Tottenham Legends

The term 'Legend' is sometimes used very loosely and generously where former players are concerned but these three are true Tottenham Hotspur 'Legends' who served the club loyally over many years and enjoyed great success during their time at White Hart Lane.

Dave Mackay

Yesterday, the official Tottenham Hotspur site reported that Dave Mackay had been taken into hospital in Nottingham on Saturday with a chest infection.  Every Spurs fan will wish him a speedy recovery and hope that he will soon be home again.

Signed from Hearts in 1958, Mackay became a vital member of the 1960s Double winning team.  He also played in the 1962 FA Cup Final but missed out in the ECWC Final through injury.  After twice recovering from breaking his leg, he captained the 1967 FA Cup winning team.  He made 268 League appearances for Spurs.


Up-date (16th June):

(from the Official Site) 

The Club is pleased to report that our legendary former midfielder Dave Mackay has now left hospital.

The double-winner who made over 300 appearances for us between 1958-68 and lifted the FA Cup as captain in 1967 was admitted to hospital in Nottingham last weekend with a chest infection.

We send our best wishes to Dave and his family.
Steve Perryman

There is good news that Steve Perryman has been released from hospital and is making a steady recovery following his heart surgery at the beginning of May.  It's good to know that he is making progress and  everyone would once again want to wish Steve a continued speedy recovery.

Steve holds the record for appearances for the club from his debut in 1969 to his departure in 1986.  He won the League Cup twice and the UEFA Cup in the 1970s and then captained the FA Cup winning team in 1981 and 1982.  He was part of the UEFA Cup winning team in 1984 but missed out in the final due to suspension.  He later returned to White Hart Lane as assistant manager to Ossie Ardiles.

Pat Jennings

On this day, 12th June, 1945 the greatest ever Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper was born in Newry, Northern Ireland.  Signed from Watford in 1964, Jennings made 472 League appearances for the club and won the FA Cup in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973 and the 1972 UEFA Cup.

Happy 67th Birthday, Pat and we wish you many more.

Jennings Signed from Watford: here

Pat Jennings to be Honoured by UEFA: here

Spurs' Record against Liverpool at Anfield

Last season Spurs ended Kenny Dalglish's unbeaten home run since his return to Anfield as Liverpool manager and that remains his only home defeat.  Liverpool have shown recent improved form with last weekend's home victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup and holding City in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg match.  Their Premier League home record for this season shows seven draws and only four wins in eleven matches so Spurs will be looking to add to last year's success.

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Up until 1985 Tottenham's annual trip to Anfield was associated with the sinking of the Titanic as Spurs had not won there since before that sad event.  This year, 15th April, 2012 marks the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.  A month earlier, Spurs had achieved their last win at Anfield on 16th March, 1912.

16th March, 1912  1st Div.  Won 2 - 1  Newman, Mason
Ahead of this game Spurs had won only twice since defeating Woolwich Arsenal 5 - 0 at White Hart Lane on Christmas Day.  There record included five defeats and four draws from eleven League and Cup games.  Spurs goals at Anfield were scored by Ernie Newman and Tom Mason.  This was Mason's only goal for Tottenham and neither player had lengthy careers with Spurs but events over the next 73 years finds them with a place in the Tottenham's history books. Spurs had taken a fifth minute lead with a header from Mason.  Newman added a second before half-time and although Liverpool scored early in the second half they couldn't get a second.  This was Spurs second success in three visits to Anfield, having won by the same score the previous season.

Seventy three years later, on the same date, 16th March, Spurs brought their terrible record at Anfield to an end.  During that time they had played 43 matches in League and Cup competitions, achieving 15 draws and 28 defeats.

16th March, 1985  1st Div.  Won 1 - 0  Crooks
Tottenham were challenging near the top of the 1st Division title but had lost in midweek at home to Manchester United.  It was actually their away record which was keeping them in the title race and they were undefeated in their previous 10 away League games with six victories.  They had lost at Anfield in the 4th Round of the FA Cup but on this occasion a garth Crooks goal with twenty minutes remaining earned them the three points.  Spurs finished the season in third place, level on points with Liverpool.

Over the next 27 years Tottenham have won at Anfield on another five occasions in League and Cup:

Premier League Record at Anfield

P  19  W  2  D  5  L  12  For  17  Ag  38

Last Season

May, 2011  PL  Won 2 - 0  Van der Vaart, Modric (pen)
Liverpool and Spurs were both in contention for a place in the Europa League with two matches tpo play at the end of the season.  Ledley King made a surprise return to the Tottenham defence having been absent since October and helped keep a clean sheet for the first time in ten games.  Rafael van der Vaart gave Spurs an early lead and Luka Modric's second half penalty helped secure the victory and Liverpool's first home defeat since Kenny Dalglish's return as manager.  This was only Spurs second Premier League win at Anfield.

Jan. 2010  PL  Lost 0 - 2
Dirk Kuyt gave Liverpool an early lead but the determining moment in the game came just after half-time when the referee, Howard Webb, who else, disallowed a Jermain Defoe goal for offside, a controversial decision.  A last minute penalty secured victory for the home side.

Oct. 2007  PL  Draw 2 - 2  Keane (2)
Liverpool scored early but Robbie Keane equalised right on half-time.  He then put Spurs ahead two minutes into the second half and looked to have secured the win until a last minute goal snatched it away.

April, 2005  PL  Draw 2 - 2  Edman, Keane
Erik Edman was the scorer of one of the best goals by a Spurs player at Anfield.  His early strike from almost forty yards giving the goalkeeper no chance.  Spurs held the lead until just before half-time but regained the advantage after ten minutes of the second half through Robbie Keane.  Liverpool were level eight minutes later.

Nov. 1998  LC  Won 3 - 1  Iversen, Scales, Nielsen
This victory enabled Spurs to continue on their Road to Wembley and success in the Final of the Worthington Cup against Leicester City.

Mar. 1995  FAC  Won 2 - 1  Sheringham, Klinsmann
Everyone was beginning to think that this was going to be Tottenham's year for the FA Cup.  they had shown great determination to win at Anfield with Jurgen Klinsmann's late goal.  Liverpool had taken the lead late in the first half but Teddy Sheringham brought them level just before the interval.  A draw was looking the most likely result when with two minutes remaining Sheringham put Klinsmann through to score the winner.  Sadly, Everton ended Spurs' Wembley dreams in the semi-final.

