Tottenham 1 Norwich City 2

Tottenham's defeat at home to Norwich City has left their aspirations of qualification for next season's Champions League competition hanging by a thread.  Ahead of the match, it was in their own hands but defeat has left them looking for Chelsea and Newcastle to slip up in their final games.

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Norwich City 2

Scorers: Defoe            Pilkington, Bennett

Team: Friedel; Walker, Kaboul (Nelsen), King, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Livermore (Va der Vaart), Modric, Bale; Saha (Adebayor), Defoe  Subs: (unused) Cudicini, Sandro, Kranjcar, Rose

Tottenham's objective, going into this game, was to take three points from a Norwich team who were comfortable in mid-table and sure of a second season in the Premier League having gained forty points.  Harry Redknapp made a number of changes to the team which struggled to break down a defensive minded Sunderland on Saturday.  Ledley King replaced William Gallas in central defence with Jake Livermore in central midfield with Luka Modric - Sandro dropping to the bench and Scott Parker not included.  Aaron Lennon started on the right wing with Louis Saha and Jermain Defoe as strikers.  Rafael Van der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor were among the substitutes.

In the opening minutes Norwich showed more attacking intention than Sunderland had in the ninety minutes at the Stadium of Light at the weekend.  They put the Spurs players under immediate pressure and looked to get forward quickly themselves.  Early attacks by Spurs saw Gareth Bale receive the ball from Luka Modric on the edge of the area but he was crowded out and then a good pass by Benoit Assou-Ekotto released Saha but his attempted cross was blocked.  This was followed by a shot from Saha following a pass from Defoe, which the goalkeeper saved with difficulty and a defender hacked clear.

On ten minutes, a slip by Ledley King let Norwich in but it was cleared with difficulty through the combined effort of Assou-Ekotto, Kyle Walker and Brad Friedel.  Spurs had been warned that the visitors attack would provide a threat but it was one they didn't take note of as three minutes later they were behind.  Poor defending again caused confusion and rushed attempts to clear.  Younes Kaboul and King didn't deal with the early danger and then Walker's hacked clearance ricochetted off King into the path of Pilkington who scored.

King was having a difficult time coping with the strength of Holt who was putting the defence under constant pressure.  Following the goal Norwich were quite comfortable and Spurs early impetus had gone.  It was not until the midway point of the half that Spurs started to make a greater impression as Bale ran from his own half and had a shot blocked for a corner.  Then good work on the right between Livermore and Walker saw a cross miss handled by the goalkeeper but no-one was on hand to take advantage.

Another quick break by Norwich caused danger for Spurs with a free-kick awarded against them which Friedel clawed away for a corner.  Norwich then threatened from a free-kick following the corner.  Central, on the edge of the area, the shot was blocked and Bale collected the ball and ran the length of the pitch to put in a dangerous cross which Defoe just failed to reach.

After half an hour Norwich made strong claims for a penalty as King struggled to cope with Holt - the referee possibly feeling that Holt was leaning on King as they fell.  Immediately, Spurs gathered the ball on halfway and Livermore's pass released Defoe who took the ball on and lifted it over the goalkeeper.

Norwich responded at once and Friedel had to save a shot at his back post following a free-kick.  The game was played at a furious pace as both teams tried to establish their supremacy.  In the final moments of the half, Kaboul had a header over from a free-kick but then was taken off, having injured himself as he landed, with Ryan Nelsen replacing him.

Adebayor replaced Saha at half-time but it was Norwich who started the brighter.  An early run by Lennon nearly created an opening for Bale but it was the visitors who were quicker to the ball and their strong running was continuing to cause the Spurs defence problems.

After fifty two minutes Spurs nearly went ahead.  A good passing movement brought Assou-Ekotto into the game, he linked well with Adebayor to get through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat. As he tried to lift his shot over the goalkeeper, Ruddy managed to get a hand to it and away for a corner.  Bale then saw a shot blocked for a corner after a good run by Lennon but Norwich again caused confusion in the Spurs defence as they broke forward quickly and Johnston shot past with the open goal at this mercy.

