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The 100 year War: Spurs, Arsenal the rivalry explained

29/8/2013

25 Comments

 
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There are few rivalries which match the intensity of the two North London clubs, or more accurately Tottenham Hotspur of North London and the club formerly known as Woolwich Arsenal from South East London. There are volumes written on the subject however here, on the 100th Anniversary of the rivalry I just want to briefly take you back to where it all began.



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It all really started on 6th September 1913 when Woolwich Arsenal controversially crossed the River Thames to North London and into the territory reserved for Tottenham and Leyton Orient. The move was in clear violation of the governing rules and regulations of the Football League concerning such relocations and was deeply opposed by both Woolwich fans and the residents of Highbury. Despite bitter protests from their own fans Henry Norris, Woolwich’s chairman and later Mayor of Fulham, using his influence pressed ahead and the migration was given sanction. Norris had originally intended to merge his club with Fulham but when this proved unsuccessful  he turned his attention to Highbury in an attempt to make Woolwich Arsenal viable. 

In 1913 Woolwich were in the 2nd Division and Spurs, who were formed five years before Woolwich in 1882 were in the 1st Division. Spurs were the only London club to have won the FA Cup, a feat they accomplished in 1901 as the only non-league club to date to have won the trophy. Woolwich Arsenal changed their name and replaced ‘Woolwich’ with ‘The’, and then subsequently to just Arsenal.

White Hart Lane was requisitioned by the Army during WWI and Spurs played their home games during this period at Homerton and at Highbury. When the league reconvened in 1919 the Football League looked to restructure the 1st Division and expand it from 20 teams to 22. Convention dictated that the bottom two teams from the 1915 season, Chelsea and Spurs would remain in the First Division and the two top teams from the Second, Derby and Preston would be promoted. Norris however had other ideas and lobbied the Football League demanding that Arsenal, who had finished 6th in the 2nd Division were more worthy of a place than Spurs and Chelsea …and also the 5 teams that finished above them. 

The prevailing sentiment before the Football League’s meeting was that both Spurs and Chelsea would remain in the First Division. Chelsea were given a reprieve, for they were victims of a match fixing scandal orchestrated by Manchester United and Liverpool and thus the remaining place in the top flight was contested between Tottenham, Barnsley, Wolves, Forest, Birmingham, Hull and Arsenal. In a move that would make the Indian Congress party proud, momentum swung decisively in Arsenal's favour when League chairman and Liverpool owner John McKenna, a close friend of Norris, urged clubs to vote in favour of Arsenal as they had joined the League before Tottenham. Arsenal despite finishing 6th were now promoted to the First Division at the expense of Spurs. Norris was later given a lifetime ban from the Football League for underhanded financial activities.

So there you have it, Arsenal migrated into Tottenham’s patch and cheated them out of the First Division. The rivalry was born. To this day Arsenal remain the only club never to have legitimately won their place in the top league in England. The tradition of both clubs have remained strong with Spurs known for its entertaining brand of football and Arsenal caught up in one scandal or another over the years involving financial irregularities and just other general fiendish behaviour. Recent ambition displayed by Spurs has seen them tipped by many as serious contenders whilst the 'fourth is a trophy' approach by Arsenal might just give the rivalry an extra edge this year, courtesy of the envy shown by the Gooners.

COYS!!

About the author:
Suraj Sharma 
Chairman: India Spurs
Twitter @Suraj_Sharma


25 Comments
Anan
29/8/2013 07:47:39 am

Very informative thanks. Although I never knew these facts it comes as no surprise - those cheating goners!

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utkarsh chandrakar
29/8/2013 11:30:22 am

suraj you forgot tht...the gooners ....at tht time

The club became the first southern member of the Football League in 1893, starting out in the Second Division, and won promotion to the First Division in 1904. The club's relative geographic isolation resulted in lower attendances than those of other clubs, which led to the club becoming mired in financial problems and effectively bankrupt by 1910, when they were taken over by businessmen Henry Norris and William Hall. Norris sought to move the club elsewhere, and in 1913, soon after relegation back to the Second Division

