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Jim Duggan's TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR site |
TOPSPURS MATCH PREVIEW
As we walked out of the Lane after beating Chelsea in the Semi Final with the Drummer ahead of us banging out Spurs are on their way to Cardiff - it was one of the best ever feelings as a Spurs fan! - Firstly we were back in a cup final where Spurs belong, we'd done Chelsea and their record over us in style & we did it as Tottenham Hotspur, Hoddle in control and playing Sunshine Football that is synonymous with us, less than a year after the Goons were flushed away.
There have been some great moments in this season’s cup run – Chelsea 5-1, Ricky Villa turning up in the crowd at Fulham, Six against Bolton and a great midweek away trip to the Wirral – and hopefully the final will bring some more.
The cup run, after the Torquay United match, has been about revenge:
· Tranmere – Hoddle managing that SCBC saw a 3-0 lead turn into a 4-3 defeat in the FA Cup last season before doing the job properly with his proper club 4-0
· Fulham – A soulless Spurs led with the Goonersaurus at the helm, lost 3-1 to Fulham exactly two years before Spurs put the record straight this season
· Bolton – A Mulletheaded nightmare as Gerry Francis Spurs crashed 6-1 to Bolton in 1996, and by winning 6-0 (and later 4-0 in the FA Cup) Spurs have more than put the record straight this season)
· Chelsea – just under 12 years and 27 games since we beat them – all forgotten in a 5-1 hammering at the Lane to see us to the Final
· Blackburn - ? Souness! The man who scored the winning goal for the victorious 1970 Spurs youth team has always had a grudge against us since we slung him out & played for Liverpool when they beat us in the 1982 League Cup final, where he was guilty of a number of bad fouls, inc one on Tony Galvin. This one’s for the rest of the classic 1982 team!
With Hoddle at the helm we have the best manager in England and hopefully after the final he will have joined both Arthur Rowe and Bill Nicholson to have won major trophies with Spurs as a player and Manager. With a few choice additions over the summer at poundstretcher, the Spurs squad available for the final looks quite a strong.
In goal we have last season’s player of the year Sully (and birthday boy on Cup final day), who while he has not been at his best this season, is still one of the best around. As cover we have the reliable Kasey Keller who will be in his third League Cup final, after lobbing the ball up for Nielsen to score the winner in 1999 while Leicester keeper.
We are most stretched at centre back, with only Mr Ed fully fit at the start of the week, with regular partners Richards cup tied and Ledley King with Tonsillitis. Gardner who has done well in his first team opportunities has not played since the Chelsea semi as a result of a knee injury and although both he and long term injury victim Bunjevcevic came through a reserve match on Weds night unscathed they must be doubtful for the final in terms of match fitness. Thatcher has put the bad start to his Tottenham career behind him and has looked solid in recent weeks without being a world beater & it remains to be seen who out of Thatcher, Bunjevcevic, Gardner or Thelwell gets the final central defensive berth alongside King and Mr Ed.
With Ziege’s goalscoring return on Sunday, he should take his usual place as left wing back with Treacle as right wing back. This is a great shame for Simon Davies who has been excellent in the cup run, but someone of Davies talent and eye for goal will be great to have in reserve on the bench.
Since coming in for Freund in the first leg of the Chelsea Semi, Tim Sherwood has looked a new man, one quite similar to the player who captained Blackburn to the title in 1995 and his return to form has been a great boost to Spurs and he is sure to play an important role in the final, especially as he has suffered semi final heartache seven times before. Another with a less than happy record in semi finals is Darren Anderton who for most of this season has played his best football for Spurs since the mid 1990’s, and is even better with Sherwood as his midfield partner. A win for Shaggy will be fitting as our longest serving player celebrates his 10th season at Spurs. In front of them in the midfield will be Gus Poyet, whose goals from midfield and positive spirit have been a huge boost.
Up front we have Captain Ted, who is leading Spurs with great dignity this season and Sir Les, who is in the best form of his Spurs career with 5 goals already in the competition, leading the way along with Matt Jansen in the competition as a whole this season.
