Spurs in History - 25th March

25th March, 1922

Preston North End 2 Spurs 1 F.A.Cup Semi-Final at Hillsborough

Refereeing decisions have had a bearing on many of Spurs semi-final appearances and even away back in this game Spurs didn’t have the rub of the green.

Spurs had beaten Preston in the previous year’s semi-final and Jimmy Seed gave them a half time lead in this game. In the second half Preston were revitalized and equalized but then Spurs suffered a refereeing injustice.

Spurs should have taken the lead from a Bert Bliss shot but the referee blew his whistle to attend to an injured Preston player. He claimed that he blew up prior to the ball crossing the line and disallowed the goal. To make things worse, the player wasn’t even injured.

Preston then went on to score a winning goal.

Spurs in History - 19th February

19th February, 1983

Everton 2 Spurs 0 FA Cup 5th Round

All good things must come to an end and so it proved in the 5th Round match at Goodison Park. After over two seasons undefeated in the F.A.Cup Spurs went out rather tamely to Everton. In winning the Cup for the two previous seasons Spurs had played 18 games, winning 14 and being taken to 4 Replays including both Finals against Manchester City and Q.P.R.

After defeating Southampton and West Brom in the previous rounds an under strength team, lacking some of their top players through inevitable injury - Ardiles, Roberts, Miller and Archibald were all missing, gave a rather lack-lustre performance to surrender their hold of the Cup they had won so magnificently in the previous two seasons.

Team: Clemence, Hughton, Lacy, Price, Perryman, Hazard, Villa (Hoddle), Mabbutt,Galvin, Gibson, Crooks.


19th February, 1921

Southend United 1 Spurs 4 FA Cup 3rd Round

The score in this 1921 3rd Round game suggests a fairly routine victory with a 4-1 result over Third Division, Southend United. However, Spurs’ performance was not as impressive and they again required that element of luck every Cup winning team experiences. Spurs were lethargic and Southend went ahead after ten minutes. Spurs rallied and equalised through Jimmy Cantrell, only to allow the home team to take control again and earn a penalty just before half-time. The referee was not happy with the placing of the ball for the penalty and interfered on two occasions. This angered the Southend penalty-taker who argued with the referee and when he stepped up to strike the penalty he sent it wide of the post. After the interval Southend again took charge but in the last thirty minutes Spurs scored three times through Jimmy Banks, Bert Bliss and Jimmy Seed who scored the final goal.

19th February, 1996

Nottingham Forest 0 Spurs 0 FA Cup 5th Round (abandoned after 15 min - snow)

The 1996 5th Round game at Nottingham Forest is remembered by travelling supporters for their lengthy journey home through thick snow after the game was abandoned after fifteen minutes due to the snow. Spurs drew the re-arranged tie but lost the replay at Tottenham on penalties.

Spurs in History - 13th February

13th February, 1901

Preston North End 2 Spurs 4 FA Cup 1st Round Replay

Having failed to win at White Hart Lane, Spurs were given little chance of surviving this F.A.Cup 1st Round Replay. However, for the replay at Preston, Spurs had an injured player returning, captain John Jones. Spurs looked a different side Spurs and played with greater urgency, going ahead within six minutes from a goal by John Cameron, their Secretary/Manager. Two further goals from Sandy Brown gave Spurs a comfortable half-time lead. Preston scored in the second half but Brown completed his hat-trick and although scoring again, Preston were well beaten and Spurs were safely through to the next round .

The first stage of a memorable and historic Cup campaign had been successfully completed by the non-League team - Spurs, the giant-killers were on their way.

13th February, 1915

Middlesbrough 7 Spurs 5 1st Division

In the final season before football ceased due to the 1st World War, Spurs suffered a number of heavy defeats in a season that ultimately ended in relegation. This is Spurs only League game to record a 5-7 score, and centre forward Jimmy Cantrell scored four of Spurs' goals. Bert Bliss scored the other goal and Spurs also managed to miss a penalty while Borough scored from the spot.

Spurs in History - 10th January

10th January, 1970

Spurs 2 Derby County 1 (1st Division)

From late November to mid February, Spurs were to play eleven League games but would only record two victories, this was the second of them. The poor form was to have repercussions that were not apparent at the time of this match which saw Spurs win with goals from Greaves and Roger Morgan.

However, as results continued to disappoint, Bill Nicholson decided to drop some of the star names. All managed to win back their place in the team but Jimmy Greaves’ career at Spurs came to a sudden and unexpected end and so this was the last League goal that he scored for the club.



10th January, 1914

Leicester Fosse 5 Spurs 5 FA Cup 1st Round

On this day in 1914 Spurs shared ten goals in an FA Cup match with Leicester, Spurs' highest scoring draw in the competition. The goals were scored by Fanny Walden, Billy Minter, Jimmy Cantrell, Bert Bliss (2).

In the replay at White Hart Lane, two goals from Walden and Bliss were sufficient to take Spurs into the next round, an away game against Manchester City. For the replay, centre forward Jimmy Cantrell was injured and was replaced by George Gemmell who was making his debut for Spurs, having scored in his previous four reserve games for the club. This was Gemmell's only senior appearance for Spurs and still remains the only player to have made his only appearance for Spurs in the FA Cup.

Spurs in History - 8th January

8th January, 1921

Spurs 6 Bristol Rovers 2 FA Cup (1st Round)
Scorers: Bliss, Smith, Cantrell, Seed, Clay (pen), Walden

In January, 1921 following promotion, Spurs, after a disappointing start to the season, were coping well in the 1st Division. Their first game in the FA Cup (1st Round) saw them drawn at home to Bristol Rovers who were in the 3rd Division, their first season in the Football League.

The two clubs had met at Bristol the previous year at the same stage of the competition.  Spurs won 4-1 on that occasion and this again turned out to be one of Spurs’ easiest opening rounds – they were one up after four minutes and four ahead by half-time, ensuring a comfortable victory.

After taking an early lead through Jimmy Seed they added to it with a Tommy Clay penalty. Goals from Bert Smith and Fanny Walden gave them a 4 – 0 lead by half-time. Rovers scored early in the second half, before Jimmy Cantrell scored and then after Rovers’ second, Bert Bliss added a late sixth.

These names were to become part of the illustrious history of Spurs.