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

Tottenham's 1990 FA Youth Cup Winning Team

Tottenham Hotspur have won the FA Youth Cup on three occasions, the last time being in 1990 when Spurs had one of their most successful youth teams, winning three trophies that season.  However, being a member of a winning team in the country's most prestigious youth tournament is no guarantee to having a successful career in football.

May, 1990  FA Youth Cup Final (1st Leg) v Middlesbrough (a) Won 2 - 1 Potts, Houghton

                                                   (2nd Leg) v Middlesbrough (h) Drew 1 - 1 Morah

Tottenham Won 3 - 2 on agg.

Team: (1st Leg) Walker; Smith, N., Hendon, Tuttle, Hackett; Hardwicke, Howell (Nethercott), Smith, K., Houghton (Fulling); Morah, Potts.

(for the 2nd Leg Fulling started in place of Howell who replaced him during the game.  Nethercott replaced Morah) 

Tottenham's youth team of season 1989 - 90 retained the South East Counties League Division for a fifth successive season, won the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1974 and only the third time in Tottenham's history and defeated Arsenal in the Final of the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup, coming from a goal down after losing the first leg at Highbury to win 2 - 1 on aggregate.

This was the club's most successful youth team, in terms of winning competitions, since 1970 when the youth team included Steve Perryman and Graeme Souness.  The team was managed by Keith Waldon who regarded the team's win over Manchester City at Maine Road in the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup as their best performance of the season.  Spurs won 2 -  and in Waldon's words, "The scoreline really flattered City. I thought we were far superior on the day.  To beat City on their own ground and to do it so convincingly, was magnificent."

The manager was also very complimentary to the players while adding a word of caution that it was up to the individual players to continue to improve in order to fulfil their potential.  He regarded Ian Walker and David Tuttle as the most outstanding players throughout the whole season for the fact that they rarely made mistakes and were very solid, holding the team together when things got difficult.

What Happened to the 1990 FA Youth Cup Winners?

Ian Walker, Tottenham

Ian Walker was the most successful of the group, having been regarded by Waldon as 'one of the most outstanding youth team goalkeepers that he had ever seen'.  He went on the make 260 League appearances for Tottenham and won 4 England caps.  he made his first team debut in season 1992 - 93 but it was 1995 - 96 season before he made the goalkeeping position his one.  For the following five seasons he was first choice and played in the 1999 Worthington Cup win over Leicester City.  It was a difficult period for Spurs and Ian Walker irritated many fans due to what they regarded as his carefree attitude when things weren't going well for the team.  The arrival of Neil Sullivan from Wimbledon in 2002 saw Walker lose his place in the team and he moved to Leicester City for £2.5 million the following summer.  He spent three years with Leicester before going to Bolton as understudy.

Neil Smith was the most versatile player in the youth team, having played the previous season as a striker and being the team's leading goalscorer.  He moved into defence but could also play in midfield.  He left Spurs in 1991, signing for Gillingham after a period on loan.   After six years he moved to Fulham and played against Spurs in the FA Cup, scoring Fulham's goal, past former youth team colleague, Walker, at White Hart Lane in a 3 - 1 defeat in 1998.  In 1999 he joined Reading and after three seasons he moved into non-League football.  Smith helped each of his three League clubs achieve promotion.

Warren Hackett played at full back in the successful youth team but was released at the end of that season.  He went to Leyton Orient and in four seasons made 76 League appearances.  after a year at Doncaster, he spent four season with Mansfield Town, making 117 appearances.  He had two years at Barnet before retiring due to injury.  He made 21 international appearances for Saint Lucia.

Ian Hendon was captain of the youth team and the England youth side.  Waldon viewed him as quite an accomplished player who had a lot of work to do to prove he wasn't just a good youth team footballer, but was capable of going all the way to play in senior football.  He progressed to the Tottenham senior team, making 4 substitute League appearances for Spurs and also playing for the England Under-21 team.  He was a member of the FA Cup winning squad and the squad for the Charity Shield at the start of the next season.He went out on loan and was transferred to Leyton Orient in 1993 for £50,000.  After four seasons he went to Notts County and two years later moved on to Northampton Town.  He joined Sheffield Wednesday in 2000 and had a short time with Peterborough before joining non-League Barnet.  he helped them win promotion to th eFootball League and spent six seasons there, including time as manager.

David Tuttle had started as a centre forward in youth football but was moved in to central defence the previous season and in the words of his manager, 'showed a lot of promise.'  That promise was fulfilled as he made it into the League team at Spurs, making 14 appearances before being transferred to Sheffield United in 2003.  He also signed for Crystal Palace, Barnsley and Millwall.  He became assistant to Colin Lee at Millwall and in 2005 was appointed manager.  He left the following summer having failed to avoid relegation.  He is at MK Dons as chief scout and manages on non-league football.

