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Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
Full Record of Spurs -v- Newcastle United
Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 8 5 1 2 18 -10 16
Away 8 1 3 4 8 -17 6
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Total(Prem) 16 6 4 6 26 -27 22
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Lge Div 1
Home 43 24 7 12 87 -48 59
Away 43 15 14 14 70 -76 45
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Total(Div 1) 86 39 21 26 157 -124 109
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Lge Div 2
Home 6 1 3 2 6 - 7 5
Away 6 3 0 3 6 - 4 6
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Total(Div 2) 12 4 3 5 12 -11 11
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Total(Prem) 16 6 4 6 26 -27 22
Total(Div 1) 86 39 21 26 157 -124 109
Total(Div 2) 12 4 3 5 12 -11 11
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Grand Total 114 49 28 37 195 -162 142
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This will always be a painful fixture for us to review in view of past
thrashings at Newcastle, the more recent being those 6-1 (in the FA Cup a
couple of seasons ago) and 7-1 shortly afterwards. But our record there is
not all doom and gloom as we had a fairly good record at St James' Park
when we were in the Football League.
However, for a change, I thought I would talk about some individual
players who have graced this particular fixture. We are all aware of Alan
Shearer, who has worn the number 9 shirt for Newcastle in recent seasons
but Jackie Milburn is still revered on Tyneside for his part in helping
Newcastle to win the FA Cup three times during the 1950s. He was a
graceful player in the air and just as quick to see a half chance as Alan
Shearer has been over the past decade.
Their captain during those triumphant years at Wembley was Jimmy Scoular,
who had won championship honours with Portsmouth and then won FA Cup
medals with the Geordies. Scoular was an uncompromising player in the
David Batty or Dave Mackay mould. He took no prisoners but he was a hard
but fair player.
Ardiles and Villa were not, of course, the first foreign nationals to play
in this country. The Robledo brothers, Edward and George, both played for
Barnsley and Newcastle, whilst Edward also played for Notts County. George
was the more famous of the two brothers from Chile, playing for his
country. Both began as Juniors with Barnsley. George played on the left
wing for Newcastle but I forget which position Edward played in.
George Eastham was a very frail schemer for Newcastle in the 1950s but he
wanted to play for Arsenal. The Board refused to let him go, insisting
they had the right to retain his services. Eastham promptly went on strike
and refused to play for Newcastle. The whole matter was referred to the
Courts for a decision and the decision came down in favour of Eastham, the
judges arguing that in insisting on retaining Eastham against his will was
a restraint of trade as people in other employment were free to resign
from their present occupation and seek employment elsewhere. That was the
start of the long trail towards the present state of affairs in which
agents literally dictate what their clients require if the clubs wish to
retain their employment.
Ronnie Simpson spent nearly ten years of his career playing for Newcastle
before moving on to Celtic, where he won immortal fame playing in Jock
Stein's 1960s team that won the European Cup, beating Inter Milan, 2-1.
Simpson was an unflashy goalkeeper, who was that rarity a Scottish
goalkeeper who was not a joke when he played for Scotland. He played for
almost 20 years at the top, playing for Newcastle in the 1952 and 1955 FA
Cup Finals.
Going back in time, Hughie Gallacher, who played for a number of clubs
including Newcastle, was probably one of the greatest stars of his time.
He certainly played some brilliant football according to contemporary
accounts of games he played in. What was very sad about Gallacher was that
he committed suicide at a very early age, finding life difficult to cope
with after finishing his football career, plunging in front of an express
train.
Tomorrow, of course, is another day, as they say. We have been playing
more confidently away from home than for some time so, hopefully, we may
be able to secure something from tomorrow's match. Spurs have played some
good football recently but they have had a glaring failure to make the
most of their chances in front of the opposition's goal. I take Spurs to
secure a point at St James' Park to make the long journey worthwhile.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Cheers, Brian
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