TOPSPURS &Jim Duggan's TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR site presents

THE JOHN PRATT SHRINE

PRATT FACTFILE

PRATT MAGIC

PRATT PICTURES

PRATT GOALS

PRATT MATCHES

PRATT MEMORIES

Comments on Pratty from those who remember him - Jim Tuite

I do feel sorry for those reading this who never saw Pratt actually play, as they may come away thinking he was a 'good' player. Believe me he wasn't. He was bloody awful.
Pratt seemed a reasonable squad player when surrounded by the likes of Peters, Chivers and England. When they left and he took centre stage, we were relegated. Pratts best years coincided with Spurs worst...no coincidence. All this talk about "Spurs through and through" and "run all day for Spurs" is cobblers basically. I'd run all day for them too but then I'm no footballer and we'd get beat. Tottenham had several "run all day" men in 1977 which is why we went down...and Pratt was the prime example of this type of all-effort, no-talent player.
His shooting was spectacular when it came off but usually his wild lashes went high into the paxton road seats and were accompanied by howls of laughter. Spurs only got back on there feet when he was dropped, though even this took a while was McNab and Hoddle were only kids in 78 when we came up and Ardilles and Villa needed a season to find there places in the side ( or the side around them).
Even Pratts timing for a testimonial was poxed with luck. The season we were out of divison one he got Arsenal to come up and thus give us our only NL derby that year. 24,000-odd turned up! Two years later an equally loyal but poor servant in Terry Naylor got only 6,000 for his game v. Palace but there wasn't a fag-paper between them talentwise.
And as for his management skills...Shreeves 86 season was too terrible for words at times. Poor Shreeves was a good coach but poor manager (as history has shown) and his coach, Pratt, seemed more interested in getting a game than doing his job.
I am proud to say I gave Pratt dogs abuse from up on the shelf and can honestly say I've never seen anyone take so much stick for so long by so many. He must have had skin thicker than a rhinos arse! Along with Moores, Daines, Armstrong and Young, he typified the rubbish that was mid-seventies Spurs. Long may they be forgotten.
ps. One of my favorite memories of Pratt was in the late seventies when, in the warm up before kick-off, there was the usual chanting the names of those on the pitch. After the "Hoddle, born is the king..." and "Peter Taylor on the wing" stuff, out came "oh Johnny, Johnny, Johnny Pratt, Johnny Pratt..." ( sort of to the tune of "I am the mucic man"), and Pratt turned to the shelf and gave us all a clap as it (apparently) came to an end. Then, the shelf, in there thousands, burst into the second verse "oh wank, wank, wank, wank, wank..."
Pratts head dropped and he returned to his one-two's with Perryman whilst, high on the shelf, we wet ourselves laughing! Happy days!

Great website dedicated to the one and only JP, so many memories of him, mostly shooting 30 foot over the bar. I try to remember that the great Bill Nick had him in his side, so he must have done something for the team. I think what he brought was that he was probably so pleased to be playing among such greats that he was prepared to run around like a headless chicken all day, trying to win the ball. Something some of our more illustrious stars weren’t prepared to do, and very team  needs shall we say a work horse and JP was certainly that.

My abiding memory well I have been to many many testimonials over the years and his was the only one I can remember where the guy getting the testimonial was booed. Magic stuff you just cant buy it.

Martin Leonard

"..during one Tuesday night (Spurs trainee and future drummer for Bow Wow Wow Dave Barbarosa) had his thumb dislocated in a training exercise by John Pratt."

Dave Barbarosa

PRATT MAGIC

May 1972 - Comes on as Sub for Ralph Coates in the 2-1 win in the First leg of the 1971/2 UEFA cup final against Wolves (and nearly scored a classic own goal with his first touch of the ball). An unused sub in the drawn second leg at WHL, Pratt collects his first senior medal as UEFA Cup winner in the season he established himself as a regular in the first team after an injury to Alan Mullery.

Sept 1972 - Scores his one and only European goal in a 6-3 win at Lyn Oslo in the UEFA cup first round

Oct 1972 - Scores two brilliant goals against Gordon Banks as Spurs beat Stoke City 4-3 at the Lane

Dec 1972 - Another brilliant goal at WHL, this time an unstoppable shot which beat Ray Clemence and started Spurs on their way to a 3-1 in the League Cup QF against Liverpool, and the first of his 7 league cup goals. Later inthe month Pratt scored the opener in the 2-1 win in the League Cup semi final at away at Wolves, enabling Tottenham to progress to the final for teh second time in three years

Jan 1973 - Pratt scores the first of his two FA cup goal in the 6-0 away knees up at Margate.

