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Full Cup record - Spurs v Preston North End:-
FA CUP
Season Rd H/A/N Res Scorers
1899-00 1 A 0-1
1900-01 1 H 1-1 Brown
1900-01 1R A 4-2 Brown 3, Cameron
1920-21 S-F N 2-1 Bliss 2
1921-22 S-F N 1-2 Seed
1930-31 3 H 3-1 Harper, Cook, Dimmock
1936-37 Q-F H 1-3 Duncan
1952-53 4 A 2-2 Withers 2
1952-53 4R H 1-0 Duquemin
1965-66 5 A 1-2 Greaves
1967-68 4 H 3-1 Greaves 2, Chivers
LEAGUE CUP
1971-72 4 H 1-1 Chivers
1971-72 4R A 2-1 Perryman, Chivers
1996-97 2(1) A 1-1 Anderton
1996-97 2(2) H 3-0 Anderton, Allen (2)
Come on you "Lilywhites!" (twice)
(with thanks to Declan Mulcahy for some input)
Preston North End and Tottenham Hotspur are inextricably linked through the fact that Spurs changed their colours to those of Preston (also known as "The Lilywhites") as a tribute to the double-winning team of the first Football League season of 1888-89. When you consider that Spurs were the first modern day "Double" winners in 1960-61, 64 years after Villa became the second double winners in 1896-97, you do realise the greatness of that Spurs achievement. We had to play more games too than those old-time winners, and more recent winners.
Preston were one of the 12 founding clubs of the Football League, and also won the second League Championship, finishing runners-up for three years after that too. Also nicknamed "North End", Preston were runners-up in 1905-06, 1952-53 and as late as 1957-58. Preston’s ground Deepdale is only one of two grounds where league football has been played every season since the inception of the league in 1888-89. The other one is Burnley’s ground Turf Moor.
Preston's most famous son is of course the legendary Sir Tom Finney, after whom the road to the Deepdale Stadium has been named. Sir Tom is now in his 88th year, and is Preston's Club President. No doubt he will be watching his beloved team tomorrow night. Here was a loyal one-club man, who also graced the England International team. Sir Tom was actually born within kicking distance of the Deepdale Stadium, where Preston have played since their establishment in 1881. Finney, who was primarily a winger but also a centre forward, first came to prominence during the Second World War. He was the dominant player in the Preston team from 1946 to 1960, winning 76 caps for England and twice being chosen as Footballer of the Year. It is hardly coincidental that, the year after he retired Preston were relegated from the top flight and have never regained that status.
In those lowly paid days for footballers, Finney was also a plumber and was sometimes known as the ‘Preston plumber’. He was a one club player and has lived in Preston all his life. He was knighted about a decade ago and is Preston’s most esteemed citizen.
Going back to links between the two clubs, another famous one is the name of Ted Harper, who played for Spurs between 1928 and 1932, then went to Preston until 1934. For Spurs, Harper is one of three players to have scored five league goals in a game - against Reading in 1930. (the other two were Alfie Stokes, and Bobby Smith in the fifties). For Preston North End, Harper remains to this day their highest league scorer in a season, with 37 in Division Two in 1932-33.
A more recent link was goalkeeper Bobby Mimms, who had a season with Preston in 96/97, playing 27 league games, whereas he had played 37 games for Spurs between 1987 and 1991.
Between 1889 and 1961, Preston spent more years in the top division of the league than out of it. However they were relegated from Division 1 at the end of 1960-61 and have never since returned to the top division.
Spurs have not met Preston in League competition since the Double season, when we won 1-0 away and 5-0 at home. Preston were relegated as bottom side, and fell as low as the old fourth division between 185 and 1987. In recent years they have reached the Championship play-offs on several occasions, losing in the semi-finals last season to Sheffield United.
If you are looking for omens, then Spurs could hark back to the 1901 and 1921 FA Cup successes which were achieved in seasons when they beat Preston. Sandy Brown is one of four players to have scored a hat-trick for Spurs against Preston. The others were Ernie Newman (1911), Len Duquemin (1953), and Cliff Jones (1961).
The two sides have not met since the 1996-7 League Cup competition, when the game was played over two legs. Darren Anderton scored in both games, and at White Hart Lane, young Rory Allen scored twice to secure passage to the third round. After a promising start to his career, Rory became Portsmouth's first £1 million signing, but retired at the age of just 25. He is currently a civil servant in London.
Preston North End currently sit fourth in the Championship table. in their last game, they narrowly beat Coventry 3-2, with two goals by Chris Brown (once of Sunderland) and one by former Liverpool player Neil Mellor, who is now in his third full season at the club.
Preston reached this stage by thrashing Morecambe 5-1, then beating fellow Championship side Leicester 2-1 with Brown the scorer of both their goals. Their midfield includes former Birmingham and West Brom player Darren Carter, and another former Baggie - Richard Chaplow.
There ought to be a big and vocal crowd for this game which will be tricky for Spurs, not least because of their injury list. No doubt Harry Redknapp would have rung the changes anyway, but we now know that Jonathan Woodgate's recovery has been put on hold, whereas I was hoping he would play tomorrow. Roman Pavlyuchenko will be absent too, because of an achilles problem.
Generally speaking, Redknapp will seek to revert to the team that started at Doncaster with one or two refinements. Heurelho Gomes is likely to replace Cudicini. Kyle Naughton should start at right back, but the centre back positions hold the greatest problem for the manager. The latest news is that Michael Dawson will take part, but we could also see improvisation in the shape of two from Hutton, Huddlestone and Corluka, with Gareth Bale likely to make his return and first start of the season.
With Pavlyuchenko out, there will be a vacancy at the front with Peter Crouch, due to Niko Kranjcar being cup-tied, which leaves a midfield of Bentley on the right, Giovani on the left, and perhaps Jermaine Jenas and Danny Rose in the middle. Without other recognised first team starters on the Spurs side, Preston must fancy their chances, and Spurs had better have their aces such as Lennon and Defoe on the bench, just in case!
Whoever represents us, there is enough pedigree and quality on the Spurs side to deal with the threat of a decent Championship team supported by a strong crowd. It's sure to be an open game, but one which I think Spurs will win 3-1.
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