Only rarely were Spurs threatening the Norwich goal but a good run by Modric  ended with Bale shooting against the bar after sixty three minutes.  Three minutes later Norwich were ahead and Spurs again paid the penalty for failing to stop Norwich's forward movement.  As the defence again back pedalled, Bennett was allowed time to run and shoot powerfully from the edge of the box, giving Friedel no chance.

For the rest of the match, Norwich had good possession and when they lost the ball they harried the Spurs player in possession so that they had no time on the ball to make a positive pass.  Only rarely did Spurs threaten with a Assou-Ekotto cross headed over by Bale being one of few highlights.  Ruddy was rarely troubled and it would have been no surprise if Norwich had added to their lead, so shaky was the Totenham defence.

Spurs lacked inspiration and any sign of fight to get back into the match and no player could impose themselves on it to make a difference or find a way of rescuing the situation.

Tottenham's Champions League aspirations lie almost in tatters - from a position a few weeks ago where they were in total control, so bad has been their recent performances and results that they are no longer assured of making the top four.  This result now gives Arsenal the advantage and provides encouragement to Chelsea and Newcastle that they can also move ahead of us.  Spurs' season has tailed off badly at a time when Arsenal and Newcastle have gained a momentum through an excellent run of result while Chelsea have progressed with an abundance of good fortune.

The consequences of failing to achieve the objective of Champions League qualification are far reaching for the club - the best players, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart and Lennon are going to be tempted by other clubs with the guarantee of playing at the highest level while prospective signings will shun Tottenham's advances due to their inability to provide that opportunity.  With Harry Redknapp the obvious appointment for the England manager's post, White Hart Lane might have a number of new faces next season, if Spurs don't find a way to turn around this disappointing end to the season.  From a season of such promise, it is in danger of turning into a repeat of 1986-87 when it was a matter of so near yet so far from success.  Even FA Cup success, which at the present time is looking very unlikely, would not be any compensation for the lack of Champions League which for much of the season had appeared to be a nailed on certainty.

The coming weeks will tell if the Spurs players can find  a motivation to drive them on to a greater effort to make it become a reality.

Norwich City's Last Match at White Hart Lane

It was in September, 2004 that Spurs last played Norwich City at White Hart Lane in the Premier League.  Since then Norwich have been down in League One where they spent one season before winning successive promotions in the last two years - winners of League One in 2009-10 and as runners-up in the Championship last season. 

12th September, 2004
Spurs under Jacques Santini were undefeated after four matches at the start of the season.  Ahead of this game they had drawn 1 - 1 with Liverpool at White Hart Lane and then earned a single goal victory at Newcastle.  Their next match saw them draw 1 - 1 at West Bromwich Albion before defeating Birmingham City at home.  Jermain Defoe had scored three of Spurs four goals with Atouba getting the winner at St. James' Park.

Tottenham Hotspur 0  Norwich City 0

Team: Robinson; Pamarot, Naybet, King, Edman; Brown (Davies), Redknapp (Capt.), Mendes, Atouba (Jackson); Kanoute (Keane), Defoe  Subs: (used) Keller, Gardner

A game which Spurs were expected to win turned out more difficult than expected and the result was regarded as two points lost rather than one point gained.  Spurs had the better of the match without taking their chances and in the end Norwich did create opportunities to score in the second half. 

A lack of goals was a serious concern under the new manager who was obviously very well versed in creating a strong defensive unit as he again displayed in the next match at Stamford Bridge when they earned a scoreless draw and Jose Mourinho famously complained that Spurs had parked the bus in front of their goal.

On This Day 19 Years Ago

9th April, 1993  PL   

 Tottenham Hotspur 5  Norwich City 1

                   Scorers: Sheringham (2), Allen, Nayim, Ruddock       Ekoku

Team: Thorstvedt; Austin, Edinburgh; Barmby (Turner), Mabbutt, Ruddock; Sedgley, Nayim, Anderton (Nethercott), Sheringham, Allen Subs: (unused) Dearden

The first of the Easter matches gave Spurs a convincing win over Norwich City on Good Friday.  The win lifted Spurs to fifth place in the League with 52 points, their highest position in the League that season.  With a further seven games to play they only accumulated another seven points to finish in eighth.