While long term injuries have prevented Steve Carr and Gary Doherty from being in the starting line up, along with Freund, Armstrong and Clemence in the squad, we still have plenty of good players fighting for a place on the bench. The keeping spot is Keller’s and Davies looks a certainty, with Iversen will probably keeping Rebrov out of the 16, leaving two spare places. My money is on Bunje shading the defensive position ahead of Thatcher and Thelwell (assuming Gardner starts) and Leo getting the other midfield place.
We should line up
Sullivan
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King |
Perry |
Thatcher/Gardner |
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Taricco |
Sherwood |
Poyet |
Anderton
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Ziege
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Sheringham
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Ferdinand |
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Subs Keller,
(Thatcher/Gardner/Bunjevcevic/Thelwell), Davies, Leonhardsen, Iversen |
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Since the semi, things have gone well for Tottenham but not so well for Blackburn, who are on a long losing run in the league and have Short, Tugay and Flitcroft suspended. Flitcroft is delayed justice for the foul he did on Clemence in August that has kept the young Spurs player out all season. Blackburn possess dangerous forwards and decent wingers and a very talented midfield player in Dunn but appear to be playing less than the sum of their collective parts. There is a story doing the rounds that Andy Cole has the shits (Gastroenteritis) which is why they had to rush in to get Spanish striker Yourdi on loan for the final. Whether the story is true or not is another matter and I think we should expect to see the ex-Gooner line up. One bloke we won’t be seeing is Turkish defender Hakan Unsal as his move from Galatasaray has been delayed by work permit problems as he does not have the required 75% of International matches.
Despite the problems Blackburn are having and them having one eye on their league position, but all previous form counts for nothing in the Cup and Spurs have to go out and do another Chelsea style performance to win – but the destination of the cup is in our hands – if we play well and take our chances we will win – irrespective of Blackburn. Lets hope and pray we get it right.
The referee is Graham Poll – the thing from Tring – who is a capable enough ref with a healthy dislike of Gooners and should ensure a decent match. With much of our season affected by bad refereeing, lets hope there are no serious cock ups in the final either for or more importantly against us.
There is the potential for a Coventry 1987, especially if we perform like we did against Everton in the 1995 cup semi final or repeat any one of the dodgy second halves we have had against Man U, Newcastle and Blackburn themselves this season at home – but with Hoddle, Hughton and Gorman at the helm I’m confident we can get it right, as long as we take our chances.
I’m going for a 2-0 or a 3-1 win (although I will settle for anything) with Sheringham & Poyet amongst the goals
COME ON YOU SPURS – GLENN HODDLE’S BLUE AND WHITE ARMY
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR IN LEAGUE CUP
FINALS
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21-Mar-99 |
L.C.Cup Final |
77,892 |
W |
Leicester City |
W |
1 |
- |
0 |
Nielsen |
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13-Mar-82 |
L.C.Cup Final |
100,000 |
W |
Liverpool |
L |
1 |
- |
3 |
(a.e.t) Archibald |
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03-Mar-73 |
L.C.Cup Final |
100,000 |
W |
Norwich City |
W |
1 |
- |
0 |
Coates |
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27-Feb-71 |
L.C.Cup Final |
100,000 |
W |
Aston Villa |
W |
2 |
- |
0 |
Chivers (2) |
MOST LEAGUE CUP WINS
6 – Liverpool
5 – Aston Villa
4 – Nottingham Forest
3 – Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City
MOST LEAGUE CUP FINAL APPEARANCES
8 – Liverpool
7 – Aston Villa
6 – Nottingham Forest
5 – Tottenham Hotspur, Ars*nal, Leicester City
HIGHEST GOALSCORER IN A SINGLE LEAGUE CUP TOURNAMENT
Clive Allen - 12: Tottenham 1986-87.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR AGAINST BLACKBURN ROVERS
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Overall record |
Played |
Won |
Drew |
Lost |
Spurs |
Against |
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Total |
88 |
39 |
18 |
31 |
152 |
129 |
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Home |
44 |
27 |
7 |
10 |
103 |
57 |
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Away |
43 |
11 |
11 |
21 |
47 |
71 |
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Neutral |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
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League Cup |
Played |
Won |
Drew |
Lost |
Spurs |
Against |
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Total |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
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Home |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
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Away |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
Spurs have met Blackburn twice before in the League Cup, with Spurs winning
both previous ties - and in fact scoring all the goals, as Guy Butters scored
an own goal in our win at Ewood.
