Tottenham's Cup Record against Watford

Tottenham's visit to Vicarage Road to play Watford in the FA Cup 4th Round tie is the first occasion that Watford have had home advantage over Spurs in the FA Cup.  The clubs have met previously on three occasions at White Hart Lane and at a neutral venue for a semi-final clash.  Spurs have played at Watford in the League Cup in three matches.  A further FA Cup tie was played at Spurs' old Northumberland Park ground when Watford were known as West Herts.

Carling Cup 5th Round
Spurs last game at Watford was in the Carling Cup in December, 2008 at the 5th Round stage.  They progressed to a semi-final tie against Burnley with a 2 - 1 success through goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent.

Spurs found themselves a goal behind within fifteen minutes as Watford mounted sustained early pressure.  They drew level on the stroke of half-time with a Pavlyuchenko penalty following a foul on Jermaine Jenas.  Spurs scored the winner with fifteen minutes remaining when substitute Bent latched on to a ball from Pavlyuchenko to score with  a low shot.

FA Cup 3rd Round
The last meeting between the two clubs in the FA Cup was in January, 1999 when Spurs won 5 - 2 at White Hart Lane.  Watford who were in the 1st Division at the time took the lead in the opening minute.  Steffan Iversen equalised on ten minutes as Spurs scored three times in seven minutes.  Three minutes later Darren Anderton scored with a penalty for handball following a free-kick awarded for a foul on David Ginola and then Iversen added his second on seventeen minutes.  Watford showed spirit and pulled a goal back after half and hour but Allan Neilsen restored Spurs two goal advantage three minutes before the interval.

It was not until four minutes from time that Ruel Fox completed the scoring with Spurs' fifth.  Two former Spurs players were included among the Watford substitutes that day, goalkeeper Chris Day and Ronnie Rosenthal.  Rosenthal came on at half-time, receiving a warm welcome from the Tottenham faithful.

League Cup (Coca Cola Cup) 2nd Round
This tie was played over two legs with the first game at Watford in September, 1994.  It marked Jurgen Klinsmann's debut in Cup football in England and he didn't disappoint scoring a first half hat-trick on the ground where he had made his first Spurs appearance in a pre-season friendly the previous August.

Watford took the lead in the opening seconds but Darren Anderton levelled with a shot from the edge of the penalty area.  Then Jurgen Klinsmann completed his hat-trick before half-time to give Ossie Ardiles' attacking team the advantage.  After half-time Watford pulled a goal back before Teddy Sheringham restored their three goal lead.  Ian Walker then conceded a penalty but saved it before Ilie Dumitrescu scored Spurs sixth, only for Watford to pull another goal back through a Gary Mabbutt own goal.

The second leg at White Hart Lane a fortnight later in October, 1994 was just as exhilerating as Watford came out victorious by 3 - 2.  Spurs, however, progressed to the next round with an aggregate win of 8 - 5.  Watford went ahead after fifteen minutes but Nicky Barmby who missed the first match equalised after half an hour.  Watford regained the lead early in the second half but Klinsmann again drew Spurs level only for the visitors to score the winner fifteen minutes from time.  This was Spurs fourth consecutive home defeat and Ardiles was under increasing pressure.

FA Cup Semi-Final
Spurs were progressing serenely towards the Wembley Final when they met Watford at the FA Cup semi-final stage at Villa Park in April, 1987.  The match proved remarkably easy for Spurs who were facing a Watford side who had to find emergency goalkeeping cover due to injury.  The 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 and unfortunately that match didn't go as expected.

League Cup 2nd Round
In September, 1975 Spurs visited Vicarage Road for a Cup match for the first time.  They won against the 4th Division side through the only goal scored by Chris Jones.  Having avoided relegation with victory over Leeds United in the last game of the previous season, Terry Neill's team, in his only full season in charge of the club, progressed to the semi-final stage where they lost out to Newcastle United.

FA Cup 3rd Round
In January, 1939 Spurs were playing in the 2nd Division while Watford were in the 3rd Division (South).  An emphatic win at White Hart Lane saw Spurs create another 'first' to include in their record books.  It was the first time that numbers were worn on the players' shirts, something which the Spurs directors had been campaigning for over a considerable period of time.

The Spurs goals were scored by Ralph Ward (pen), Fred Sargent, Willie Hall (2), Andy Duncan, Les Miller (2).

FA Cup 2nd Round
Spurs were the Cup holders when the clubs met in January, 1922 with Spurs in the 1st Division and  Watford in the 3rd Division (South).  Tottenham had overcome Brentford in the 1st Round and a Bert Bliss goal at White Hart Lane was sufficient to see them progress on this occasion.  Their defence of the FA Cup came to an end in the semi-finals when they lost to Preston North End in controversial circumstances.