Vic Hardwicke played in midfield but was released by Spurs at the end of his successful youth team season.

Greg Howell played in midfield in the first leg of the Final and was substitute for the second game.  He left Spurs on a free transfer in the summer of 1993 without progressing beyond the reserves.  He was at Enfield Town for three years from 2005.

 Kevin Smith was a physically strong midfield player for the youth team.  He made a few reserve team appearances the following season but was then released by Spurs.

Scott Houghton was a speedy winger who could use both feet.  He scored a goal in the 1st Leg of the Final at Middlesbrough.  He made his Spurs debut in September, 1991 as a substitute against Manchester United.  In his next game, he came on as  a substitute against Luton Town and scored twice as Spurs won 4 - 1 at White Hart Lane.  it was a memorable match as Luton had gone ahead just before the interval.  The second half was interrupted for fifteen minutes when the light failed but on their return Spurs came alight and scored four, Gary Lineker scored twice as well.  (see the goals here)  Houghton made 10 League appearances, all as a substitute before joining Luton in 1993.  He played for a number of lower League clubs, having his best spells at Peterborough, Walsall, Southend United and Leyton Orient.

Ollie Morah was a first year apprentice in the Cup winning team who scored 28 goals that year, including the goal in the 2nd leg of the Final.  He remained with Spurs until August, 1992 when he signed for Swindon Town.  He failed to make any League appearances there and after two years dropped into non-League football with Sutton United.  He later played for Cambridge United and Torquay United.  He is became a coach at Tottenham in 2005 with the Academy Under-13 players.  

Andrew Potts was another first year apprentice when wining the FA Youth Cup.  He was leading scorer that season with 30 goals, including a goal in the Final.  He was released in the summer of 1993.

Lee Fulling was released by Tottenham a few weeks after the Final.

Stuart Nethercott was a first year trainee when he made his substitute appearances in the FA Youth Cup Final.  He made it to the Tottenham first team and made hid debut in 1993 in a 1 - 1 draw at Chelsea.  He made a number of appearances over the next eighteen months but at the start of the 1994 - 95 season, Ossie Ardiles selected him to partner Sol Campbell at the heart of the Tottenham defence, ahead of Gary Mabbutt.  It was in the attacking, care-free days of Jurgen Klinsmann and Teddy Sheringham and the defence was left over exposed, leading to Ardiles removal as manager.  Nethercott had a further three seasons at the club playing when others were injured.  one such occasion was the FA Cup semi-final against Everton and unfortunately for Nethercott he had a poor game at full back as Spurs lost 1 - 4 and their Cup winning dream was shattered.  He went to Millwall in 1997 and made over 200 appearances in seven seasons, helping them to promotion to the Premier league and an FA Cup Final although he missed it as he had been loaned out to Wycombe for whom he signed in the summer of 2004.

Only Ian Walker made himself a regular team member with Tottenham and only a small number of the players managed to have a career in lower League football.  As with the 1995 FA Youth Cup team, being part of a successful youth team gives no assurance of making a career in League football.  Tottenham continue to spend vast sums of money on their Academy in the search for quality young players but even with all the expert coaching provided there is no certainty that any of those young players will progress to the first team, never mind make themselves a regular and vital member of the team.

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.

Spurs in History - 21st August

21st August, 1982

Liverpool 1 Spurs 0 F.A.Charity Shield at Wembley.

Newly signed from Bristol Rovers, Gary Mabbutt made his debut in Spurs midfield. Spurs were without influential players like Steve Perryman and Graham Roberts with Paul Price also unavailable through injury.

The game was a robust affair and many competitive tackles came in from both sides – this may have been something left over from the previous season’s Milk Cup Final when Liverpool set about unsettling Spurs early on in the game which left Tony Galvin to play most of the game bearing the pains of some hefty tackles which greatly reduced his effectiveness.

Spurs in History - 17th August

17th August, 1996

Blackburn Rovers 0 Spurs 2

A good opening to the Premiership season but at a high cost.

The good result and three points were overshadowed by the injury to Captain and inspiration, Gary Mabbutt. After twenty minutes of the first half he broke his leg and was to be ruled out for the rest of the season.

At the time of the injury the game was scoreless. However, thirteen minutes later Chris Armstrong gave Spurs the lead and then doubled the score mid-way through the second half. In spite of Mabbutt’s injury and the injury of his replacement within nine minutes, Spurs managed to re-organise themselves and deservedly won the three points.