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01-Nov-88 |
L.C. Cup 3 |
18,814 |
H |
Blackburn Rovers |
D |
0 |
- |
0 |
|
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09-Nov-88 |
L.C. Cup 3® |
12,961 |
A |
Blackburn Rovers |
W |
2 |
- |
1 |
(a.e.t) Thomas, Stewart |
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01-Dec-93 |
L.C. Cup 4 |
22,295 |
H |
Blackburn Rovers |
W |
1 |
- |
0 |
Rsol |
Spurs record win against Blackburn was 5-0 back in 1924 with goals from Jack Elkes (3) Jimmy Seed (2), and while we have managed three other occasions where we have scored 5 against our Cup final opponents (5-1 1936 (where Les Miller scored 4 times, a record for a Spurs player against Blackburn), 5-2 1960&1965), Blackburn have had their moments against us. A 7-2 defeat against one of the best Spurs sides ever in 1963 was our joint record defeat until Anfield 1978, and they have also done us 6-1 in 1912 and 5-0 in 1958.
A number of a famous players have played for both – Ossie Ardiles, Steve Archibald, Mike England, Noel Brotherston, Timmah Sherwood, Booby Mimms, Ted Harper and our first famous keeper Tiny Joyce. Former Spurs managers Joe Hulme and Percy Smith were Rovers players and Spurs managers, while Souness and Jim Iley played for us before managing Rovers.
For a full record of all matches
between Spurs and Blackburn
www.topspurs.com/thfc-blackburnrovers.htm
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - Path to the final
2nd Round Thursday, September 13, 2001
Tottenham 2-0
Torquay United - click for match report
King 61
Ferdinand 69
Tottenham: Keller, Taricco, Doherty (Bunjevcevic 12), Perry,
Ziege, Freund, King, Leonhardsen (Sheringham 45), Davies, Ferdinand
(Etherington 74), Rebrov.
Just two days after the attack on the World Trade
Centre, Spurs second American keeper Kasey Keller made his debut as Sully was
rested. Spurs made heavy weather of beating the third division outfit, but
Ledders and then Sir Les's first ever cup goal for Spurs over 4 years after he
signed saw us home, but at the cost of an injury which turned out to be a
broken leg for the Doc
3rd Round Tuesday, October 9, 2001
Tranmere Rovers
0-4 Tottenham - click for match report
Sheringham 21 (pen)
Anderton 39
Poyet
49
Rebrov
81
Tottenham: Sullivan, Taricco, King, Perry, Thatcher, Davies,
Freund (Sherwood 71), Anderton, Poyet (Leonhardsen 84), Sheringham, Ferdinand
(Rebrov 58).
Only 4 days after Spurs gave away a 3-0 half time
lead to lose 5-3 against Man U and Hoddle against a club where his little club
of last season had lost 4-3 after being 3-0 up in the cup - this had all the
makings of a disaster - but Mickey Mellon saw us on our way by giving away and
early penalty scored by Sheringham and then getting himself sent off for
Tranmere. Anderton added a wonderful second and Poyet scored his first goal for
the club either side of half time to make it a stroll in Prenton Park
4th Round - Thursday, November 29, 2001
Fulham 1-2
Tottenham - click for match report
Hayles 45 Rebrov 15
Davies
86
Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, Ziege, King, Bunjevcevic, Freund,
Anderton, Leonhardsen (Thatcher 85), Davies, Rebrov, Sheringham.
