3rd March - Spurs in History

3rd March, 1973

Football League Cup Final at Wembley.
Spurs 1 Norwich

Ralph Coates

As in their previous League Cup Final two years earlier, Spurs were expected to win this game with ease but Norwich made it very difficult by playing very defensively.  In a dull game, the goal was the only memorable moment.

John Pratt started the game ahead of Ralph Coates.  He was injured early on, however, and Ralph Coates replaced him after twenty five minutes.  Coates duly took his moment and scored the goal which won the trophy to maintain Spurs' unbeaten record in Finals and at Wembley.  It also ensured that Spurs played in Europe the following season.

This was possibly Ralph's greatest moment in a Spurs' shirt.  He had signed from Burnley in May, 1971 but had taken time to settle having moved to London, although he had played in the successful UEFA Cup winning team the previous season.

Team: Jennings, Kinnear, Knowles, Pratt (Coates), England, Beal, Gilzean, Perryman, Chivers, Peters(Capt),Pearce.

The following week, the two teams met at White Hart Lane in a League game and Spurs won
3-0, with the goals coming from Martin Chivers (2) (1pen), Jimmy Pearce.