NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 490
Submitted by Norman Giller

To think I interrupted my honeymoon to watch that dross at Selhurst Park yesterday! The story so far: I have married Joyce, who will be 90 in November. It has been love and laughter ever since our wedding earlier this month ... until that demoralising defeat by Crystal Palace.

Suddenly, my new bride realises the important part Spurs play in my life, and she now knows that the joker she took on as a husband has a gloom and doom side to him.

I have never got out of the habit of taking notes during a match since my football reporting days, and I had a virtual blank piece of paper at the end of Tottenham's guileless and goalless game.

I did not envy our Spurs Odyssey reporter Declan Mulcahy having to report the non-action HERE. It was certainly not a game to write home about. The Rachel Reeves Budget will have more punch.

There was not too much to raise the spirits either in Thursday's turgid Europa League engagement with AZ Alkmaar. The highlight for me was going on to the pitch at half-time to discuss with master of the mic Paul Coyte the book I have written with Steve Perryman on the legend that is 'Sir Bill' Nicholson.

Steve, who played more games for Tottenham (854) than any other footballer in history, agreed with me that the one thing memorable about the match was the second-half performance of Mikey Moore.

He is a gold-plated prospect, but I am not so sure he should have been pitched into his first Premier League start yesterday on the difficult hunting ground that is Selhurst Park. Let's be patient with Mikey and bring him along carefully.

The biggest concern for me was the failure of James Maddison to make any impact before his substitution after 62 minutes. He trudged off without a hint of the cockiness that lifts him when he is in monopolising mood. Ange must find a way of reigniting the Maddison flame to quickly end speculation on line that all is not right.

Man City in the League Cup on Wednesday and then a visit from high-flying Aston Villa are back-to-back tests that need Tottenham on their toes not flat on their heels.

Meantime, I am sure you are all anxious to read about the golden reign of Bill Nicholson in the book I have lovingly written in harness with Steve Perryman. You can order a dual signed copy at https://steveperryman.com/product/sir-bill-the-book/.

Steve and I will be talking about the book at a recording today of the hugely popular Spurs Show, with Mike Leigh and Theo Delaney asking the questions.

Here comes the pride.

COYS!

Week TEN already of our eleventh season of the Spurs Odyssey Quiz League, and the question is:

Who was a member of the 2012 British Olympic squad, joined Spurs from Leeds, won 29 England caps, and which club did he eventually join in 2022 after several loan deals?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 10. Deadline: midnight this Friday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous ten seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact.

This year's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2025, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date. Last week's question: Who won 59 international caps, wore Tottenham shirt numbers 7, 11 and 12 in FA Cup finals at Wembley and which London club did he join from Spurs?

Answer: Cliff Jones, Fulham

See you back here on Monday. COYS! 

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