Spurs Record Against Chelsea in the FA Cup

Spurs and Chelsea have met once before at Wembley in the FA Cup.  It was for the Final in May, 1967 and Spurs were triumphant, lifting the Cup for the fifth time after a 2 - 1 victory, the goals being scored by Jimmy Robertson and Frank Saul.  Their more recent meeting at Wembley was equally successful in the Carling Cup Final of 2008 when Dimitar Berbatov's penalty and Jonathan Woodgate's header in extra time brought Spurs victory after going a goal down.

Spurs and Chelsea have met on nine previous occasions in the FA Cup.  The most recent had a disappointing result for Spurs after an exciting first game at Stamford Bridge in March, 2007 when they relinquished a two goal advantage when Chelsea equalised with four minutes remaining.

Mar. 2007  FAC 6th R. (a) Draw 3 - 3  Berbatov, Opp.o.g., Ghaly
Berbatov gave Spurs the lead inside four minutes.  Lampard brought Chelsea level midway through the first half.  Spurs then took a two goal lead before the interval through an own goal and Hossam Ghaly.  Early in the second half Spurs had the opportunity to increase their advantage but Chelsea survived and clawed their way back into the tie with the late equaliser.

Replay (h) Lost 1 - 2  Keane (pen)
Spurs matched Chelsea stride for stride for almost an hour with Cech by far the busier keeper.  Then the visitors scored twice in six minutes with two great strikes which gave Paul Robinson no chance.  Spurs pulled one back through a Robbie Keane penalty with ten minutes to go but Chelsea held on.

Mar. 2002  FAC 6th R. (h) Lost 0 - 4
in January Spurs had defeated Chelsea 5 - 1 in the second leg of the Worthington Cup semi-final.  Chelsea were looking for revenge and extracted it with delight.  William Gallas put them ahead early in the first half and then Chelsea added two goals in the opening ten minutes of the second half.  A fourth came with twenty five minutes left but Spurs avoided any further embarrassment.

Mar. 1982  FAC 6th R. (a) Won 3 - 2  Hazard, Archibald, Hoddle
Spurs were looking to retain the FA Cup while Chelsea were in the 2nd Division.  Spurs wore an all white strip with yellow socks and as the game progressed everything clicked for them. Chelsea had taken a first half lead but gradually Spurs started to show their superior class with Glenn Hoddle giving a master class of ball control.  It was only a matter of time before Spurs would score and it came when Steve Archibald poked the ball home after the Chelsea goalkeeper failed to hold a Hoddle free-kick.  Spurs immediately stepped up a gear and within ten minutes were 3-1 ahead.  The second goal was a masterpiece.   Hoddle and Micky Hazard cut through the Chelsea midfield with an exchange of passes and, after Hazard's flick had left them wrong-footed, Hoddle crashed a 25-yard drive past the goalkeeper.  Hazard then confirmed Tottenham's superiority with a coolly taken drive and although Chelsea pulled a goal back Spurs coasted home on a wave of possession football.  The performance was even greater as Spurs had to display their passing talent on a bare pitch with a very uneven bounce.

May, 1967  FAC Final (Wembley) Won 2 - 1  Robertson, Saul
The first 'All London' FA Cup Final and Spurs were deserved winners.  Jimmy Robertson gave them the lead just before half-time and Frank Saul added a second after the interval.  A late Chelsea goal didn't disturb Spurs on their way to claim the trophy for a fifth time and maintain their record of never having lost an FA Cup Final.

Feb. 1965  FAC 5th R. (a) Lost 0 - 1
In a season of transition for Bill Nicholson as he tried to rebuild following the demise of the 'Double' winning team,  Chelsea took the lead after seventeen minutes and Spurs even with all their experience were unable to find any response against a well organised young team. 

Jan. 1964  FA Cup 3rd R. (h) Draw 1 - 1  Dyson
Jimmy Greaves was appointed captain for this game when Tony Marchi was dropped, one of a number of changes made by Bill Nicholson following disappointing results over Christmas.  John Holowbread replaced Bill Brown in goal, Phil Beal made his Cup debut in place of Marchi and other unfamiliar names in the Spurs team were John Smith, Mel Hopkins and Eddie Clayton.  Terry Dyson gave Spurs the lead after two minutes but Chelsea were soon level in a 'full-blooded' Cup-tie.  Chelsea were wary of Greaves but while he was outstanding in the first half he could manage a goal and a replay was required.

Replay (a) Lost 0 - 2
The tie continued in its 'full-blooded' way without anyone being sent off or booked.  Chelsea went ahead after seventeen minutes and two minutes later were awarded a penalty but their captain, Terry Venables, had his shot saved by John Hollowbread.  Spurs' only threat came from their two wingers, Dyson and Cliff Jones, but a second goal after the interval put Chelsae through.

