hope to create a thriving and exceptional sports, leisure and entertainment destination in Tottenham Tottenham Hotspur FC 2/6 World class arena The stadium will be the finest anywhere in the world, pledge Spurs Tottenham Hotspur FC 3/6 Top of the world A 'Sky walk' will allow visitors access to stadium roof Tottenham Hotspur FC 4/6 Job creation Once complete Tottenham will go from supporting 1,800 jobs to supporting 3,500 in the area Tottenham Hotspur FC 5/6 A whole new ball game The new venue will host at least two money-spinning NFL games a year for a decade Tottenham Hotspur FC 6/6 Ground force The new stadium will include the largest single tier stand in the UK, now increased to 17,000 seats. Tottenham Hotspur FC

Wembley can host a full fixture list as long as capacity does not exceed 50,000 and Lammy believes there is room for both Chelsea and Tottenham to play there, adding: “It would be a failure of common sense if an arrangement along these lines cannot be reached. I would be grateful if you could reassure me that no club will be given more favourable treatment than any other during this process.”

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust have also expressed their concerns to Dyke over the possibility of Chelsea outbidding them.

Their letter read: “We do not believe cost or the potential financial package on offer should be the only consideration here. THFC is a sustainably run club, seeking to compete with Chelsea — a club funded on a different model — and West Ham, a club about to move into a stadium heavily subsidised by the taxpayer. We believe the FA has a responsibility to help one of its leading member clubs move forward with a stadium project that could provide widespread benefit.”



READ LAMMY'S LETTER IN FULL