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Previous Cup-ties with Leicester City (Read Declan Mulcahy's History here)
FA Cup
13-14 1 A 5-5 Bliss 2, Middlemiss,
Minter, Cantrell
1R H 2-0 Bliss, Walden
(as Leicester Fosse)
27-28 5 A 3-0 O'Callaghan 2 Dimmock
47-48 5 H 5-2 Duquemin 3 Cox 2
56-57 3 H 2-0 Blanchflower, Robb
57-58 3 H 4-0 Smith 2, Stokes, Medwin
60-61 F W 2-0 R Smith, Dyson
73-74 3 A 0-1
81-82 SF VP 2-0 Crooks, Wilson (o.g.)
League Cup
98-99 F W 1-0 Nielsen
It was October 2003 when Spurs last played Leicester away, and that was Spurs' only previous visit to the Walkers Stadium. Leicester were on a one-season return to the Premiership. They started and finished the game at the bottom of the table, whereas Spurs started in 14th. We climbed to 11th place thanks to a 2-1 win. Spurs had been behind till 11 minutes from time, but equalised through a blistering shot from Mbulelo Mabizela, who enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame that day. Fredi Kanoute got the late winner to steal the points. The Spurs team that day was:-
Keller; Carr (Capt), Doherty, Richards, Taricco; Ricketts (sub Dalmat, 46), Poyet (sub Mabizela, 73), Anderton, Konchesky (sub Zamora, 65); Keane, Kanoute
Subs not used:- Burch; Bunjevcevic
Just as Spurs will be barely recognisable from that line-up of just over two years ago, so will The Foxes look a drastically different side. Then they had the likes of Ian Walker, Gillespie, Izzet, Dickov, Ferdinand and Bent. Now they are likely to feature former Man City defender - Danny Tiatto, Dion Dublin, Joey Gudjonsson. Another player on Leicester's books is former Blackburn and Leeds star, Jason Wilcox, but he currently wears Blackpool's colours. Dublin is listed as a forward, but I believe he has played more games in the central defence this season. He will need to be more aware of events than he appeared when on television at the time of the draw for this round, as he failed to realise his team were the home side!
Leicester were first elected to League Division Two in 1894, and have spent all the years since flitting between the top and second flight of the League. Currently they are only one place off the Championship relegation zone, so there is no doubt their priority will be survival at this level.
Leicester's top scorer this season is Surinam-born Mark De Vries, with 8 goals to his credit. Gudjonsson is one behind that tally. The Foxes are in poor form, without a win in 9 games, but that was an impressive 4-2 over promotion contenders Sheffield United. They have lost their last three games to Reading, Norwich and Crystal Palace.
Leicester do still draw decent crowds, with a highest turnout in the league of 24,873 and an average gate of 21,775. Despite the live BBC coverage on Sunday night, this game has sold out, so a hot atmosphere is assured.
Spurs will travel without Edgar Davids, Ledley King, Andy Reid, Mido and Naybet. These last two are on African Nations Cup duty, although Mido will be available (injury permitting) for the Liverpool game on January 14th. Davids missed the Man. City game, but will surely be ready for Liverpool next week. Teemu Tainio and Y.P Lee face late fitness tests, but it's great to know that Lee may yet play, despite the injury scare after Sommeil's hack at Eastlands. Grzegorz Rasiak is likely to start a game against opposition with which he is familiar, having faced Leicester when playing for Derby last season.
I don't think Martin Jol will tinker around with the side more than necessary. He and the players will want to keep their winning form and rhythym going, before travelling to Anfield the following Saturday. I don't think we'll see anything other than a convincing Spurs win, but the scoreline may be no more than 2-0.
· Did you know?When Spurs played Leicester in the historic 1961 Cup Final, future Spurs striker Jimmy Greaves was pictured on the back of the programme, in his Chelsea kit - advertising Bovril! Greaves of course played for Spurs in the 1962 Cup Final against Burnley.
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