Jan. 1957  FAC 4th R. (h) Won 4 - 0  Medwin, Harmer, Smith, Stokes
It was scoreless at half-time but Chelsea were a man down, having lost winger Frank Blunstone to injury.  In the second half, Danny Blanchflower orchestrated Spurs victory as they scored four goals in seventeen minutes from Bobby Smith, a Tommy Harmer free-kick, Terry Medwin and Alfie Stokes.

Feb. 1910  FAC 2nd R. (a) Won 1 - 0  Humphreys
This first Cup meeting between the two clubs came in Spurs' first season in the 1st Division, one year after gaining admission to the Football League.  Both clubs were battling against relegation and the only goal was scored by former Chelsea centre forward Percy Humphreys who had only joined Spurs earlier in the season.  In the final match of the season he was to score another crucial goal against Chelsea - the one which gave Spurs victory and so avoiding relegation while Chelsea went down.

 

Spurs v Bolton FA Cup Tie Re-arranged

Spurs  FA Cup 6th Round match against Bolton Wanderers has been re-arranged for Tuesday, 27th March, 2012 with a kick-off time of 7.30pm.  The game is to be televised live on ESPN.

It has been confirmed that the FA Cup 6th Round tie between Tottenham and Bolton Wanderers will be played at White Hart Lane on Tuesday, 27th March at 7.30pm.  The good news that Fabrice Muamba continues to make a remarkable recovery has allowed the clubs and the Football Association to re-arrange the game.

Muamba is still recovering in hospital from his cardiac arrest which caused the original game to be abandoned after 41 minutes last Saturday.  Doctors and medical staff had worked with Muamba on the pitch for over six minutes before he was carried off on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance which rushed him to hospital.

Tottenham's game against Stoke City at White Hart Lane goes ahead as arranged but Bolton's Premier League match with Aston Villa has been postponed.  Bolton will play Blackburn Rovers at the weekend while Spurs meet potential FA Cup semi-final opponents, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

There had been talk of bolton withdrawing from the FA cup so as the players would not have to make such a quick return to White Hart Lane, other suggested on message-boards that the match should be played at a neutral venue but given time, the sensible decision was arrived at with the competition's rules being followed for the re-arrangement of an abandoned game.

The original match which will not included in the record books was standing at 1 - 1 when it was brought to a premature end.  Bolton had taken an early led through a Gareth Bale own goal, when a header from a corner, inadvertently bounced off his right shoulder past Carlo Cudicini.  Spurs were level within five minutes when Bale's left wing cross was headed home by Karl Walker at the back post.

The winners of the tie, which would go to a replay at the Reebox Stadium if this game were drawn, will meet Chelsea in the semi-finals at Wembley on Sunday, 15th April.

#prayformuamba

#getwellsoonmuamba

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."

They Played for Spurs and Manchester City

Paul Stewart who scored a goal for Spurs in the 1991 FA Cup Final signed from Manchester City as a striker but became a very useful midfield player at White Hart Lane, going on to play three games for England.  Bert Sproston is one of the more unusual transfers between the two clubs in the season leading up to the Second World War.

Emmanuel Adebayor's loan transfer from Manchester City to Tottenham last August is the first time that Spurs have signed a player from City since Paul Stewart moved from Maine Road to White Hart Lane in 1988.  The last player to move in the opposite direction was Chris Jones who joined City in September, 1982.

Emmanuel Adebayor joined City from Arsenal in 2009 after three years in North London but spent the second half of last season, on loan, at Real Madrid where he scored twice as he helped the Spanish club knock Spurs out of the Champions League.  These added to his eight goals in nine north London derbies.  He failed to score for City in three games against Spurs and redeemed himself somewhat, in the eyes of Spurs supporters, by scoring on his Spurs debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers and twice on his home debut against Liverpool.  He is currently the club's leading goal scorer with 9 goals in the Premier League.  Being on loan, he is ineligible for the match at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.

Paul Stewart 1991 FA Cup Final

Paul Stewart started his career with Blackpool, and joined Manchester City in March, 1987.  He scored 26 League goals for City and fifteen months later joined Spurs for £1.7 million.  Stewart made his debut for Spurs on 1st October 1988, as a substitute in a 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United but missed a penalty.  Bought as a striker he scored 12 goals in his first League season with Spurs but when his goals dried up, he was successfully converted to a midfield role.  He was part of the Tottenham midfield which won the FA Cup in 1991, scoring Spurs' equalizing goal in that game.  His conversion to midfield came about almost by accident as Spurs, already a goal down, had to adjust when they were reduced to nine men against Luton Town and Stewart moved back into midfield where he showed an unexpected talent in the position, scoring both goals as Spurs won 2 - 1.  In the summer of 1992 he moved to Liverpool, having expressed the desire to return north but it was an unsuccessful period at Anfield.  He made 131 League appearances for Tottenham, scoring 28 goals.