Aug. 1993  PL  Won 2 - 1  Sheringham (2) (1 pen)

Oct. 1986  1st Div.  Won 1 - 0  Allen, C.

Ledley King made his debut for Spurs at Anfield in May, 1999, coming on as a substitute in a 2 - 3 defeat.  A Jamie Carragher own goal and a Steffan Iversen gave Spurs the lead at the interval but Liverpool came back in the second half with Jamie Redknapp scoring their first from the penalty spot.
King had come on at half-time in place of Stephen Clemence.

Mar. 1973  1st Div.  Draw 1 - 1  GilzeanOne of the most memorable performances by a Spurs player at Anfield was in a 1 -1 draw in 1973 when Pat Jennings saved two penalties to deny Liverpool.

Keegan had seen the first saved, Jennings diving to his right to palm away.  Smith put the next one to Jennings's left, with similar results.  There is a photograph of Jennings springing up from his second penalty save, punching the air with one hand.  The referee looks on, grinning wildly in sheer disbelief.  On the turf, down on his knees, is Smith, hammering the ground with both fists in impotent rage.

Alan Gilzean had scored the opener, but Keegan eventually put the ball past Jennings with, of course, a mishit, deflected shot.

Spurs who defeated Liverpool by four goals at White Hart Lane in September will hope to reduce the gap on second placed Manchester United to three points with a win at Anfield and secure a second consecutive win at the ground, something they haven't achieved since those two seasons immediately before the sinking of the Titanic.

They Played for Spurs and Watford

Two Spurs 'Legends' are linked with Watford.  Spurs signed Pat Jennings from Watford in 1964 when former Tottenham captain, Ronnie Burgess was manager of the club.  At least twenty eight players have connections with both clubs at some time in their careers but only two have joined Spurs from Watford.  The other transfers have been in the opposite direction with a number of players moving on loan including Andros Townsend who spent time at Vicarage Road last season.

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Pat Jennings

Pat Jennings was a young, inexperienced goalkeeper when Bill Nicholson signed him from Watford in June, 1964 for £27,000.  The Northern Ireland international had just won his first two caps and had played only 48 League games for Watford in his year with the club when Nicholson decided to buy him.  He had cost Watford £6,000 when he joined from Newry Town in 1963.

Nicholson was looking to rebuild his team following the demise of the 'Double' team and as he had done the previous year with Watford, Jennings stepped straight into the Spurs team in place of Bill Brown.  His debut was in a 2 - 0 win over Sheffield United on the opening day of season 1964-65.

Initially, Nicholson must have had doubts about Jennings as he took time to settle and during his first two seasons he shared goalkeeping duties with Brown.  By the start of 1966-67 Jennings had made the position his own and after  a few months Brown was allowed to join Northampton Town.  For the next eleven seasons Jennings was first choice goalkeeper at White Hart Lane.  He helped the club to win the FA Cup in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973 and the UEFA Cup of 1974.  His total of almost 600 League and Cup appearances is littered with numerous match winning performances and a goal having scored in the 1967 Charity Shield game against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

He will always be remembered for the size of his hands which enabled him to come out to catch a cross using only one hand.  His two penalty saves at Anfield as Spurs earned a 1 - 1 draw in 1973 are part of Spurs legend and after a UEFA Cup game in Switzerland Spurs returned with a resounding 5 - 1 victory over Grasshopper Zurich but it was Jennings who received all the plaudits for his performance that evening.

It was only in his last season that Jennings was troubled by injury and as Spurs were relegated manager Keith Burkinshaw made the unbelievable decision to release Jennings in favour of his young understudy, Barry Daines.  Jennings moved to Arsenal and gave them years of outstanding service before returning to Spurs to keep fit for the 1986 World Cup Finals.  He retired on his forty first birthday as Northern Ireland were eliminated from the competition by Brazil.

On retiring he took on the role of goalkeeping coach and is still involved with the club in their corporate facilities.  Pat Jennings was recently honoured by UEFA for winning over 100 international caps for Northern Ireland.

The manager of Watford at the time of Jennings' transfer to Spurs was Ronnie Burgess who had joined in 1936 and played over 450 League and Cup games as well as being captain of the 'Push and Run' side which won the 2nd Division and 1st Division titles in consecutive seasons from 1949 to 1951.  He joined Swansea in 1954 and moved to Watford as manager in 1959.


Tommy Harmer, was known as 'The Charmer' and as a player he spanned the years between the 'Push and Run' team of the 1950s and 'The Double' side of the 1960s but missed out on both.  He joined Spurs as an amateur in 1948 and made his debut in September, 1951 against Bolton.  He played 222 League and Cup games before signing for Watford in October, 1960 having lost his place in the first team to John White.  He was loved by supporters with supreme tricks and skills on the ball.  Lightly built in the rugged midfield battle of those days he was frequently the inspiration for Spurs best performances having taken over from Eddie Baily as the creative influence in the team.  He was at his best in Bill Nicholson's first game as manager, when the new manager restored him to the team.  He was the creator behind the 10 - 4 win over Everton and even managed a goal for himself.  At first, Nicholson tried to play both Harmer and White in his team but eventually opted for the Scot.

In the book about the late John White, 'The Ghost of White Hart Lane', Harmer is described as, 'though he was small, he was a giant' and Julian Holland wrote, 'Harmer was a truly great player.  His tragedy was that his gifts were never fully suited to the type of play current at Tottenham.  Under Rowe he was too static.  Under Anderson he was denied colleagues quick and responsive enough to turn his genius into Champion-ship winning football.  Under Nicholson he lacked the mobility that the new manager looked for. Nor could he supply rapid improvisational touches that Nicholson knew were necessary to overcome planned, coherent defences in 1961.'

Harmer spent two years with Watford before moving to Chelsea as a player/coach and helped them win promotion.

Dennis Bond was a young midfield player who made his name with Watford making over 100 appearances before signing for Spurs in March, 1967 for £20,000.  He had made his debut for the Vicarage Road club at the age of seventeen when Burgess was manger.  He failed to make an impact with Spurs and only made 26 League and Cup appearances in three seasons, scoring once.  He then joined Charlton for £25,000 where he became a regular for three seasons and returned to Watford and made another 200 appearances for the club.

Roy Low has a place in Tottenham record books as the first player to appear for the club as a substitute.  It was on 11th September, 1965 when he replaced the injured Derek Possee against Arsenal at White Hart Lane.  Low was a wing half but he only made eight appearances and scored one goal in his three years at the club.  He joined Watford in February, 1967.

