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This preview was written by Brian Judson

The following is a tabulation of all our results against Bradford City. As can be seen, we had not played Bradford City in the old First Division since they were relegated from that Division at the conclusion of season 1921-22 until playing them for the first time in the Premier League last season. The way things are going we are not likely to be playing Bradford City again for a long time to come.

Previous Results
       Div     H    A
1909-10    1  0-0  1-5
1910-11    1  2-0  0-3
1911-12    1  2-3  0-3
1912-13    1  2-1  1-3
1913-14    1  0-0  1-2
1914-15    1  0-0  2-2
1920-21    1  2-0  0-2
1921-22    1  1-0  4-0
1929-30    2  1-1  2-0
1930-31    2  3-1  0-2
1931-32    2  1-5  0-2
1932-33    2  1-1  1-0
1935-36    2  4-0  1-0
1936-37    2  5-1  2-2
99-2000 PREM  1-1  1-1
00-2001 PREM       3-3

Prem           Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home            1   0   1   0     1-1    1
Away            2   0   2   0     4-4    2
===========================================
Total (Prem)    3   0   3   0     5-5    3
===========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 1)    8   4   3   1     9-4   11
Away (Div 1)    8   1   1   6     9-20   4
===========================================
Total (Div 1)  16   5   4   7    18-24  15
===========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 2)    6   3   2   1    15-9    8
Away (Div 2)    6   3   1   2     6-6    7
===========================================
Total (Div 2)  12   6   3   3    21-15  15
===========================================
Total (Prem)    3   0   3   0     5-5    3
Total (Div 1)  16   5   4   7    18-24  15
Total (Div 2)  12   6   3   3    21-15  15
===========================================
Grand Total    31  11  10  10    44-44  32 
===========================================

There have been other meetings with Bradford City. The following results are our Cup games with them :

FA Cup

Season   Rd  H/A   Result Goalscorers

1920-21  2    H     4-0   Seed 3, Banks
1969-70  3    A     2-2   Greaves, Morgan
         3R   H     5-0   Pearce 2, Greaves 2, Morgan
1988-89  3    A     0-1 

FL Cup

Season   Rd  H/A   Result Goalscorers 

1990-91  3    H     2-1   Gascoigne Stewart

If Tottenham had been allowed to plan the fixtures to suit their ends, this is the sort of fixture that they would have planned to play in the wake of a dismal and disappointing Cup Semi-Final. The Bantams have been busily transferring out the expensive stars imported during last season and this as they endeavour to cut their costs ahead of their likely relegation to the Football League. They were somewhat fortunate to survive last season, beating Liverpool in their final match of the season, 1-0, thanks to a David Wetherall goal.

Things started to go wrong for the Bantams before a ball had been kicked when Paul Jewell, their charismatic manager, walked out to become manager of Sheffield Wednesday. His successor, Chris Hutchings, did not last very long. The Bantams then hired Jim Jeffries, who had been sacked as manager of Hearts. Jeffries, with no previous experience of the game south of the border, has found it difficult to adjust. One of his earliest decisions was to dispense with the services of Stan Collymore, who had been an impulse buy by Hutchings shortly before the axe fell on his neck.

Jeffries obviously did not want a prima donna at the club and shipped him out as decently as he could do so. Beagrie (to Wigan) and Petrescu (to Southampton) have also gone. Surprisingly, Carbone is still on the payroll and surprisingly he seems to be making noises about staying with the Bantams even if they are relegated. Carbone has given 100 per cent when he has played but has been let down by the poor quality of some of the players around him.

The biggest problem has been the fact that the Bantams have no one to score goals, despite having Dean Saunders, Ashley Ward and Dean Windass on their books. Windass, of course, has left for Middlesbrough. At the same time, they have been conceding goals at quite a remarkable rate, including some bizarre goals scored as a result of errors on the part of goalkeeper Gary Walsh, the former Manchester United reserve team goalkeeper.

For Spurs, of course, this match represents a chance to start planning for the future. Mistakes have been made in the past and we now have to return to the drawing board.

One of the biggest mistakes, in my view, was allowing Sol Campbell to play against Arsenal. I don't think he looked fit or confident about his chances of completing the game. The turning point came when Campbell was off the field receiving treatment on a self-inflicted injury in body-checking Parlour. It was obvious as Campbell limped off that he would not be able to complete the match. Ledley King should have gone on the moment it was obvious Sol was in trouble. The game was much too important to risk a half-fit player. One hopes that a lesson has been learned from this!

We should win tomorrow night! It will be highly embarrassing if we do not! Let us hope that Spurs bring back Simon Davies and Anthony Gardener and use the game to see how the younger lads can cope against the Bantams. Playing Davies will at least introduce a semblance of a midfield schemer into the team.

But above all we need the closing weeks of the season to be used to plan for next season! The only way youngsters are going to acquire experience is by playing in the team. Then, in the summer, we should expect to see some departures and some new faces.

COME ON YOU SPURS!

Cheers, Brian

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