This preview was written by Brian Judson

Previous FA Cup Results :

1904-05 2 H 1-1 Walton
       2R A 0-4
1934-35 4 H 2-0 G Hunt (2)
1951-52 4 A 0-3
1986-87 5 H 1-0 C Allen (pen)

Previous League Cup Results :

1975-76 SF/1L H 1-0 Pratt
        SF/2L A 1-3 McAllister

The vast majority of Newcastle's honours were won long ago before most football supporters today were even born. There can only be very few people who can remember seeing Newcastle win the League Championship in seasons 1904-05, 1906-07, 1908-09 and 1926-27 when winning Division 1 was the equivalent of winning the Premiership in today's honours. I can, of course, remember Newcastle United winning the FA Cup in 1955 but missed their 1951 and 1952 victories. After 1955, Newcastle have won only one significant honour : the old European Fairs Cup in 1968-69. (I know they also won the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1972-73 but that did not contain the leading Italian or British clubs.)

I thought that, as part of the preview of this match, I would run through each of the FA Cup Semi-Finals that Spurs have played in.

Our first semi-final was in season 1900-01. We played West Bromwich Albion at Villa Park, winning 4-0. 'Sandy' Brown scored all four goals. Our team was : Clawley; Erentz, Tait, Morris, Hughes, J L Jones, Smith, Cameron, Brown, Copeland, Kirwan. (Attendance : 46,000).

The venue for this match was an astonishing decision on the part of the Football Association since it clearly favoured the South Staffordshire team. But Spurs were not deterred and easily ran out winners on the day.

Our second semi-final was in season 1920-21. We played Preston North End at Hillsborough, winning 2-1. Bert Bliss scored both our goals. Our team was : Hunter; Clay, McDonald, Smith, Walters, Grimsdell, Banks, Seed, Cantrell, Bliss, Dimmock. (Attendance : 44,668).

This was apparently a very poor match, presumably spoiled by tension. Spurs made a good start but then faded. They had two goals disallowed in the first half by the referee. Dimmock also hit the bar when it looked easier to score. Bliss scored two goals in the 51st and 56th minutes to ensure Spurs went through to the Final. Tommy Clay scored a late own goal.

Our third semi-final was in season 1921-22. We played Preston North End at Hillsborough, losing 2-1. Jimmy Seed scored our goal. Our team was : Jacques; Clay, McDonald, Smith, Walters, Grimsdell, Walden, Seed, Wilson, Bliss, Dimmock. (Attendance : 50,095).

Spurs were leading 1-0 at half-time and looked a good bet to reach the final for a second successive year. Preston struck back soon after the interval. Spurs then broke away to score through Bliss only to be told the referee had blown for a stoppage as Preston had a player injured. Whatever the reason, it affected Spurs concentration and they conceded a late goal.

Our fourth semi-final was in season 1947-48. We played Blackpool at Villa Park, losing 3-1, after extra time. (This was played to avoid unnecessary replays in a time of austerity.) Len Duquemin scored our goal. Our team was : Ditchburn; Tickridge, Buckingham, Nicholson, Woodward, Burgess, Cox, Bennett, Duquemin, Baily, Medley. (Attendance : 70,687).

Duquemin gave Spurs the lead in the 63rd minute and Spurs seemed set for Wembley. But four minutes from the end, Mortensen went past four Spurs defenders and scored from an extremely acute angle. He then went on to score twice more in extra time.

Our fifth semi-final was in season 1952-53. We played Blackpool at Villa Park, losing 2-1. Len Duquemin scored our goal. Our team was : Ditchburn; Ramsey, Withers, Nicholson, Clarke, Burgess, Walters, Bennett, Duquemin, Baily, Medley. (Attendance : 68,221).

This was the last throw of the dice for most of the Spurs side. They really should have reached the Final in Coronation Year. Perry had given Blackpool the lead. Bennett had carved out an opening for Duquemin to equalise but soon after that Bennett was injured and Spurs were effectively playing with ten men. As extra time loomed with Spurs playing well, Ramsey, of all people, slipped as he passed the ball back to Ditchburn and little Jackie Mudie nipped in between the two to put Blackpool in the Final with less than four minutes to go.

Our sixth semi-final was in season 1955-56. We played Manchester City at Villa Park, losing 1-0. Our team was : Reynolds; Norman, Hopkins, Blanchflower, Clarke, Marchi, Dunmore, Brooks, Duquemin, Smith, Robb. (Attendance : 69,788).

Bobby Johnstone scored the only goal of the game as Spurs slipped to their third post-war defeat at Villa Park at this stage of the Cup. Harmer the Charmer was sensationally dropped by manager Anderson on the morning of the match, being replaced by Dunmore, who was essentially, in today's parlance, a striker. Blanchflower sent Norman upfield in the closing stages of the game to add some height in a desperate attempt to snatch an equaliser. Subsequently, manager and player rowed in public and Anderson dropped Blanchflower for changing the side around.

Our seventh semi-final was in 1960-61. We played Burnley at Villa Park, winning 3-0. Bobby Smith scored twice, Jones once. Our team was : Brown; Baker, Henry, Blanchflower, Norman, Mackay, Jones, White, R Smith, Allen, Dyson. (Attendance : 69,968).

Spurs never had any problems in disposing of their great Lancastrian rivals. Smith scored two goals and Jones one in a game largely spoiled by a swirling wind.