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Anon
29/8/2013 11:23:44 am

Uhm, thanks for the history lesson and for endorsing Tottenham greatly.
What really caught my eye was when you said "Spurs are known for their entertaining brand of football". It's a known fact that Arsenal play arguably the most beautiful football in England. Amongst the elite, if not the best.
Spurs haven't won the league since 1951 and their participation in the CL till date is about as important as Gabon's presence in the United Nations.
Arsenal have trumped Spurs in EVERY aspect of football right from winning Silverware to being recognised as a contending European Football club. Also, for the past hundred years, in our head-to-head record we've been kicking your sorry ass.
And, please. Past two seasons were perhaps the best two seasons to ever grace White Hart Lane and we STILL finished ahead of you when we weren't even a fraction of our best form. And we've been on tight financial constraints while Tottenham have been blowing money left, right and centre. I hope they understand that this is a transfer market and not a strip club to be so financially careless. Who cares, result always remains the same. Arsenal on top.
And now with the departure of a certain Gareth Bale, things are heading RAPIDLY on a decline.
Anyway, you can't expect more from a bunch of jealous twats who don't know what it's like to support a worthwhile football team.
North London WAS, IS and ALWAYS WILL BE RED.
PS- I don't want some random immature replies to this comment. If any one of you Spuds can reply decently with some sense , I'd love to read it.

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utkarsh chandrakar
29/8/2013 11:39:16 am

ohhh....!!!!...anon my friend.....you don`t know all the histry behind THFC....


Tottenham won the FA Cup for the first time in 1901, making it the only non-League club to do so since the formation of the Football League. Tottenham was the first club in the 20th century to achieve the League and FA Cup Double, winning both competitions in the 1960–61 season. After successfully defending the FA Cup in 1962, in 1963 it became the first British club to win a UEFA club competition ****as you now know as UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ***** – the European Cup Winners' Cup.[2] In 1967 it won the FA Cup for a third time in the 1960s. In the 1970s Tottenham won the League Cup on two occasions and was the inaugural winner of the UEFA Cup in 1972, becoming the first British club to win two different major European trophies. In the 1980s Spurs won several trophies: the FA Cup twice, FA Community Shield and the UEFA Cup in 1984. In the 1990s the club won the FA Cup and the League Cup. When it won the League Cup once more in 2008, it meant that it had won a major trophy in each of the last six decades – an achievement only matched by Manchester United.

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Spud_McSpurdy
29/8/2013 11:55:54 am

Er....you really need to brush up on your history. Arsenal were well-known for their brutish, long-ball (Stoke) style of play, earning them the moniker 'Boring, Boring Arsenal' - before Wenger changed it around.

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Suraj link
29/8/2013 05:43:46 pm

@Anon Gooner

Thanks for your comments but you clearly demonstrate your age if you believe attractive football is in Arsenal's DNA. For as long as I can remember it was "boring boring arsenal". It's no wonder why "1 nil to the Arsenal" was the most popular song at the library.

@Utkarsh otherwise answered you pretty conclusively. The only thing I would add, for your knowledge, is that Spurs gained notoriety for its Push-and-Run style of football during Arthur Rowe's teams of the 50's. This tradition remains till today.

Honestly though, I've never seen a set of fans so embarrassed about their heritage as Arsenal. You should be proud of your roots in Plumstead and not live in constant denial.

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Anon
29/8/2013 09:56:10 pm

You stated as a PS that you 'don't want some random immature replies to this comment.' well, I suggest you read the history books PROPERLY before you put something up like this again! So misinformed, and total rubbish!

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steve monk
24/4/2014 07:45:41 am

yes since early 70's the nomads started to break spurs records of most winners of FA cup,the double,and much more except European silverware and league cup ,the nomads became constantly successful at the right time of sky when football here went global and spurs missed out,even the starving in africa some have a nomad shirt on,as a fan who who went everywhere with spurs in late 60s,till late 90s the champions league is great for tv but fans who travel want to go to new country's where cl your playing the same teams,why not top 4 pulled out of a hat and a knock out,no 2 big teams might get drawn together and 1 money club get the elbow early..spurs time will come as there a rich club but waste so much money,we just need some decisions to go our way= mendez goal at man u,those 3 points cost spurs top four

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Westie
4/2/2015 11:01:58 pm

You are a knob. You called us spuds and then have cheek to try and dictate the type of replies you wish to get. Screw you, you're team have always cheated, be it dives or fake injuries. Terry Henry even cheated Ireland. So, again, screw you!

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mikow
29/8/2013 11:31:24 am

there you go... so they got into the league by cheating.

