Old Wounds

Peter Gilbert 22.11.00

Anoraknaphobia

10 Things to know about Tottenham Hotspur FC

1.Tottenham Hotspur were originally called Hotspur Football Club.

2. A Hotspur is a bantam cockerel, make of that what you will.

3. They have been league champions twice.

4.They have won the FA Cup eight times grrrrrrrr.

5. They have won the League cup three times double grrrrrrrrrrr grrrrrrrrr.

6.They were the 1st English Club to win a European Trophy when in 1963 they beat Atletico Madrid to win The European Cup Winners Cup.

7. They hold the remarkable post war record of winning a trophy every time the year ends in a 1 i.e. 1951. 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991-------2001 ???????

8.They were the first team to win the double i.e. FA Cup & League Champions in 1960/61.

9. In their double winning year they got off to a record breaking start which still stands by winning their first 11 matches.

10. In 1983 they became the first English club to be floated on the Stock Exchange; whatever that means.

I'm sorry but Tottenham Hotspur---.I don't like you. I have a deeply ingrained hatred which stems back to May 6th 1961 when they beat us at Wembley 2-0 to win the FA Cup. It was then that I learned just how much something you love can hurt you. At the end of the game I rushed to the toilet and fought back the tears. I made a promise to myself then that I would never cry when we lose and I never have since.

When we played them again at Wembley in 1999 I was disgusted by the injustice of the occasion but what was even worse the behaviour of their fans it really was beyond reproach before during and after the game. I will never forget a grown man in Spurs kit with his son encouraging him to goad and taunt a distraught little Leicester lad on the way out of the ground. Many of them escorted their offspring to taunt Leicester coaches that were parked up and ready to leave, it was a disgusting sight to see adults misleading children and it is beyond me what motivates people to behave in such a manner.

Their players on the day were cheats e.g. Freund and Ginola and it would appear that they had been practicing mock dives and feigned collapses to the floor.

Their pet hate is Robbie Savage, his crime was that he stopped Ginola playing and would not be provoked by Freund. You will hear them baying for Robbie's blood on Saturday.

If there is one away game I wish us to win it is this one.

Old wounds you see, I've never forgiven them for 1961 and 1999 made it even worse.

During recent years we have played extremely well against Spurs and although PT is a bit of a Spurs man I fully expect us to be going for our 5th away win of the season and how sublime it would be if a certain Mr R. Savage were to score the goal that did' em.

Don't expect a glowing report in The Leicester Mercury by the way as it is said thet their football correspondent who makes his living off the back of Leicester City is a Spurs fan and a Scottish one at that. If you can work that one out I'm a Scotsman too.

Spurs fans are a whinging lot, it is no more than they deserve to lose against us.

If they do lose this one the Airwaves on 606 will be full of them moaning and calling for heads to roll. They claim they want to get back to the type of football Spurs are famous for. However they delude themselves for when ex Arsenal manager George Graham lifted the League Cup for them in 1999 it was only the 2nd thing they had won for FIFTEEN YEARS. So what kind of a record is that? What tradition do they have? Very little I would say. Even when they win they are in disarray.

Oh and by the way, I've still not forgotten the fan who got away with thumping a Leicester lady in the crowd at Wembley. He went to court, after laying low for a year then got off--.injustice or what?

Last Match City Player Analysis

Flowers: Made one good save was injured doing it. Will he be fit?
Rowett: Quietly effective.
Elliott: Made it look very very easy.
Davidson: A quiet game , was injured, hamstring I think.
Taggart: Quiet, had so little to do.
Sinclair: Quietly effective throughout.
Izzett: Brilliant performance, he's now back to his best.
Savage: A knock out--he'll be up for this one that's for sure. I hope Freund plays.
Lennon: A good display throughout.
Akinbiyi: Played well, winning the ball holding it up, laying it off with invention and positive in the air.
Benjamin: Definitely worth an extended run took his goal well.

Subs:
Eadie: Came on grabbed a goal.
Royce: Made one save only, acts like a raging bull at times.
Gilchrist: Dependable as ever

The will to win will be strong.

Copyright.