The Almanac - March

The Almanac reaches March and we recall just a few some stories from earlier years that maybe otherwise would slip under the radar, as well of course some that can’t be left out. There are some great games to remember as the season gets towards the business end as well as the usual first, lasts, trophies, records, lots and lots of goals, European action and a few birthdays. 
Which brings us to young Erik Lamela, Coca who turns 24 on the 4th.

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Starting with a game to remember, in 2007 on the 4th we score twice in the last five minutes from Berbatov and Stalteri to win 4-3 at West Ham. Whilst a game that maybe is best forgot, the 13th and in 2002, Mauricio Taricco is sent off for the second week running as we lose both games heavily.

The month also saw trophies arriving, the 3rd (1973) and we beat Norwich to become the first side to win the League Cup twice. 1999 and on the 21st it was the League Cup again, this time Allan Nielsen’s late winner brings the trophy to WHL. Before that on the 1st in 1902 we beat the Corinthians to take the Dewar Shield, the forerunner of the Charity Shield by 5-2 which includes a John Cameron hat trick. The 30th the following year sees us beat QPR to clinch the London Combination League title. We however miss out on the 11th in 1995 as we lose the League Cup final V Liverpool.

Another game to remember 1993 and on the 7th we play away to Manchester City. Spurs lead 4-1 in the Cup quarter final when their fans invade the pitch in an attempt to have the game abandoned. Erik Thorstvedt is attacked and punched whilst the Police take fifteen minutes to clear the pitch. It ends 4-2.

A game many of us want to forget, its 1966 and on the 19th we are 5-1 up V Villa and it finishes 5-5.


1971 - Bill Nicholson takes his work home with him.

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As you would expect there are plenty of goals to recall, starting again on the 1st and 1994. Ronnie Rosenthal comes off the bench at 0-2 in a Cup replay at Southampton, scores a hat trick as we win 6-2. The 3rd and back to 1934 as George Hunt scores a hat trick V Everton at the Lane. Then on the 24th he gets another hat trick as we win 3-1 up at Newcastle. He actually scores a third hat trick in just six games but that falls next month

Stefan Iversen is another hat trick man in 1997 (4th.) as we beat Sunderland 4-0. Then on the 11th (2000) Stefan gets another three this time V Southampton. The 8th and another hat trick this time it’s Sandy Brown in 1902 in a 7-1 win over Swindon. Going one better Terry Medwin strikes four as we beat Leicester 6-0 in the 1959 game on the 7th but Jimmy Banks tops the tree with five goals 1917 on the 31st as Portsmouth are thrashed 10-0 in a London Combination match.

right - Glenn Hoddle

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Lets also remember 1995 and 11th, following on from Rocket Ronnies game in the competition Spurs travel to Liverpool and come from behind to win the cup tie 2-1our goals come from Sheringham and Klinsmann’s winner with 90 seconds to play.  Another amazing game is the one in 1921 on the 26th both are keepers are injured so full back Tommy Clay plays the whole game in goal, as we win 1-0 at Sunderland.

There are coming and goings in the managers chair 1889 (14th.) sees Frank Brettell become our first manager, 1907 and John Cameron steps down on the 13th  (actual dates vary on this one) and 2001marked the departure of George Graham on the 16th.

left - Tommy Clay,

Slipping forward to the 27th  and in 1965 the home game with Wolves is 1-1 at half time at home so few thought it would end 7-4. Keith Weller makes his debut; Cliff Jones has a hat trick outscoring Jimmy Greaves with two while Les Allen gets his last Spurs goal.

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Talking of plenty of goals, the 26th and in 1937 and there are eight goals in the game at Bury, unfortunately they get five of them.  Back to the 9th (1898) and it’s a good trip to Tunbridge Wells for a friendly as we register a 5-0 win, Bill Joyce scores three. The 17th in 1917 sees a guest player Ted Bassett hit four for us at Highbury in the game V Clapton Orient. The 22nd and in 1902 the hat trick man is David Copeland V Kettering in the Southern League.

The European action this month includes Emmanuel Adebayor with a late goal that takes us into the Europa League quarter finals in 2013 on the 14th.  On the 4th 1992 we lose 0-1 in Feynoord and their sweeper that night is former Spur Johnny Metgod.  The 17th (1982) Glenn Hoddle scores away to Frankfurt and the Cup Winners Cup match is won 3-2 over the two legs.  It is Germany again on the 20th (1974) and Cologne are beaten 3-0 Chivers, Coates and Peters as we beat them 5-1 over two legs.

1985, Steve Perryman won’t want to remember the tie with Real Madrid. In the first leg (6th) at home we lose 0-1 via his own goal the first tie we lose at WHL in Europe.
Then on the 20th we draw away 0-0, this was the first tie we failed to score in either game and Steve (right) is sent off! Falco has what looked a perfect goal disallowed and even the Madrid side doesn’t see why it was ruled out.

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We don’t know what the score was in 1891 on the 7th when we played the First Scots Guards but when we played them on the same day five years later we won 8-0.

This month’s birthday boys apart from Erik Lamela include Fazio who will be 29 on the 17th and Nathan Oduwa leaving his teens and is 20 on the 5th.   

Old boys handling around the cake this month include, Darren Anderton (1972) on the 3rd, Clint Dempsey (1983) on the 9th and the next day it’s Garth Crooks (1958). Then on the 23rd, Mido was born in Cairo back in 1983 and Benny Assou-Ekotto is 32 on the 23rd.

Three of the biggest names in the clubs early years have birthdays - Fanny Walden on the 1st.  (1888), Willie Hall (1932) on the 12th. Then Arthur Grimsdell, Captain of both England and our Cup winning team in 1894 on the 23rd.
 
Another game worth remembering falls on the 29th in 1982. We draw 2-2 at home with Arsenal, after being two down, in a game that sees Chris Houghton and their Alan Sunderland sent off.
We never lost when he scored and on the 18th    in 2006 Aaron Lennon scored his first Spurs goal. As we beat Birmingham 2-0. In 2009 on the 4th he also scored twice as Middlesbourgh lose 4-0.

Left - Jurgen Klinsmann

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The lasts this month have Terry Medwin on the 2nd in 1963 playing his last game. Gary Stevens gets his last goal and it came V Arsenal in 1986 on the 29th. Three years earlier on the 5th it was Ricki Villa’s last game.

Some good news off the pitch comes in 1921 and our Cup winning year when on the 5th 51,991 fans pay a record £6,992 to watch us beat Aston Villa. This however is countered on the 10th in 1919 when Arsenal deep in debt and unable to win promotion on the field steal our place in the First Division behind closed doors. 

Records – and Ted Ditchburn on the 17th in 1954 played a record 247th consecutive game for us! (In fact he only missed two in 331!!).  A record crowd of 75,038 are in inside the ground when Sunderland beat us by the only goal on the fifth in 1938. A sad day for many on the 16th (1970) as record scorer Jimmy Greaves moves to West Ham.
On the international front, the last day of the month in 2004 sees both Jermain Defoe and Anthony Gardner make their debuts for England as substitutes away to Sweden.

Other dates this month are the 15th in 1902 and a FA Cup semi – final, Tottenham were not playing but WHL was used as Southampton beat Nottingham Forrest. Then in 1988 the 28th sees the testimonial game for Danny Thomas.

Left - Ted Ditchburn in Action, sorry cant give you any more details on this one.

In 1918 and the 25th sees Walter Tull killed in action during World War One.

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COYS
Keith Harrison.
t- Keith 16024542
f- peter shearman (old non de plume)
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