Spurs first FA Cup tie was in October, 1894 when they met West Herts at their old Northumberland Park ground.  Four years later, in 1898, West Herts and Watford St. Mary's merged to form Watford FC.  Spurs won 3 - 2 with goals from Peter Hunter and Donald Goodall (2) and Tottenham's experience with the FA Cup had commenced.

Spurs in History - 13th March

13th March, 1982

Liverpool 3 Spurs 1(aet) LEAGUE/MILK CUP FINAL at Wembley.

Thirteenth, unlucky for some and certainly for Spurs in their centenary year. Two amazing records finally came to an end in this game – unbeaten in domestic Cup Finals and unbeaten at Wembley.

However, it looked to be going so well with Steve Archibald giving Spurs the lead after 11 minutes. Liverpool pressed but the Spurs defence was holding firm and then with four minutes remaining Archibald had a chance to secure victory but delayed his shot and the chance was gone. Within a minute Liverpool had equalised and in extra time they scored twice more against a deflated Spurs team. However, Spurs were still looking for success in the League, the F.A.Cup and in Europe.

Team: Clemence; Perryman, Hughton; Price, Hazard(Roberts), Miller; Ardiles, Archhibald, Galvin, Hoddle, Crooks.

13th March, 1936

On this day, one six line paragraph in the Weekly Herald, headlined 'On Trial' stated:

"Spurs are giving a month's trial to an amateur Wm. E. Nicholson, an inside right of Scarborough Working Man's Club. He recently celebrated his 17th birthday. His height is 5ft 8 ins and weight 10st 12 lbs."

And so Bill Nicholson arrived at Tottenham Hotspur where he served with distintion as a payer, coach and manager. He later returned as Consultant and became Club President.

Spurs in History - 3rd March

3rd March, 1973
Spurs 1 Norwich City 0 LEAGUE CUP FINAL at Wembley.

Ralph Coates scored the goal which took the League Cup to White Hart Lane for the second time in three seasons. He had been substitute on the day but an injury after twenty five minutes to the unlucky John Pratt gave Coates his chance.

Norwich defended stoutly throughout the game but the breakthrough came after 72 minutes. Spurs then became more dominant in a game that was memorable only to Coates and Spurs fans.

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

Spurs in History - 27th February

Two goal hero Martin Chivers celebrates winning the League Cup with manager Bill Nicholson and captain Alan Mullery

27th February, 1971
Aston Villa 0 Spurs 2 League Cup Final at Wembley

Having defeated Swansea, Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion, Coventry City and Bristol City to reach their first League Cup Final, Spurs had to play 3rd Division Aston Villa, not as easy a task as could have been expected.

Villa made it very difficult for Spurs but they eventually came through thanks to two excellent goals late in the second half. With twelve minutes remaining, Martin Chivers scored against the run of play and then three minutes later added a second.

Chivers' late strikes maintained Spurs 100% record in Cup Finals and Bill Nicholson had produced another winning team that was about to uphold the Spurs tradition of Cup success in the coming years at home and in Europe.

Team:Jennings; Kinnear, Knowles; Mullery (Capt), Collins, Beal: Gilzean, Perryman, Chivers, Peters, Neighbour. Sub: Pearce.

Spurs in History - 8th February

8th February, 1987

Arsenal 0 Spurs 1 Littlewoods Cup Semi-Final (1st Leg)

Spurs went into this game with a record of only two defeats in their previous 12 games, the last one having been at home to Arsenal in early January.

Spurs had progressed in both Cup competitions and in this Littlewoods Cup Semi-Final 1st leg game both teams started cautiously. Once Clive Allen had scored his 34th goal of the season towards the end of the first half, Spurs dominated the match and could have put the tie beyond doubt.

Spurs class and performance were summed up in a quote from the Independent newspaper, ‘No attacking side can be more difficult to deal with than Spurs at the moment.’

With the 2nd leg at White Hart lane Spurs were optimistic of progressing to their fourth League Cup Final at Wembley, but unfortunately it wasn't going to be as simple as that.

Spurs in History - 2nd February

2nd February, 1987

Spurs 5 West Ham United 0 (League Cup 5th Round Replay)

This League Cup Replay, following a 1-1 draw the previous week, saw Spurs produce a top class performance with Ossie Ardiles and Glenn Hoddle in control, producing some very attractive football.

After six minutes Ardiles found Nico Claesen who scored and from then on, Spurs dominated the game but it was not until the 71st minute that they increased their lead with a Hoddle shot from 20 yards. In the last ten minutes Clive Allen came into his own, completing a hat-trick including a penalty after a foul on his cousin, Paul Allen.

