Spurs in Seventh Heaven!

One can just imagine a young son or daughter accompanying their parent to yesterday’s game, knowing that Spurs needed to reach seventh place to qualify for Football Nirvana – a place in Europe. After each goal (and the one set back along the way), the question might have been asked, “Dad, are we seventh yet?”, and thanks to Davies, Davis and Kelly in the last minute, the eventual answer was a resounding “Yes!”

Whilst we must remember that we are still only participants in a race which can still be won (in theory by any one of four teams), the winner in next Saturday’s game at The Riverside would be long odds on to go to Europe. Yes, we all know the UEFA Cup is now described as second-rate next to the Champions League, but Spurs have not managed to qualify for the competition via League placing since 1983 (partly due to the Heysel ban), and this is what we have been aspiring to for so, so long.

Spurs' team (including the playing substitutes) all deserve credit for their performance yesterday, but one abiding memory for me is the resounding chant of:-

“Super, super Si!
Super, super Si!
Super, super Si!
Super Simon Davies!”

Three quarters of the stadium sang as one (many in the West Stand had left and would have missed Kelly’s goal), to commend our Welsh wizard in strength not heard for at least two years. Davies excelled, and has been given licence by Martin Jol, not only to patrol the wing, but to get inside, and to help out the defence. Indeed, Davies had a hand in the break from defence, along with Dawson and Sean Davis that led to Andy Reid’s great goal.

Spurs have scored 5 goals in three League games now this season (Southampton and Everton were the other victims), and this is the first time such a feat has been achieved since the 1985-6 season. Incredibly, in a season where we finished only 10th, Spurs scored 5 goals on 6 League occasions. The victims then were:-

Newcastle (07.09.85) – Falco, Chiedozie(2), Hoddle, Hazard
Sheffield Wednesday (21.09.85) – Waddle(2), Falco (2), Hoddle
Oxford United (07.12.85) – C. Allen (2), Falco, Hoddle, Waddle
West Bromwich Albion (08.03.86) – Mabbutt, Statham(o.g), Galvin, Falco, Waddle
Queens Park Rangers (26.04.86) – C. Allen (2), Falco (2), Hoddle
Southampton (05.05.86) – Waddle, Galvin (3), C. Allen

We also scored 5 goals that year against Notts County in an FA Cup replay, and of course this season scored 6 at Oldham. The only one of the above games that was away from home was QPR.

Here’s one more statistic for you. The last time we scored 5 against Villa was in the 75-76 season, at home, on 13th March, when we won 5-2. The goals that day came from a Nicholl own goal, Steve Perryman, John Duncan, Don McAllister and one of only two goals scored for the club by Martin Robinson.

Any chance of 5 at Boro? We would all settle for just one more than the hosts, of course!

· Match Report - Spurs 5 Villa 1

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