Declan Mulcahy's "Last Five"

THE LAST FIVE SEASONS:
ASTON VILLA (HOME)

P   W   D   L   F   A
5   3   1   1   7   6

Played in all five games, Tottenham: Carr, Aston Villa: None

While the record shows that Spurs have won three of their last five home games against Villa none of them have been convincing victories. Two of the three wins were by a 1-0 margin. The games have also produced controversy, Bosnich's salute five years ago and an unexpected win for Villa two years ago. Following are the details of the last five games.

Saturday 28 April 2001

Tottenham Hotspur (0) 0 Aston Villa (0) 0

Tottenham Hotspur (4-1-4-1):
N Sullivan; S Carr, A Gardner, G Doherty, L Young; T Sherwood (capt); W Korsten, S Davies (A Thelwell 75), S Clemence, O Leonhardsen; L Ferdinand (M Etherington 75).

Substitutes not used: I Walker, I Hillier, J Piercy.
Booked: L Young (25).

Aston Villa (4-4-2):
D James; M Delaney, G Southgate (capt), G Barry, A Wright; P Merson, I Taylor, G Boateng, S Staunton (D Ginola 80); D Dublin, D Vassell (J Joachim 80).

Substitutes not used: P Enckelman, J Samuel, S Stone.

Attendance: 36,096
Referee: C. Wilkes (Gloucester)

Managers: Glenn Hoddle (Tottenham), John Gregory (Aston Villa)

This was an end of the season game. Neither team was in contention for Europe or threatened by relegation so there was not a lot to play for.

Spurs fielded a lot of youngsters due to injuries and one of them, Gardner, was Spurs best player on the day.

The game was not a memorable one. Both sides had chances but failed to score. Villa had the best opportunity in the 73rd minute. First a shot from Merson produced a diving save from Sullivan. However he was unable to hold the ball and it ran to Vassell. His shot was cleared off the line by Young.

Ginola returned to WHL for his first game since his transfer. However Gregory left him on the substitutes bench deploying him only for the last ten minutes.

Saturday 15 April 2000

Tottenham Hotspur (1) 2
Iversen 16, Armstrong 47.
Aston Villa (0) 4
Dublin 62 p, 69, Carbone 70, Wright 74.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2):
I Walker; S Carr, S Campbell (capt), C Perry, M Taricco; D Anderton, S Freund, S Clemence, D Ginola; C Armstrong, S Iversen.
Substitutes not used: E Baardsen, W Korsten, J Scales, L Young, M Etherington.
Booked: D Anderton, S Campbell, M Taricco, C Perry.

Aston Villa (3-4-1-2):
D James; U Ehiogu, J Samuel, G Barry; S Watson (M Delaney 46 (J Brewers 90)), G Boateng, A Thompson, A Wright; P Merson (capt); D Dublin, B Carbone.
Substitutes not used: P Enckelman, R Walker, N Ghayrib.
Booked: A Thompson, J Samuel.

Attendance: 35,304
Referee: R Harris (Oxford).

Managers: George Graham (Tottenham), John Gregory (Aston Villa)

After eighteen minutes of the second half Spurs appeared to be on course for a victory before. However the game was turned on its head during the next fifteen minutes.

Spurs took the lead early on when Iversen headed home a Ginola cross and had the better of the first half. Just after the restart Spurs increased their lead thanks to a fine solo effort from Armstrong. The Villa offside trap failed leaving him in the clear. He chipped the ball over goalkeeper James and followed up to score from an acute angle.

However then the unexpected happened. In the 58th minute Villa were awarded a corner possibly in error. The corner resulted in a shot by Dublin which struck the arm of Iversen. Referee Harris first waved play on, but after protests from the Villa players and consultation with a linesman, altered his decision to a penalty kick from which Dublin ultimately scored.

Villa equalized in the 69th after Carbone crossed and Dublin again scored with a spectacular bicycle kick. A minute later Villa were in the lead when Dublin set up Carbone this time. To add insult to injury Alan Wright, the diminutive Villa full back, who had not scored for three years, added a fourth with a half-volley from the edge of the area, after a poor clearance from Campbell.

Spurs nearly pulled one back when James failed to hold a Ginola shot and the ball almost crossed the line.

George Graham, the Tottenham manager, was not present as he was in hospital suffering from arthritis. The Spurs team on the day was managed by Stewart Houston. After the game there was a small demonstration by some Spurs' supporters.

Saturday 13 March, 1999

Tottenham Hotspur (0) 1
Sherwood 88.
Aston Villa (0) 0

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2):
I Walker; S Carr, R Vega, S Campbell (capt), M Taricco (A Sinton 79); A Nielsen, D Anderton, T Sherwood, D Ginola (J Dominguez 79); L Ferdinand, C Armstrong (S Iversen 79).
Subs not used: E Baardsen, L Young.
Booked: L Ferdinand.

Aston Villa (3-5-2):
M Bosnich; R Scimeca, G Southgate, G Barry; S Stone, L Hendrie, M Draper, A Thompson, A Wright; P Merson (J Joachim 67), S Collymore.
Subs not used: M Oakes, D Byfield, J L Samuel, M Delaney.
Booked: G Barry, M Draper, S Stone, L Hendrie.