Norwich had spent most of the season in a position to challenge for the Premier League title bu tthe defeat at White Hart Lane brought an end to those ambitions.  They were to finish in third place, twelve points behind Manchester United and two behind runners-up, Aston Villa.  A week earlier Spurs had lost at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final to Arsenal.

After 27 minutes, a thunderous free-kick by Neil Ruddock lifted a subdued White Hart Lane and three minutes later they witnessed an even better goal when Darren Anderton's cross was met by Teddy Sheringham.  In the second half, Sheringham's header on 54 minutes allowed Nicky Barmby to head the third.  Barmby returned the favour by starting the move which brought Sheringham's second and Spurs' fourth after 77 minutes.  With seven minutes to go, Nayim scored the fifth with a solo run before Norwich managed to get on the score sheet three minutes later.

Nayim's transfer to Real Zaragoza was confirmed the following week.

Gareth Bale in UEFA.com 'Team of Year'

Gareth Bale, the Tottenham Hotspur and Wales international and current PFA Footballer of the Year has received another accolade by being named in the prestigious UEFA.com's 'Team of the Year'.  He described being included in the team as a 'special honour'.

Gareth Bale - Tottenham's Super Star

Gareth Bale - selected in UEFA.com 'Team of the Year' for 2011

Liverpool have Steven Gerrard, Manchester United have Wayne Rooney but it's been a long time since Spurs have had a player of such stature who is capable of turning a game with a moment of brilliance.  Now, however, they have Gareth Bale's and his inclusion in the UEFA.com 'Team of the Year' is another step in the remarkable turnaround for the young player since his arrival at Tottenham.  A little over two years ago there were rumours and suggestions of him leaving Spurs as he struggled to live up to the high praise which accompanied his transfer from Southampton in  May, 2007.

Bale, then eighteen years of age, was another player from the successful Southampton Academy to make the step up to a Premier League club and cost Spurs £5 million with the potential to double with appearances and success.  His initial appearances in Martin Jol's side were encouraging.  He made his debut in August, 2007 at Manchester United in a single goal  defeat and a week later scored his first Tottenham goal in a 3 - 3 draw at Fulham when he received the ball from Robbie Keane to race down the left wing and score - a sight which through time would become the norm for watching Spurs fans and opposing defenders.  He scored with a free-kick in the north London derby with Arsenal and then scored in a Carling Cup tie against Middlesbrough giving him three goals in the first four matches he had started for the club.

Spurs' overall results, however, were poor and Juande Ramos replaced Jol in October but in only his second game for the new manager Bale was injured in a Premier League game against Birmingham in December and was to miss the rest of the season.

At the start of the next season Bale alternated between left back and the left side of midfield but the team was struggling and Bale's performance at Stoke in October, 2008 summed up perfectly his own time with Spurs and the club's situation at the time.  The club were bottom of the Premier League with two points and the 1 - 2 defeat in their eighth League match was to be  Ramos' last game in charge in a Premier League match.  In the seventeenth minute, playing at left back, Bale gave the ball away with a poor pass out of defence and as he tried to retrieve the situation he committed a foul to concede a penalty and was dismissed as Stoke scored their opening goal from the penalty spot.

As Bale started his three match suspension, a new manager came in and Bale found it difficult to reclaim his place as Harry Redknapp's team battled to avoid relegation with Benoit Assou-Ekotto playing regularly at left back for the rest of the season.

As season 2009-10 commenced Bale was recovering from surgery during the summer and had an unenviable record weighing heavily on his young shoulders - he had never played on a winning Spurs' team in his two years at the club.  That burden was eventually lifted at the end of September, 2009 when he appeared as a late substitute in Spurs' 5 - 0 win over Burnley - after a record twenty four Premier League matches without a win.

