Tottenham's Disappointment of Losing The Cup

It was twenty five years ago today, 16th May, 1987 that Spurs lost their first FA Cup Final.  After seven successful Finals, Spurs' amazing record was gone as they lost to Coventry City at Wembley.  They had already sacrificed their record of never losing in a Cup Final or at Wembley in 1982 when they lost out in the League/Milk Cup Final to Liverpool but this was the big one.

Coventry City 3 Tottenham  Hotspur 2 (aet)

Scorers: Bennett, Houchen, Mabbutt o.g                          Allen, C., Mabbutt 

Team: Clemence; Hughton (Claesen), Mabbutt, Gough, Thomas, T.; Allen, P., Ardiles (Stevens), Hoddle, Hodge, Waddle, Allen, C.

Spurs had arrived at Wembley after a very impressive season which had seen David Pleat's team finish third in the 1st Division behind Everton and Liverpool.  They had lost in the semi-final of the Littlewoods League Cup to Arsenal after a replay was required, the tie ending all square after home and away legs.  Arsenal's late winner at White Hart Lane in that third match was the only time they had led in the tie.  


Clive Allen had been the relevation of the season as he set a new goalscoring record for Spurs - 49 in all competitions, breaking the record previously held by Jimmy Greaves.  The season started with his hat-trick against Aston Villa at Villa Park as Spurs claimed a 3 - 0 success and carried on from there.  David Pleat introduced a system where he played as a lone striker supported by five in midfield and very successful it proved.


Spurs' Road to Wembley:
Spurs' progress to the FA Cup Final had been quite serene with few difficulties along the way with Allen scoring four goals in the competition.  This was to be Glenn Hoddle's last season with Spurs and so it was extra special for him to leave on a high note.

3rd R.  v Scunthorpe United (h)  Won 3 - 2  Mabbutt, Waddle, Claesen
4th R.  v Crystal Palace (h)  Won 4 - 0  Mabbutt, Allen, C. (pen), Claesen, Opp. o.g.
5th R.  v Newcastle United (h)  Won 1 - 0  Allen, C. (pen)
6th R  v Wimbledon (a)  Won 2 - 0  Waddle, Hoddle
Wimbledon often proved a difficult side for Spurs to beat as they disliked their long ball, high pressured play and often came off second best.  David Pleat’s side, however, showed their worth in a visit to Plough Lane and with application and commitment went through as the skill of Chris Waddle and Glenn Hoddle provided the goals to ensure the ‘Diamond Lights’ were still shining for the semi-final tie. 
S.F. (Villa Park)  v Watford  Won 4 - 1  Hodge (2), Allen, C., Allen, P.
This semi-final was one of the easiest Spurs have ever played. Watford went into the game at Villa Park with goalkeeping problems and had to call up an emergency keeper as their regular keepers were injured.   A 4-1 victory did not flatter Spurs as David Pleat’s side continued their good form and won through goals from Steve Hodge(2), Clive Allen and Paul Allen. Coventry City were their unexpected opponents in the Final.

FA Cup Final:   

'Gary Mabbutt's Knee'

Spurs were firm favourites to lift the trophy as they returned to Wembley for their third FA Cup Final in seven years while Coventry were at this stage of the competition for the first time.

A goal after two minutes from Clive Allen who headed in Chris Waddle's cross seemed to justify their position as favourites but it wasn't to be.  Coventry were level within seven minutes and although Gary Mabbutt had restored Spurs' lead before half-time, Coventry came back to take the game into extra time.  Their equaliser came from a diving header by Houchen, the goal that appears regularly in photographs and video shots of the 1987 Final.

After six minutes of extra time Coventry went ahead when a cross deflected off Mabbutt's knee and looped over Ray Clemence's head.  There was no way back for Spurs as they lost their first FA Cup Final.

BBC commentator, John Motson, described the game as 'the finest Cup Final I've ever had the pleasure of commenting on.'

That was little compensation for Spurs as they finished the season without a trophy as the 'nearly' men.

