Tottenham Hotspur have announced the return of iconic ‘Golden Cockerel’ as the 4.5m sculpture will be hoisted above the South Stand at our new stadium, revealed our club’s official website.

A replica of the iconic golden cockerel that was in place at our old White Hart Lane stadium will also be present at our new 62,062-capacity ground.

Working with London Mould Makers, Tottenham have created an exact replica which includes every minute detail of the original sculpture that first appeared at The Lane in 1909.

Club Historian, John Fennelly told our club’s official website: “The Cockerel was falling apart. It was dented and in pretty poor condition.

“The story was the dents had been caused in the Blitz. But the truth was the damage was done by Gazza — with an air rifle.

“He tried to deny it but he’d been spotted.”

Tottenham took a scan of the original structure, which they still own, to ensure the new cockerel is as similar as possible. The statue, which has been painted with a two-part golden finish, is now ready to be lifted onto the South Stand roof.

Arthur Steward of London Mould Makers added: “The Cockerel has such a rich history, it tells its own story. It is an honour to preserve that history and pay homage to the original artists who created it.

“Many of our employees working on this project are Tottenham residents, so we are all well aware of the huge benefits this stadium regeneration scheme will bring to the local area.”

In a bid to make the new ground — officially known as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — feel more homely, our club have ensured that the bricks taken from the old East Stand are being re-purposed in The Shelf.

Read more: (Video) New time-lapse video showcases progress in Tottenham’s stadium construction

The return of Cockerel is just another of Tottenham’s tributes to our history at the new stadium. Well done, Daniel Levy and co.!