Many well known Spurs players have played for Watford after leaving Spurs.  Gerry Armstrong, while not making any great impression in his five years at Spurs, signed for Watford in November, 1980 and went on to greater things in Spain and with Northern Ireland.

Mark Falco enjoyed greater success at Tottenham having come through the youth system and was a member of the UEFA Cup winning team of 1984.  He joined Watford in October, 1986 and later played for Glasgow Rangers, Queen's Park Rangers and Millwall.  Falco scored 90 League and Cup goals for Spurs and was one of the successful penalty takers in the UEFA Cup Final shoot-out.

From the same era, Paul Miller had developed as an apprentice with Spurs and spent over twelve years at the club before moving to Charlton Athletic in February, 1987.  He played over 200 League games and was a regular in the successful Keith Burkinshaw teams of the early 1980s contributing the away goal against Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup Final.

Steve Hodge who had a short time with Spurs in the mid-80s, having joined from Aston Villa in December, 1986, returned to his first club, Nottingham Forest, in the summer of 1988.  He later played for Watford towards the end of his career.

Tim Sherwood started his career with Watford and after playing for Norwich City and Blackburn, captaining them to the Premiership title, he joined Spurs in February, 1999.  He spent four years with the club, making 93 League appearances, before moving to Portsmouth.  He is currently in charge of Spurs Development squad.

The first player to play for both Spurs and Watford was Bill Lane.  He was a centre forward who spent less than three years with the club from 1924 but only made 29 appearances before joining Leicester City.  He later played for Watford from 1932 to 1936.

Another player from the 1920s who played for both teams was Jack Elkes.  He joined Spurs from Southampton in 1922 and was a forward who could also play at centre half.  He made over 200 League and Cup appearances for the club and moved to Middlesbrough in 1929.  He joined Watford in 1933 spending one season with the club.

John Moran was a full back who had one season with Tottenham, playing twelve matches and then became the first player to be transferred directly between the two clubs by joining Watford in 1932 where he spent four years.

A number of players from the 1950s turned out for both clubs - Bobby Cook, Dennis Uphill, Chris Adams, Johnny Gavin, Alfie Stokes and John Ryden.  Ryden, a centre half, had captained Spurs for a season in the mid-50s but the arrival of Maurice Norman and Dave Mackay reduced his opportunity for first team appearances.  Stokes scored 40 goals in 65 League appearances but was allowed to join Fulham in 1959 as Bill Nicholson put together his new team.

The 1990s also throws up numerous players who spent time at White Hart Lane and Vicarage Road - Mark Robson and Danny Hill, Darren Caskey, all on loan, Ronnie Rosenthal, Espen Baardsen, Allan Nielsen, Ramon Vega and Stephen Kelly and Andros Townsend (both on loan).

Mark Yeates, a former Tottenham player who came through the youth system, is currently in the Watford team.  He made his debut for Spurs on the closing day of the season in May, 2004 setting up a goal for Robbie Keane.  He made three League appearances and after a series of loan periods he joined Colchester United in 2007.  After two seasons he joined Middlesbrough and then moved to Sheffield United.  He joined Watford last summer and has scored three League goals this season from midfield.

Speaking ahead of the Cup tie, Yeates commented on his time at Spurs,  

" Tottenham was a big part of my life ...... so I've got a lot of fond memories.  I've still got a lot of pals there.  Martin Jol gave me a few run-outs, but Spurs are such a big club and at the time in every transfer window they were bringing in three or four new players.  It was hard for the likes of myself, Dean Marney and Johnnie Jackson, we were on the fringes.  Eventually we had to move on but there are no hard feelings."

Tottenham Goalkeepers 2011-2012 Friedel, Gomes, Cudicini

Tottenham have had many outstanding goalkeepers throughout their history but the present group, Brad Friedel, Carlo Cudicini and Heurelho Gomes are the best they've ever had at the club at the same time.  Anyone of them is capable of producing match winning performances and all three have shown that this season.

Pat Jennings, Ray Clemence, Ted Ditchburn, Bill Brown are all goalkeepers of the highest standing who have been involved in great teams at Tottenham.  During their time they have produced many match winning performances and have enjoyed the success of lifting trophies during their time at the club.  However, the current group of goalkeepers, Brad Friedel, Carlo Cudicini and Heurelho Gomes while not reaching the height of excellence of their predecessors, are definitely the best group of goalkeepers that Tottenham have ever had at the club at the same time.  In the days of Jennings, Ditchburn or the others the reserve goalkeeper was merely that, a back-up to be used in an emergency and the number 'one' had little competition for his place.  This, in itself can raise problems, as during Paul Robinson's time as first choice he had no competition for the goalkeeper's shirt.

An example of this problem comes from Pat Jennings' time at White Hart Lane.  At the start of the 1966-67 season Jennings finally claimed the position as his own ahead of the 'Double' winning keeper, Bill Brown.  A few months in to the season, Bill Nicholson allowed Brown to leave for Northampton Town. The next week, Jennings was injured and the 'new' reserve had to play, Roy Brown.  The match was at home to bottom club, Blackpool, but Spurs managed to lose 1 - 3.  Fortunately, Jennings had recovered by the following weekend and that was Roy Brown's only appearance for the club.  Jennings went on to have a long and fairly injury free career with Spurs and take on legendary status for his outstanding performances and contribution to the club's success in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The problem of not having a satisfactory goalkeeper to call upon would not be a problem with the goalkeepers who are currently in the squad.  They have the experience and ability to step in when required and produce outstanding performances as they have shown this year as manager, Harry Redknapp, has used the Carling Cup and Europa League to provide match practice and competition for his goalkeepers.

The arrival of Brad Friedel from Aston Villa during the summer has added competition for the goalkeeper's position.  Carlo Cudicini had seemed content to be reserve to Heurelho Gomes for the past two seasons with an occasional game in a Cup competition or to cover for an injury.  Last season Heurelho Gomes' standards slipped with mistakes coming more frequently and costing the team points.  Redknapp persevered with him but was clearly exasperated with his goalkeeper until finally deciding to omit him from the team for the final few games of the season and bringing in Cudicini.

Brad Friedel

Brad Friedel (40 years) had come to the end of his contract at Villa in the summer and was looking for a club where he would have an opportunity to play regularly.  He had the chance to return to Anfield but Liverpool were wanting him to be their reserve back-up to Pepe Reina.  Friedel wanted more and so decided to sign for Tottenham where he was given a two year contract with the incentive of competing to be first choice goalkeeper.

