Gabriel Agbonlahor placed Tottenham’s former ground in the same league as the storied homes of Liverpool and Manchester United when reflecting on the finest Premier League venues he encountered during his career. The Aston Villa great, who racked up 322 top-flight appearances, stands as the club’s all-time leading league goalscorer with 74 goals.
But although there were stretches in his career when the rapid frontman felt unstoppable, certain away trips always filled him with a sense of dread. For the Birmingham native, nothing compares to Villa Park, but two now-demolished rival stadiums remain close to his heart, he explained in an interview with TalkSPORT.
Tottenham waved goodbye to White Hart Lane in 2017, making way for their cutting-edge £1 billion stadium, while Arsenal bid farewell to Highbury in 2006. When asked to highlight his top three away days, it was Spurs’ former ground that left the biggest impression from that corner of north London. Anfield and Old Trafford were obvious choices, but Agbonlahor also remembered two other venues – both known for their rickety facilities that made life difficult for visiting players.
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Stadiums Agbonlahor ‘Didn’t Like Playing at’
A League Two stadium features
Agbonlahor said: “It’s got to be Anfield, it’s got to be Old Trafford, those two are big ones for me. And I think probably White Hart Lane [would be third]. White Hart Lane was that stadium, so many top players have played there, and to go and play in that stadium… it’s stadiums that aren’t around now as well. I played at Highbury once. I can say I played against Arsenal at Highbury. In 30 years’ time, I can say to my grandchildren, I played at Highbury.