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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full League Record of Spurs -v- Southampton

Premier        Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home            8   6   1   1    23-8   19
Away            9   2   3   4     8-11   9
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Total (Prem)   17   8   4   5    31-19  28
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1)   22  13   4   5    52-28  38
Away (Div 1)   22   6   8   8    25-35  24
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Total(Div 1)   44  19  12  13    77-63  62
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2)   14   9   3   2    41-12  21
Away (Div 2)   14   2   5   7    12-17   9
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Total(Div 2)   28  11   8   9    53-29  30
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Total (Prem)   17   8   4   5    31-19  28
Total(Div 1)   44  19  12  13    77-63  62
Total(Div 2)   28  11   8   9    53-29  30
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Grand Total    89  38  24  27   161-111 120
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This match has sometimes had high scoring attached to it. Those who were at last season's match will doubtlessly have few problems in recalling our 7-2 thrashing of Southampton. There were 36,024 spectators to witness the nine goals.

After 25 minutes, Ginola lost the ball in midfield, dramatically collapsed, and watched the play retreat into his half. Southampton took full advantage, as Kachloul from the left, sent a superb ball for Tessem to run onto and, from the left of the area, he cracked home a shot across Walker.

Spurs weren't behind for long, as Carr won a corner; Anderton took it, and Campbell rose to meet the ball, which looked to be headed in by Dean Richards, under pressure from Sol, who sympathetically tapped Richards on the shoulder as he turned to modestly celebrate.

The visitors regained the lead after 32 minutes, as El Kalej met a Pahars free kick at the near post, to head home. Then came Spurs' second equaliser. Ginola crossed from the left, and Leonhardsen was lucky to get away with a handball in the area on the blind side of the referee. The ball fell to Anderton, who fired home from close range to score his first goal of the season.

Almost straight from the restart, Spurs took the lead. The Southampton defence was advancing, and was caught napping by a tackle/pass from Freund. Armstrong was first to the ball, with his pace, and scored a superb right foot angled shot. The visitors were generous as half time approached. Jones made a poor clearance which only reached Benali, who passed to Iversen who scored from long range with the outside of his foot.

In the 63rd minute, the lead was increased. Ginola, now dallying on the right, chipped a beauty to Carr, whose cross was cleverly flicked over the goalkeeper by Armstrong. After 77 minutes, Taricco passed to Ginola, who returned the compliment, for the full back to make the running, and cross for Iversen to finish off from the six yard box. The win was sealed in injury time, as a Ginola shot was deflected and fell to Iversen to complete his hat-trick with a simple shot under the keeper.

Prior to our record 9-0 victory over Bristol Rovers in October 1977, our record League score was the March 1936 victory of 8-0 over Southampton. This was during our first season back in Division 2 and we were already out of the running for promotion. We had gone four games without a win. Spurs rang the changes with some youngsters coming in to the team. Ralph Ward, who was the Spurs captain throughout the war years, was one of them. Spurs were 5-0 ahead at half-time through goals by Evans (6 minutes), Meek (13) and (45), and George Hunt (16) and (41). After half-time, Meek completed his hat-trick in the 59th minute. George Hunt then converted a penalty in the 65th minute and Willie Evans completed the rout in the 78th minute. Nicholls, in Tottenham's goal, was never bothered once.

Arthur Rowe, later to manage Spurs, and Vic Buckingham, later to manage West Bromwich Albion and Barcelona among a string of other clubs, were notable names in the team.

Having dwelt on some happy days, we ought to consider how awful we played at the Dell a couple of weeks ago. As it was on TV, I was able to see exactly how poorly Spurs played in that match. They didn't just lose; they surrendered! Sullivan may have been at fault with one of the goals from poor positioning but the whole team was awful. It wasn't just the tactics. Our boys just weren't up for it from the word go. It was that obvious from their body language. I wonder what Dave Mackay, Alan Mullery or Graham Roberts would have done? I can quite easily visualise Mackay shaking some of his faint-hearted colleagues in the same way as he did Billy Bremner in that famous photograph from August 1966.

However, tomorrow we are at home. We have a very good record at White Hart Lane whilst Southampton do not usually travel very well. Against that, we have doubts about all of our first choice strikers so there is a fair chance we may see a very strange pairing up front against Southampton. At least we are not in the position of Everton, who currently have only 11 fit first team players available!

On paper, this should be a banker home win. In fact, it might be very different. Tomorrow sees Ian Walker back in goal as Sullivan is suspended. What sort of effect that will have on our defence remains to be seen. Having sat on the bench for most of the season and with the reserves not having had a game since early December, one wonders how fast Walker's reactions will be. A goalkeeper more than anyone else needs to be playing regularly to keep his reactions sharp. We also have to hope that nothing happens to Hans Segers, the only other experienced goalkeeper on our books.

I think, however, we will win tomorrow but it will be close and the winner will probably come late in the game as the Saints start to tire. It will be interesting to see the attendance at WHL if the cold snap continues!!!!

COME ON YOU SPURS!

Cheers, Brian

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