Harry Redknapp was non-commital as to who would be the first choice goalkeeper.  Gomes started the first competitive match in the Europa League at Hearts but although Spurs won comfortably without conceding a goal, Gomes didn't look comfortable during the short period at the start of the second half when the home side exerted some pressure on the Tottenham defence.  Some of his old problems from last season seemed to be there once again.

The Premier League game at Old Trafford was to tell the full story - Brad Friedel claimed the goalkeeper's position and has now extended his record of consecutive Premier League appearances to 285 matches (as of 8th November, 2011) for three different clubs, stretching back to 2004.  Now, for a 40 year old goalkeeper to concede eight goals in his first two games at a new club, some might have suggested that it was time to retire but not in Friedel's case.  He used his vast experience to set that aside and has now helped Tottenham to their best ever points haul from the opening ten games in the Premier League - twenty two points from seven victories and a draw.

The three points acquired at Craven Cottage in last Sunday's match against Fulham are down to Friedel's match-winning goalkeeping performance.  He made a vital early stop from a corner and in the second half as Fulham attacked continuously for most of the forty five minutes he produced a series of outstanding saves to deny them.  He tipped over a header from Brede Hangeland at a corner, blocked a powerful drive from Chris Baird following a free-kick, dived bravely at Clint Dempsey's feet, saved a drive from Moussa Dembele and in added time blocked and saved in two goalmouth scrambles as Fulham threw everything at Tottenham in a last desperate attempt to salvage a draw from the game.  Even the goal that he conceded was deflected past him, off the back of Younes Kaboul.  He dealt with the pressure  Fulham put on him when they positioned a player in front o fhim for every corner and free-kick.  In the midst of the chaos Friedel brought a sense of calm and authority to the proceedings and Spurs weathered the storm and claimed another three points in a match as Joe Jordan said, 'Tottenham would have lost a match like that when we first came to the club.'  Friedel was rightly acclaimed 'Man of the Match' for his performance which defied his years.

Brad Friedel claimed the first team place and was omitted from the Europa League squad, taking into account his age and to keep him fresh for League matches.  Gomes and Cudicini have been rotated for the Carling Cup and Europa League matches and have also produced outstanding performances in these matches to remind Redknapp of their ability.

Carlo Cudicini

Carlo Cudicini (38 years) has stepped up to the plate in the Europa League games with exceptional performances in the two away matches in Greece and Russia.  With  a very inexperienced team in both games they needed the loyal keeper to produce some outstanding saves to encourage the young players and prevent Spurs from suffering disappointing results in their European campaign.  Against PAOK Salonika the young players performed with confidence and control but it required Cudicini to be at his best with a number of important saves.  He conceded a penalty in the first half but when it had to be retaken he used his experience to stand up and make it difficult for the player who shot wide.  Other crucial saves kept PAOK out and in the final moments as the home side looked for a late winner, he made two outstanding saves to earn Spurs a draw.

Against Rubin Kazan, with none of the first team travelling, Cudicini denied a very strong Russian
team with a series of saves throughout the match and he was only beaten from a needlessly conceded free-kick when Sebastien Bassong made a mistake.  He was 'Man of the Match' and didn't deserve to be on the losing the side.

Heurelho Gomes

Heurelho Gomes (30 years old) is an outstanding goalkeeper who is a mix of the incredible and the unbelievable.  Incredible saves along with unbelievable errors which bring an unnecessary pressure on the whole team.  This was evident to Spurs supporters when he played for PSV Eindhoven against Spurs in the UEFA Cup.  Tottenham lost at home when Gomes was a mix of saves and fumbles but Spurs were unable to take advantage.  Then in the away leg which Spurs won to take the game to extra time and penalties, Gomes was the hero.  He made saves at vital times in the game which denied Spurs the win their performance deserved - a late save that took the game to extra time, an outstanding save in the final minute of extra time and then a penalty save to deny Jermaine Jenas who could have won the penalty shoot out for Tottenham.  Gomes is a goalkeeper who can make outstanding saves but follow it up with a basic error which raises uncertainty in the minds of the defence and invites pressure from the opposition.  He is a confidence goalkeeper and when he loses that it greatly affects his whole game.

On joining Tottenham, Gomes found it difficult to adjust to the demands and pressure of the Premier League.  Any mistake or misjudgement is so often punished in English football that he was immediately under pressure and scrutiny.  His arrival coincided with Tottenham's 'two points from eight games' start to the 2008-09 season and the eventual appointment of Harry Redknapp.  Two blunders in a defeat at Fulham ended Redknapp's unbeaten start as Totenham manager and Gomes' confidence was gone.  The appointment of former Tottenham goalkeeper, Tony Parks, as goalkeeping coach helped to rebuild his confidence and performances.  Restored to the team he helped Tottenham avoid relegation and the next season produced some amazing saves as Tottenham reached the Champions League.  However, he was still the same keeper with rash decisions and mistakes plaguing his performances.

Last season a series of blunders cost Tottenham points as they sought to retain fourth place in the League.  There was the farcical blunder early in the season at Old Trafford where he set the ball down expecting a free-kick, only for Nani to hit it into an empty net.  After a number of confidence sapping performances for the goalkeeper, manager and supporters, Redknapp dropped him for the final three games of the season.  The final agonies which summed up Gomes as a goalkeeper came in two consecutive games.  Against Blackpool at home he saved a penalty but was so hyper after the save that he totally lost control of his actions and rushed out needlessly and conceded another penalty from the resulting corner.  Then in the next match at Chelsea with Spurs a goal ahead, he let a shot from Frank Lampard slip from his grasp and roll towards the goal line.  He dived back and retrieved the ball before it crossed the line but the referee awarded a goal and Spurs went on to lose the match.

Gomes has played on three occasions this year - he was nervy against Hearts and that performance probably confirmed Harry Redknapp in the decision to make Friedel his number one choice.  He than played at Stoke City in the Carling Cup.  The Stoke game is always a difficult match for a goalkeeper with the home team's high ball and set-piece threat.  Gomes doesn't cope well with such tactics but in two hours football he didn't concede a goal as Spurs went on to lose another penalty shoot-out.  His next match was the Europa League home game against Rubin Kazan.  The Russian team were difficult opponents for another young Spurs side but Gomes put in a match winning performance with a number of good saves.  He again showed both sides of his game with good good saves as the Russians proved a potent attacking threat but also some nervy moments where everyone had to hold their breath.  Spurs won and Gomes played an important part in that success.  In his three appearances this season, Gomes has kept three clean sheets.