Read about some of Spurs successful Cup Finals:

Tottenham's Joy of Winning the Cup 

FA Cup Finals:

1901, 1921, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1981, 1982, 1991

Michael Dawson's Wembley Jinx

Michael Dawson's Wembley
disappointments

In the past playing at Wembley Stadium was often regarded as the pinnacle of a footballer's career when the only opportunity to tread the hallowed turf came through a Cup Final appearance or an international match.  However, in this modern era there are so many games at the stadium - internationals, FA Cup semi-final and finals, League Cup finals, the Community Shield, Football League play-offs, random minor Cup finals and even pre-season tournaments, that to make an appearance there is not so highly regarded and for the top players it is common place.

However, for Michael Dawson, Tottenham's Player of the Year for last season, the new Wembley experience must be something of a disappointment.  Over the past three seasons he has had four opportunities to play there but they have not been as memorable as he would have hoped for and if he were a superstitious person he might be starting to feel that the place was jinxed as far as he was concerned.

2007-08 Carling Cup Final

Having helped Spurs reach the Final against Chelsea, appearing in four of the five games on the road to Wembley, including the famous 5-1 semi-final victory over Arsenal at White Hart Lane, Dawson cruelly missed out on the final through injury.  Two weeks before the final, he sustained an injury early in the league game at Derby County and was sidelined for a month.  However, as the team celebrated their stirring extra time success over Chelsea, Dawson showed his character and his pleasure for his colleagues and the club as he watched from the side-lines with a great smile, obviously enjoying the moment and not being overwhelmed by his own sense of disappointment at not being in the team that day.

2008-09 Carling Cup Final

Twelve months later as Spurs endeavoured to retain the trophy, Michael Dawson made it on to the pitch, partnering Ledley King in central defence.  This time he played his part as the defence held firm against the strike power of Manchester United but after extra time the match remained goal-less and Dawson could only watch helplessly as United took the game on penalties.  Another disappointment at Wembley for Dawson who had again played in four of the five games on the way to the final.

2009-10 F A Cup Semi-final

Spurs were looking good for another FA Cup final appearance, their first since Gazza and the 1991 success over Nottingham Forest, especially as they were playing Portsmouth whom they had defeated twice in the Premier League and who were facing relegation and were in serious financial difficulty.  However, the match didn't go as Spurs would have hoped and Portsmouth displayed much commitment and determination and were proving difficult opponents.  With no goals after ninety minutes the match went to extra time and looked to be heading for a penalty decider when the highly criticised Wembley turf played a crucial role in proceedings.  Unfortunately, it was Michael Dawson who was to suffer as he slipped at a vital moment when he was about to clear the ball in the centre of the penalty area.  The ball fell invitingly for Portsmouth who accepted the gift and went on to secure a two goal victory.  Once again Dawson was left to rue his Wembley experience.

August, 2010 - England Debut 

After enduring a long summer in South Africa, without getting a game at the World Cup, Michael Dawson finally made his long awaited England debut.  Having appeared in a number of England squads, Fabio Capello gave Dawson his first full cap as a second half substitute for John Terry in the friendly against Hungary.  In the early moments of the half Dawson looked nervous but with the game goal-less he was settling into the match when he moved to intercept a through ball but missed it allowing Hungary to progress into the penalty area.  As the England defence covered the attack, Dawson recovered to try to make amends and when a deflected shot came across the goal, Dawson stretched to clear and prevented it from crossing the line.  It was a close call but then the French referee's assistant decreed that the ball had in fact crossed the line and a goal was awarded.  Television evidence shows that the ball didn't fully cross the line but Dawson had made the initial mistake which had allowed Hungary to create the goal scoring opportunity. Of course, he was wearing the England shirt with number '13'.  Fortunately, as it was a friendly international and as England recovered to win the game, the press didn't make too big an issue of Dawson's blunder on his debut and hopefully he will have the chance to add to his international appearances in the future and avoid being a 'one-cap wonder'.