Assou-Ekotto continued to hold the left back position and there was talk that Bale might go out on loan while some clubs were considering putting in a bid for the young player during the January transfer window.  However, an injury to Assou-Ekotto was to give Bale his opportunity for an extended run in the team.  When Assou-Ekotto returned to fitness after a two month absence, Bale moved to left midfield with Luka Modric playing a more central and as the end of the season approached with Spurs looking to grab a Champions League place, Bale scored in consecutive wins at home over Arsenal and Chelsea.

Gareth Bale was now an established member of the Spurs team which played in last season's Champions League and he had established a good understanding with Assou-Ekotto on the left wing. In the first Premier League away game at the Brittania Stadium Bale had a point to prove and did so in style with the two goals which earned Spurs the three points.  He set aside the ghost of his previous problems at Stoke and provided the winning goal with a wonderful left foot volley.

It was at the San Siro Stadium against Inter Milan that Bale announced himself on the world stage.  With Spurs Champions League campaign looking doomed as they faced a four goal deficit with only ten men after thirty five minutes it was Bale who restored some pride for the team with a second half hat-trick with goals of unbelievable quality.  He ran at the Inter defenders with pace and left them floundering on three different occasions as Spurs staged a remarkable comeback to lose by only one goal to the reigning Champions.  By the end it was the Inter fans who were baying for the final whistle.

In the return game a fortnight later as Spurs won 3 - 1, the lasting memory is of Bale once again racing from his own half, down the left wing as chants of "Taxi for Maicon" rang from the White Hart Lane stands with the Inter defender lying prostrate on the ground.  The Inter defender and his colleagues failed to prevent Bale putting in a perfect cross for Roman Pavlyuchenko to score Spurs' third goal of the evening in the final minute.  Then, he had just repeated what he had done less than thirty minutes earlier when Peter Crouch had scored the second goal.

There was now no way that Bale would be leaving White Hart Lane - he was a vital part of the team that Harry Redknapp was developing to challenge the top four teams in the country.  It wasn't easy for Bale as defenders looked for ways to prevent him having an influence on the game and at times he was subject to heavy tackles and finding two or three defenders waiting in his way.

As last season drew to a close the high expectations and number of matches took their toll on all the players and Bale was finding it more difficult to be as effective as he struggled with niggling injuries.  His season finished early following a heavy challenge against Blackpool but refreshed at the start of this season he has shown added qualities in his game by playing from the right as well as the left and by having more freedom to play across midfield.  This was best illustrated against Norwich City over the Christmas period when he scored the two goals which kept up Tottenham's title challenge.  The first came as he supported Emmanuel Adebayor almost as a second striker in the penalty area and the second was the result of  a powerful run from the halfway line to out pace the defenders and lift the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.

At present, much of what is good about Spurs often centres around Gareth Bale.  He has scored seven goals this season and has numerous assists as the team have risen to third position in the Premier League with 46 points from their last 19 matches.

Bale appears to be a very settled young man and he is always the last Tottenham player to leave the pitch at White Hart lane as he acknowledges the supporters on all sides of the ground before leaving the field.

Gareth Bale has played a leading role in the revival of the Wales international team and it is widely expected that he will appear in the Great Britain football team in the London Olympics later in the year.


UEFA.com 'Team of the Year'
It is the first time a Spurs player has made it into the Team of the Year since its inception in 2001 and Bale is the only Premier League player in the 2011 team and becomes the first Welshman to named.
He was up agains the likes of Lille's Edin Hazard, Manchester United's Ashley Young and Chelsea'a Juan Mata for the left midfield position.

Gareth Bale was quick to praise his team mates at Tottenham for the part they played in him receiving this accolade.  Luka Modric was also on the shortlist in central midfield and Gareth is one of only three players not based in Spain's La Liga to make the cut.

Preview - Spurs Record at Norwich

Tottenham play catch up again as they travel to Norwich for an evening kick-off at the end of the second set of matches for the Christmas/New Year period.  Norwich have made a favourable impression on their return to the Premier League following an absence of six seasons.

