A Month in
the Illustrious History of Spurs November (Compiled by |
|
1st 1893 |
Spurs against
Authority – The Ernie Payne Affair. Even in the earliest days Spurs
found themselves facing the wrath and judgement of the football
authorities. They had been reported by
Fulham for poaching a player and for alleged infringements of the amateur laws. They were found not guilty of poaching by
the London F.A. because while Payne was on the Fulham books he had not played
for some time. However, having given
Payne ten shillings (50p) to buy a pair of boots when his went missing, Spurs
were found guilty of a breach of the rules as it was regarded as an unfair
inducement to the player to play for the club. For this misconduct Spurs were
suspended for two weeks and Payne for one week. Spurs appealed but lost. The club had been considering the possibility
of turning professional but this incident was probably the catalyst for them
to make that decision in 1895. |
2nd 1971 |
Spurs 1
FC Nantes 0 UEFA
Cup 2nd
Round (2nd Leg) Spurs had achieved a scoreless draw in the first leg, a game
which Hunter Davies covers in great detail in his book ‘The Glory Game’. In this return game Spurs dominated and
created many chances especially in the first half and should have had the
game won by half-time. However, being unable to convert the chances created,
the game remained on a knife edge. The
winning goal was scored early in the first half by their Captain, Martin
Peters but Spurs were unable to add to it.
At one point after confusion over an injury and a substitution, |
3rd 1951 |
Spurs 4
|
4th 1999 |
FC
Kaiserlautern 2
Spurs 0 UEFA
Cup 2nd
Round (2nd Leg) Spurs’
last game in |
5th 1960 |
Spurs 5
Fulham 1 Spurs’ best start to a season
continued with their sixteenth game undefeated and only one point dropped. Spurs were sitting comfortably at the top
of the table and started the game six points clear of their nearest rivals, |
6th 2002 |
Burnley |
7th 1999 |
Spurs 2
Arsenal 1 This is the last occasion when Spurs were victorious over
Arsenal who ‘suffered a day of shame as they crashed against arch-rivals
Tottenham.’ In an explosive game Spurs
were two ahead inside twenty minutes.
Steffan Iversen scored after six minutes with Tim Sherwood getting the
second. Arsenal pulled one back just
before half time but in the second they had Ljungberg and Keown sent off and
a total of six players booked as the ‘red mist’ descended on them. Spurs had played with passion in a game
that was described as ‘brutal and unremittingly ferocious.’ It was a good win for Spurs who displayed a
new level of commitment and determination. |
8th 2003 |
Arsenal 2 Spurs 1 Very much a case of what might have
been. Spurs went into this game having
lost at home to |
9th 1988 |
Blackburn
Rovers 1 Spurs
2 Littlewoods
Cup (3rd
Round Replay) Apart from defeating Notts County in
the earlier round, Spurs previous victory had been in the League in late
September. Six games without a win and
four successive League defeats preceded this game. The first game at |
10th 1998 |
Liverpool 1 Spurs 3 |
11th 1964 |
Spurs 2 Scotland XI 6 (John White Memorial Match) This game gave Spurs’ fans the
opportunity to pay their respects to a Legend of White Hart Lane, the late
John White, the Scottish International who had so tragically died when struck
with lightning while playing golf during the summer. John’s brother, Tommy who played
professionally both in |
12th 1960 |
Sheffield |
13th 1920 |
Oldham |
14th 1998 |
Arsenal 0 Spurs 0 This was the occasion of George
Graham’s first visit to Highbury with a Tottenham team. After only four League games in charge,
Graham went to Highbury with an uninspiring record, one win, one draw and two
defeats in the League. Spurs started the game in the lower half of the League
and Graham used his usual defensive techniques to organise the team and
restrict Arsenal. Goalkeeper Espen
Baardsen was outstanding along with the three central defenders as Spurs
earned a hard-fought draw. As one report
put it ‘Graham had managed to turn those players with a reputation for
lacking spirit, fight and resolve under previous managers into a team knowing
the meaning of hard work and respect for their boss.’ |
15th 1994 |
Gerry
Francis appointed as Manager. Following the sacking of Ossie Ardiles, Alan Sugar used
the break for the Internationals to search for a replacement. Steve Perryman had been put in temporary
charge for the next game and as usual there was considerable press
speculation as to who would be appointed.
Gerry Francis had resigned as manager of Queen’s Park Rangers on a
point of principle when the Board tried to appoint Rodney Marsh as Chief
Executive but failed to tell Francis.