Chris Jones grew up through the Spurs youth system and made his progression to the League team in August, 1974.  In total he made 185 League and Cup appearances, scoring 42 goals in his nine seasons with the club.  He was a skilful player but was unlucky player in that he often got into good goal scoring positions but couldn't quite turn them into goals.  He helped Spurs to avoid relegation in his first season and was a regular for much of the following season.  He was part of the team which was relegated the next year but played his part as Spurs then won promotion.  He scored 18 League and Cup goals in the next two seasons in the 1st Division but the arrival of Steve Archibald and Garth Crooks saw his first team opportunities diminish.  His best goal scoring performance for Tottenham was an FA Cup 4th Round replay at Wrexham in 1979 where his hat-trick enabled Spurs to progress to the next round with a 3 - 2 win after extra time.  He joined City for £110,000 in September, 1982 but after only three games in two months joined Crystal Palace.  He also played for Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient.

Bert Sproston was an England international full back who joined Spurs from Leeds United in June, 1938 for £9,500, a big fee at the time.  Then the following November he was involved in a very unusual transfer.  Having played nine games for Spurs, he was selected to play against Manchester City at Maine Road but on the day preceding the match he was transferred to City for £10,000 and played for them as Spurs lost 0 - 2.  He had found it difficult to settle in London and remained with City until 1950.  

Alex Steel was with City for eighteen months prior to joining Spurs in the summer of 1908.  He was  a half-back but only made one appearance for Spurs but that game has put him into the Tottenham record books.  On that day in January, 1910 against Bradford City he became the third member  of the Steel family to play for Spurs.  He joined his brothers, Danny and Bobby, in the team, the only occasion when three brothers have played together for Spurs in a League game.

Alex Young who had a long, successful career with Everton joined Spurs in June, 1911 and scored on his debut.  After three goals in his first two games he failed to score in the next three and was omitted from the team.  He immediately demanded a transfer and went to City in November but was only there until the end of the season.  

Bill Felton was a full-back who spent three years with Manchester City before joining Spurs in March, 1932.  He played regularly in the team and captained the side to promotion in 1933 but lost his place midway through the next season and moved to Altrincham in the summer of 1934.

Neil McNab came to Spurs from Morton in 1974 at the age of sixteen for a fee of £40,000, signing as an amateur.  He turned professional in the summer but had already made his League debut against Chelsea as a substitute in April, 1974 which, at the time, made him the youngest player to appear for Spurs in the League.  Over the next number of seasons he played occasionally but in Spurs promotion season he played every game.  The arrival of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa in 1978 saw him lose his place following the 0 - 7 defeat at Anfield and he moved to Bolton in November, 1978.  After being with a number of clubs he joined City in July, 1983 and had seven good years at Maine Road, playing probably his best football and helping them to promotion in 1989.  He joined Tranmere Rovers in 1990 for two seasons.

Clive Allen, the son of Les Allen, is one of Harry Redknapp's backroom staff and had two and a half seasons at City after returning from a year in France with Bordeaux.  He had joined Spurs from QPR in 1984 and scored twice on his debut against Everton but injury restricted him during his first two seasons.  In 1986-87 season he set a new Tottenham record by scoring 49 goals including the first in the 1987 FA Cup Final defeat to Coventry City.  That season, he was voted 'Player of the Year' by the PFA and Football Writers Association.  He moved to France in March, 1988.

Clive Wilson, Bobby Mimms and Michael Brown played for City early in their careers and later joined Spurs but Paul Walsh who joined Spurs from Liverpool later joined City. 

FA Cup Tottenham v Cheltenham Town

Cheltenham Town from League 2 visit White Hart Lane in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup for the first ever match between the two clubs.  This is Spurs' fifth successive home draw on 3rd Round day and their seventh in the past nine seasons.  Cheltenham's best performance in the FA Cup was reaching the 5th Round ten years ago.  This is their fifth appearance in the 3rd Round and last season they were knocked out in the 2nd Round at Southampton.  

Cheltenham Town, known as 'The Robins', was founded in 1887 and played its football in the Southern League until joining the Football Conference in 1997.  In their two seasons there they finished as runners-up and then Champions so gaining promotion to the Football League at the end of season 1998 - 99 under manager, Steve Cotterill. 

Cheltenham have maintained their League status since then and finished eighth in their first season in the Football League.  After three seasons they won promotion but Cotterill left to become manager of Stoke City.  They were immediately relegated after just one season in Division 1 and their pattern of League promotions/relegations has taken on a three year pattern - winning promotion after three years followed by relegation to Division 2 three years later.  Currently, after another three years, they are second in League 2 and in perfect position for another promotion.