Norwich City were last in the Premier League in season 2004 - 05, a one season sojourn before returning to the Championship.  They won automatic promotion last season as runners-up to champions QPR and are currently the highest of the three promoted teams in ninth position with 21 points.  They've gained 14 of those points at Carrow Road with four wins and two draws.  Their only home defeats have been against Arsenal (1 - 2) having taken a first half lead and WBA who took an early lead and held out for the next 87 minutes.  In their last home match they defeted Newcastle United 4 - 2 with goals from Wes Hoolahan, Grant Holt (2) and Steve Morison.

Norwich started their season with a draw at Wigan (1 - 1) and followed it with a home draw with Stoke City.  Following defeat at Chelsea and at home to West Brom their first win of the season came at Bolton.  They then won their first home game against Sunderland (2 - 1).  Swansea City lost 1 - 3 at Carrow Road and then Blackburn took a point home from a six goal thriller at Norwich.  Since the home defeat to Arsenal they have enjoyed home success against QPR (2 - 1) and Newcastle.  After a difficult start to life in the Premier League they have shown a resilience, an attacking spirit and a work ethic for which they have been rewarded, especially at home.

Their leading goal scorer is Holt with 7 Premier League goals but Morision is close behind with 6.  Anthony Pilkington has four goals.

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John Ruddy in goal has impressed for Norwich, especially when the team earned a point at Anfield in mid-October, thanks to his display.  Tottenham's Kyle Naughton will be missing from the team as he is ineligible while on loan from Spurs, although he is also suspended for five bookings - convenient.  He has established himself as regular in the team and is gaining good Premier League experience which hopefully will be of benefit to him on his return to White Hart Lane. Norwich are a hard working, well organised team who give their all in every game without any 'star' names.  They are making the most of this opportunity in the Premier League and their manager Paul Lambert knows that they must continue in a similar vein throughout the season to avoid an instant return to the Championship, the fate that befell them when they last won promotion.

Tottenham's Record at Norwich
Totenham have visited Carrow Road on four occasions in the Premier League with a record of three wins and a draw.  The last two matches were on Boxing Day and ended with Spurs winning 2 - 0.  In 2004 Robbie Keane and Michael Brown were the scorers, while in 1994 the goals came from Nicky Barmby and Teddy Sheringham.  The previous April, Spurs won 2 - 1 and Sheringham scored again.  The other goal was an own goal.  On Boxing Day, 1992 the clubs played out a scoreless draw.    

The overall League record:

P  24  W  8  D  6  L  10  For  32  Ag  36

As can be seen, Spurs record in the Premier League matches has improved the overall record which is not too impressive.  Matches have been close but Norwich have had the upper hand.  

In August, 1991 a Gary Lineker goal was enough to earn Spurs the points but the previous April Spurs lost 1 - 2, a few days ahead of their FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal.  The most notable aspect of the game was the return of Paul Gascoigne after missing five games following an operation.  Gascoigne was using this game to test out his fitness for the weekend's big match.  That Spurs lost was an irrelevance at the time and that John Hendry scored his first goal on his League debut for Spurs and that Ian Walker and Peter Garland also made their debuts has largely been forgotten.

The first League meeting between the clubs was in season 1935 - 36 in the 2nd Division.  Spurs lost by the only goal of the game on their first League visit to Norfolk in April, 1936.  The following season they won their first League match at Carrow Road - Johnny Morrison scoring a hat-trick in their 3 - 2 success.

Having met in four consecutive seasons up to 1939, the clubs didn't meet again in League football until Norwich won promotion to the 1st Division in 1972 when Norwich won 2 - 1, Martin Chivers scoring Spurs only goal.

Spurs eventually managed a win in March, 1978, their relegation season.  Goals from John Pratt, Gerry Armstrong and Peter Taylor gave them a 3 - 1 win.

On gaining promotion after a year's absence, it took Spurs seven attempts before winning at Carrow Road.  In December, 1994, Tony Galvin and Garth Crooks scored the goals as Spurs won two nil.