Our eighth semi-final was in 1961-62. We played Manchester United at Hillsborough, winning 3-1. Medwin, Greaves and Jones were our scorers. Our team was : Brown; Baker, Henry, Blanchflower, Norman, Mackay, Medwin, White, R Smith, Greaves, Jones. (Attendance : 65,000).

Medwin, Greaves and Jones scored the goals that ensured Spurs reached the Final for a second successive season. Manchester United were still a long way from the force they had been pre-Munich and were soon to almost suffer the indignity of relegation.

Our ninth semi-final was in 1966-67. We played Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough, winning 2-1. Greaves and Saul were our scorers. Our team was : Jennings; Kinnear, Knowles, Mullery, England, Mackay (sub Jones), Robertson, Greaves, Gilzean, Venables, Saul. (Attendance : 55,000).

This was the first semi-final I saw. It all turned on the goal Greaves scored after half-an-hour. He was some twenty yards out when he trapped the ball, pivoted and smashed the ball behind the luckless Grummitt. Spurs were clearly in command after that and it was something as a surprise that Saul was the only other Tottenham scorer midway through the second half. Hennessey scored a late goal for Forest in much the same way that Chelsea scored a late goal in the Final.

Our tenth semi-final was in 1980-81. We played Wolverhampton Wanderers at Hillsborough, drawing 2-2 after extra time. Archibald and Hoddle were our scorers. Our team was : Aleksic; Hughton, Miller, Roberts, Perryman, Villa (sub Brooke), Ardiles, Archibald, Galvin, Hoddle, Crooks. (Attendance : 50,174). The replay was at Highbury, winning 3-0. Crooks scored twice, Villa once. Our team was : Aleksic; Hughton, Miller, Roberts, Villa, Perryman, Ardiles (sub Brooke), Archibald, Galvin, Hoddle, Crooks. (Attendance : 52,539).

Spurs should have won the Semi-Final at the first time of asking and would have done so but for some blatant cheating by Hibbitt who deceived Clive Thomas into awarding a penalty. Carr scored from the spot to extend the tie for a further four days. Archibald had earlier put Spurs ahead after only 4 minutes. Hibbitt had equalised soon after only for Hoddle to score from a free-kick that should really have been a penalty. Then came Carr's dramatic late equaliser.

The replay at Highbury saw Spurs cruise to an easy win. Crooks scored two first half goals before Villa scored a fantastic goal from way out on the right wing. The ball's flight totally deceived Bradshaw in goal.

Our eleventh semi-final was in 1981-82. We played Leicester City at Villa Park, winning 2-0. Crooks and Wilson (own goal) were our scorers. Our team was : Clemence; Hughton, Roberts (sub Miller), Price, Hazard, Perryman, Ardiles, Archibald, Galvin, Hoddle, Crooks. (Attendance : 50,174).

This match was played as news of the Argentinan invasion of the Falklands broke. Ardiles chose to play and was heavily barracked by the Leicester fans. Crooks gave Spurs the lead from a corner by Hoddle and an own goal merely confirmed the fact that Spurs were back at Wembley.

Our twelfth semi-final was in 1986-87. We played Watford at Villa Park, winning 4-1. Hodge scored twice, Clive Allen and Paul Allen one apiece. Our team was : Clemence; Hughton, M Thomas, Hodge, Gough, Mabbutt, C Allen (sub Claesen), P Allen (sub Stevens), Waddle, Hoddle, Ardiles. (Attendance : 46,151).

Tottenham hit top form against a bemused Watford side. Mark Falco was playing for Watford but was unable to get past Gough, who was in commanding form. Hodge, who had been signed at Christmas, scored twice with the Allen cousins scoring one apiece.

Our thirteenth semi-final was in 1990-91. We played Arsenal at Wembley, winning 3-1. Lineker scored twice, Gascoigne once. Our team was : Thorstvedt; Edinburgh, van den Hauwe, Samways, Howells, Mabbutt, Stewart, Gascoigne (sub Nayim), Samways (sub Walsh), Lineker, P Allen. (Attendance : 77,893).

No one who saw this tie will ever forget it! It was played against a background of financial problems. Gazza scored from a dramatic sixth minute free-kick. Lineker later added a second before Smith pulled one back for Arsenal. Late on, Lineker added another goal to ensure Spurs reached the Final.

Our fourteenth semi-final was in 1992-93. We played Arsenal at Wembley, losing 1-0. Our team was : Thorstvedt; Austin, Edinburgh, Samways (sub Barmby), Mabbutt, Ruddock, Sedgley (sub Bergsson), Nayim, Sheringham, P Allen. (Attendance : 76,263).

This was a dreadful game, racked with tension, and Adams scored a very late winner. 'nuff said! :-((((

Our fifteenth semi-final was in 1994-95. We played Everton at Elland Road, losing 4-1. Our goalscorer was Klinsmann from a penalty. Our team was : Walker; Nethercott (sub Rosenthal), Calderwood, Austin, Mabbutt, Popescu, Anderton, Barmby, Howells, Klinsmann, Sheringham. (Cundy and Thorstvedt were unused substitutes.) (Attendance : 38,226).

Another very disappointing game. The whole team froze on the day. This was very unexpected in the wake of a brilliant win in the preceding rounds at Liverpool and Manchester City. Nethercott was blamed for his mistakes but the truth was everyone played badly, even Mabbutt.

And so to this year's semi-final. I suspect it will be a very tight game but Spurs ought to be able to nick a result if the defence holds firm and we can maintain a clean sheet. But it may well be a very late stage of the game before we see a goal .....

Cheers, Brian

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