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 - 23rd July

23rd July, 1991

Peter Shreeves Returns as Manager

Tottenham Hotspur announced that Peter Shreeves would be promoted from chief coach to team manager, reporting to Terry Venables.

This would be Shreeves second spell in charge of the first team having been promoted to that position following the resignation of Keith Burkinshaw in 1984 when he had two seasons in charge before being sacked in 1986.

Terry Venables in his role as Chief Executive was planning to spend less time with the team and more on the running of the business side of the club.

Time was to prove that both decisions were wrong, as Shreeves held the role for only a year and Venables was later removed from his executive role by Alan Sugar.

Spurs in History - 2nd July

2nd July, 1994

Spurs appealed against the penalties imposed by the F.A. enquiry into the charge of misconduct.

Chairman, Alan Sugar, presented Spurs’ case against the 12 point deduction, F.A.Cup ban and the £600,000 fine.

After considering the case, the Appeal panel halved the points deduction to six but increased the fine to £1,500,000 as well as maintaining the Cup ban.

Sugar was not satisfied and immediately announced that Spurs would again appeal against the penalties that had been imposed against the club. Sugar felt most aggrieved that the misconduct charges had been under a previous regime at the club and also that he had tried to co-operate with the F.A. over the investigation.

Spurs in History - 22nd June

22nd June, 1991

Saved!!

Alan Sugar/Terry Venables to the rescue

Spurs had won the F.A.Cup in May but Paul Gascoigne had been injured and the uncertainty about the Club’s future lingered on week after week with conflicting reports about what was going to happen and whether Tottenham Hotspur would even be in existence come the start of the new season.

The mounting debts at the Club were the major problem but finally the £7.25 million takeover of the Club by Alan Sugar and Terry Venables was completed. Sugar became non-executive Chairman and Venables became non-executive Managing Director.

Tottenham Hotspur had been saved from extinction.

Spurs in History - 19th June

19th June, 1993

Ossie Ardiles appointed Manager of Tottenham Hotspur

With the departure of Terry Venables, Alan Sugar required a manager who would appease the fans who were still very angry and in shock following the revelations and press attention of the previous six weeks.

Having missed out on his original choice, Glenn Hoddle, he turned to another Spurs' favourite, Ossie Ardiles who was managing West Bromwich Albion. Sugar realised that he needed to appoint someone who would be popular with the fans which he hoped would buy him time to restore calm and order to the club.

Keith Burkinshaw had been Ardiles Assistant at WBA but he did not follow him to White Hart Lane. It was former captain and record appearances holder, Steve Perryman who became his second in command.

Spurs in History - 25th May

25th May, 1994

The outcome into the Football Association’s enquiry into the financial irregularities over alleged payments to players that had come to light because of the Alan Sugar/ Terry Venables court case was not known but the F.A. were putting in place arrangements should Spurs be found guilty and demoted to the 1st Division as punishment.

They announced on this day that Sheffield United who had finished 20th in the Premier League would take their place for the following season.

Spurs in History - 12th May

12th May, 1994

Spurs were still suffering the consequences of the great fallout between Chairman, Alan Sugar, and Chief Executive, Terry Venables.

The previous year Venables had been sacked and the club’s business had been dragged through the media and the courts.

On this day, the F.A. formally charged Spurs with misconduct for alleged irregular payments to a number of players. These had come to light following the court case between Alan Sugar and Terry Venables and were allegedly paid to players between 1985 and 1989.

In an attempt to assist and co-operate with the F.A. Spurs had handed over documents which appeared to show that the payments had been made. This story would continue to dominate the whole club for some considerable time.

Spurs in History - 11th May

11th May, 1993

Arsenal 1 Spurs 3 (Premier League)

The final game of the season and the last occasion when Spurs left Highbury with three points. Arsenal put out a weakened team due to their Cup commitments but that didn’t detract from the pleasure of the Spurs supporters as the team completed the double over their North London rivals to finish eighth, two places above them. Spurs goals were scored by Teddy Sheringham and a young Scottish player, John Hendry who got two.

However, unknown to the mass of Spurs supporters around the world, was the behind closed doors activities in the Board Room that was about to bring to light the great fall-out between Alan Sugar and Terry Venables and drag the club’s good name through the newspapers and the courts for some considerable time.

This would be Venables’ last game with any responsibility for Spurs and what had seemed to be a glimmer of hope for a brighter future was to be extinguished beyond repair.

Spurs in History - 10th February

Spurs goal scorer - record signing Sergei Rebrov

10th February, 2001

Manchester City 0 Spurs 1 Premiership

This game marked the fifth consecutive Premiership match in which Spurs kept a clean sheet. The goal scored by their record £11 million summer signing Sergei Rebrov in the 89th minute was the first in the same period and brought Spurs their first away win of the season.

Spurs League record through January and early February was:

Everton (a) Draw 0-0

Southampton (h) D 0-0

West Ham United (a) D 0-0

Charlton Athletic (h) D 0-0

Neil Sullivan and Ian Walker shared the goalkeeping spotlight for these matches with Walker appearing twice due to Sullivan’s suspension having been sent off in the first game of the New Year.

While the team was sound defensively the overall performances left much to be desired.

In spite of progress in the FA Cup with wins at Leyton Orient and Charlton, this series of scoreless draws and the signing of Andy Booth on loan from Huddersfield Town increased the pressure on manager George Graham. It further alienated him from the fans who would simply could not accept the former Arsenal player and manager as a suitable occupant of the manager's role at White Hart Lane - feeling that he had no appreciation of Spurs' style, traditions or history.

Changes were afoot at White Hart Lane with Sir Alan Sugar having sold his majority share to ENIC and within a few weeks the new controlling group would make a strong statement of intent by sacking Graham and replacing him with Glenn Hoddle, only days before the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal.