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Full History of Cup results
- Spurs v Arsenal :-

FA Cup

Season   Rd   H/A   Result   Scorers

48-49    3     A    0-3
81-82    3     H    1-0      Crooks
90-91   S/F    W    3-1      Lineker 2
                             Gascoigne
92-93   S/F    W    0-1
00-01   S/F   OT*   1-2      Doherty
(*OT = Old Trafford)

Lge Cup

68-69   SF/1   A    0-1
68-69   SF/2   H    1-1      Greaves
80-81    4     H    1-0      Ardiles
83-84    3     H    1-2      Hoddle (p)
86-87   SF/1   A    1-0      C Allen
86-87   SF/2   H    1-2(aet) C Allen
86-87   SF/R   H    1-2      C Allen
06-07   SF/1   H    2-2      Berbatov, o.g
06-07   SF/2   A    1-3(aet) Mido
07-08   SF/1   A    1-1      Jenas
07-08   SF/2   H    5-1      Jenas, Bendtner (o.g),
                             Keane, Lennon, Malbranque
10-11    3     H    1-4      Keane

Tottenham face Arsenal for only the sixth time in the FA Cup despite the fact that both teams have been entering the competition since the end of the nineteenth century. In contrast the teams have been drawn together seven times in only forty seven years in the league cup.

The first meeting between the teams in the FA Cup did not occur until 1949 when the teams met in the third round on 8 January 1949 at Highbury. Arsenal were 9th in the top division at the time whereas Tottenham were third in the second division. Although Highbury at the time had a capacity of 62,000 surprisingly only 47,314 attended.

Spurs were managed by former Arsenal player Joe Hulme who was at the time experiencing some illness which would eventually cost him his job. He sprang a major surprise by omitting Eddie Baily (later assistant manager to Bill Nicholson) and bringing in the inexperienced Harry Gilberg.

On the day the first division triumphed over the second. McPherson gave Arsenal a first half lead heading home a thirty yard high ball. Ditchburn probably should have saved it as he was close by. Roper and Lishman added further goals in the second half. Gilberg had no impact whatsoever.

A further 33 years elapsed before the next meeting at White Hart Lane. Again in was the third round played on Saturday 2 January, 1982. On that day Spurs were in sixth place in Division 1, five points behind Manchester City but with three games in hand (That was the first season of three points for a win). Arsenal were four places and two points behind Spurs.

Spurs were the cup holders at the time while Arsenal had reached the final three times in succession from 1978to 1980 winning once. The weather was a major factor. Spurs had not played a competitive game for three weeks due to bad weather while Arsenal had gone three days longer.

Spurs won 1-0 but the victory was more emphatic than the scoreline would suggest. Garth Crooks was the man of the match scoring the only goal after fifteen minutes. He also hit the post and the bar and set up Villa for a good chance which the latter wasted. Crooks also collided with Jennings with fifteen minutes left and the latter had to be replaced. That was in the days when teams only had one substitute and there were no goalkeepers on the bench.

The next meeting was a semi final on Sunday 14 April, 1991 at Wembley. Arsenal were top of the table having lost only once in the league with five games remaining. Spurs were 27 points behind in eighth place. It had been a financially troubled season for Spurs. The teams were managed by Terry Venables and George Graham respectively who were good friends off the pitch. Spurs had reached the semi final in the minimum four games while Arsenal had played eight including four games against Leeds United before winning in the third replay of the fourth round.

David Howells had been out for three months and Paul Gascoigne had just had a hernia operation but both were declared fit for the game.

Gascoigne it was who would write the headlines. After only five minutes he struck a spectacular 35 yard free kick which flew past Seaman the latter getting the slightest of touches with his fingertips. Lineker extended Spurs dominance five minutes later scoring from close range. Just before half time a poor clearance from Edinburgh fell to Dixon who crossed for Smith to score with a header.

Arsenal were in the game during the second half. The heroic but unfit Gascoigne was replaced by Nayim after 61 minutes. Lineker it was who put the result beyond doubt with fourteen minutes remaining. Samways decoyed Bould to the left. Lineker rounded Adams, pivoted in the box and unleashed a narrow angled shot which the poorly positioned Seaman could only help into the net. Spurs moved on to the final while Arsenal’s double dreams were ended.

Two years later the same two teams met at the same stage at the same venue on Sunday 4 April. The game did not have the inspiration of the 1991 version and was a physical affair. There were four bookings Allen, Linighan Dixon and Nayim. Parlour should have at least been booked for a bad foul on Edinburgh in the second half. Dixon was sent off with four minutes left for a bad foul on Edinburgh.

There was a moment of controversy after 28 minutes. Linighan fouled Anderton on the edge of the box. The main question appeared to be whether it was a penalty or a free kick. Instead the referee Philip Don awarded a corner kick after the ball went out of play.

Arsenal had more chances in the second half. Thorstvedt made a fine double save around the hour mark, first from Selley and then spreading himself wide to save from Wright. With ten minutes remaining Arsenal were awarded a free kick in the same position that Spurs were denied one in the first half. Merson floated the ball towards the far post where Adams scored with a header.

The fifth FA Cup meeting between the sides was also a semi final tie at Old Trafford on Sunday 8 April, 2001. Second placed Arsenal faced twelfth placed Spurs. George Graham had been in charge when Spurs beat West Ham 3-2 at Upton Park in the sixth round but he had since been replaced. This was only Glenn Hoddle’s second game in charge. He had faced the same opponents in his first game losing 2-0 at Highbury.

Two of the current Spurs management team, Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand, featured that day as Glenn Hoddle played a 3-4-2-1 formation. Several players had questionable fitness. The Arsenal team had four elderly players with Seaman, Dixon Bould and Adams well into their 30s.

Arsenal dominated most of the game with Vieira outstanding. Spurs took the lead after 14 minutes with a goal which had a touch of slapstick to it. Doherty knocked the ball down for Ferdinand whose shot was saved by Seaman. The ball fell to Iversen whose shot was mishit. However it hit Doherty’s head and went in.

Campbell was booked and then had to go off to be treated for an injury. While Spurs were down to ten men Pires sent in a free kick from which Vieira equalised. Arsenal had the better of the second half. With fourteen minutes remaining Vieira set up Wiltord who crossed to present Pires with a simple tap in.

In addition to the games there have been a number of sub plots.

The first involves former players or soon to be former players. In 1949 Freddie Cox played on the right wing for Spurs. A year later he featured in the same position for the Arsenal team which won the FA Cup. Freddie returned to haunt Spurs when third division team Bournemouth, whom he managed, performed a giant killing feat beating Spurs 3-1 in Bournemouth in the fifth round of the FA Cup in February 1957.

Pat Jennings was a Spurs legend and a very reliable keeper before joining Arsenal. There was no doubt that he was always a Spurs man. This may have impacted on him subconsciously in the 1982 FA Cup tie. Garth Crooks goal, the only one of the game, came after Jennings dived for his shot but allowed it to slip under his arm.

One of the key issues for the 2001 semi final was whether Campbell would be fit after sustaining an ankle injury. In the event he was but injured the other ankle in the first half and had to go off. It turned out to be his last appearance for the club. I won’t comment on where his next destination was.

This will be the sixth meeting between the clubs in the FA Cup. Incredibly it will be the fifth different ground the games have been played on. The first was at Highbury, the second at White Hart Lane followed by two at Wembley and one at Old Trafford. Also the two teams have only met in the third round or semi final.

Does the result have an augury for either team? On the last five occasions it has. On the two occasions that Spurs won they went on to lift the FA Cup in the same season. Arsenal also did so in 1993. Having beaten Spurs in 1949 and 2001, Arsenal won the cup in the following season on both occasions. So winning this cup fixture has been a prelude to success.

That should provide Spurs with powerful motivation along with the fact that Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand will be seeking revenge after the 2001 semi final defeat.

This time, Arsenal are top of the Premier League, and we are in sixth place. Both sides are out of the League Cup, so will have a full week's recovery time after tomorrow's game. I suspect that both sides will be the strongest available, despite the primacy of the Premier League these days.

Both teams have injury problems though. As I write they are holding the top two positions in the Physio Room injury list, but some players listed could be involved. For Spurs, Lewis Holtby, Jermain Defoe and Andros Townsend all returned to training today. Adebayor suffered severe cramp only at Old Trafford, and he is likely to play against his old team. We need him to keep his discipline this time though!

Kaboul, Sandro and Vertonghen are still not available though. I think the Spurs team will be very similar, if not identical to that which beat Man Utd on New Year's Day. Arsenal also have players listed who missed their game on Wednesday, but who could return tomorrow. Sadly for Spurs, they are Olivier Giroud, who scored the solitary goal in our 1-0 defeat in September, and Mesut Ozil, whose signature was obtaained at the very end of the transfer window. Spurs fans have a chant ready for Ozil, don't they? !

Arsenal will certainly be missing Aaron Ramsey, who has scored 13 goals for his club in all competitions this season.

The game is live on ITV, kicking off at 5.15pm, which is late in the day for this Derby match. There is sure to be a hot atmosphere, and plenty of attacking football. Neither side will want a draw, with plenty of fixtures to come in the second half of the season, bearing in mind the high intensity of this tie.

I would suggest that a 0-0 is highly unlikely. Arsenal have only had one such scoreline (against Chelsea) this season, and a Tim Sherwood side doesn't do goal-less draws, does it? I'm simply hoping for another glorious day, and a second Emirates win for Spurs. If that happened, I'd be spending the week off football with a permanent grin on my face!

The referee tomorrow is one with more controversy over his head after Southampton complained about remarks he made to one of their players this week, but it has been confirmed that Mark Clattenburg will officiate. Spurs have won their last seven games with Mr. Clattenburg in charge, and that includes last year's 2-1 win over Arsenal in March!

· 15 years ago this week, on Saturday January 2nd, 1999, Spurs beat Watford 5-2 in the FA Cup Third Round

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