Following discussions Spurs announced his appointment along with his
own coaching staff meaning that Perryman would be leaving |
16th 1991 |
Spurs 4
|
17th 2001 |
Spurs 1
Arsenal 1 The |
18th 1950 |
Spurs 7
|
19th 1887 |
Spurs 2
Woolwich Arsenal 1 (Friendly) The first game played against the team
who were to become the club’s near neighbours and greatest rivals. The
match was played at Tottenham Marshes, one of the last games Spurs played at
their original home. The visitors were
based in south |
20th 1968 |
Arsenal 1 Spurs 0 Football League Cup Semi-Final (1stLeg) This was only the second occasion
that Spurs had played Arsenal in a Cup competition. The previous time was in the FA Cup in
1949. Spurs had reached their first
League Cup semi-final in only the second year that they entered the
competition by overcoming Aston Villa, |
21st 1931 |
Spurs 9
Port Vale 3 (2nd Division) The first time that Spurs scored
nine goals in a League game, something they have only done on a further two
occasions. Spurs had just missed out
on promotion at the end of the previous season but the new season was proving
a big disappointment although they had won their previous home game by 6-2
against Swansea. Prior to the game
Port Vale were above Spurs in the League table but Spurs ran out convincing
winners. Centre forward George Hunt
scored twice and the rest of the goals came from the right side of the
team. Right winger Willie Davies
scored a hat-trick, inside right Jimmy Brain claimed two, while right half
Dave Colquhoun and right back Albert Lyons scored one each, Lyons with a
penalty. |
22nd 1986 |
Oxford
United 2 Spurs
4 Do successful
teams come about through careful planning or due to some good fortune? That question could be asked after this
game which is regarded as the first occasion that Spurs played with five
players in midfield and Clive Allen as the lone striker. The five midfield players were to support
Allen who was having an exceptional goal scoring season. With twelve League goals before this game
he added two more in the first half as Spurs came back from an early goal
scored by former player David Leworthy to end Oxford’s unbeaten home
run. Chris Waddle scored the other
goals, his first of the season.
Belgium International Nico Claesen was the player to miss out with the
introduction of this new system which proved very effective although it
didn’t lead to any silverware adorning the Boardroom at White Hart Lane,
missing out in all competitions - Spurs ‘Nearly’ team under David Pleat. Clive Allen finished the season with a
record breaking total of 49 goals in all competitions. [League – 33,
Littlewoods Cup – 12, F.A.Cup – 4] |
23rd 1983 |
Bayern Munich 1 Spurs 0 UEFA Cup 3rd Round (1st
Leg) The previous
season a weakened Spurs side had crashed out of the European Cup Winners’ Cup
competition on a fog-bound night against Bayern, when no-one could see the
pitch. However, on this occasion, in
freezing conditions (-5C), Spurs gave a good account of themselves
defensively, only conceding the goal in the final five minutes, thus giving
themselves a good chance with the return leg to be played at White Hart Lane. |
24th 1975 |
West Ham
United 0 Spurs
2 (aet) League
Cup (4th
Round Replay) The
first game had been scoreless and Spurs were facing a difficult match in
order to progress in this competition in Terry Neill’s only full season in
charge. The game remained scoreless
until extra time when centre half, Willie Young scored and then John Duncan
added the second. Spurs had already
defeated Watford and Crewe to reach this stage and had yet to concede a goal
in the competition. |
25th 2000 |
Spurs 3
|
26th 1977 |
Bolton |
27th 1996 |
Bolton |
28th 1984 |
Spurs 2
Bohemians Prague 0 UEFA Cup 3rd Round (1st Leg) Spurs managed to take a two goal
lead into the second leg but could count themselves fortunate as Bohemians were
by far the better team on the night.
Spurs’ first goal was an own goal when a Prague defender sliced a John
Chiedozie cross into his own net.
Bohemians continued to be the more creative team and Spurs were fully
employed in defending their goal. In
the last minute Gary Stevens scored the all important second goal to give
Spurs some hope for the second leg. A
1-1 draw in Prague ensured Spurs continued progress in the competition. |
29th 1997 |
Everton 0 Spurs 2 Christian Gross, an unknown Swiss manager had been
appointed to replace Gerry Francis and he started with a comfortable win at
Goodison Park. His compatriot, Ramon
Vega, scored the first goal and David Ginola got the second to ensure that
Spurs took the three points. The star
of the show was goalkeeper, Espen Baardsen, who made a number of important
saves to keep Spurs in the game as Everton toiled to get some reward for
their efforts. If his managerial
career at Tottenham started brightly for Gross reality set in quickly in the
next game at home to Chelsea when Spurs were totally outclassed. |
30th 1957 |
Manchester
United 3 Spurs
4 United were in
third place and Spurs were without an away win all season. United took an
early lead but Spurs scored four goals in the next twenty five minutes. Bobby Smith equalised and then put Spurs
ahead before Danny Blanchflower’s brother, Jackie, scored an own goal for
Spurs third. Smith then scored again to complete his hat-trick before
half-time. United showed determination
in the second half and pulled two back but Spurs defended well to win against
a team much higher up the League.
Bobby Smith finished the season with 36 League goals to equal the
record set by Ted Harper in season 1930-31, although that was in the 2nd
Division. Jimmy Greaves was to break
the record five years later when he went one better to record 37 goals. |
Acknowledge the work of Graham Betts in his book
‘Spurs Day – to – Day Life at
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