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Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
The following are the results of our Cup ties against Bolton Wanderers.
FA CUP
SEASON RD H/A RESULT SCORERS
24-25 2 H 1-1 Seed
2R A 1-0 Lane
34-35 5 H 1-1 W Evans
5R A 1-1 G Hunt
5-2nd R VP 0-2
47-48 3 A 2-0 [AET] Duquemin 2
77-78 3 H 2-2 Hoddle Duncan
3R A 1-2 [AET] P Taylor (pen)
FL CUP
96-97 4 A 1-6 Sheringham
No one will need reminding about the last occasion when we played Bolton
Wanderers in the Football League Cup. Most of us will recall the horror
with the memories of that match. Indeed it probably played a great part in
the decision of Teddy Sheringham to leave us for Old Trafford. We were
heading nowhere rapidly and looked like sinking out of sight.
Our previous Cup tie against the Trotters was in the 3rd Round of the FA
Cup in 1977-78. Both teams were fighting it out for the honour of winning
the Second Division championship, a feat achieved by Bolton Wanderers
ahead of Southampton with ourselves in 3rd place. We were fortunate to
draw 2-2 at White Hart Lane thanks to goals by Hoddle and Duncan but
although Peter Taylor's penalty forced extra time, we were beaten at
Burnden Park.
Curiously, this had been our first cup tie with Bolton since our last
spell in the old Second Division. We had been drawn against the Trotters
in season 1947-48, the second full peace-time season. Students of our
history will remember that we were beaten in the Semi-Final at Villa Park
by Blackpool. We won 2-0 at Burnden Park, thanks to two goals by Len
Duquemin, but it needed extra time to break the deadlock. It was Duquemin
who began the move seconds into extra time. He collected the ball in the
centre circle, turned, and ploughed his way through the mud. He bypassed
two opponents by selling them a dummy and as Bolton's goalkeeper, Hanson,
came out, he shot for the corner of the goal. In the dying seconds of
extra time, Duquemin struck again. Cox, soon to leave for Arsenal, tore
down the wing and centred the ball. Duquemin dived into the mud like a
seal and with his knees skimming through the mud, headed the ball home.
Before that, we have to go back to season 1934-35 for the preceding cup
tie against Bolton. We had fought through to the 5th Round despite the
fact we were already looking certainties for relegation. We had beaten
Manchester City 1-0 at home in the 3rd Round, thanks to Willie Evans and
had then beaten Newcastle United 2-0, thanks to two goals by George Hunt.
Yet these, incredibly, were our only victories in a depressing run
extending back to December 26th 1934 when we had beaten Grimsby Town 2-1,
thanks to two goals by Almer Hall, who was making his debut. In fact, we
did not win another match until 19th April 1935, when we beat Blackburn
Rovers, 1-0, at Tottenham, with a goal by Samuel Bell.
On February 16th 1935, we drew our tie at White Hart Lane, 1-1. Willie
Evans scored the goal that forced a replay. Four days later, we again drew
1-1 with George Hunt scoring the goal that forced a second replay. This
was held at Villa Park on 25th February 1935 but our luck had run out as
we crashed 2-0.
The first ever occasion that we played Bolton in a cup tie was in 1924-25.
We had beaten Northampton Town in the 1st Round, 3-0, our goals being
scored by Jimmy Seed, Alec Lindsay and Jack Elkes. We were drawn at home
against Bolton in the 2nd Round. Spurs had slipped from their high
standards of the early 1920s but had not yet slipped down to the wrong end
of the table. Both sides played a brilliant game on 31st January 1925. Our
goal was scored by Jimmy Seed. He stood on the far corner of the goal area
as Dimmock took the corner and the cross was so perfect that Seed scarcely
had to swivel his head to nod the ball home. The replay four days later
saw Bolton dominate the match but Bolton could not score. Fred Hinton, who
was in goal for Spurs that day, caught everything the talented Bolton
forwards could throw at him. Spurs literally made only one attack that
afternoon, a few seconds after the half-time break. It was Billy Lane who
snatched the only goal of the match but it was Hinton and his defenders
who earned the plaudits for Spurs' great Cup victory. For it was Bolton
who won the FA Cup in 1923, 1926 and 1929, one of the finest sides in the
country during the 1920s.
So to tomorrow night. I would be reckless to try to predict how Spurs will
play. They are a schizophrenic side at present. On their day, they can
play brilliantly and match anyone for skill and effort. Then you have days
where Spurs fans are baffled by a team that makes schoolboy howlers and
elementary mistakes as at Charlton. But if Spurs play to their potential,
they are capable of beating Bolton.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Cheers, Brian
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