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Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
Full Record of Spurs -v- Middlesbrough
Prem Pl W D L For- Ag Pts
Home 7 2 3 2 8 - 10 9
Away 6 2 2 2 6 - 6 8
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Total(Prem) 13 4 5 4 14 - 16 17
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1) 25 15 4 6 62 - 40 36
Away(Div 1) 25 3 6 16 25 - 52 13
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Total(Div 1) 50 18 10 22 87 - 92 49
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Football Lge
Home(Div 2) 1 0 0 1 2 - 5 0
Away(Div 2) 1 0 0 1 0 - 3 0
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Total(Div 2) 2 0 0 2 2 - 8 0
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Total(Prem) 13 4 5 4 14 - 16 17
Total(Div 1) 50 18 10 22 87 - 92 49
Total(Div 2) 2 0 0 2 2 - 8 0
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Grand Total 65 22 15 28 103 -116 66
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The advent of Easter at one time, particularly in the late 1920s and early
1930s, used to mean that Middlesbrough and Tottenham had relegation
problems on their hands. Middlesbrough led a yo-yo existence, relegated at
the end of season 1923-24, promoted 1926-27, relegated 1927-28 (with
Tottenham), promoted 1928-29 and thereafter struggling to avoid
relegation, with a particularly close call at the end of season 1934-35
when they very nearly went down again with Tottenham.
Like many clubs, Middlesbrough must have cursed the outbreak of WW2
because they had a nice side coming along and were poised to threaten to
break Arsenal's near monopoly of the championship. It took them a while to
get going again after WW2 but season 1950-51 saw them achieve their
highest placing for a while when they chased Spurs for the title for much
of the season, faltering only in the dying weeks of the season.
Thereafter, they slid down the table until they were relegated, with
Liverpool, at the end of season 1953-54. It was a long time before they
once again graced the top flight and they even experienced a season in the
old Third Division before they climbed back to the top flight.
No one who saw their side in the 1970s will forget the trouncing they gave
Tottenham at White Hart Lane. It was a very good side and promised a
bright future for the Teessiders but they could not hang on to their best
player, a certain Graeme Souness, who left for Liverpool. Things went for
bad to worse during the 1980s and eventually the old club were forced to
shut down and reform as a new club altogether. But they eventually climbed
back up the League but have again become a yo-yo side, not good enough for
the Premiership but too good for the Football League.
However, the signs are that Middlesbrough are at long last developing on
the right lines under Steve McClaren. The future looks bright for the
Teessiders if they can hang on to him.
Because Middlesbrough spent so long out of the top flight, I don't have
many memories of seeing Middlesbrough play Tottenham. There was, as I
mentioned, the unhappy 4-0 thrashing in the Football League Cup on the day
Bill Nicholson's resignation became known in September 1974. We were
dreadful that evening and never did a thing right. Happily, there was a
similar 4-0 result in January 1966 when we thrashed them 4-0 at White Hart
Lane on a mudheap. Dave Mackay scored twice, one a penalty) and Frank Saul
scored the other two in a season the Teessiders prefer to forget.
Another game that sticks out in my mind is our 3-1 win at Ayresome Park on
the opening day of the 1981-82 season. It was highlighted on ITV and I can
recall the goals that Villa, Hoddle and Falco scored that day. It got them
off on the wrong foot and they were relegated at the end of the season.
Given our present problems (with so many out injured), our win last
weekend was very timely indeed. But we need to build up on that and pick
up some more points. However, Middlesbrough pulled off the shock of the
weekend last week by beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford in a
match that may have tilted the odds into Arsenal's favour ....... It is a
difficult game to call as both sides have had problems in scoring goals at
one end but leaking them alarmingly at the other. But both seem to have
done enough to have secured their passports to Premiership football for
next season.
I think Spurs will just about shade it but I'll be happy to settle for a
point .......
Cheers, Brian
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