Football is a team game and forwards would not score goals without the support and service of the men behind them. Forwards however do seem to grab the headlines and often the affections of the terraces. Over the years Sixteen players (1) have scored a century of goals for Tottenham in the various top flight competitions to gain admission to the “100 Club.” For these purposes that’s the Football and Premier Leagues, the FA and League Cups and 'major' European competitions. See end of article for 2018 update. Propping up the table with 101 goals is Billy Minter. There is a lot of confusion over Billy Minters record which I attempted to clarify and detail previously (12). Billy joined us from Reading in March 1908. He scored on his debut and then hit four in nine. These goals were in the Southern League and are not included in this tally. He top scored for us in our first three seasons in the Football League (scoring 50 in three years). If he had not lost five years of his career serving in the army he would be higher up the list. Billy was the first to reach 100 goals (13) and it arrived in December 1913 as we beat Fulham 4-0. Billy was later trainer (1921 Cup Final) then manager of Tottenham. Afterwards he became clubs Assistant Secretary and stayed in that post until he died in 1940. Right - A rare picture of Billy Minter in action here V West Bromwich Albion at White Hart Lane. Just above him on 102 goals (in just 154 games) for Spurs is Johnny Morrison. Johnny signed for us from non-league football and spent time at out Northfleet nursery club. His goals coming in the 1932-39 period when the club was struggling. His career (like Minter) was affected by a World War. He registered ten hat tricks for Spurs. Next we come to Bert Bliss, strangely another man to have his career affected by war. Bert recorded 104 goals. He joined us from a junior side in Birmingham. He topped scored for us in 1915 as the side were relegated. Then hit 31 as we won the Second Division title in 1919/20 after the war. In 1921 he also scored twice in the FA Cup semi final as he top scored that season with 21 as well as wining an England cap (2). We now come to the first player from the ‘modern’ era. Mid-field maestro Glenn Hoddle, who played nearly 500 games for the club. His 110 goals from 1975 - 87 for the club include some of the best in the clubs history. Glenn has one hat trick for the club. It came in a game V Coventry in 1980 and two of them were penalties. Right - 1987 and Hoddle salutes the crowd and not one person is in their seat. Glenn sits two goals behind Jimmy Dimmock who hit 112. Dimmock played over 400 games for the club many playing on that left side alongside Bliss who he played with for England V Scotland a few days before scoring the only goal in the 1921 Cup Final. A naturally talented winger one description says he played as if the ball was tied to his boots. Jimmy scored exactly 100 in the league. His record contains just one hat trick. This came in a 5-0 win over West Ham. Then we come to Les Bennett, Les hit 103 league goals and another 14 in the FA Cup giving him a total of 117. He also hit one, not included here, in the Charity Shield. Les signed for us in 1939 as an amateur. Then had to wait till after the war (when he served in India amongst other places), (4) to make his debut in 1946. Another player who came through the Northfleet nursery. He was a member of the side that won first and second division titles. (Les Bennett is missed off completely on some lists whilst other scores record his tally at 116). That brings us to tenth placed Robbie Keane (left) with 122 goals. Robbie is the first player on the list still playing and is currently in the USA. Robbie’s goals came in two spells for the club. Robbie’s 100th goal came against Sunderland in 2008. Only Defoe has joined the 100 Club since then. Robbie sits just two goals behind Teddy Sheringham (in 9th) who finished on 124 from 277 games whilst Robbie took 306. Teddy (3) also had two spells with Spurs. He struck three hat tricks for Tottenham. Right - Teddy Sheringham. In eighth place we have Alan Gilzean. One half of the G-Men with Greaves in the second half of the 1960’s The Scottish international scored 133 times and created as many. He was a member of the team that won the FA Cup, two League Cups and the UEFA Cup. Alan was popularly known as the King of White Hart Lane. Alan played over 400 games for Spurs. From the King to the Duke, Len Duquemin who is seventh on our list and finished on 134. He scored six goals in his first five games and top scored in 1948. Len won the Second and First Division titles with us scoring the goal that sealed the clubs first ever League Championship. Len played over 300 games for Spurs. In sixth place we have George Hunt who managed 138 goals for the team and they came in only 198 appearances. George joined the team in 1930 and left seven years later. He earned the nickname the ‘Chesterfield Tough.’ In 1933 he hit 33 league goals (and three more in the cup) and won three England Caps as we won promotion. The following season he hit 32 league goals and three in the cup. George with 12 hat tricks is second only to Jimmy Greaves on that chart. He is the only member of the 100 Club whose goal ratio matches Jimmy Greaves's. The man in fifth place needs little introduction, Jermain Defoe. The latest man to join the 100 club in 2011. That 100th goal was a 25 yarder against West Brom. In the same game he scored his 100th career PL goal and it was Tottenham’s 1000th goal in the PL. Another player who had two spells at the club in reaching his 143 goals. The only member of the club still playing in England. Jermain tops the list for goals in European competition (8). The picture right is Stanley Matthew's testimonial game in 1965. Mathews (standing) one of the best right wingers (but scored few goals) ever to play for England, started and finished his career with Stoke City. Here from left to right Cliff Jones Alan Gilzean and Jimmy Greaves. In fourth place in Tottenham's One hundred club we have the Welsh wizard Cliff Jones, who was featured recently (9) Cliff notched 159 goals for the club in 378 games. Cliff is also sixth on the Welsh all-time list. Third in the list is Martin Chivers, (who like Cliff) is still seen at the Lane at most games. Martin hit 174 goals for the club. 23 of those coming in the League Cup which makes him our top marksman in the competition. Martins tally came in 367 appearances. In second place is Bobby Smith who struck 208 times for Tottenham in 317 games. 176 of those coming in the league. Bobby hit four goals on four occasions as part of his 11 hat tricks for the team . No surprises that at the top of the tree we find Jimmy Greaves with a massive 266 goals for the club in 379 games. Jimmy tops the clubs league goals list with 220. Only eight of our players have managed to reach triple figures in the league. Jimmy also has 15 hat tricks as a Spurs player to top that list as well to go along with his records for Chelsea and England. He is also the top record scorer in the six major European leagues(11). Left Bobby Smith alongside Jimmy Greaves. Those players with 100 League goals are - Greaves 220, Smith 176, Jones 135, Hunt 124, Chivers 118, Duquemin 114, Bennett 103 and Dimmock 100.
Of the players Listed here, Minter, Morrison, Bliss, Bennett, Duquemin, Hunt, Keane & Defoe all await to be admitted to the THFC Hall of Fame, although the last two of course are still playing. Finally spare a thought for our former Welsh international, Taffy O’Callaghan who finished his Tottenham career on 99 goals which came from 263 games. Update - May 2018 - Starting the season on 99 Harry Kane has progressed to 6th place with 140 goals and is above George Hunt and closing in on Jermain Defoe. COYS Keith Harrison. t- Keith 16024542 f- peter shearman (old non de plume reserved for THFC matters) Notes - 1 - For some reason a number of sources miss out Les Bennett off their list. Various sources provide slightly different details. These figures have been checked with the most reliable sources, inc- former Club Historian Andy Porter, & respected historian Bob Goodwin. 2- See also the Roaring 20’s mini series. 3 - See his profile 'Edward Sheringham.' 4 - Watch out for Hotspur Towers 53 in two weeks for more India connections. 8 - EuroStar 9 - Hotspur Towers -Cliff Jones & Hotspur Towers 25. 11 - Jimmy Greaves, Gallery, Dear Jimmy &Greavsey at 75 12 - Some sources exclude Billy Minter on their list. 13 - Because of the confusion over Minters record some sources record Jimmy Dimmock as being the first. Top image Chivers scores against Birmingham City 1974.
1 Comment
alok
3/4/2015 11:52:51 am
Jimmy greaves <3<3<3<3<3.... Next name in the list will be of Harry Kane!!!! COYS
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