This game will be more remembered for Ricky Villa
sitting in with the Spurs fans than the actual match where Fulham had most
possession but rarely threatened a below par Spurs. A late tactical switch of
moving Davies up to attacking midfielder from wing back paid dividends as the
welsh wizard got on the end of a King knock down to fire home the winner near
the end
Quarter-finals - Tuesday, December 11, 2001
Tottenham Hotspur
6-0 Bolton Wanderers - click for match
report
Davies 21
Ferdinand 29, 30, 38
Barness og 79
Iversen 84
Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, King, Gardner, Davies, Poyet
(Sherwood 72), Freund, Anderton, Taricco, Ferdinand (Rebrov 45), Sheringham
(Iversen 67).
I'll never know what Bolton were up to playing a
weakened team in a quarter final - but Spurs took full advantage and coasted
home thanks to a first half Ferdinand hatrick & all thoughts turned to the
semi long before the final whistle
Semi-final First Leg - Wednesday, January 9, 2002
Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
- click for match report
Hasawank 10, 77 Ferdinand 65
Tottenham: Keller, Taricco, Gardner, Perry, King, Freund
(Sherwood 29), Anderton, Poyet, Ziege, Ferdinand (Rebrov 88), Davies.
Spurs played well and after the double set back of a
Chelsea goal and an injury to Freund, Spurs came back led by an excellent
display from Freund's replacement Sherwood and after missing an easier chance
Sir Les levelled for us just after the hour. Chelsea finished strongly and won
the match with a free kick and we were probably lucky to get away with not
conceding a late penalty. Feeling was mixed on the result, but at least it gave
us a chance for the second leg
Semi-final Second Leg - Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Tottenham
Hotspur 5-1 Chelsea - click for match report
Iversen
2
Forssell 90
Sherwood 33
Sheringham 50
Davies 76
Rebrov 87
Tottenham: Sullivan, Perry, King, Gardner, Davies, Poyet
(Leonhardsen 83), Sherwood, Anderton, Taricco, Sheringham, Iversen (Rebrov 83).
One of the greatest games I have ever seen at White
Hart Lane & a magnificent evening saw us blast Chelsea away and end their
good run over us in great style, setting us up nicely for the final
1.jpg)
OUR OPPONENTS - BLACKBURN ROVERS
The Blackburn Rovers club was formed in November 1875 & and after a
defeat in the 1882 final against the Old Etonians, Five FA Cup victories
followed soon after, beating Queens Park Glasgow 2-1 in 1884 and 2-0 in 1885
and then defeating West Brom 2-0 in 1886 for their hatrick of wins (and 4th for Blackburn, as Blackburn Olympic were
winners in 1883), and then going on to defeat Sheffield Wednesday by a
then record 6-1 in 1890 before doing Notts County 3-1 the following year. They
switched their attentions to the League after this and collected their first
two Championships by the time of WW1. Further Cup success followed in the 1927
when they beat the best team in the country Huddersfield Town, managed by Ex-Spurs
player Herbert Chapman.
A long while in the doldrums followed for Blackburn, punctuated only by a FA
cup final appearance in 1960, where they lost 3-0 to Wolves. Things started to
change at the start of the 1990's when Multi Millionaire Jack Walker invested
much of his fortune in the Club. With new manager Kenny Dalglish, Rovers were
promotion to the Premiership via the play offs and after an encouraging 4th in
their first season - broke the Man United domination of the Title with the
goals of Alan Shearer & Chris Sutton, captained by our very own Timmah
Sherwood.
Sadly for Rovers, they failed to build on this success, Shearer left, as did
Sutton and Sherwood and their fall from grace was completed with relegation
under Brian Kidd in 1999 and Jack Walker's death a year later. Ex-Spurs Souness
has done a good job in his time at Rovers, guiding them to the Premiership and
then to their first major final for 42 years.
Blackburn Rovers - View on the Final (from FTT)
In the blue corner we have those Northern upstarts Blackburn Rovers: in the
red corner we have the genteel gentleman from North London, Tottenham Hotspur.
Here is a comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of the two Worthington Cup
Finalists; this won't take long. Tottenham are strong, Blackburn are weak. The
public humiliation of Rovers in front of 70,000 people, plus a worldwide
television audience of several million, should set us up nicely for relegation
in May. Please, cut me some slack here, I'm trying to be positive!
