When the final whistle blew at White Hart Lane this afternoon, it signified much more than the end of a game- this is the end of an era.

Tottenham said goodbye to their famous ground today with a 2-1 win over Manchester United, played out in a carnival atmosphere at The Lane.

A year at Wembley awaits to allow completion of their new 61,000-seater stadium on a site adjacent.

However, while the move may well be the future of the club, this afternoon was all about the past.

Spurs played their first competitive game at The Lane on September 9, 1899, when they beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 in the Southern League.

Epping Forest Guardian:

Thousands of flags were given to fans ahead of the game (pic: Reuters)

This afternoon was Tottenham’s 2,532nd match in all competitions at the ground, with 1,472 wins, 565 draws and 496 defeats from those games.

Harry Kane, already well on his way to becoming a Tottenham legend at just 23 years of age, scored the club’s 5,272nd and final goal at The Lane.

But, after full time, those who have already written their names into Spurs folklore were paraded onto the pitch one last time.

Dozens of club legends, including Martin Chivers, Glenn Hoddle, Ricky Villa, Ledley King, David Ginola, Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane all took part in the celebrations.

Delayed by a pitch invasion, which took around half an hour to clear after full time, the ceremony was interrupted by a heavy shower as former star after former star appeared from the tunnel.

However, as the festivities drew to a close, the rain eased up, making way for a rainbow, which arched its way across the East Stand.

Epping Forest Guardian:

A rainbow formed over the ground during the ceremony (pic: Reuters)

A lucky omen, perhaps, but Spurs haven’t needed much luck this season as they have stormed to a second place finish in the top flight, their highest in the Premier League era.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been superb at The Lane throughout the campaign, going unbeaten, winning 17 and drawing just two fixtures.

If they can produce similar results at their new home, an elusive first title since 1961 may not be far away.