Tottenham have three top class goalkeepers in their squad and any one of them could be play and be relied upon to put in a very credible performance.  No other team in the Premier League has such quality available to them.  However, it is widely expected that Gomes, the youngest of the three goalkeepers will move on in January as he seeks regular football.  He may return to his native country, Brazil, or to a European league where the pressure on the goalkeeper is not so intense.  A recent article suggests that Gomes is for sale following a break down in his relationship with Harry Redknapp.  they had a fierce row following the match at Old Trafford when gomes claimed that he had been told that he would be first choice with Friedel as back-up.

With Friedel and Cudicini in the senior age bracket, Spurs will have to make a decision in the future about acquiring a younger long term option and that will be a vital decision for the future success of the team.  However, for the moment they will make the most of the experience that the three goalkeepers, Friedel, Cudicini and Gomes, bring to the club.

Tottenham's Joy of Winning the Cup 5 (1972)

Tottenham have enjoyed success in Europe and Bill Nicholson is quoted, "It's magnificent to be in Europe, and this club - a club like Tottenham Hotspur - if we're not in Europe, we're nothing." The UEFA Cup campaign of 1971-72 was a long and tiring road but ultimately successful.

Tottenham won the League Cup in 1971 by defeating Aston Villa at Wembley.  They qualified to play in the first UEFA Cup competition which replaced the old Inter Cities Fairs Cup.  This was Spurs' first appearance in a European competition for five years since a rather brief and disappointing foray in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

The UEFA Cup, like all European competitions of the time was knock-out tournament over two legs with the Final also played on a home and away basis.  Tottenham played twelve games, visiting four different countries en-route to the joy of winning the Cup.

1971-72 UEFA Cup Final
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (1st Leg)
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 (2nd Leg) 
                                                          [Tottenham Won 3 - 2 on aggregate]

Chivers the Inspiration for Tottenham

Martin Chivers

Martin Chivers showed all his power and goal scoring ability to give Tottenham the advantage in the first game at Molineux.  Captain, Alan Mullery, in what was to be his final match in a Spurs' shirt, scored the goal which ensured that Spurs became the first winners of the UEFA Cup and the first English team to win two European trophies.


Road to the Final:
1st Round (1st Leg) v Keflavik (Iceland) (a) Won 6 - 1 Mullery (2), Coates, Gilzean (3)
The anticipated routine win for Spurs with the main interest surrounding Ralph Coates who scored his first goal for Spurs since signing from Burnley during the summer.  The match was also significant as the only occasion when a young Graeme Souness played for Tottenham.  An exciting prospect in the mould of the great Dave Mackay, he came on as a substitute for Mullery.  Impatient for a place in the senior team Bill Nicholson reluctantly sold him to Middlesbrough in January, 1973.

1st Round (2nd Leg) v Keflavik (h) Won 9 - 0   
                                 Knowles, Coates, Perryman, Chivers (3), Holder, Gilzean (2)  (Agg. Won 15 - 1)
A full strength team played in the second game at White Hart Lane and gave Spurs an their highest ever aggregate success in European football.

2nd Round (1st Leg) v FC Nantes (France) (a) Draw 0 - 0
A much more difficult match saw Spurs relieved to return home with the tie in the balance but with home advantage in the next match making them slight favourites.


2nd Round (2nd Leg) v FC Nantes (h) Won 1 - 0 Peters  (Agg. Won 1 - 0)
In a close encounter Martin Peters scored the all important goal in what was a very tense, nervy evening for everyone at White Hart Lane.

3rd Round (1st Leg) v Rapid Bucharest (Romania) (h) Won 3 - 0 Chivers (2), Peters
An early goal set Spurs up to take a three goal advantage to Romania thanks to the two Martins whose understanding and link up play along with Alan Gilzean was a feature of the season. 

3rd Round (2nd Leg) v Rapid Bucharest (a) Won 2 - 0 Chivers, Pearce  (Agg. Won 5 - 0)
On paper, this result looks quite straightforward but Spurs had to deal with some of the most robust tackling and tactics that they had ever met in European football.  For the players, it was the survival of the fittest, many finishing the game with knocks and bruises, leaving Bill Nicholson so infuriated that he branded Rapid as the dirtiest team he had ever experienced.  Chivers and substitute, Jimmy Pearce scored.  Pearce replaced the injured Gilzean but was only on the pitch for  twelve minutes, just long enough to come on, score the first goal and get sent off.

4th Round (1st leg) v UT Arad (Romania) (a) Won 2 - 0 England, Morgan
After the previous round, the last thing Spurs wanted was a return trip to Romania but this time they recorded an uneventful but comfortable win with goals from Mike England and Roger Morgan who was trying to come back after being out through injury for eighteen months. 


4th Round (2nd Leg) v UT Arad (h) Draw 1 - 1 Gilzean  (Agg. Won 3 - 1)
The draw provided Spurs with a comfortable passage into the semi-finals - Gilzean getting the goal.

Semi-Final (1st Leg) v AC Milan (Italy) (h) Won 2 - 0 Perryman (2)
Alan Mullery and Steve Perryman were the names which made the headlines from this game.  Mullery had been out with injury earlier in the season and when fit had been unable to displace John Pratt.  Wanting to be playing he asked to go out on loan and joined Fulham.  However, an injury to Pratt just before the semi-final saw Nicholson unexpectedly recall his captain and instal him in the team.  

Steve Perryman produced a man of the match performance to give Spurs a slender advantage going into the second leg.  Spurs found themselves a goal down early on and being outplayed by the experienced Italian team.  Perryman showed industry and endeavour to drag Spurs back into the game, scoring from the edge of the box just before half-time and then repeated the exercise late in the second half.

Semi-Final (2nd Leg) v AC Milan (a) Draw 1 - 1 Mullery  (Agg. Won 3 - 2)
Spurs withstood Milan's expected early onslaught and on seven minutes mounted an attack from which Mullery scored.  Mullery was the inspiration as they then defended as if for their lives and although Milan scored with a penalty twenty minutes from time, they held out to reach the Final.

