Tottenham have announced their EFL Cup tie with Watford will be hosted at Stadium MK due to the unavailability of Wembley and their new stadium, despite pressure from fans.
It was revealed straight after the draw on August 30 that Spurs had applied for special dispensation to hold the match at a neutral ground.
Spurs have hit delays with the major rebuilding project for their new stadium at White Hart Lane, and Wembley – their temporary home – is unavailable on the week commencing September 24.
Editors' Picks
Sarri vindicated for dropping Kepa as Chelsea & Pedro impress in Spurs win Magnificent Mane takes centre stage as league leaders Liverpool put on a five-star show Lukaku sends reminder that his Man Utd career is far from over Man City monitoring Barcelona & Chelsea target Jovic
It was acknowledged by Spurs that Milton Keynes, approximately 50 miles north-west of White Hart Lane, was not an “ideal destination” for supporters in a statement.
Stadium MK has also proved to be a divisive choice due to the controversial history of the club that plays there – League Two side MK Dons.
Wimbledon, FA Cup winners in 1988, were moved to Milton Keynes from south London in September 2003, in what was an unprecedented move in English football history.
Fans protested against the switch and formed a new club, AFC Wimbledon, who have risen through the non-league pyramid quickly and now play in League One.
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust (THST) urged the club to take that into consideration and threatened to boycott the match were it to be scheduled in Milton Keynes.
But the club went ahead with their application and the English Football League ratified it on Thursday, much to the dismay of fans across north London.
The third round match will take place at Stadium MK on Wednesday, September 26.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have accumulated nine points out a possible 12 so far in the Premier League and have finished in the top four over the last three consecutive seasons.
However, Spurs haven’t won a trophy since they lifted the League Cup in 2008, which makes this year’s competition a great opportunity for the club to finally add some more silverware to the trophy cabinet.