This is a game often remembered by those present and set up a two-leg semi-final clash with North London neighbours, Arsenal.

Carling Cup Preview

Spurs v Arsenal Preview
Carling Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg

Now that all the wrangling about tickets and prices has been resolved, it’s time to look at this much awaited match which throws up a number of dilemmas:

Should the heart or the head rule when assessing the game?

Which Arsenal team will turn up – their Carling Cup youngsters or their Champions League side?

And more importantly, which Spurs side will appear? – the one that battled with pride and passion against Chelsea and that has imperiously swept aside all that Europe’s best UEFA Cup teams could throw at them or the side that has shown so little enterprise away from home and brought such fear and lack of ambition to their home game against Liverpool that for an hour they tried to contain and ultimately paid the penalty.

Only if Spurs show passion, determination, commitment – all of those words – will they achieve any success against Arsenal. They showed none of them at the beginning of December when making their first appearance at the Emirates Stadium. They must not make that mistake again.

Many criticize Martin Jol for his failure to get the tactics right but on occasions he has shown an awareness and got the tactics spot on – in Europe, home and away, both games against Arsenal last season, against Chelsea both last season and this, at Old Trafford on a couple of occasions – the team has been well prepared and up for the game. He certainly needs to get it right on Wednesday night and that should mean getting among the Arsenal players to deny them time and space, to put them under pressure and on the back foot so that Spurs can dictate the tempo of the game.

Spurs’ overall record in League Cup semi-finals isn’t great, although no-one will ever forget the 5-1 defeat of Chelsea in 2002. Spurs have reached 11 semi-finals and progressed to the Final on five occasions, winning three of them. They have met Arsenal in two previous semi-finals and on both occasions went out to late goals.

In 1968, a late goal at Highbury in the 1st leg gave Arsenal the advantage and a late equaliser at White Hart Lane gave them a draw and aggregate win.

In 1987, David Pleat’s team won at Highbury with a Clive Allen goal and another Allen goal gave Spurs a first half lead in the 2nd leg. Arsenal scored twice in the second half, the winner coming in the final minutes. A third game saw Allen put Spurs ahead again but when Arsenal scored their second in the last moments of the game, it was the first time they had been ahead on aggregate over the three games – a great opportunity missed by Spurs.

Spurs haven’t beaten Arsenal in the League since November, 1999. Goals from Iversen and Sherwood gave them a 2-1 win but in a number of those games Arsenal were relieved to take away a point while Spurs felt they had deserved more. The fight that was shown in those games is what is needed – Arsenal don’t like teams that get among them as Bolton, Fulham and Sheffield United have shown to good effect – so Spurs need to find that inner resolve to compete and give Arsenal nothing. If they can find that inspiration and commitment, accept whatever goal-scoring chances are on offer and get a little rub of the green, then Spurs could set themselves up for a very interesting return game in a week’s time.

Spurs in History - 23rd January

Teddy Sheringham celebrates Spurs semi-final victory over Chelsea.

23rd January, 2002

Spurs 5 Chelsea 1 (Worthington Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg)

A goal down from the first leg of this Semi-Final clash, Spurs set about overcoming Chelsea with a style and determination, often missing from Spurs teams.


An early goal, within two minutes, from Steffan Iversen set Spurs on their way. Tim Sherwood scored before half-time and in the second half, further goals from Teddy Sheringham, Simon Davies and substitute, Sergei Rebrov, ensured Spurs were in the Worthington Cup Final, before Chelsea’s late consolation goal.


This was Spurs best performance of the season and the best result of Glenn Hoddle’s time as manager. What a way to overcome the Chelsea jinx who hadn’t lost at White Hart Lane since 1987.


Unfortunately, the euphoria of this result was not carried forward to the Final in Cardiff where Spurs lost to Blackburn Rovers.


Team: Sullivan, Taricco, Davies, Perry, Gardner, King, Sherwood, Poyet (Leonhardsen), Anderton, Sheringham, Iversen (Rebrov)

Spurs in History - 21st January

21st January, 1976

Newcastle United 3 Spurs 1 (League Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg)

Spurs narrowly avoided relegation the previous season but showed improved form and a good run in the League Cup saw them facing Newcastle in the Semi-Final. Having won the first leg at White Hart Lane 1 - 0, thanks to a goal from John Pratt and a superb performance from Pat Jennings, Spurs were disappointed to miss out on an opportunity to appear in another Wembley Final.

Don McAllister scored the goal in the second game but it was not enough to overcome Newcastle who won 3 – 2 on aggregate.