Final (1st Leg) v Wolverhampton Wanderers (a) Won 2 - 1 Chivers (2)
Tottenham's season started with a League game against Wolves and there was some disappointment that it was going to end there against an English team rather than in a glamorous European setting.  It was Martin Chivers and Pat Jennings who inspired Tottenham to grab the first leg initiative.  Jennings produced a series of outstanding saves to foil Wolves while Chivers scored two goals of amazing quality.  The first was a powerful header and although Wolves levelled, he then scored a late winner with a ferocious shot following a powerful run from halfway.

Final (2nd Leg) v Wolverhampton Wanderers (h) Draw 1 - 1 Mullery  (Agg. Won 3 - 2)
Alan Mullery played a captain's part in this game and led by example, putting Spurs ahead after half an hour, injuring himself as he dived to meet Peters' free-kick.  Wolves battled back to equalise before half-time but Spurs held on, exhausted after playing 68 matches during the season.  It was a night of triumph for Mullery - to score and lift the trophy in his last game for Tottenham.  During the summer he was transferred to Fulham.  Bill Nicholson was so disappointed with Tottenham's performance that he first went to commiserate with the Wolves players.
     

1972 UEFA Cup Winners - Tottenham Hotspur

At the end of a long, exhausting season Spurs had won a trophy - they missed out in returning to Wembley in the League Cup when Chelsea scored a very late equaliser, they lost in the 6th Round of the FA Cup to eventual winners Leeds United and finished 6th in the League.  A second European triumph was added to those 'Glory, Glory Nights' at White Hart Lane.

Pat Jennings to be Honoured

Pat Jennings with his UEFA award at Windsor Park, Belfast

Tottenham Hotspur's legendary goalkeeper, Pat Jennings, is to be honoured by UEFA at Friday night's Euro2012 match between Northern Ireland and Serbia at Windsor Park, Belfast.  Jennings is among a number of players to be honoured by UEFA in recognition of winning over one hundred international caps for their country.

Jennings who signed for Spurs in June, 1964 from Watford for £27,000 had already made his International debut for Northern Ireland against Wales, the previous April.  At the age of eighteen he made his debut in the same team as George Best and helped Northern Ireland to a 3 - 2 victory in the Home International Championships.  He made 119 appearances for his country and played in two World Cup Finals in Spain in 1982 and in Mexico four years later.  In Spain, Northern Ireland memorably defeated the home country to top their group and progress to the next stage.  He retired from club football in 1985 but continued to play for Northern Ireland until the completion of their participation in the 1986 World Cup finals.  His last match was on his 41st birthday against Brazil.

Jennings played for Tottenham for thirteen years and made 472 League appearances for the club and 118 in Cup competitions.  He made his debut in August, 1964 against Sheffield United at White Hart Lane on the opening day of the season in a 2 - 0 win.  He won the FA Cup in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973 and was a member of the successful UEFA Cup winning team of 1972.  He is remembered for his ability to go out to catch the ball with one hand and for his numerous match winning saves.  He saved two penalties at Anfield to earn Spurs a point and won the Football Writers' Player of the Year Award in 1973 and the PFA award in 1976.  In the 1967 Charity Shield game at Old Trafford he scored for Spurs with a long kick down field which deceived Alex Stepney.  Spurs and United drew 3 - 3.  He was out through injury in season 1976-77 when Spurs were relegated and at the end of the season manager, Keith Burkinshaw, inexplicably decided to release Jennings who went to Arsenal where he performed heroically for another eight years.  He returned to Spurs in 1985 as cover for Ray Clemence but primarily to stay fit for Northern Ireland's World Cup campaign.

Pat Jennings

Since retiring he has worked at Tottenham as a goalkeeping coach/consultant and on the hospitality side on match days.

Jennings has been a great ambassador for Tottenham Hotspur and Northern Ireland and thoroughly deserving of this award from UEFA.

It was a great disappointment to Spurs fans that he was released back in 1977, made worse by joining Arsenal, but he was such a hero and so highly regarded by everyone at Tottenham that he has always been respected and was welcomed back warmly at the end of his career.

Thank you Pat Jennings and congratulations on receiving this award.

William Gallas of Tottenham Hotspur

Gallas - Spurs new signing
Photo: from Daily Mail

Welcome, William Gallas of Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs fans would never have expected to be saying or reading that and for some it is just too much to accept. A former Chelsea and Arsenal player playing for Spurs – what will they do when he is presented to a packed White Hart Lane at the Champions League qualifier on Wednesday evening – boo, cheer, jeer or ignore him?

William Gallas, a former Arsenal captain is a Spurs player – accept it and move on. For too long Spurs fans have been their own worst enemy – hidebound on hating Arsenal and anything to do with that club rather than supporting Spurs and accepting something that could be beneficial for the further development and progress of Tottenham Hotspur.

Gallas isn’t the first player to move from Arsenal to Tottenham but he is certainly the most high profile – a former captain who has also played for Chelsea. How we loathed him when he was a member of those teams as they have got the better of Spurs for much of the past decade, how we detested him as he celebrated scoring vital goals against us, how we jeered him as a member of the Chelsea and Arsenal teams which lost 5-1 in those fantastic League Cup semi-finals at White Hart Lane, how we mocked him when he had his sit-down strop and cried in the pitch at Birmingham a couple of years ago – but that’s all in the past – he’s a Spurs player now. He knows what’s happened in the past, he knows our feelings about him as an Arsenal player and he’s still prepared to sign for Tottenham.

Previous players to move to Tottenham from the near neighbours have brought little to the club – Laurie Brown was a defender who occasionally tried to play as a striker and for some reason Bill Nicholson thought he could play a part in the rebuilding of the ‘Double’ team – a task that was beyond his capabilities. David Jenkins was a reserve who was swopped for Jimmy Robertson and remained a reserve at White Hart Lane. Rohan Ricketts was a young player who didn’t make the grade at Arsenal or Spurs while Jamie O’Hara and David Bentley a former Arsenal player signed from Blackburn Rovers have failed to become big players at either club. Bentley’s goal at the Emirates in the 4-4 draw is possibly the greatest contribution any of those former Arsenal players has contributed to the Tottenham cause. So, from a Tottenham perspective nothing good has ever come out of Highbury or The Emirates and that includes the two former managers, Terry Neill and George Graham. What were the Tottenham directors thinking about when they appointed Neill to replace Bill Nicholson? Even Graham’s Worthington Cup success wasn’t enough to win over the Spurs faithful.

However, over the years the Highbury clientele quickly took to the former Spurs who made the journey south – Jimmy Robertson, Willie Young, Steve Walford, the legendary Pat Jennings and Sol Campbell. The greatest hostility surrounded the defection of Campbell and continues to this day but all had greater success with Arsenal than any of the players who made the opposite move.