To continue the boxing analogy, this is Mike Tyson v Graham Norton. Despite
what Souness publicly says there is definitely a siege mentality developing at
Ewood Park. Results, refereeing decisions, injuries and suspensions have all
contributed to the body language of a team, which looks beaten before it
starts. Instead of gaining from adversity we allow it to weaken our resolve.
Considering our recent record of five consecutive defeats and descent into the
bottom three, means that the gloss of our first major final in 40 years is
slightly tarnished and there is no enjoyment in looking forward to Sunday's
game.
If I sound negative it's because there are very few positives to take comfort
in. Dunn will have the opportunity to show his potential, but only if we keep
the ball long enough. In midfield we are going to be lightweight. Without
Flitcroft to play a holding role or Tugay to slow the game down we could be
over-run. To compensate we may well play with five in midfield but we need
width to get behind a solid Spurs team who have been scoring for fun lately in
the Cup.
Gillespie and Duff can provide the width but they need the right sort of
service, as do the front two of Jansen and Cole. The latter has looked very
disillusioned with life but perhaps the buzz of playing in a Final will remind
him of his Utd days and he can reproduce his Old Trafford form. Sheringham is a
danger, but as Souness has frequently pointed out, we are slow to sense danger.
Defensively we are most vulnerable when the ball is in the oppositions half.
The quick break always finds us out. In Anderton Spurs have the players to take
advantage of our lack of pace and Sheringham's vision could undress us in an
instant. Souness is hoping to sign Spanish striker Yordi who could make his
debut on Sunday, but I fancy the paperwork will not be completed in time.
Bjornebye is ill. Frankly, as long as Bjornebye has been at the club his
performances have been under the weather. This means Curtis at full back, which
gives me some comfort.
I fear that all that stands between us and an emphatic defeat is keeper
Friedel. Duff and Gillespie need to be on their top form and take their markers
on. However, even that will be academic unless Jansen, Cole and midfield
support them. This would be the ideal time for Duff to show his skills.
It will be interesting to see if old boy Tim Sherwood plays. I always rated him
at Rovers and would trace our decline to when he left. Whilst he had his
problems off the field with the manager and was the cause of some dressing room
unrest, he never gave less than 100% on the pitch. Even when we were struggling
to avoid relegation with some dire performances Sherwood never shirked his
midfield duties and hid.
Whilst that is my view, the majority of Rovers supporters will just remember
him for the acrimonious manner in which he left the club. He'll no doubt get
some stick, and then score the winning goal. Oh how we'll laugh at the irony.
Short is out suspended, so the partner for Berg at the centre of defence will
be between Johansson and Taylor. Either way the defence looks fragile and
vulnerable to the threat of Ferdinand and will need protecting by a midfield,
which isn't renowned for its ball winning abilities.
Spurs look like having the luxury of leaving Simon Davies on the bench together
with Gus Poyet and Steffen Iversen. Our subs bench will be a mixture of youth
Douglas and experience Hughes, in fact the subs bench frightens me more than
the opposition. Whatever happened to this large squad we used to talk about?
We may have won the toss and called correctly to sit at the `lucky` end and to
be able to wear the famous blue and white halves; I wonder if we could toss a
coin to decide the game?
As for Sheringham and Cole meeting up again after both having to leave Utd to
secure first team football, suffice to say bearing in mind the relationship
they had at Old Trafford, they won't be swapping shirts at the end...punches
perhaps...!
Spurs have the pace, vision and, perhaps more importantly, the confidence to
make this a one sided final. If we concede an early goal then it's all over,
only if we manage to hold out can we hope to score on the break. It won't be
pretty, it definitely won't be funny, and without a shadow of a doubt it won't
be clever!
http://www.fromtheterrace.co.uk/blackburn/news.cfm?newsid=101023
cheer up mate!!
