Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 30th November 1957

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 30th November

30th November, 1957  

Manchester United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 4 (1st Division)
Scorers: Smyth (3), Opp.o.g. 

Bobby Smith - My Memories SPURS

On this day in 1957, Tottenham travelled to Old Trafford and defeated Manchester United in a 7-goal thriller.

United were in third place in the 1st Division while Tottenham were 13th and without an away win all season, although they were undefeated in their previous four matches.

Tottenham were a goal down early on when David Pegg scored after 18 minutes.

 

Spurs then caused a shock by scoring four goals in the next twenty five minutes. Centre-forward, Bobby Smith equalised four minutes later and then put Spurs ahead from a left-wing cross by Danny Blanchflower. Jackie Blanchflower, Danny’s brother, scored an own goal to increase Spurs’ advantage and Smith completed his hat-trick before the interval with a header from a cross by left winger, George Robb.

Danny Blanchflower was the inspiration behind Spurs’ first half flowing football against a United team which had 17-year-old, David Gaskell, making his debut in goal.

 

Spurs' 4 goals at Old Trafford

In the second half United responded and Spurs were forced on the defensive. Pegg pulled a goal back after 63 minutes and Liam Whelan made in 4 – 3 five minutes later following a free-kick. Spurs held on through the final 22 minutes although they were frequently forced into a kick it anywhere state of nervous tension as the United attacks poured forward.

It was only the goalkeeping ability of Ted Ditchburn and the strength of Maurice Norman which saw Spurs through as they alone kept their heads when all around were losing theirs.

 

Team: Ditchburn; Baker, Hopkins; Blanchflower, Norman, Ryden; Medwin, Brooks, Smith, Harmer, Robb

 

**Tottenham with their 4 – 3 win became the first London club to win at Old Trafford since 1938

 

**Bobby Smith was the first player to score a hat-trick against United at Old Trafford since 1950.

 

**Smith finished the season with 36 League goals to equal the record set by Ted Harper in season 

1930-31, although that had been in the 2nd Division.

 

**Jimmy Greaves broke the record five years later when he went one better to set a new record of 37 goals.

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 29th November 1997

 

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 29th November

29th November 1997

 

Everton 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Premiership)

Scorers: Vega, Ginola

 

Christian Gross had arrived at White Hart Lane during the month to replace Gerry Francis. Alan Sugar made the surprise appointment by bringing Gross from Switzerland where he was highly regarded as manager of Grasshopper. Outside of central Europe, he was little known and was universally referred to as ‘Christian Who?’

 

Gross arrives at Tottenham with his tube ticket

He arrived for his press interview at the club brandishing a tube ticket after making his way from Heathrow on the London Underground. The press picked up on this and he was frequently ridiculed as he endured a very difficult period at the club.

 

After waiting for a work visa, the Sunday Times reporting that Chris Hughton had been in charge for the home defeat by Crystal Palace the previous Monday, Gross' Tottenham managerial career started against Everton at Goodison Park.

 

Colin Calderwood and Allen Nielsen provided a solid central defensive midfield. David Ginola, expected by many to be omitted from the new manager’s first selection, scored a decisive second goal and gave a man of the match performance as Christian Gross won his first match as Tottenham manager.

With all the doubts concerning the appointment of an unknown manager, Spurs almost went behind in the opening 40 seconds. A very early Everton corner, taken by Nicky Barmby, was nodded down by Duncan Ferguson. It took a deflection to leave Ian Walker flat-footed but with Clive Wison on the line, he was able to clear and avoid the worst possible start for Gross.

 

The match continued in a fast and furious way with little footballing finesse or composure. Barmby chipped a chance onto the bar while Ferguson missed a gift of an opportunity. Spurs shared possession and chances but none of any quality and needed to improve in the second half.

 

After the break, John Scales replaced the injured Sol Campbell. Spurs were the better team with Ginola and Andy Sinton forcing Southall into saves and Ramon Vega missed a great opportunity from a corner. He atoned for that miss in the 72nd minute - following a short free-kick, Sinton put a cross into the box where Ruel Fox backed headed it for Vega to score with a simple header at the back post.

 

David Ginola secures Tottenham's victory at Everton with a scintillating goal

Four minutes later, Spurs added a second. Ginola who had been playing in a free role alongside Les Ferdinand, received the ball near halfway, beat his man all ends up, cut in from the left and beat Southall at his near post with a scintillating shot into the roof of the net.