A great former Spurs stalwart, Gary Mabbutt, endured Wembley heartache before being able to enjoy the sweet taste of success at the stadium.  Mabbutt had appeared at the ground on a number of occasions both for Spurs and England - he actually made his Spurs debut in the 1982 Charity Shield defeat by Liverpool.  Howver, his greatest disappointment will have been the memory of the own goal which enabled Coventry City to wn the FA Cup in 1987.  In extra time a cross came into the Spurs area, the ball hit Mabbutt on the knee and looped over the reach of Ray Clemence.  Spurs had been clear favourites and it was the first occasion that Spurs had suffered defeat in an FA Cup final.  David Pleat's team had come so close to success in all three competitions but in the end had fallen at the final hurdle.  It was not until 1991 that Mabbutt avenged this disappointment when he held aloft the FA Cup as captain of the victorious Spurs side who had overcome many difficulties both on and off the pitch to secure their trophy and possibly the very existence of the club.  Ironically, it was as Mabbutt challenged for the ball from a corner that Des Walker headed into his own goal to put Spurs ahead.

Hopefully, in the not too distant future Michael Dawson will be able to set aside his Wembley disappointments and have some exciting memories to tell his grandchildren in the years to come.

'There's Only One Robbie Keane!'

Robbie Keane – Top Scorer in 2007

Six goals against Reading and the club’s leading scorer for the calendar year of 2007 doesn’t get on the score sheet, in fact, he misses a penalty at 4 – 4 but sees Jermain Defoe save his blushes as he heads in the rebound. He is then substituted as the team wins 6-4.

That sums up the enigma that is Robbie Keane. Love him or loathe him, as some Spurs fans do, you have to acknowledge that he has an instinct for goals and frequently goals of the spectacular variety.

Robbie Keane joined Tottenham in August, 2002 from Leeds United for £7 million as his former club slipped into financial ruin. Only turned 22 years of age, Keane had also played for Wolves, Coventry and Inter Milan. At the time there was newspaper talk that the signing was controversial due to a difference in view between the manager, Glenn Hoddle, and the Director of Football, David Pleat. Pleat was reported to be in favour of the signing while Hoddle was opposed to it, a view which could be supported as the manager left his new signing on the bench for the next game at Fulham which they lost from a winning position.

Keane made his debut in a 3-2 home win over West Ham United and scored his first goal for the club in an away win at Blackburn three weeks later. He has now scored 98 goals for Spurs in all competitions and his second goal against Fulham on Boxing Day was his 100th Premier League goal, making him the thirteenth player to achieve that milestone.

Keane has developed his game to become creator as well as goal scorer and has developed a great understanding with Dimitar Berbatov as shown by the cross that led to the Bulgarian scoring the first goal against Reading. He also won the penalty which led to Spurs going ahead. Until the past week Keane had been so reliable and shown such composure when taking penalties, able to focus on the task and exclude all distractions from the opposition. He had previously only missed one penalty for Spurs, saved by Spurs now reserve keeper, Ben Alnwick, when he was playing for Sunderland at White Hart Lane.

Keane has shown great commitment to Spurs and has been the leading scorer for a number of seasons and even when omitted from the team, he has battled back into contention. Able to play a variety of roles he has also combined well with other strike partners, Teddy Sheringham, Fredi Kanoute and Defoe.

For the early part of last season, manager Martin Jol rotated Keane and Defoe with Berbatov but eventually sided with Keane who could provide greater support to midfield as he often came to collect the ball before moving forward in attack. On occasions this was a fault in his play as when Spurs were under pressure Keane came further and further back leaving Berbatov isolated and Spurs brought more pressure on themselves.

Keane has many memorable goals – hat-tricks against Wolves and Everton, his juggling goal against Blackburn Rovers and the super strikes against Fulham in the Cup and in Europe. One other memorable moment was his dribbling and bamboozling of the Chelsea full back, leaving him on the ground, as he tricked his way up the line to eventually set up Aaron Lennon for the winner at White Hart Lane in November, 2006.

Martin Jol showed great faith in Keane, making him vice-captain, and he has accepted the responsibility as he did when appointed captain for the Ireland team. He is now their leading international goal scorer.

This past year, 2007, has seen Robbie Keane score 31 goals in all competitions, 19 of which were in the Premier League from 32 appearances, keeping him ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (18 goals from 31 appearances) and other strikers including Benni McCarthy, Carlos Tevez, Yukubu, Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba.