Blackburn Rovers- Path to the final
2nd Round - Blackburn 2-0 Oldham
Jansen 14
Dunning 77
3rd Round - Blackburn 2-1 Middlesbrough (a.e.t)
Hignett 31 Nemeth 39
Short 113
4th Round - Blackburn 2-0 Man City
Johansson 45
Johnson 90
Quarter-finals - Blackburn 4-0 Arsenal
Jansen 11, 15, 68
Hughes 21
Semi-final First Leg - Sheff Wed 1-2 Blackburn
Ekoku 52
Hignett 28
Cole 39
Semi-final Second Leg - Blackburn 4-2 Sheff Wed
Jansen 35 Ekoku 59
(pen)
Duff
37
Soltvedt 85
Cole 82
Hignett 88
CUP FINAL MATCH TICKET & OFFICIAL PROGRAMME
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I have to say that while £5 for a
programme is extortionate, the Cup final Programme is actually quite good and well
worth having, esp. the Spurs player review by Poyet!
STADIUM PLAN MAP
http://www.worthingtoncupfinal.co.uk/today/view/what_the_papers_say/0,,11995,00.html
TRAVEL - Road
Tottenham Hotspur cars: Use M5/M4 over Severn Bridge. Leave M4 at junction 29 follow designated parking signs to ‘Park and Ride’ sites for your team. Buses will then take you to within 10 minutes walk of the stadium
Tottenham Hotspur Coaches/Light Vans/Mini-Buses:
Use M5/M4 over Severn Bridge. Leave M4 at Junction 28. Travel along A48
Following the direction sign to Castleton/St Mellons. Take B4487/A4161 to Cardiff
City Centre and follow designated parking signs to Lloyd George Avenue where up
to 400 spaces are provided within 1 mile walk (15 minutes) of the stadium.
Details plans and passes for free parking available to coach operators on
request Millennium Stadium 029 20231458.
Note where your coach or car is parked and do not leave valuables in your
vehicle.
The roads around the Millennium Stadium are pedestrianised two hours before
kick-off and one hour after final whistle.
A traffic free environment allows ease of access for fans, visitors and
residents and is strictly controlled. For public safety vehicles illegally
parked will be towed away.
However you travel, please plan your journey and allow sufficient time to
spare.
For up-to-the-minute travel advice, inclusive of alternative routes
and park and ride facilities contact Mantais Cymru.
Tel: 0845 602 602 0
Web: www.traffic-wales.com
TRAVEL - Rail
Cardiff by Rail: Travelling by rail will bring you into
Cardiff Central Station, just two minutes walk from the Millennium Stadium.
Because of expected heavy demand for the Worthington Cup Final, reservations
are essential.
Main train service from London (Paddington): First Great
Western.
Booking and ticket information 08457 000125.
Website: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/
National rail service enquiries: 08457 484 950
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A TICKER TAPE WELCOME FOR SPURS AT CARDIFF NEXT SUNDAY? |
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One Flew Over Seamans Head, along with TOPSPURS.COM & all the Spurs Web Sites, would like to encourage all Spurs fans to give the team a ticker tape welcome when they walk out onto the pitch at Cardiff. It would look bloody superb if we could recreate the days of Ossie and Ricky. It would certainly make Glenn and Chris smile and it won’t cost you nothing more that ripping up a Sunday paper. What more incentive do you need! Yakey Dar! !Shane (One Flew Over Seamen's Head) |
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TOPSPURS REGULARS GIVE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE BIG MATCH
3-1 Spurs (Teddy, Les and Anderton - Cole) What a lovely sight it will be to see Hoddle leading out the team before the game. WE'VE GOT OUR TOTTENHAM BACK - (Mark Anthony)
I think that Spurs are gona win 3-1 goals from SIR LES, ZIEGE, & POYET think that shaggy will play a big part also us spurs fans. COME ON YOU SPURS - (Demetris, Goonerhater)
Ziege & Davies battle for MOM award, Sheringham notches the opening goal in the first half. A double for Sir les in the 2nd half. Final score 3-0 - (David Etere)
I think the game will be a tight affair, I fancy us to go ahead early in the second half and us to soak up pressure, I think they will have their dominant period and there is no doubt that , Duff , Cole and Jansen are the Danger men. I think 2-0 goals from Poyet and Davies from the Bench, Souness made a comment in Spurs monthly that if both teams play at the best he thinks Blackburn will win, rubbish if Spurs play the best stuff there will only be one winner. (James Flinn)
1st Half Anderton Cross - Ziege scores 1-0 &
Poyet Header - 2-0
2nd Half - Teddy, screaming volley 3-0
Full Time Whistle and 35000 Yid's go nuts. (5000 in the Blackburn end)
It's all over and Spurs go marching into Europe....bring on the Chelscum in the
FA cup (Stacks)
Spurs 2 Blackburn 1
Ferdinand, Davies. Jansen
Spurs will go 2 up, concede and then hang on like grim death for the last 15
mins (Martini)
Win for Spurs by 3-1 Goals scored for us :Sheri,
Sir Les & Poyet (of course!).