 

Job done - the perfect start for Christian Gross but it wasn’t so perfect a week later. The win over Everton would turn out to be one of the few highlights of Gross’ time at Tottenham which rather ironically would end with a 1-0 win at Goodison, less than ten months later.

 

Team: Walker; Carr, Wilson; Calderwood, Vega, Campbell (Scales); Fox, Nielsen (Anderton), Sinton, Ferdinand (Iversen), Ginola

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Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 28th November 2010

Tottenham Horspur on this Day - 28th November

28th November 2010

 

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Liverpool 1 Premier League

Scorers: Opp.o.g., Lennon

 

Ahead of this match, Harry Redknapp’s team were in sixth place in the Premier League with 22 points, 3 places and 3 points ahead of Liverpool.

 

Spurs went into the game on the back of three successive victories in the previous fortnight with success over Blackburn Rovers at White Hart Lane, a win at Arsenal and a midweek Champions League win over Werder Bremen at the Lane.

 

Spurs went into the game with three central defenders out injured - Ledley King, Michael Dawson and Jonathan Woodgate - and they suffered another blow when Rafael van der Vaart departed after twelve minutes. Jermain Defoe replaced him and then after 36 minutes, Younes Kaboul had to go off with Sebastien Bassong coming on from the bench. 

 

Aaron Lennon scored late winner against Liverpool

Liverpool had the better of the first period and went ahead with three minutes remaining to half-time. From a free-kick, Skrtel headed the ball against his own player but reacted quickest to hammer the loose ball into the net from six yards.

 

Liverpool had an opportunity, immediately after the break, to double their lead. Bassong, again, made a crucial tackle on Torres, just as he had done prior to the interval. Liverpool could have put the match out of Spurs’ reach but they left the door open as Spurs had a shot from Gareth Bale cleared off the line.

Showing continued persistence to get back into the match, on the hour, Spurs squandered their best chance to draw level - a penalty awarded for handball when defending a Bale free-kick. With penalty-taker, van der Vaart off and Bale having missed one in mid-week, Defoe took responsibility but put his shot wide. This was Tottenham’s fourth miss of the season from the spot and Defoe’s fifth miss from his previous six penalties.

 

It was Liverpool who eventually delivered the equaliser. Luka Modric was the inspiration, beating two men before delivering a cross aimed for Peter Crouch but cut out by Skrtel, diverting the ball into his own goal.

 

Both teams claimed for penalties in the final frantic minutes but it was always Tottenham who looked the more determined to take all three points. The visitors had lost Jamie Carragher to injury in the 87th minute and it was then that Spurs went ahead. Crouch won a duel in the air from Assou-Ekotto’s high ball, Aaron Lennon picked it up went past a defender and finished coolly in injury time - his first goal in over a year.

 

Tottenham had clawed the match back and were proving very adept at this as they had claimed 16 points from losing positions in the opening four months of the season. That sort of fighting spirit was appreciated by Harry Redknapp with Tottenham in 5th place, six points behind the League leaders.

 

Team: Gomes; Hutton, Kaboul (Bassong), Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Bale, Lennon, Palacios, van der Vaart (Defoe) (Sandro), Modric, Crouch

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Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 28th November, 1984

 

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 28th November

28th November 1984

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Bohemians Prague 0 UEFA Cup 3rd Round (1st Leg)

Scorers: Opp.o.g., Stevens

 

Tottenham, the UEFA Cup holders, managed to take a two goal lead into the second leg against Bohemians Prague but could count themselves fortunate as the visitors were by far the better team on the night. Bohemians gave a display reminiscent of Spurs at their best in the early 1960s but somehow, the Tottenham players showed resilience and determination to hold on and eventually through hard work, to secure victory.

 

Gary Stevens, Spurs' best player against Bohemians

Spurs’ first goal was an own goal when a Prague defender sliced a John Chiedozie cross into his own net after 25 minutes. In that opening period Spurs had failed to have a shot on target.

 

 Bohemians continued to be the more creative team and Spurs were fully employed in defending their goal. 

 

In the last minute Gary Stevens, Spurs' best player on the night, scored the all important second goal with a drive from 25 yards, to give Spurs some hope for the second leg.

 

The following day's newspapers had headlines like 'Outclassed' to describe the Tottenham performance.

 

A 1-1 draw in Prague ensured Spurs' continued progress in the competition.

