They Played for Spurs and Liverpool

Robbie Keane is the last to join the collection of players who have played for both Spurs and Liverpool but he added another twist by returning to Tottenham within six months.  Technically, Jamie Redknapp, the son of the Spurs manager, also did a 'Keane' as he started as a schoolboy with Spurs before going to Bournemouth, was transferred to Liverpool and finally joined Spurs at the end of his career.

Ray Clemence

Surprisingly, the first player transfer between Tottenham and Liverpool took place only thirty years ago.  Spurs signed Ray Clemence in the summer of 1981 after twelve successful years at Anfield.  The England international goalkeeper helped Spurs to retain the FA Cup in 1982 but missed out on the UEFA Cup Final two years later due to injury.  On his retirement he took up a coaching role with the club and during the Terry Venables 'reign' was joint First team coach with Doug Livermore in season 1992-93.  Clemence was 33 years old when he joined Spurs who had been looking for a top class goalkeeper since the departure of Pat Jennings four years earlier when at the age of thirty two, Keith Burkinshaw deemed him to be past his best.  While Clemence had a successful time at White Hart Lane he will always be remembered, first and foremost, as a Liverpool player.

Prior to the Clemence transfer, only one player had played for both clubs.  Joe Brough, a half-back, had joined Spurs from Stoke City in July, 1908 following their election to the Football League.  Ill-health during his time with Spurs meant he only made three appearances before returning to his former club, Burslem Port Vale.

From Anfield to White Hart Lane

Paul Walsh had four years with Liverpool in the mid-eighties before joining Spurs in February, 1988 for £500,000 as Terry Venables first major signing.  He spent four seasons at White Hart Lane and made an appearance as a substitute in the 1991 FA Cup Final.  He made over 150 League and Cup appearances, scoring 21 goals.  In his final season at White Hart Lane he had a period on loan with QPR before joining Portsmouth for £500,000 in May, 1992 as part of the transfer agreement which brought Darren Anderton to Spurs.

Ronnie Rosenthal joined Spurs in January, 1994 for £250,000.  He had joined Liverpool, initially on loan, from Standard Liege in March, 1990.  He made 100 League and Cup appearances for Spurs, scoring 11 goals.  He is fondly remembered for his hat-trick in an FA Cup replay against Southampton in 1995 when his goals inspired a second half fightback from two goals down to win 6 - 2.  He joined Watford in August, 1997.

John Scales joined Spurs in 1996 after two seasons at Liverpool.  His career at Tottenham was hindered by injury so that he only made 33 appearances before joining Ipswich Town in 2000.  His only goal for Spurs was against Liverpool in a League Cup win at Anfield in 1998.

Oyvind Leonaardsen was signed by George Graham in the summer of 1999.  His career in England has started with Wimbledon where he spent four years before joining Liverpool for a season.  He spent three years with Spurs and made 54 League appearances but in 2002 he signed for Aston Villa.

Christian Ziege joined Liverpool from Middlesbrough in 2000.  The following year he joined Spurs and was a member of their losing Worthington Cup team in 2002, scoring Spurs only goal against Blackburn Rovers.  Injury restricted him to 47 League appearances and he returned to Germany in June, 2004 to play for Borussia Monchengladbach.

From Tottenham to Liverpool
Paul Stewart was the first player to move from Spurs to Liverpool.  He had joined Spurs from Manchester City as a striker but turned into quite a useful midfield player who helped scored the equalising goal in the 1991 FA Cup Final and went on to win three England caps.  He made 131 League appearances for Spurs but for family reasons asked to move back north and Liverpool signed hm in July, 1992 for £2.3 million.  Injuries hindered him during his time at Anfield and he only made 32 League appearances in four seasons, spending time out on loan.

Neil Ruddock had two spells with Spurs, signing for a second time in 1992 from Southampton.  At the end of the season, Ruddock demanded a transfer in the aftermath of the Terry Venables/Alan Sugar saga.  He was sold to Liverpool where he remained for five seasons but was rarely far away from controversy.

From White Hart Lane and Back
Robbie Keane has spent six years with Spurs and made almost two hundred League appearances, scoring 82 goals for the club as well as helping them win the 2008 Carling Cup Final when he was transferred to Liverpool for £20.3 million the following summer.  His stay at Anfield was brief and not a success, so Harry Redknapp resigned him the following January.  He played another 41 League games and scored 11 goals before joining La Galaxy in the summer of 2011.  His second spell with Tottenham was not as successful with him spending time on loan at Celtic and West Ham United.

Nineteen years earlier, Jamie Redknapp had made the similar journey, via Bournemouth.
Redknapp started as a youth player with Spurs but turned down their offer and decided to go to Bournemouth where his father was manager.  He later joined Liverpool where he made over 300 appearances, winning five major trophies.  Glenn Hoddle brought him to Spurs in 2002 but injury plagued his time in London.  He made only 48 League appearances before joined his father at Southampton in January, 2005.

They played for Tottenham and Liverpool

Nicky Barmby left Spurs for Middlesbrough in 1995 and joined Liverpool in 2000 after four seasons with Everton.  Barmby is one of only a few players to move directly across Stanley Park.