The game will be tight but in the end we will run over them! And be in Europe
next season!!! (Tor Amundsen)
I cant wait i'm hoping we make the same sort of noise that we did in the semi that will really get the players up for it as I said yesterday straight for the throat no quarter - 2-0 Poyet and Anderton - come on you spuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurs (Rabbi Crackers)
A magnificent ticker tape welcome for the mighty
Tottenham, with a 20-minute rendition of Glenn Hoddle’s Sunshine Football, sang
by 45,000 yids in Topspurs T shirts (Sundays official kit). Spurs hit the
ground running, a Shaggy corner is volleyed in from the 18-yard line by Ziege
(1-0, 5 mins). Friedel is so under pressure he asks to be substituted after 15
mins. Cole goes in goal ( the nearest he gets to the net with the ball). A fine
solo goal by Davies, bringing the ball from his own corner flag, beating 7
dingle in the process, (2-0 33mins).Topspurs go barmy, NFTHWL for president
:-). Souness brings himself on at half time, then gets sent off after 7 mins
for a vicious tackle on King. Dingle cross the half way line for only the
second time in the match, the through ball goes straight to Sully, a long ball
down field, one bounce, Cole flaps (as usual),3-0. Mass hysteria from the
Topspurs, the sole Dingle fan surrounded by Meatloaf’s family wants to go home
but cant. Meatloaf’s mum wont let him out. Tottenham play sunshine football,
dingle can’t touch the ball, so they ask for one of their own to play with. Ref
tells them to f*** off. A fine display from Treacle with a 32 touch passing
movement gives him his first ever Tottenham goal, (4-0 80 mins)his lap of
honour while stripping of his yellow shirt (on sale Monday £39.99)reveals a
BLUE Topspurs T shirt (not for sale, offers of £1,000 though). Topspurs sing
them selves hoarse. Final Whistle, the dingle fan has been let out by ma'
Meatloaf (he’s at school Monday)Cardiff becomes Tottenham, we’ll be back in
May. Are you watching Arscum, Chelscum, Man Scum. Tottenham Domination is here
to stay.
GLENN HODDLES SUNSHINE FOOTBALL....(Shelfside Colin)
This should be a pretty good game, with some good football and plenty of attacking play. Hopefully we will get it right on the day and end up comfortable 1-3 winners, although 1-2 might be nearer the mark. I predict, either Teddy, Poyet or Ziege to get the first goal/s and Davies to come off the bench and get the winner. (GeordieYid)
CARDIFF PUB & RESTURANT GUIDE
So far as pubs go Cardiff has got loads. Towards the South End of the
Ground there is A "Walkabout" which has a capacity of around 1500 as
well, "Life" more of an evening bar bit poncy, "The old
Monk" which is a very long pub over 2 levels. Along St Mary Street
there is an "Edwards Bar" which has only just opened and an "O’Neil’s"
again this in another new bar. As part the Stadium complex there are 2
new Venues, "Jumping Jaks" which is a cheesy Themed bar but does do
quite a few offers on Drinks downstairs from there is a place called "Bar
Risa" which again normally does a good deal on drinks.
There are two weatherspoons pubs both are very close to the Stadium. One
is called the Prince of Wales and is down the Bottom End of St Mary’s Street
that is towards the South of the Stadium. The other is called the
Gatekeeper this one is on Westgate Street although if you are going there after
6pm you have to use an entrance on Womamby Street that is a lane right opposite
the Castle.