Last year started slowly for Keane who didn’t start a game in January and his first League goals didn’t come until late February when he scored two against Bolton Wanderers but was then sent off before half-time for handling the ball on the line following a corner. In his final seven League games of the season he scored nine goals and after a slow start to this season he scored another ten, bringing his total to nineteen.

To date, fourteen players have scored one hundred or more goals for Spurs, Robbie Keane is about to join that elite group headed by Jimmy Greaves. Given his age and continued good form and avoiding injury, Keane could very quickly move well up that list.

Hopefully, Robbie Keane will continue to head Spurs’ goal scoring lists as the club move forward to claim some long awaited silverware.

Spurs in History - 16th May

16th May, 1987

Spurs' First Defeat in the FA Cup Final

Coventry City 3 Spurs 2 F.A.CUP FINAL at Wembley (aet).

The unthinkable had happened, Spurs lost an F.A.Cup Final.

A season that had promised so much had ended disappointingly with Spurs having nothing to show for all their exciting play and effort – David Pleat's ‘nearly’ team – beaten semi-finalists in the League Cup and third in the League. Spurs were favourites to win the Cup against unfancied Coventry and it had started so well with Clive Allen scoring his 49th goal of the season after two minutes. Coventry equalised shortly afterwards only for Gary Mabbuttt to restore Spurs’ lead.

In a very open game Coventry drew level to take the game into extra time and eventually won the Cup when a cross hit Gay Mabbutt and looped over Ray Clemence’s head into the goal.

Great disappointment and very hard on the great club player Mabbutt. A very disappointing end to a long season and especially for Glenn Hoddle who was playing his last game for Spurs.

Team: Clemence; Hughton (Claesen), Thomas,M.; Hodge, Gough (Captain), Mabbutt; Allen, C.,Allen, P.,Waddle, Hoddle, Ardiles (Stevens)

Spurs in History - 29th March

29th March, 1986

Spurs 1 Arsenal 0 (1st Division)

Spurs had earned a point in a New Year’s Day scoreless draw at Highbury and in this frenetic, bruising return match, Spurs won thanks to a first half goal from Gary Stevens. Such was the pace of the game that only Hoddle managed to show his skill, inspiring them in a hectic ten minute spell around the goal, midway through the half, that could have brought more goals.

However, in the second half Spurs were less effective and only three outstanding saves by Ray Clemence earned his team the three points.

Despite a strong finish to the season Spurs finished tenth and manager Peter Shreeve was replaced by David Pleat.

17th March - Spurs in History

Goodbye, George Graham.

Spurs 3 Coventry City 0

Out - George Graham

Rarely can a Spurs victory have been so overshadowed by events off the field.  The previous day, Spurs announced the departure of their manager George Graham.  The manager did not have the support of the fans because of his long association with Arsenal and his style of play also annoyed supporters who had to endure four successive 0-0 score lines in the League in January and February. The 'official' reason given was that Graham had made critical comments to journalists about money being available to sign players.

In - Glenn Hoddle?

However, the team had showed improved form and style in FA Cup, having reached the semi-final after victories over Leyton Orient, Charlton, Stockport and West Ham.  The win over West Ham had been on the previous Sunday and with a semi-final against Arsenal, his departure came as a complete shock.  Many rejoiced at his departure, especially with speculation that Glenn Hoddle would return as manager.  However, with such an important came to come, the timing may not have been the best.

With David Pleat in charge, once again, the players appeared to have no difficulty with the departure and performed well against a Coventry team who were finally to relinquish their Premiership position at the end of the season.  The goals were scored by Steffan Iversen, Les Ferdinand and Sergei Rebrov.

The star of the show was Stephen Carr who rampaged up and down the right wing at will to create opportunities for the fowrwards. This was Carr at his best, before his operation and before his attitude changed so dramatically.

The 35,606 supporters present almost witnessed a 'special' moment.  It would have been a collectors' item - a Steffan Freund goal.  He broke on the right towards the Paxton Road end, cut in on goal and shot across the goalkeeper - it looked a goal all the way but shaved the far post.  So close but so far and he never managed to score a competitive goal for Spurs.

A St. Patrick's Day trip to remember.