NORMAN GILLER’S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 244
Submitted by Norman Giller

Shortly before his sad passing, I was joking on line with Chas Hodges that his Chas’n’Dave hit – Ain’t No Pleasing You – could have been aimed at the Tottenham fans who recently ran out of faith in the best team the club has had for decades

How apt that Brighton paid tribute to his memory with a half-time recording of the classic song on Saturday. Those of us who remember there was football before the Premier League will recall that Brighton boss Chris Hughton was in the Tottenham ‘choir’ that sang along with Chas and Dave Peacock on a Spurs football album.

It was Chas’n’Dave – plus Mick Burt on drums – who provided the soundtrack for Spurs for many years and their ‘Rockney’ music will live on with the Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur anthem. The best tribute I could pay to Edmonton-born Chas was to post on line that “my knees had gone all trembly” at the news of his death after a long, brave fight against cancer.

Our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H. Smith suitably marks the passing of Chas HERE in his match report, giving his usual balanced account of a rain-drenched game that Spurs dominated but without hammering home their territorial advantage.

For me, the highlights were the Erik Lamela goal – the epitomy of Tottenham team play at its most potent – and the return to scoring form of Our Harry Kane.

Okay, Harry’s goal was from the penalty spot rather than open play, but there were encouraging signs that he has got his appetite back with a series of thunderbolt shots in the second-half as his confidence grew.

Brighton played to typical Chris Hughton tactics, not giving an inch away in defence and looking for incisive counter attacks which produced a goal and almost a late, late equaliser.

Those who have called for Kane to be dropped – some in a vile, ungracious way – lose sight of the fact that while he is on the pitch, even if below par, the opposition put two defenders on him, which opens the door for team-mates.

And the way many fans turned on Mauricio Pochettino (there were three ‘PochOut’ streams on Twitter) made me despair of the fast-food generation who want everything NOW. I get the feeling that Poch would walk away rather than take the unnecessary abuse from social media and those in the press who seem to take delight in any signs of Tottenham tottering. Just a handful of the journalists are a disgrace to my old profession with their blatantly biased reporting.

I am sure Poch will give Harry Kane the rest he needs this week, leaving him out of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup ‘home’ game against Watford at Milton Keynes. Then there is a visit to Huddersfield before the little matter of a Champions’ League match against Barcelona.

But let’s keep calm. Crisis? What crisis?

Or, as Chas Hodges (and Paul Smith) would say: “Gertcha! …”

Question No 6 in this 2018-19 SOQL season:

Who won 24 England caps, and against which team did he score in a Boxing Day debut for Tottenham after joining from Aston Villa?

Please email your answer to me at SOQL6@normangillerbooks.com. Deadline: midnight this Friday. I will respond to all who take part.

This year’s prizes for the champion: two books from my Spurs collection with autographs from Jimmy Greaves, Steve Perryman and Dave Mackay, and a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion.

There will also be a special bonus prize that I will announce later in the season. I promise it’s a collector’s item for anybody who follows the mighty Spurs.

Last week I asked: Who has 81 international caps, scored for both Arsenal and Spurs in the North London derby, and which London team did he join in 2016?

The answer, of course, was the enigmatic Emmanuel Adebayor, who had a brief stay at Crystal Palace after his rollercoaster career at Tottenham. Tim Sherwood would salute him!

Thank you for taking part. See you back here same time, same place next week. Keep the faith. COYS!

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