Norwich have proved difficult opponents for Spurs teams in the past and the current Spurs team can expect a difficult evening with a team prepared to battle against them in an effort to put them out of their stride.  The good news for Spurs is that Rafael Van der Vaart has recovered from injury and is expected to play.

Boxing Day with Spurs

The holiday season is traditionally a busy period for footballers with four games to be played over Christmas and New Year.  In years gone by, teams had to play on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day with no time to recover from injury or a disappointing result.

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 The Christmas fixtures frequently throw some unexpected scores with goals aplenty or teams suffering a blow to their aspirations with a couple of disappointing results.  Local derbies are often the order of the day over the festive season to reduce travel and encourage attendances around the country.  For many years clubs played a double-header at Christmas, meeting the same team, home and away, within twenty four hours.

The last occasion that Spurs played on Christmas Day and Boxing Day was in season 1958-59 when they faced West Ham United.  It was only a few weeks earlier that Bill Nicholson had taken charge as manager and if he was disappointed with the Christmas Day defeat at Upton Park (1 - 2), he must have been very anxious after West Ham won 4 - 1 at White Hart Lane the following day.  Alfie Stokes scored Spurs' goal as their struggle against relegation continued.

Better times have been witnessed over the holiday with the 'Double' team managing a Christmas 'double' over West Ham, following up their two goal home win on Christmas Eve with a 3 - 0 success at Upton Park on Boxing Day - John White, Les Allen and an own goal providing the goals.

Strange, unexpected score lines are often the order of the day and in the season between those West Ham games, Spurs met Leeds United.  They enjoyed a successful trip to Yorkshire on Boxing Day, winning 4 - 2 with goals from Tommy Harmer, Bobby Smith and Allen (2).  In  the return fixture two days later, Leeds gained revenge as Spurs lost 1 - 4, Dave Mackay scoring their only goal.  Spurs were challenging near the top of the table while Leeds were in a fight against relegation.  Leeds lost their 1st Division place at the end of the season and Spurs were left to rue that defeat as two points from that home game would have seen them finish the season as title winners.

On Boxing Day 1964, Tottenham travelled to Nottingham to play Forest - not something they'd have done with much confidence as that season they'd failed to win any of their eleven away matches.  To everyone's surprise they returned with the two points after a 2 - 1 success - Alan Gilzean and Cliff Jones scoring the goals, their only away win of the season.  Two days later they won the return game by four goals to maintain their unbeaten home record.  Season 1964-65 is the only occasion when Spurs have gone through an entire season undefeated at home.

Whether players had over-indulged the previous day but high scoring games also appeared regularly as part of the Boxing Day recipe for entertainment.  In 1980-81 Southampton were the visitors to White Hart Lane and took a share of the points in an eight goal thriller.  A young midfielder, Garry Brooke, started his first game for Spurs in place of the injured Ossie Ardiles and scored twice with his trademark thunderbolt shot.  Steve Archibald and Garth Crooks completed the Totenham scoring.

This season's holiday opponents, Norwich City were frequent opponents over the Christmas period during the early 1990s.  On four successive years the clubs met home and away with Spurs earning a home win, a scoreless away draw, suffering a home defeat and managing to win 2 - 0 on Boxing Day, 1994 at Carrow Road.  Nicky Barmby and Teddy Sheringham scored the goals.

A similar result was gained on Boxing Day, 2004 with Robbie Keane and Michael Brown scoring the goals on the last occasion that the two clubs have met competitively.  Norwich were relegated at the end of both of those seasons, so they'll be hoping to avoid a hat-trick of defeats this year.

Recent Boxing Day Matches:
Last season, Spurs enjoyed a trip to Villa Park and in an excellent display with ten men won 2 - 1 as Rafael Van der Vaart scored twice, with the second goal showing great team work as Spurs broke at pace from defence.

