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Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game:-
Full Record of Spurs -v- Southampton
Prem Pl W D L For- Ag Pts
Home 9 6 2 1 23 - 8 20
Away 9 2 3 4 8 - 11 9
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Total(Prem) 18 8 5 5 31 - 19 29
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Football Lge
Home(Div 1) 22 13 4 5 52 - 28 38
Away(Div 1) 22 6 8 8 25 - 35 24
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Total(Div 1) 44 19 12 13 77 - 63 62
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Football Lge
Home(Div 2) 14 9 3 2 41 - 12 21
Away(Div 2) 14 2 5 7 12 - 17 9
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Total(Div 2) 28 11 8 9 53 - 29 30
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Total(Prem) 18 8 5 5 31 - 19 29
Total(Div 1) 44 19 12 13 77 - 63 62
Total(Div 2) 28 11 8 9 53 - 29 30
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Grand Total 90 38 25 27 161 -111 121
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This televised clash will have various ingredients contained in it that
will attract a great deal of interest. First and foremost, the spotlight
will be centred on the relations between the two boards. Southampton have
alleged that Tottenham poached their manager from them by using back-door
methods and then attempted to do the same thing with Dean Richards, one of
Southampton's defenders. Southampton have complained to the Football
Association about both of these incidents but it remains to be seen what
action will be taken. It was, of course, one of the world's most worst
kept secrets that Hoddle had a burning desire to return to the club he had
played for as a player and it was widely known there was a clause in
Hoddle's contract that he should be released if Tottenham ever approached
him.
But there will be other ingredients. The change of ownership of Tottenham
has led to high expectations that Tottenham will set off to recover their
position as a high profile club with designs on winning honours
consistently as they did in the 60's, 70's and the first half of the 80s.
Their supporters will demand nothing less. Tottenham have had too many
less than average seasons over the last fifteen years or so and have
figured at the wrong end of the table more frequently than they would
like.
I remember the first time I saw Spurs play Southampton. It was during the
1966-67 season and it came at a time when we had lost three consecutive
home games, which ultimately cost us the championship. Southampton had a
promising player called Martin Chivers. He was a tall gangly player but he
worried the living daylights out of our back four. We won 5-3 that
November afternoon. It was a question of whether we could score more than
our defence could concede! Fortunately for us, Spurs scored five thanks to
Cliff Jones (2), Greaves (pen), Mullery and Mackay. Greaves was relieved
to score from the spot that afternoon because he had missed one in the
previous home game against West Ham, one of the few he ever missed,
blasting the ball over the bar.
The following season, Spurs thrashed Southampton on a sunny afternoon in
April 1967. We won 6-1, thanks to goals by Greaves (2, 1p), Mullery,
Chivers, Jones and Hollywood (own goal). I remember that we threatened to
score in practically every attack we made and could quite easily have
attained double figures if we had not taken our foot off the pedal.
I remember our League Cup tie against Southampton in 1968-69 more than our
League game at Tottenham. It wasn't that it was an exciting game because
it wasn't. Mike England missed the match and Peter Collins deputised. It
was a truly awful match and looked certain to go to a replay until Collins
headed the only goal of the game with seconds left to play.
Southampton provided me with the memories of the longest afternoon I had
at the end of season 1977-78. Unable to go to the Dell, I had to be
satisfied with pacing the living room of my flat as my then wife listened
to the radio commentary for me. I was like a tiger constantly pacing the
floor. I spent the last five minutes of the match kneeling on the floor by
the radio, fingers tightly crossed, praying we wouldn't concede a goal at
that late stage of the game. Never do I want to go through another ninety
minutes of agony like that!
I expect there are many who will recall the 4-4 draw with Southampton on a
brisk Boxing Day morning in 1980. I remember it was almost spring-like
with sunshine, although the weather was bitterly cold that day. Spurs and
Southampton produced some good football to send both sets of supporters
home happy. Gary Brooke scored twice, wearing the number 7 shirt, with
Archibald and Crooks scoring one apiece.
The following season we beat Southampton in March 1982 with three goals by
Graham Roberts, playing in the number 7 shirt. It was the only time
Roberts scored a hat-trick for Tottenham.
In September 1982, we thrashed Southampton at Tottenham on a Wednesday
night under the floodlights. Tony Galvin scored twice, Brooke scored from
the penalty spot, Villa and Crooks scored one apiece and Perryman scored
his only goal of the season as we thumped the Saints 6-0.
Another big thrashing occurred in March 1985 as we vied with Everton at
the top of the table. We thrashed the Saints 5-1 with goals by Ardiles,
Falco, Hoddle, Crooks and Brooke.
In our final home game of the 1985-86 season, we thrashed the Saints yet
again when we won 5-3. Tony Galvin scored a hat-trick in that match and
Clive Allen and Waddle completed the rout. That was the season when we
played Southampton in that curiosity the Screen Sport Super Cup to
compensate for the ban on competing in Europe. (That competition was to
see the last ever appearance of Pat Jennings in a Spurs shirt before he
retired. He had returned to the club with the sole intention of keeping
fit so he could play for Northern Ireland in the 1986 World Cup but a
goalkeeping crisis meant he had to appear for Spurs in a home game against
Liverpool, nearly 20 years after he had made his debut for Tottenham.)
Declan has provided more information about more recent matches between
Spurs and Southampton.
And how will we get on against them on Sunday? Our early matches have
suggested that we lack a cutting edge to our game and that we are not as
incisive as we ought to be in midfield. There has been heavy criticism of
Steffan Iversen for the number of chances he has missed. It will be
interesting to see the format of the team Hoddle sends out to play the
Saints. But we ought to be able to beat the Saints and I take us to do so.
However, it won't be easy .....
COME ON YOU LILYWHITES!
Cheers, Brian
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