When I first read of Harry Redknapp’s interest in signing Gallas who was a free agent having turned down Arsenal’s offer during the summer, I wasn’t impressed and presumed it was just media talk. However, as the rumours persisted and the manager became more determined in his comments about signing the player, it became obvious that this was going to happen especially as the Spurs defence could not rely on a season’s contribution from either Ledley King or Jonathan Woodgate due to their continuing injury problems.

And so it has come to pass and Spurs have signed Gallas. His background, with Arsenal and Chelsea connections, may not be as Spurs supporters would want but the club has signed a player with vast experience in the Premier League, in the Champions League and internationally on the world stage with France. He is a versatile player who can play along the back four and he is a winner who has known success at club and international level. He may be nearing the end of his career but he has shown he is still capable of performing at this level and his experience will be of great benefit to the Spurs defenders. Michael Dawson, Vedron Corluka, Sebastien Bassong and Benoit Assou-Ekotto are all prone to errors when under pressure and they will look to learn from Gallas who has been there, done it and has the t-shirt.

In previous seasons there were rumours of Spurs trying to sign former Arsenal players, namely Emmanuel Petit and more recently Patrick Vieira. Neither of them did I want at Tottenham. I e-mailed the club to tell them of my dissatisfaction at the suggestion that they would sign Petit. He had snubbed Tottenham Hotspur previously in a most unsatisfactory way by going straight from a Tottenham interview to sign on at Highbury. To have signed him would have been unacceptable and when Vieira wanted to return to the Premier League, in my opinion, his best days were clearly past him and he would have brought little to the Tottenham cause.

However, with William Gallas, it is different as he can bring something to strengthen the team and assist in the improvement of the players around him. Remember how Ledley King developed and benefited from playing beside the experienced Noureddine Naybet earlier in his career and Spurs infamous ‘soft-centred’ defence has since become a great deal tougher. Gallas has spoken wisely in his first interview about wanting to play for Tottenham and what he hopes to achieve with the club. He deserves the support of the fans for his brave decision to travel up the Seven Sisters Road to Tottenham, especially as he has experienced at first hand the Spurs supporters’ hostility to all things ‘Arsenal’.

All around the football world players have signed for clubs which are the bitterest of rivals and they have been accepted by both sets of supporters. Tottenham fans can step away from their past narrow, parochial view and move forward into a broad new world by accepting William Gallas as a Spur and how appropriate it would be to show that acceptance and support when he is introduced to the crowd at Spurs most important game in decades as they strive to reach the group stages of the Champions League for the first time and make it a true Glory, Glory European night under the lights of White Hart Lane.

Spurs in Switzerland

Tottenham Hotspur face Swiss opponents, Young Boys Berne, as they strive to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in their history.  Spurs supporters will of course point out that their club did appear in the European Cup, the fore-runner to today's Champions League, in season 1961-62 when they were unfortunate to lose in the semi-final to Benfica.

This is only the second occasion in all their European ties that Spurs have been drawn against a team from Switzerland.  The previous meeting with a Swiss club was in 1973-74 in the 1st Round of the UEFA Cup when Spurs played Grasshopper Zurich.  The aggregate win was 9-2 in Spurs' favour which suggests a very comfortable passage for the north London team but this could not be further from the truth as Spurs endured a very difficult evening in Zurich for the first leg.  It was the goalkeeping talent of Pat Jennin which kept Spurs in the game as he produced save after save.  Spurs took an early lead from a Martin Chivers' header but then Grasshopper created chance after chance only to be thwarted by Jennings.  On the half-hour Ray Evans added a second for Spurs, very much against the run of play.  Just before the interval the home side finally beat Jennings from the penalty spot to reduce the arrears. 

In the second half Jennings continued to deny the Swiss with a succession of outstanding saves and then Chivers scored his second while Alan Gilzean added two more to add insult to injury and produce a quite extraordinary score line.

Team: Jennings; Evans, Knowles, Coates (Holder), England, Beal; Pratt, Perryman, Chivers, Peters, Neighbour (Gilzean).

The second game was much more comfortable - Mike England, Martin Peters (2) and an own goal ensured a 4-1 victory at White Hart Lane.

Team: Daines; Evans, Knowles; Pratt, England, Beal; Gilzean, Perryman, Chivers, Peters, Coates

Previous visits to Switzerland have included a tour in 1966-67 following Spurs FA Cup success.  The second game of the tour saw then play Young Boys Berne.  Spurs won the three games they played:

FC Zurich - Won 2-0 Robertson (2)

BSC Young Boys - Won 3-2 Greaves (2), Bond

FC Servette - Won 4-1 Greaves (2), Venables, Saul

In season 1957-58 Spurs went to Basel to play a match against the Swiss National XI.  They won the game by 5-4 with Bobby Smith scoring four goals and Dave Dunmore getting the fifth.

In May, 1914 Spurs undertook an end of season tour of Germany, Italy and Switzerland.  Two games were played in Switzerland - a 6-0 win over Zurich and a 3-0 success against St Gallen.

The next tour that the club undertook was eleven years later when they played seven games in Switzerland in May, 1925.  Again they were successful in each match:

v Basel Old Boys Won 3-0

v Zurich Young Fellows Won 2-0

v Wintherthur Won 4-0

v Lausanne Won 6-1

v La Cheux de Fonds Won 8-1

v Berne Won 5-0

v Basel Won 1-0

In March, 1955 Spurs played FC Servette in a friendly at White Hart Lane.  They had a 5-1 victory with goals from Gavin (2), Brooks, Duquemin, McClellan.   

Players from Switzerland:

Spurs have had two players from Switzerland on their books in recent years - Ramon Vega and Reto Ziegler. 

Ramon Vega

Vega made 64 appearances for Spurs and was a member of the Worthington Cup winning team in 1999 which defeated Leicester City 1-0. He scored 7 goals in his four years at White Hart Lane. He went to Celtic on loan and then signed for Watford after being released by Tottenham.

Ziegler was a young player who made 23 League appearances, scoring once, under Martin Jol and is now playing for Sampdoria.  Both players represented their country in full internationals.

Spurs in History - 12th August

12th August, 1961

Spurs 3 F.A.XI 2 F.A.Charity Shield (White Hart Lane)

In 1961 as the ‘Double’ winners Spurs had no-one to play in this traditional curtain raiser to the season. An F.A.XI provided the opposition and Spurs won with goals from Les Allen(2) and Bobby Smith.