The previous three seasons Spurs games had involved Fulham - in 2007-08, Spurs won 5 - 1 at White Hart Lane through goals from Keane (2), Tom Huddlestone (2) and Jermain Defoe.  The next two years there was no goal-fest for spectators to enjoy.  Fulham were determined not to suffer the same fate at White Hart Lane as the previous year and the teams played out a dull, scoreless draw which was the score the following year at Craven Cottage.

Non-League Days
Spurs first competitive match on Boxing Day was in season 1898-99.  In the Southern League, just as Portsmouth were the designated opponents for Spurs on Christmas Day, their near neighbours, Southampton, were Tottenham's opposition on Boxing Day.  For ten consecutive seasons, Spurs travelled to Southampton on Boxing Day to fulfil the Southern League fixture.  The first of these matches ended in a 1 - 1 draw and it was only at the fifth attempt that Spurs managed to win.  John Kirwan scored the only goal in 1902 and it was their only success in that series of games in which they achieved three draws and suffered six defeats. 

Tottenham must have breathed a sigh of relief when they entered the 2nd Division in 1908 and had a home fixture on Boxing Day.  It was the return fixture with Oldham Athletic who had defeated them by a single goal twenty four hours earlier.  Spurs took full revenge with a three goal success as Billy Minter, Vivian Woodward and Bert Middlemiss scored.

In season 1911-12, the Christmas fixtures decided upon a London derby.  Spurs defeated Woolwich Arsenal at White Hart Lane on Christmas Day by 5 - 0 but the journey south of the river was less successful as Spurs lost 1 - 3, Minter scoring Spurs' goal.

One of Spurs' best Boxing Day wins was over Sheffield Wednesday in the 1st Division in 1914.  The previous day Spurs had lost out in Sheffield by the odd goal in five but at home Spurs were not to be denied and triumphed by a score of 6 - 1.  Bert Bliss netted four while Bobby Steel and Harry Sparrow scored the others.

In 1930, it was just like Southern League days as Spurs travelled to Southampton on Boxing Day in a less than confident mood, having lost to them at home the previous day.  They gained their first Boxing Day win against the south coast club in twelve attempts, having lost twelve months earlier.  This time they scored thre times without reply through Willie Davies, Taffy O'Callaghan and Dick Rowley.

One of their longest journeys on Boxing Day took Spurs to Plymouth in 1935 and they returned empty handed, suffering defeat by 1 - 2, as Argyle completed the 'double' over them, having won by a similar score in London.

Tottenham's last Boxing Day defeat came in 2003 at Portsmouth, the home side winning 2 - 0.  The last home defeat was back in 1991 when Nottingham Forest took the points with a 2 - 1 success, Paul Stewart scoring the Spurs' goal.

Boxing Day games can be very unpredictable and are frequently high scoring affairs which can be enjoyable to the neutral and to the supporters of the winning team.  Spurs aren't playing on Boxing Day this year, their game at Norwich having been moved for television.  I won't mind a high scoring game as long as Spurs come out on top to maintain their hold on third place in the Premier League.

COYS!

3rd March - Spurs in History

3rd March, 1973

Football League Cup Final at Wembley.
Spurs 1 Norwich

Ralph Coates

As in their previous League Cup Final two years earlier, Spurs were expected to win this game with ease but Norwich made it very difficult by playing very defensively.  In a dull game, the goal was the only memorable moment.

John Pratt started the game ahead of Ralph Coates.  He was injured early on, however, and Ralph Coates replaced him after twenty five minutes.  Coates duly took his moment and scored the goal which won the trophy to maintain Spurs' unbeaten record in Finals and at Wembley.  It also ensured that Spurs played in Europe the following season.

This was possibly Ralph's greatest moment in a Spurs' shirt.  He had signed from Burnley in May, 1971 but had taken time to settle having moved to London, although he had played in the successful UEFA Cup winning team the previous season.

Team: Jennings, Kinnear, Knowles, Pratt (Coates), England, Beal, Gilzean, Perryman, Chivers, Peters(Capt),Pearce.

The following week, the two teams met at White Hart Lane in a League game and Spurs won
3-0, with the goals coming from Martin Chivers (2) (1pen), Jimmy Pearce.