Tottenham lost their 22nd and final game of a dreadful Premier League season on Sunday.
It was somewhat to be expected, with celebrations from their Europa League triumph on Wednesday going all the way to the open-top bus parade on Friday.
That meant that preparations for their final match of the campaign – at home to Brighton & Hove Albion – were hardly what you would call smooth.
Things remarkably started well for Spurs, who were the better team in the first half. Mathys Tel was bright in the first period and was the instigator for the opening goal, brought down by Mats Wieffer in the box for Dominic Solanke to step up and score from the penalty spot.
But in the second half Brighton roared back and dispatched with a tiring Tottenham side with ease in the end.
Jack Hinshelwood scored twice, one a cheeky backheel, before Matt O’Riley scored from the spot and Diego Gomez rounded things off with a screamer.
It meant Spurs ended the season in 17th place, just one position above the relegation zone, with the Europa League triumph making up for a desperately dismal domestic showing.
Spurs entered the final day knowing they could actually finish as high as 14th with a win and if results went their way.
And for almost half an hour in the first half they were in 14th place. And that would have seen them secure a significantly bigger windfall.
Every position in the Premier League is worth between £2million and £3million, with each position worth around £2.8million last season.
And finishing 17th, rather than 14th, means Spurs have missed out on approximately £8.4million, based on last season’s financial figures.
In the end, the Spurs result did not matter, with other results not going the way they needed to, meaning they could not finish any higher than 17th in the end. But there were moments where Spurs could have pocketed more than £8million than they will actually take home now.
Spurs fans, the wait is over. After 17 years, Tottenham have their hands on silverware.
This Daily Mirror special edition tells the story of how Ange Postecoglou and his team battled their way to Europa League victory.
From their first tie against FK Qarabag back in September, to the dramatic night in Bilbao, Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur follows their path to triumph.
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