 

Team: Clemence; Stevens, Mabbutt (Hughton), Roberts, Miller, Perryman, Chiedozie, Falco, Allen, Hoddle, Hazard (Cooke)

Tottenham Hotspur On This Day - 27th November, 2014

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 27th November

27th November 2014

 

A goal by Benji Stambouli early in the second half gave Tottenham Hotspur victory over Partizan Belgrade at White Hart Lane and ensured their qualification for the knock-out stages of the Europa League.

 

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Partizan Belgrade 0 Europa League Group Match 5

Scorer: Stambouli

 

With injuries and suspension, Mauricio Pochettino was unable to make as many changes for this game against Partizan Belgrade, as he had done for previous Europa League matches. Five players were introduced for the penultimate group match with Kyle Naughton returning at right-back and Vlad Chiriches starting in central defence alongside Jan Vertonghen.

 

Benji Stamouli partnered Mousa Dembele in central midfield with Paulinho, Aaron Lennon and Erik Lamela to provide the creative spark for Roberto Soldado, the lone striker. Dominic Ball and Harry Winks were again among the substitutes with Nabil Bentaleb, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane.

 

The first half was delayed for 10 minutes when the referee took the players off after 40 minutes, following the third pitch invasion by a spectator. Initially, it appeared to have been an orchestrated publicity campaign but later turned out to be an internet prank.

 

Photo: A young Harry Winks, who made his Tottenham debut as a late substitute against against Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League, following Luke Amos off the pitch after a game at the NI Milk Cup at Coleraine

 

Tottenham had started on the front foot with a shot from Soldado going wide in the first minute and one from Naughton going over in the 4th minute. Partizan pulled everyone deep and made it difficult for Spurs but counter-attacked with pace and threatened the home defence on a number of occasions during the first half. 

 

After 20 minutes, Dembele won the ball in midfield and played it wide to Lamela on the left. His first time cross was just ahead of Soldado on the 6-yard line. At this point play was interrupted by the first of the pitch invaders who ran around taking “selfies” with the players. The stewards eventually got him off the pitch.

 

A poor pass out by Naughton set up the visitors but Hugo Lloris dived low to save the shot in the 23rd minute. At the other end, Davies set Lamela free on the left but the cross was cleared ahead of Soldado.

In the 29th minute, Chiriches missed a ball into the area but Lloris was out quickly to force Partizan wide. This signalled the second spectator to come onto the pitch with UEFA officials looking grim-faced on the touchline.

 

After 37 minutes, Lennon laid the ball back to Stambouli who fired in a low shot which the goalkeeper saved comfortably. On 40 minutes, a further interruption by a spectator, saw the referee take the players off the pitch. After ten minutes, they returned but Spurs were totally at sea through those final minutes of the half although a cross by Soldado was laid back to Lamela who shot wide.

 

After the interval, Spurs had a promising attack through Lamela and Dembele who put the ball wide for Naughton but his cross went behind. Two minutes later, Tottenham made the breakthrough when Stambouli gathered the ball in midfield and burst forward. He played the ball into Soldado in the area, he lifted it over the advancing goalkeeper but it struck the post. Stambouli had kept up his forward run and met the rebound to fire into the net in the 49th minute.

 

For a period this lifted Spurs who looked as if they might add to their advantage. Lamela had a shot blocked and then Davies found Soldado wide on the left but the goalkeeper cut out his cross.

Partizan were nearly gifted a chance through poor Spurs defensive play but it was put wide in the 53rd minute. A minute later, Paulinho had a shot deflected wide and in the 55th minute, Lennon lifted the ball over the defence to Soldado in front of goal but the goalkeeper saved the effort.

 

Spurs continued with more purpose as Lamela shot wide. Kane replaced Soldado and he immediately set up Paulinho but his shot was blocked and Lamela then put an effort wide. In response Partizan shot over on the break. After 72 minutes, a Kane free-kick from 30 yards was saved by the goalkeeper and a shot by Bentaleb was deflected and touched over by the goalkeeper.

 

The visitors were on the look for a goal and threatened with a header from a cross but Lloris produced a great save in the 88th minute to deny them. In the final minutes Harry Winks replaced Paulinho to make his Tottenham debut. Spurs had two good chances to score but Stambouli passed when clean through on goal after a flicked header by Kane and then Lamela’s curling shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.