Feb 1973 - Scores the winner in 1-0 away win for Spurs at Coventry

Mar 1973 - After playing a vital role in getting Spurs to Wembley for the 1973 League Cup final against Norwich City, only manages to play 20 minutes before getting an injury which forced him from the pitch. His replacement, Ralph Coates scored the late winner in what was to be Pratt's only Wembley appearance.

Apr 1973 - Scores the winner in 1-0 away win for Spurs at Chelsea

May 1973 - Having made the number 4 shirt his own. Ends the season with 9 goals in 58 appearances.

Dec 1973 - Scores the winner in the 2-1 home league win against Stoke City

May 1974 - Plays in all 12 matches in the UEFA cup run which saw Spurs lose out 4-2 to Feyernoord on aggregate in the final, where he wore his customary number 4 shirt in both legs.

Oct 1974 - Scores my first ever Spurs goal, with a header into the Park Lane net in a 3-2 defeat by Burnley. This proved to be Pratt's only goal in a disappointing campaign for both him and Spurs in his 32 matches.

Oct 1975 - Scores in three consectutive matches for Spurs - all away. The opener in a 2-0 League cup win at Crewe sandwiched between goals in the drawn matches at Newcastle 2-2 and Aston Villa 1-1. This was also his fourth goal in five matches after scoring in the League match with Leeds in September, which was drawn 1-1.

Dec 1975 - Pratt scored the opener in our 7-2 win over Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup at White Hart Lane, our record score in that competition.

Jan 1976 - JP was on target for the only goal of the match in the first leg of the League Cup semi final against Newcastle at White Hart Lane, but it was not enough as Spurs lost 3-1 at St James' Park a week later.

Mar 1976 - Pratt scores the winner against Wolves 1-0 and the opener against Burnley 2-1 as Spurs win two away matches within a week.

Apr 1976 - Scores the first in a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Scumbury, and again scores the first goals against Birmingham City 1-3 and Coventry City 4-1 taking his tally to five in Seven matches

May 1976 - Ends the season with 13 goals in all 50 appearances in all competitions, inc 10 in 41 league appearances.

Sept 1976 - As a second half sub, is part of the unloved trio including Moores and Coates who turn a 2-0 half time deficit into a 3-2 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford. This proves to be Spurs only away win of the relegation season.

May 1977 - Scores in the final match of the season - a 2-0 home win against Leicester City, but a disasterous season for Spurs had seen them relegated the match before. Pratt ended the season with 4 goals from 37 appearances.

Oct 1977 - Pratt played in the 9-0 win over Bristol Rovers (which was to prove so crucial in our eventual promotion on goal difference) and was also on hand to score a goal in the 3-1 away win at Stoke City the Saturday after.

Jan 1978 - "Pratt Double Robs County of Glory" read the headline of the local evening paper, as two late goals by JP had salvaged a point in a 3-3 draw at Notts County. Not content in scoring my first Spurs goal, Pratt had now become the hero of my first away match with Spurs.

Mar 1978 - Pratt scored the winner against Charlton 2-1 and the opener at Bristol Rovers 3-2 in two important wins coming on the back of one win in five matches to maintain the promotion push.

May 1978 - Spurs survived a few last minute jitters to get promotion at the first attempt, finishing the season in third place on goal difference from Brighton. Pratt was an ever present this season, played in all 46 competitive matches, scoring 8 times in his now familiar number 7 shirt.

Sept 1978 - After losing his place to Ardiles and Villa at the start of the season, his re-instatement to the first team see Spurs claim their first two wins back in the top division.

Oct 1978 - Scores with a flashing near post header from a corner at the Paxton end in the 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers.

May 1979 - Ends the season with 4 goals from 45 matches in all competitions.

Aug 1979 - Scores the "other" goal in our 2-1 League cup win over Manchester United as Hoddle's amazing shot from the worked free kick with Ardiles and Yorath grabs the headlines. This would prove to be the last of his 10 cup goals for Spurs in all competitions.

Dec 1979 - Scores Spurs last goal of the 1970's, when his low 43rd minute drive at the Park Lane end is enough to get maximum points against Stoke City

Mar 1980 - Pratt scores his last ever goal for Spurs in a 2-0 home win against Liverpool.

Apr 1980 - Pratt plays his last ever match for Spurs, in a 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

PRATT PICTURES

PRATT MATCHES