12th August, 1967

Manchester United 3 Spurs 3 F.A.Charity Shield (Old Trafford)

In 1967, this high scoring game is remembered for the identity of the scorer of Spurs' second goal. After two minutes Spurs took the lead when Jimmy Robertson scored from a Jimmy Greaves cross. Five minutes later, Pat Jennings played a long clearance up-field that bounced between Gilzean and United’s goalkeeper, Stepney, went over the keeper’s head and into the net.

United were level by the twentieth minute but Spurs went ahead again through Frank Saul, early in the second half. However, with fifteen minutes left United equalised and the clubs shared the trophy.

Spurs in History - 5th August

5th August, 1967

Celtic 3 Spurs 3 (Hampden Park)

The F.A.Cup winners against the Champions of Europe in a high profile pre-season challenge game attracted 91,708 spectators. A newspaper report of the game - ‘In this magnificent football ‘Battle of Britain’ brimming over with entertainment and loaded with individual genius, the score see-sawed fantastically.’

Jimmy Greaves scored within a minute but Celtic were ahead by the 20th minute, goals which could be attributed to poor clearances from Pat Jennings. Alan Gilzean equalised before half-time and Greaves restored Spurs' lead only for Celtic to again equalise following a mistake by Jennings who appeared to be under pressure from the change in the laws restricting the goalkeeper to four paces before clearing.

Spurs in History - 6th July

6th July, 1993

On this day Ossie Ardiles who had been appointed manager in the aftermath of the departure of Terry Venables following his acrimonious fall-out with Alan Sugar, announced his management and coaching staff.

Steve Perryman was to be the Assistant Manager and Pat Jennings was returning to the club as the specialist goalkeeping coach.

This meant that the Venables’ coaching duo of Clemence and Livermore was broken up. Ray Clemence left the club while Doug Livermore remained to oversee the scouting.

Spurs in History - 21st May

21st May, 1974

Spurs 2 Feyenoord 2 UEFA CUP FINAL (1st Leg)

Spurs had reached their third European Final, the first English club to achieve this, and were undefeated through the early rounds. In a thrilling game, Spurs led twice but were pulled back by the soon to be crowned Dutch champions.

Spurs started well and it was twenty minutes before Pat Jennings touched the ball, from a back pass. They took the lead in the 39th minute, Mike England scoring with a header from a Ray Evans’ free-kick. However, they held the lead for only four minutes, a free-kick being bent round their defensive wall.

Spurs regained the lead after an hour from another free-kick with England involved but a Dutch defender got the final touch. With nine minutes remaining, Phil Beal went off injured and three minutes later Feyenoord equalised to give them the upper hand going into the second leg.

Team: Jennings; Evans, Naylor; Pratt, England, Beal (Dillon); McGrath, Perryman, Chivers, Peters (Captain), Coates.

Spurs in History - 12th April

Two early goals from Terry Venables set Spurs up in this FA Cup Replay against Birmingham City

12th April, 1967

Spurs 6 Birmingham City 0 F.A.Cup 6th Round Replay

The first game the previous weekend had remained scoreless as 2nd Division Birmingham had battled bravely to deny Spurs. The nearest they had come to scoring was late on when Pat Jennings in catching an awkward dropping centre from under the bar, let it slip from his grasp and had City claiming a goal but the referee disagreed.

The replay saw Spurs in total control. Terry Venables scored twice, after 90 seconds and after 18 minutes. Two minutes later Alan Gilzean scored the third. In th second half, Jimmy Greaves (2) and Frank Saul completed the goal feast.

Nottingham Forest awaited Spurs in the semi-final clash to be played at Hillsborough.

Spurs' GOAL of the Season?

Spurs 3 Watford 1

Paul Robinson celebrates his goal against Watford

Paul Robinson scored a goal for Spurs from a free-kick inside his own half. He was wide on the left, 80 yards from goal when he lauched the ball forward towards the Watford goal. The ball bounced between the defender and Foster in the Watford goal and went over his head and into the net.

That is second goal of Robinson's career having previously scored for Leeds United in a League Cup tie. He becomes the third Spurs goalkeeper to score in a competitive match - the last one being Pat Jennings who scored at Old Trafford in the Charity Shield match in August, 1967. The only other League goal scored for Spurs by a goalkeeper was in April, 1914 against Bolton Wanderers by John 'Tiny' Joyce from a penalty, Spurs won 3-0.

Spurs' first goal against Watford was scored late in the first half, rising high to head in a Chimbonda cross. Robinson's goal settled the game and while Ghaly scored the third the match would have been decided sooner if Mido had not missed from five yards with the goalkeeper sprawled on the ground. A tame shot from Tom Huddlestone was spilled by Foster and fell nicely toMido but his casual shot was too close to the goalkeeper who stuck out his leg and deflected it wide. Watford's consolation goal came in the 89th minute when Chimbonda didn't clear a ball near the goal line and allowed the Watford player to cross for Henderson to score his 50th career goal.

Spurs, with a weakened team, earned the three points which lift them into 6th place in the Premiership and Berbatov, Keane, Lennon and Zokora had a well earned rest ahead of Monday evening's FA Cup 6th Round Replay against Chelsea.

The only disappointment was that once again Spurs were unable to keep a clean sheet in the League. It is now 20 games since Spurs managed a clean sheet, the scoreless draw at Watford in October being last time Spurs achieved it in a League match. That inability to prevent the opposition scoring is always an encouragement to the other team in that they know they can score and get back into the game even if they are two down.

Spurs in History - 5th February

5th February, 1986

Spurs 0 Everton 0 Screen Sport Super Cup Semi-Final (1st leg)


This match attracted just over 7500 spectators to White Hart Lane for the 'nothing' competition that had been organised for the teams which had qualified for Europe but because of the five year ban imposed on English teams following the Heysel Stadium disaster involving Liverpool fans at the final of the European Cup the previous season, they were unable to participate in the European competitions.


The competition was of no interest to spectators and Spurs qualified for this semi-final be defeating Southampton twice and losing twice to Liverpool. In the second led tie Spurs lost 3-1 after extra time.


The only point of interest for Spurs in this competition was the re-appearance of Pat Jennings in a Spurs' shirt. He played in the previous game against Liverpool as he tried to maintain his fitness ahead of his World Cup Finals appearances for Northern Ireland in Mexico during the summer.

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.