Ange Postecoglou teased a potential third season at Tottenham Hotspur as thousands of fans serenaded him and the club’s Europa League heroes at a euphoric open-top bus parade.
Two days after Brennan Johnson’s 42nd-minute winner in Bilbao fired Spurs to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United, the players to end a 17-year trophy drought were back in north London.
A white double-decker bus with ‘Europa League winners’ written across the front started in Edmonton Green at 5.30pm before it moved down the High Road to chants of ‘glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur’ from supporters young and old.
An estimated 150,000 fans were expected to swarm on areas around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with plenty on roofs and bus stops to get a better vantage point before a stage outside the club’s 62,850-seater venue allowed for further adulation.
Postecoglou had to pause before he addressed a buoyant crowd, which belted out his song to the tune of Robbie Williams’ hit ‘Angels’ for one of the first times this season.
The 59-year-old, who has faced continuous speculation over his future, then dropped a hint that he could get his wish of a third campaign at Spurs.
“I told them and they laughed. I told them and they didn’t believe, but here we are,” Postecoglou said in reference to his autumn claim that he “always wins things” in his second year.
“We’re here because of this unbelievable group of people players and staff, absolute heroes led by the legend Son Heung-min, Cuti (Cristian) Romero, James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario. All of them, heroes.
“They did it all for you, because you deserve it. This club deserves it.
“And I’ll tell you something, I’ll leave you with this – all the best television series, season three is better than season two. Thank you.”
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It was met with enormous cheers, with Daniel Levy watching on before several of the key figures from Wednesday’s win at San Mames took to the stage.
Captain Son Heung-min and James Maddison could not help themselves from the odd expletive.
Match-winner Johnson, who turned 24 on Friday, also had happy birthday sang to him before fireworks were let out from the roof of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium alongside blue and white confetti.
This is Spurs’ first trophy parade since a 1991 FA Cup win and club greats were on hand to reflect on the achievements of the class of ’25.
Graham Roberts scored in the 1984 UEFA Cup success and backed this current team to claim more silverware, he said: “This will give them belief now. All that pressure that was there, that’s gone.
“They love Ange, they went round him, they cuddled him, they wanted him in the photos. The team spirit is there.
“We’ll get more now, the rest will come.”
Micky van de Ven, who produced a miraculous clearance in Bilbao, echoed those sentiments on the open-top bus, he said: “If you experience this, you want to do it over and over again. We’re going to try to do the same beautiful things next season.”
Birthday boy Johnson added: “It’s definitely up there, I can’t think of many better!
“Unbelievable day. So good to soak it all in.
“The club has so many supporters, so many real supporters, who haven’t won anything in a little while so I expected it to be unbelievable and it’s exceeded my expectations.”
Maddison, with a beer in hand, insisted: “I love this club, man. It’s the best decision I ever made, joining this club.”
Son added: “Our group, we have done it. I’m so proud of this group. Today is the day that is special. I’m very lucky I was captain.”
