Hot Shot Tottenham...........

With our first round proper tie against Coventry coming up in the New Year we thought we'd take a look back to the season of '87, when The Mighty Spurs hit the road to Wembley once more........

In these days of Champions League Football and top half table finishes it's easy to forget that we weren't always doing so well. For every piece of silverware in the Eighties there was the doldrums of the Gross/Francis/Hoddle era. Arguable our last great team with a chance of glory before the days of Jol and Redknapp was in '87, under David Pleat.

Pleat had worked wonders @ lowly Luton Town bringing through a batch of young English talent who played attacking, attractive football.
And while people have been quick to criticise AVB for his one up front policy Pleat's masterstroke was to have Clive Allen as the lone ranger with Hoddle & Waddle pulling the strings in a five man midfield he was supplied with a constant stream of balls which he banged into the old onion bag with relish.

At the back we had an England goalie between the sticks in Ray Clemence and in front of him a promising back two of Gary Mabbutt & Richard Gough - Gough had all the hallmarks of becoming another great for Spurs in defence in the mould of Dave Mackay, the team had makings of title contenders - and were fighting on all three fronts......... right up until March at least.

In the run up to the Final Clive Allen had beaten Jimmy Greaves' scoring record for a season with a couple against Watford's one time bar owner and stand in keeper for the day Gary Plumley, while Hoddle had signed off in the League with a superb solo effort against Oxford United.

Inevitably for Spurs it was a season of what could have beens - knocked out of the League Cup in the Semi by the Scum and fading in the League itself all hopes rested on the FA Cup Final.
Back when Wembley basked in sunshine for these occasions and the result really mattered, the '87 was one of the best of recent times. It'll be remembered though for a mix up of sponsored shirts, Keith Houchen's diving header and Gary Mabbutt's Knee......

Where are they now?

Richard Gough - Could have been one of our greatest defenders of all time when he came in from Dundee United but homesickness (his wife's apparently) saw him move back North of the border after just the one season and have a hugely successful career with Rangers. Homesickness cured, a few years later he came back down South with Everton.

Glenn Hoddle - Left for Monaco @ the end of the season to ply his trade in Europe (English Teams were banned), played under a manager that would come back to haunt Spurs on a number of occasions a fact made even worse with the revelation that Hoddle after becoming England manager recommended the Frenchman to David Dein!

Gary Mabbutt - The term Legend may be overused but for Mabbutt - a diabetes sufferer, it couldn't have been more apt. The deflected goal from his knee and disappointment that followed would be redeemed in the '91 Final which saw Mabbs lift the trophy. To have played @  a top club for sixteen years performing at the highest level week in week out as well as gaining England caps is a testament to the man - a model professional.

Through the Spurs window.......

So with our new boss confirmed and some signings begining to come in it's an ideal time to look forward to next season. Here we present our hopes for The Mighty Spurs under AVB......

With so many 'squad' players unable to gain any playing time under 'Arry, theres a good chance that they've forgotten how to tie there boot laces let alone kick a size 5 football! It would be good to see the likes of Bentley, Gio, Rose and Kane given a chance. After all we learnt last season that squad rotation is important

How about attempting to win the Europa League*? We started on a vicious circle of not wanting to be in the thing so not really bothering only to qualify for it again! What about setting out to win the thing? Get another trophy on the honours list and give our players the chance to actually feel like champions........it's a start in the right direction.

*or any trophy for that matter

It would be nice to hit the ground running for a change! We always seem to start the season terrible and end up having to play catch up! Just think if we had took just a point from our opening two games we would of ended up 3rd!

Consistancy - from our players and manager. Ok so we all have off days but how many times have we struggled in games that on paper we should have dominated and won.........Norwich, Swansea, Wolves anyone?? Some straight talking from the boss would also be nice, let's hope AVB doesn't attempt mind games with all the others and just get's on with the job in hand.

A 30 goal a season striker, AVB why not go for a cheeky bid for RVP? Defoe hasn't been up to scratch for a long time now! with Ade expected to sign and VDV expecting to move on, nows the time to get a top notch striker in.

Plan B, or even C or D. If things aren't working on the pitch.......change 'em! Having said that, let other teams worry about us, let's not pander to them and while we're at it let's not roll over @ home to Man U like we do every season!


Let's not change our support though eh? The best in the country, get behind the team @ WHL or on the road we out sing them all!

Dave Mackay - True Tottenham Legend

There isn't much (if at all anything) that Spurs can thank the Woolwich Wanderers for........but maybe one thing that we could give them the ever so slightest wafer thin slice of credit for is the signing of Tottenham legend Dave Mackay. The story goes that back in the day Bill Nicholson had his eye on a young welsh centre half called Mel Charles, but with the Scum stepping in to seal the deal our manager was left to look elsewhere for a new signing and that's exactly where Dave Mackay fitted in.

And what a stroke of luck that was.

The term legend is banded about far too easily these days and in my opinion it should only be used looking back on a career on a player who has left legacy through success and performance. In Spurs history Dave Mackay is one such player, he'd already had a successful stint in Scotland with home town team Heart of Midlothian (where he won every trophy going) before the bright lights of London came calling. Sir Bill would later maintain that he wanted Mackay all along, but either way he came to epitomise a Spurs side made up of grit and flare.

The iconic image of him grabbing Billy Bremner by the throat* (an image that Dave himself disliked) has given Mackay the hard man reputation in that great team of '61 but he had so much more to his game - threading passes through the midfield and scoring the odd hat-trick here and there he was in no way just a clogger he had class.

His presence and aura inspired his team mates, willing them on with a never say die unflinching will to win. Back in the days when tackling was still allowed in football George Best was quoted as calling Mackay "The hardest man I have ever played against – and certainly the bravest" and Old Big 'ead himself said that Dave was "Tottenham Hotspur's greatest player" and he should know after signing him for Derby County where the success story continued from player into manager.

Comparisons are inevitable in football, with a youngster coming through or a new signing arriving there are those that will hark back to a former player that the new acquisition is similar to just to add an extra burden on their shoulders. But while we look at today's team for a inspiration or a link back to our greatest ever team through Scott Parker I truly believe we will never see the like of Dave Mackay again @ White Hart Lane......

*The story behind that photo is that Mackay had just came back from his second broken leg (something that would have finished the career of today's lesser mortals) and was quite justifiably miffed with the little ginger tosser. Incidentally Sir Alex Ferguson has the exact same image hanging on the wall of his office, maybe the secret behind his success right there?