Danny Murphy spent seven years with Liverpool before joining Charlton Athletic.  He moved to Spurs in January, 2006 after two years at The Valley.  He made 23 League appearances for Spurs and eighteen months later signed for Fulham.

Graeme Souness made only one appearance for Spurs as a substitute in a UEFA Cup tie in Iceland in 1971.  Anxious to get into into first team football, he requested a move and reluctantly was allowed to sign for Middlesbrough.  He later joined Liverpool where he played our a very successful career.  Souness had been the 'new Dave Mackay' for whom Bill Nicholson had been searching but the with the impatience of youth, Souness was not prepared to wait for his time at Tottenham.

Brad Friedel started his career in England with Liverpool where he made 25 League appearances in three seasons.  He joined Blackburn Rovers and then Aston Villa and then signed for Spurs last summer.

Spurs in History - 29th July

29th July, 1994

Spurs - A Transfer Coup.

A transfer coup to match the Argentine success of 1978, Chairman, Alan Sugar completed the signing of German World Cup star, Jurgen Klinsmann.

Sugar was determined to lift morale at the club following the unjust F.A. punishment and this signing had the desired effect. It brought Spurs to the forefront of the football and news media and there was fantastic demand for tickets for Spurs games, home and away.

Klinsmann joined Anderton, Sheringham, Barmby and Dumitrescu to form manager, Ossie Ardiles' famous five attacking formation. However, while exciting going forward the team lacked co-ordination in defence and Ardiles' stay was short lived.

It was the arrival of Gerry Francis in November which brought some structure to the team and Klinsmann was able to be seen at his best in what proved to be an exciting team to watch.

Unfortunately, his stay was for only one season. With Spurs unable to offer European football, Klinsmann returned to Germany with Bayern Munich.

Spurs in History - 1st March

Ronnie Rosenthal

1st March, 1995
Southampton 2 Spurs 6 (aet) F.A.Cup 5th Round Replay

On 1st March, 1995 an unlikely hero stepped forward to rescue Spurs in a 5th Round Replay.  Spurs and Southampton had drawn 1-1 at White Hart Lane and when the Sheringham/Klinsmann team found themselves two goals down just before half-time at the Dell, their Cup dreams looked to be over.

The match is remembered for the remarkable comeback and for Ronny Rosenthal’s incredible three goal contribution to the win.  Spurs’ cause looked lost when they were two goals down before half time but an inspired substitution by Gerry Francis saw him brought on as substitute just before the interval.  Rosenthal scored twice to take the game into extra time, the second from twenty five yards.  Just returned from injury Rosenthal scored twice in two minutes, having been on the pitch less than fifteen minutes.  He outdid that goal in extra time with a shot from thirty yards to put Spurs ahead and complete his hat-trick.

Then goals from Teddy Sheringham, Nick Barmby and Darren Anderton completed the 6-2 rout.

‘Rocket’ Ronnie had made a name for himself in Spurs folklore.

Spurs in History - 7th February

7th February, 1973

Spurs 3 Derby County 5 (aet) FA Cup 4th Round Replay

For some dates it is difficult even with over 100 years of history to find a match of note to record but for this date we are spoiled for choice.

There were the four goals in 4 minutes 44 seconds against Southampton in 1993 or the 2001 FA Cup fight back at Charlton as well as this 4th Round Replay.

In the first game four days earlier a goal from Martin Chivers had ensured the replay against Derby and at White Hart Lane with less than ten minutes to go, Spurs were comfortably looking forward to the 5th Round.

They were 3-1 ahead after goals from Martin Chivers, Alan Gilzean and a penalty from Mike England when Derby’s lanky centre forward, Roger Davies, took over scoring twice to level and take the game into extra time. Then he completed his hat-trick in extra time as Derby completed a remarkable comeback and left Spurs’ Cup dreams shattered for another year.

Even teams managed by the greatest of managers, Bill Nicholson, can suffer these unexpected and unexplainable results and 52,736 spectators were left stunned.

7th February, 1993

Spurs 4 Southampton 2 Premier League

Terry Venables as Chief Executive had delegated team matters to coaches, Doug Livermore and Ray Clemence but as the season progressed he again became more involved and Spurs were developing a young team capable of playing attractive football. In this game the four goals were scored in 4 minutes 44 seconds and transformed the game which had seen Southampton ahead and apparantly in control.

The goalscorers were Teddy Sheringham (2), Darren Anderton and Nicky Barmby.

7th February, 2001

Charlton Athletic 2 Spurs 4 FA Cup 4th Round

A memorable FA Cup game from recent times when Spurs’ Cup success has been minimal was back in 2001. Spurs were drawn away to fellow Premiership side Charlton who had won the earlier league game by a solitary goal and had earned a scoreless draw at Tottenham a few days earlier.

Spurs found themselves two goals behind early in the second half but staged a remarkable comeback to score three goals inside six minutes to change the game. Gary Doherty, Darren Anderton and Oyvind Leonhardsen got the goals while a late strike from Sergei Rebrov sealed the victory.