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utkarsh chandrakar
29/8/2013 11:43:00 am

if any of you all gooners have some thing in mind that THFC is shadow of you gooners than let me know i have all the answers for your so many questions.....i am waiting u woolwich
gooooooners...

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Moose
29/8/2013 12:08:19 pm

Same old Arse n all...... Always cheating ...

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Gooner
29/8/2013 03:33:53 pm

London is red bitches, I knew that history, but who cares. Probably only chicken fans, which try to treat complex. Since than Arsenal were never relegated

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Amal
30/8/2013 04:25:36 am

Who cares??? Well someone probably did. Or else we wouldn't have seen butthart gooners here.

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mikow
30/8/2013 04:23:10 pm

go play bradford.

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Anon
30/8/2013 03:18:48 pm

Same Anon who posted the first comment, here, btw.
I must say, I am glad I didn't receive too many immature replies to my post.

@Utkarsh- A trophy in each of the six decades? As it may seem interesting as some sort of vague statistic , do you realise how PATHETIC that is from a silverware perspective? Face it, your trophy cabinet falters in comparison to Arsenal's. There's a reason Arsenal has always been deemed as a big four club. You guys came around only recently. Nobody rebutted the point where I mentioned we trump you guys in the head-to-head record.(Oh of course, you can't rebutt fact, my apologies).
Also, Arsenal WERE known for brutish Stoke-like football, of that I am aware. However, despite your respite for Arsenal, you CANNOT deny that atm(and for the past 2 decades) play simply entertaining and fabulous football.

And Utkarsh again, you want a fusillade of questions? Regarding why the footballing world believes that North London is red?
So be it.
Why have we been celebrating St.Totteringham's Day since 1996?
Why have Spurs not won the league since '51?
Why does your head-to-head record and silverware record PALE in comparison to Arsenal's?
Answer these questions with some sensible answers, maybe then people will stop thinking you're in our shadow.
Until then, FACE FACTS.
Only one team in North London.
ARSENAL FC.
GOONER TILL I DIE.
5-2 and 5-2. BRING IT ON THIS WEEKEND.

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dch
30/8/2013 08:54:36 pm

Anon. QUOTE:"Why have Spurs not won the league since '51?" WRONG! They won it again in the 1960/61 season (Pl 42 W 31 D 4 L 7 For 115 Agst 55. Points 66 PLEASE get YOUR facts right before you spout any more drivel

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Anon
9/9/2013 08:21:55 am

I wrote a fairly lengthy piece stating why we are better than you. And you pick out only one line from it all? It was a typo, btw. *'61. Are you happy, you prick? Big deal. It's still a disgusting statistic and the fact that you are correcting my error with such pride shows what a dreadful team you support.

Fact of the matter remains that you guys are nowhere in the same ballpark as we are. Now answer those remaining questions in my earlier piece if you want me to stop hassling you Spuds.

Reply
Ananya
10/9/2013 09:39:17 am

Re Silverware Spurs have 3 European Trophies to your 1, Spurs have 4 League Cups to your 2 and when Spurs won a record 8th FA Cup you were on 5. Agree that l"Arse have had the better of the last 20 years (not including last 8? :) but the gulf is not as wide as you imagine it to be.

Another thing, you might show some more courage and mention your name next time.

dch
10/9/2013 11:27:50 am

@Ananya. 'Anon' can't reveal his name because he is too embarrassed. Thinks he's big, but not big enough to reveal his name or initials.

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Yiddo
16/3/2014 09:42:04 am

Arsenal are a local team. Only ever won one European trophy ever.

When you have won 3 European trophys then come and talk to us.

Local team from Woolwich. Dial square wankers.

Reply
Goon
31/10/2014 04:03:25 am

Lol, the bias is understandable but 11 years prior to Arsenal gaining promotion, Spurs themselves lobbied and achieved promotion from the south conference despite finishing 7th at the expense of QPR who quit the league in disgust.
Let he who has no sin...

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shubham
4/2/2015 01:16:12 pm

Anon dude see the site on which u are commenting..,... It clearly displays..."india spurs" .so get ur bitchy arse.. Nl out of here!!

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GOONER TILL I DIE
4/2/2015 01:47:59 pm

HAHAHAHAHA!! What a jerk. FOREVER IN OUR SHADOW TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS!!

13 League Titles to 2 League Titles.

NORTH LONDON IS RED

Reply
shubham
7/2/2015 01:06:09 pm

somebody was commenting!!!

Reply



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