Cheltenham are managed by Mark Yates who replaced Martin Allen three years ago.  Their season didn't start in the best way with a defeat at Gillingham.  They then lost to MK Dons in the Carling Cup but had their first win of the season at home to local rivals, Swindon Town.  They lost their next home match to Morecambe before winning at Northampton Town and inflicting the first League defeat of newly promoted and current League Two leaders, Crawley Town at their Abbey Business Stadium, Whaddon Road ground.

They are now a point behind Crawley at the top of League 2 having won 11 of their last 15 games with nine wins in their last 10 away matches and a 2 - 1 win at Port Vale last Monday when Alan Bennett and Brian Smikle scored in the second half.  With such a record Cheltenham will come to White Hart Lane with a confidence in their play.  On their last visit to North London in mid-December, they drew 2 - 2 with Barnet.  A Kaid Mohamed goal and a Duffy penalty gave them a goal advantage at the interval but Barnet drew level with a second half penalty.

"A Mix of experience and youth"

As Mark Yates admits himself, his team has "one or two experienced campaigners who will enjoy the game and a couple of younger players who will have the chance to show what they're about.' 

Scott Brown joined Cheltenham in 2005 and has over 140 League appearances for them. He started at the Wolves Academy but failed to make the breakthrough and moved to non-League football and arrived at Cheltenham as understudy but has now made the position his own.

They are captained by defender Alan Bennett who has two caps for the Republic of Ireland.  He made over 160 appearances for Cork City in the League of Ireland before moving into football in England.  He joined Reading in 2007 but didn't play for them and played last season with Wycombe Wanderers and joined Cheltenham in 2011.

Steve Elliott is another experienced defender who had six seasons with Bristol Rovers and over 200 appearances.  He signed for "the Robins' in 2010.

Cheltenham's leading goalscorer is Darryl Duffy.  He is a Scotland 'B' international and started his career with Glasgow Rangers, playing once.  He moved to Falkirk and into England with Hull, Swansea and Bristol Rovers, before joining Cheltenham in 2011.  He has scored 11 goals this season - 7 in the League, 2 FA Cup goals and 2 others.  

James Spencer has 7 goals with 6 in the Leagie and 1 other.  He is on loan from Huddersfield Town for the season.

Kaid Mohamed has scored 6 league goals and plays on the wing or as a striker.  He started in Welsh football before joining Swindon Town.  Last season he helped AFC Wimbledon win promotion to the Football League and joined Cheltenham in the summer.

Jeff Gouding has five goals with 4 in the league and one other.  He had considerable non-League experience before spending two seasons with Bournemouth and joined Cheltenham in June, 2010.

Luke Garbutt is a young defender who has been on loan from Everton and has represented England at age groups up to Under-19 level.

FA Cup Road to White Hart Lane
Cheltenham's visit to London is their third away tie in this season's FA Cup.  

They started off by defeating Tranmere Rovers 1 - 0  in the 1st Round with a first half penalty scored by Duffy.  

They then overcame non-League Luton Town by 4 - 2  in the next round.  Duffy gave Cheltenham the perfect start with a goal after two minutes.  Luton equalised five minutes before the interval but Cheltenham snatched the lead on the half-time whistle through Marlon Pack.  Luton drew level again early in the second half but two further goals from Luke Summerfield after 64 minutes and one in added time from Russell Penn ensured their progress to the FA Cup 3rd Round draw.

Former Spurs players and Cheltenham
David Hutton joined the Tottenham Academy in 2006–07 and in March 2009, he went on loan to Cheltenham Town and made his league debut against Leyton Orient.  Hutton's first league and Cheltenham goal came on 10 April 2009 in a 1–1 draw at Peterborough United.

He signed for Cheltenham that summer on a one-year deal but was released by the club the following year.  After a brief spell with St. Albams City he signed with Glenn Hoddle's team in Spain, Jerez Industrial.  He is currently playing for Borehamwood.

Sam Cox had a month with Cheltenham on loan from Spurs in 2009.  He came through the Spurs Academy, playing in midfield or defence, but after further periods out on loan he was released in June, 2010 and joined Barnet.  He is currently on loan with Borehamwood.

Harry Redknapp has shown little appetite for Cup football since his arrival at White Hart Lane and once again has the League and Champions League qualification as his first ambition.  He will be looking to rest many of his experienced players who have had a busy fortnight with the holiday matches and he will be wanting all of them available for next Wednesday's game with Everton and the crucial matches through January.  With injuries taking their toll to squad players, Vedran Corluka and Sandro, it could be quite an inexperienced side which plays against Cheltenham.  Some of the younger players who played in the Europa League have gone out on loan already, Andros Townsend and Harry Kane, so they are not available either.  Michael Dawson and Aaron Lennon may return after injury which would bring much needed experience and whatever team plays, they should have enough experience to overcome the threat presented by Cheltenham.