|
Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
Full Record of Spurs -v- Aston Villa
Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 11 4 4 3 12 -12 16
Away 10 0 4 6 7 -16 4
======================================
Total(Prem) 21 4 8 9 19 -28 20
======================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 1) 47 25 5 16 99 -77 62
Away (Div 1) 47 17 11 19 72 -75 48
=====================================
Total(Div 1) 94 42 16 35 171 -152 110
======================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 2) 2 1 1 0 4 - 3 3
Away (Div 2) 2 0 1 1 1 - 3 1
======================================
Total(Div 2) 4 1 2 1 5 - 6 4
======================================
Total(Prem) 21 4 8 9 19 -28 20
Total(Div 1) 94 42 16 35 171-152 110
Total(Div 2) 4 1 2 1 5 - 6 4
======================================
Grand Total 119 47 26 45 195-186 134
=======================================
As can be seen from the above table, we have yet to win a match in the
Premiership at Villa Park. This is strange because at one time we never
seemed to have a problem in winning at Villa Park! Our record was:
1950-51 W 3-2 Murphy Duquemin Medley
1951-52 W 3-0 Walters Duquemin 2
1952-53 W 3-0 Bennett Duquemin Dicker
1953-54 W 2-1 Walters Baily
1954-55 W 4-2 Dowsett Bennett 2 Baily
1955-56 W 2-0 Clarke McClennan
1956-57 W 4-2 Harmer Smith Stokes Robb
1957-58 D 1-1 Smith
1958-59 D 1-1 Norman
1960-61 W 2-1 R Smith Dyson
1961-62 A 0-0
1962-63 L 1-2 Medwin
1963-64 W 4-2 Jones Greaves 2 Dyson
One defeat in 13 visits to Villa Park. The missing season (1959-60) is
accounted for as Aston Villa spent a single season in Division 2. I don't
think Spurs have a better away record anywhere else, although I stand to
be corrected. (We don't need to be reminded what is our current worst ever
sequence against one club, do we?)
The last victory in that sequence was the match in which Phil Beal made
his debut for Tottenham. It was the first sign that Danny Blanchflower
could no longer cope with the pace of top flight football. Beal's debut
came as a major surprise because Tottenham had spent heavily on building
their team. Youngsters coming through from the ranks were rare at that
time. Phil Beal was the first product of the Youth system that Bill
Nicholson introduced on succeeding as manager.
Beal was, in my opinion, very unlucky not to win international honours. It
was his misfortune to be a contemporary of players such as Bobby Robson,
Bobby Moore, Colin Bell and others of that ilk. I think what weighed
against him most was a slight, very slight, lack of pace. Beal read the
game very well and was seldom caught out of position. He was a very
cultured, under-rated player of his time.
Villa in the 60s and 70s were very much a sleeping giant. Doug Ellis was
Chairman in those days, hiring and firing managers in much the same way as
he does today. Villa had some awful seasons in the late 60s and early 70s,
sinking to the old Third Division at one time. They were in the Third
Division the day Spurs beat Aston Villa in the Football League Cup Final
of February 1971, the game that turned Chivers' fortunes around as he
scored two great goals for Spurs.
But Villa had their greatest days ahead when they won the League in
1980-81 and then won the European Cup the following season, despite losing
manager Ron Saunders, who stormed out on a point of principle. Saunders
was replaced by the modest Tony Barton, who had the sense to leave things
well alone. The Villa side that had players such as the bearded Dennis
Mortimer, the flying Trevor Morley, the equally bearded Peter Withe and
the athletic Nigel Sims, in goal, were attractive to watch. Unhappily,
Villa faded as quickly as they rose to prominence and they have seldom set
the Holte End on fire ever since.
In recent years, the annual pilgrimage to Villa Park has been a
disappointing one for Tottenham. Too often they have flattered, only to be
taken apart by a mediocre Villa side. This time gives us our best
opportunity to put one over Villa. They are known to be a brittle side
under pressure - remember the own goal that goalkeeper Enckleman conceded
against arch-rivals Birmingham City last September!!!!
Hoddle thinks that Tottenham can still qualify for Europe by finishing
high enough in the League. IF we are to achieve that success, we MUST beat
Villa AND improve our goal difference. Villa have not scored many goals
this season and have been racked by internal dissensions within their
camp.
I take Spurs to win IF we can ride out the initial storm and THEN
counter-attack with a Robbie Keane special! But if we concede an early
goal, I do wonder whether we will have the guts and determination to fight
back as we did at the Lane against Everton.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Cheers, Brian
· Read the full preview pack for this game.
Top of page | Back to Fixtures and Results
| 
