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7th May, 1977Manchester City 5 Spurs 0. (1st Division)
The darkest day that I can remember in Spurs history. Spurs have suffered heavier defeats but this one meant that they had lost their place in the1st Division for the first time in 27 years. For so much of that time Spurs had seemed above such difficulties, winning trophies and being comfortably placed in the League.
This season brought about the reality of their position and threatened with the drop throughout the season, the team had rallied in the final few games but it wasn’t enough and this defeat brought about the ultimate penalty of relegation.
Players who had previously experienced success and young developing players had failed to retain the club’s position in the top flight but most remained to fight another day and the Board of Directors retained their faith in manager, Keith Burkinshaw.
It was Burkinshaw's first season as manager having been appointed in the summer following the resignation of Terry Neill who went on to manage Arsenal, his former club.
Burkinshaw had been Neill's assistant while the former Arsenal defender and captain, had been the unexpected and controversial appointment following the resignation of Bill Nicholson in 1974. While people were speculating on a dual managerial team of former Spurs' captain, Danny Blanchflower assisted by Johnny Giles, the Leeds United player. This was the recommendation of Nicholson himself but the Directors decided on Neill who was then manager at Hull City.
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Spurs 0 Leeds United 0 (1st Division)
I could have selected a European semi-final victory (1974 v Lokomotiv Leipzip (a) UEFA Cup S/F Won 2-1) or a defeat (1973 v Liverpool (a) UEFA Cup S/F Lost 0-1) or Paul Gascoigne's much awaited return from injury in 1991, ahead of the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal at Wembley, but selected instead the game that was played on the day that I was married.
Spurs had won their previous five League games including a 2-0 victory at Highbury the previous weekend. Spurs, with Terry Neill as manager, had had a better season than the previous year when they required a last match home victory over Leeds to avoid relegation but still only finished in 9th position.
A team with Jennings, Young, Perryman, Pratt, Chivers and Duncan should have been doing better.
The day is also noteworthy for my local team, Carrick Rangers, winning the Irish Cup for the only time in their history, emulating Spurs of 1901, by being a non-League team at the time. Friends and relations were not best pleased at missing the Final to attend the wedding.
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Spurs 6 Southampton 1 (1st Division)
Spurs had four consecutive home games from mid-March to Easter and won all of them. They scored 16 goals, conceding only two. This was the third of the victories, having previously overcome Stoke City (3-0) and Burnley (5-0) which included Jimmy Greaves 300th League goal.
The goals against Southampton were scored by Alan Mullery, Jimmy Greaves (2) (1 pen), Martin Chivers, Cliff Jones and an own goal. The final game in the sequence was a 2-1 victory over Leeds United on Good Friday. They then lost the next two away games, including the return against Leeds in mid-week before returning to winning ways at White Hart Lane.
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