Attendance: 35,963
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough)

Managers: George Graham (Tottenham), John Gregory (Aston Villa)

This was the start of a busy week for Spurs with a sixth round FA Cup tie against Barnsley in mid week and the Worthington Cup final against Leicester City next weekend.

Villa who had led the Premiership earlier in the season but were now 16 points behind the leaders having only taken one point from their last six games. Steve Stone made his debut for Aston Villa.

Spurs had the better of the first half but failed to score. There were less opportunities in the second half, though Spurs could have had a penalty when Ferdinand was pushed in the penalty box after an hour. The game appeared destined for a 0-0 result before Spurs scored with two minutes to go.

Nielsen fed Iversen who shot at goal. Bosnich could not hold the ball which fell to Sherwood. His header hit a post and rebounded. Bosnich and Sherwood tussled for the ball before the latter succeeded in forcing the ball home.

Wednesday. August 27 1997

FA Carling Premiership

Tottenham Hotspur (1) 3
Ferdinand 6, 66, Fox 77

Aston Villa (1) 2
Yorke 27, Collymore 58

Tottenham Hotspur (3-5-2):
I Walker; J Scales, C Calderwood, J Edinburgh (G Mabbutt 58); S Carr, R Fox, S Clemence, D Howells (capt), A Sinton; S Iversen, L Ferdinand (N Fenn 82).
Substitutes Not Used: E Baardsen, A Nielsen, J Clapham
Booked: L Ferdinand

Aston Villa (3-5-2):
M Bosnich; R Scimeca, G Southgate, U Ehiogu (S Curcic 85); G Charles, I Taylor, M Draper, A Townsend, S Staunton; S Collymore, D Yorke.
Substitutes Not Used: M Oakes, S Milosevic, A Wright, F Nelson

Referee : Mr M Riley (West Yorkshire).
Attendance : 26,317.

Managers: Gerry Francis (Tottenham), Brian Little (Aston Villa)

The fourth game of the season was a topsy-turvy affair with the lead changing hands three times. Ruel Fox had an outstanding game for Spurs.

Spurs opened the scoring early on after Fox back-healed the ball to Ferdinand to run on to and score with a diagonal shot. Spurs had several chances after that but failed to capitalise. Villa equalised just before the half hour mark when Sinton was caught in possession. Draper's long pass set up Yorke who was all alone in the penalty box and scored. Collymore had a goal disallowed before half time because of a foul.

Early in the second half Villa's new signing Collymore volleyed them ahead after a fatal hesitation by the Spurs defence. As a result Mabbutt was brought on to steady the defence. This was his first appearance since breaking a leg on the first day of the previous season.

Spurs equalized with a powerful header by Ferdinand from a Fox cross. Fox and Ferdinand were also involved in the winning goal. Sinton's cross was backheaded by Ferdinand to Fox who swept the ball home. Within six minutes Ferdinand had to be substituted after being concussed.

Aston Villa had now lost all four league games of the new campaign, their worst ever start to a season.

Saturday October 12 1996

Tottenham Hotspur (0) 1
Nielsen 61

Aston Villa (0) 0.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2):
I Walker; S Carr, C Calderwood, S Campbell, C Wilson; R Fox, A Nielsen (S Nethercott 90), D Howells, A Sinton (J Edinburgh 37); E Sheringham, C Armstrong.
Substitutes not used : D Austin, E Baardsen, N Fenn.
Booked: E Sheringham

Aston Villa (3-5-2) :
M Bosnich; S Staunton, U Ehiogu, I Taylor; F Nelson, M Draper (J Joachim 78), A Townsend (C Tiler 78), S Curcic, A Wright; S Milosevic (T Johnson 78), D Yorke.
Substitutes not used : M Oakes, G Farrelly.
Booked: M Bosnich, I Taylor

Attendance: 32,840
Referee : Mr P Jones (Loughborough).

Managers: Gerry Francis (Tottenham), Brian Little (Aston Villa)

This was the game when Bosnich gave the infamous Nazi salute.

Spurs had not won a home game for seven matches a sequence stretching back to March 1996. They did not look like ending the sequence for quite a while in this game. In the first half Curcic and Ehiogu had gone close for Villa.

Then the incident occurred in the 50th minute which transformed the game. Sheringham was receiving treatment at the other end of the pitch. The Spurs' fans at the Paxton End, behind Bosnich's goal, were chanting 'There's only one Jurgen Klinsmann' to remind him of his nasty foul on Klinsmann, two seasons previously. In response, Bosnich gave what appeared to be a Nazi salute. The linesman drew the referee's attention to the gesture and Bosnich was booked.

The incident galvanized Spurs and within ten minutes they scored. Fox crossed the ball into the penalty area where it was deflected off Ehiogu's arm before Nielsen had scored. Ironically Spurs had several opportunities after that but Bosnich kept them at bay.

After the game Bosnich tried to make light of the incident claiming that he was merely indulging in banter with the supporters. Unfortunately the FA did not pursue the matter any further.

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