 

Tottenham held out, kept a clean sheet and with three hard-earned points moved to the head of Group C, two points ahead of Besiktas who drew 2 – 2 in Greece. In the final Group, Spurs required a draw to retain their place at the top of the group.

 

Team: Lloris; Naughton, Chiriches, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele (Bentaleb), Stambouli; Lennon, Paulinho (Winks), Lamela; Soldado (Kane) Subs: (unused) Vorm, Ball, Dier, Eriksen

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 26th November, 2005

 Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 26th November  

Martin Jol celebrated his fiftieth match in charge at Tottenham with a win at Wigan Athletic

26th November 2005 

Wigan Athletic 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Premier League)
Scorers: Keane, Davids

This was manager Martin Jol’s 50th match in charge of Tottenham, having taken over just over twelve months earlier after the surprise resignation of Jacques Santini. Jol had been the Assistant to Santini and took over immediately, bringing some focus and purpose to the club. Improved results throughout the 2005-06 season saw Spurs just miss out on the Champions League on the last day of the season in the 'Lasagne-gate' mystery - losing to West Ham and so missing out on fourth place in the Premier League and a Champions League place, to Arsenal.

A Diary of the 2005-06 Season

Wigan, in their first season in the Premier League, were sitting third in the League so 9th-placed Spurs were expecting a tough game. In a hard-fought match, Spurs had the perfect start when Robbie Keane put them ahead after eight minutes following a defensive mistake. Keane, selected ahead of Jermain Defoe, was a constant irritant to the Wigan defenders - working hard all across the pitch.

Wigan battled away but with thirteen minutes to play, Edgar Davids, Tottenham’s Dutch international star, gathered the ball near the half-way line and set off towards goal. He slalomed his way up the heavy pitch, through and past ineffective challenges to score with a low shot shot into the right corner. It was Davids’ first and only goal for Spurs having signed from Inter Milan in the previous summer.

Wigan, their fighting spirit undiminished kept going and were rewarded with two minutes remaining but Tottenham left with two three points and moved up to fifth place.

Team: Robinson, Stalteri, Dawson, King, Lee, Jenas, Carrick, Davids, Tainio, Keane, Mido.
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Brown, Cerny, Defoe, Lennon.

Tottenham Hotspur On This Day - 26th November, 1977

Tottenham Hotspur on this Day - 26th November

Following relegation to the 2nd Division, Tottenham Hotspur spent the 1977-78 season in a four-way battle to regain their place in the top flight of English football.  

26th November 1977

Bolton Wanderers 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 (2nd Division) 

Having been relegated the previous year, Spurs were hoping to spend the shortest possible time out of the 1st Division, the top flight of English football. Spurs had started the season well and their record showed only two defeats in the League. 

Throughout the season four teams were the main contenders for the three promotion spots - Spurs, Southampton, Brighton and Bolton. With the competition so intense between these teams, the matches against them were critical in the fight for promotion. 

Incredibly, the fixture list had decreed that Spurs would play all of their rivals in successive games. They had dropped a point* the previous week in a scoreless draw at home to Brighton and were in second place behind Bolton. 

The table-toppers met at Bolton's Burnden Park on this day. It was a tense, competitive match with teenager Neil McNab, the star of the show, running the game for Spurs. Both goalkeepers did well with Daines making a number of fine saves, while his opposite number showed his prowess just before the break when pushing a John Duncan header over the bar.

Neil McNab, centre, enjoys end of season promotion celebrations with, from left, John Pratt, Gerry Armstrong, manager Keith Burkinshaw and Terry Naylor

 Just after the interval, it looked as is McNab had put Spurs ahead. His shot from the edge of the area, curved round a group of defenders, clipped the inside of the far post and beat the goalkeeper. It would have been an exquisite goal, one to be remembered, but unfortunately Duncan had been caught off-side and the goal was disallowed. 

With the match drawing to a close it looked as if this game was also going to be goalless until the last minute when Bolton scored in the 89th minute to claim both points.*

Now Bolton were four points ahead of Spurs in the League with Southampton a further two points behind in third. 

The following week Spurs had another scoreless draw at home to Southampton. The promotion road was proving rather more difficult than it had at first appeared. 

[* in 1977 it was two points for a win and one for a draw]  

Team: Daines; Naylor, Holmes; Hoddle, Osgood, Perryman; Pratt, McNab, Moores, Duncan, Taylor