Another good pub is "Is It" which is just off of St Mary’s Street and
within sight of the Stadium, they do food during the day as well and are open
until 1am on a Saturday with no entrance fee
At the bottom end of St Mary’s Street almost opposite the Walkabout Pub are
3 very good restaurants. Le Monde, La Brassiere and Champers are owned by
the same person and offer excellent Fish and some quality meat dishes along
with a huge choice of wines. You can normally only book for parties over
8 as far I know so you should get a table even if it means having a few glasses
of San Miguel beforehand. Just down from there are 2 Steakhouses The Taurus
and Charlestons both are normally late night haunts but the Taurus especially
has a bit of a Cult Status.
Just around the corner on Mill Lane is a host of other restaurants Moloko's is
a bar downstairs and a restaurant upstairs serving a Tex Mex menu, next door is
Las Iguanas that is mainly Tex Mex although it does cater for other
tastes. A further stagger from there is the first of 2 restaurants Gio's
Continental and Just around the corner Giovanni’s Restaurant both offer some
great Italian food. Also on Mill Lane is one of the only Curry Houses in
the Town Centre the Juboraj excellent food.
If you head back around in front of the Bus Station, there are a couple of
other restaurants and if you like Chinese then the Noble House is definitely
worth a visit. Just back out on to St Mary’s Street you will find some
great Portuguese food at Porto's.
Heading down St Mary’s Street towards the Castle you will find the High Street
Chains of Pizza Express and Pizza Hut and just opposite them Bella Pasta.
Just off St Mary Street is Church Street. Along here you will find a good
variety of Restaurants. Topo Gigio, Fontana De Trevi, Old Orleans and
even a Chinese.
You will find loads more restaurants than these listed, especially if you start
walking away from the Stadium to other areas of the town. Anyone looking
for a good Curry House will have to head out of town. There are quite a
few within a 5-minute Taxi ride especially towards Canton, Roath or Cathays.
Most of the pubs offer some kind of Bar Meals. If you are really stuck
for food, head towards "Chip Shop Alley" or Caroline Street.
Along here you will find a row of Chip Shops that stay open until the early
hours.
I see from the message board that you are all meeting in the Walkabout on the
Sunday. Good choice for a sporting event, it has the largest TV Screen in
Cardiff that is more like a Cinema screen and also lots of TV's spread around
the pub. They are supposed to be opening the doors at 12 on Sunday but I
will double check as they normally open earlier and just do not serve until
12. Also all pubs and clubs in Cardiff have got extended hours for the
Saturday and Sunday night but it is down to the individual bars if they want to
use them. Each has an extra hours extension. I am also waiting for
a call back to make sure that there is not any special policing in operation
and again I will let you know about that as soon as I know anything.
(with thanks to TOPSPURS regular and Cardiff local Simon Hargreaves)
CUP FINAL LINKS
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Millennium Stadium disabled enquiries: Jeff Evans/Colin
Francis 02920 231 458.
STADIUM INFO
Millennium Stadium: 02920 232 661. Fax: 02920 232 678
Millennium Stadium website: www.millenniumstadium.sportcentric.com
Millennium Stadium Tours: 02920 822 228.
TRAVEL INFO
Virgin Trains (train service from Blackburn to Crewe): 08457
222333
Virgin Trains website: www.virgin.com/trains
Wales & Borders (train service from Crewe to Cardiff):
0870 9000 773.
Wales & Borders website: http://www.walesandbordertrains.co.uk/
First Great Western (train service from London - Paddington):
08457 000125.
First Great Western website: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/
National rail service enquiries: 08457 484 950.
Coach parking (Millennium Stadium): 02920 23 1458.
National Express Coach services: 08705 808080.
STAYING IN CARDIFF
Cardiff info line: 0870 5582582 (What to do, where to
stay, travel, clubs, etc).
Special Cardiff Weekend & Short Breaks: 0800 5878123
Cardiff Tourism: www.visitcardiff.info
Latest Cardiff info: enquiries@cardifftic.co.uk
WORTHINGTON CUP FINAL WEBSITE
The Football League: fl@football-league.co.uk