NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 513
Submitted by Norman Giller

I am still being scraped off the ceiling after Tottenham's battling victory over Eintracht Frankfurt set them marching through to the semi-finals of the Europa Cup. My birth certificate tells me I was 85 the next day (a very good Good Friday) but the game put years on me before Tottenham clinched a nerve-shredding 1-0, 2-1 aggregate win.

That penalty goal from Dominic Solanke was worth its weight in gold (okay, goal-d) and it proved Ange Postecoglou so right to signal for for him to be trusted with the huge job of taking the spot-kick. "Dom, Dom," shouted Ange from the touchline, and Mathys Tel had to hand the ball to Solanke, who duly steered it home with surprising aplomb.

It was a courageous call from Ange and an even more courageous finish from Solanke in the noise-filled cauldron that was the Frankfurt Stadium.

Now we can all start dreaming of silverware in the final being staged in Bilbao on May 21. Oh, hold on, there's the little matter of trying to overcome the two-leg challenge of Bodo/Glimt, the small, relatively unknown club based north of the Artic Circle.

They are the first Norwegian team ever to reach a European Cup semi-final. Surely, surely mighty Tottenham can eliminate them? (enter Leslie Nielsen, "Don't call me Shirley.").

Yes, I am being flippant. But the way through to the final certainly looks good on paper. Just let's hope Ange's Angels get it right on the pitch, just as they did in Frankfurt. This was a good, old-fashioned sleeves-up performance that silenced most (not quite all) those keyboard warriors who have been calling for the head of Postecoglou on a silver salver.

For goodness sake, let's all pull together for Spurs to reach the final rather than continuing to spread the disease of pessimism. I am convinced the negative sounds coming from our fan base have helped make things much worse this season.

In short, (broken record time again), stop the moaning and groaning and get behind the team, not in its way. I know I keep repeating myself ad nauseum, but the negativity really does have to stop. Spurs are so close to trophy time and we should ALL be singing from the same glory-glory song sheet.

Tottenham are at home to Champions' League-chasing Nottingham Forest today, and you can read our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H Smith's forecast of our chances HERE. My memory will be full of the 26 goals my dear old mate Jimmy Greaves scored against Forest, his favourite 'bunny' team along with West Bromwich Albion.

Nuno Espirito Santo was given short shrift by Daniel Levy when he was manager and will be desperate to prove he was dismissed far too quickly when he leads Forest to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening. It adds spice to the Forest quest for three precious points.

An intriguing game, but it is the Europa Cup which now means everything to Spurs.

My thoughts are up in the Artic Circle. Brrrr.

The front jacket of Norman's latest book, 'Life Begins at 90'

A personal plea for you to support my latest publishing venture. It is a joint effort by my 'child bride' Joyce and I that tells the story of our nine decades on this mortal coil, starting out 500 yards apart in London's East End before Hitler unleashed his bombers and The Blitz.

Our journey reached a pinnacle with my 90-year-old wife being awarded an MBE and me writing my 122nd book. Most important of all, £5 from every book sold will will go to the Music Man Project, which supports and encourages people with learning difficulties to grow and have a full life through music.

I hope you can put money where your hearts are. Please contact me at normangiller@gmail.com and I will give you full details. Thank you.

COYS!

Week 33 of our eleventh season of the Spurs Odyssey Quiz League, and the question is:

Who followed his older brother as a professional, has won four international caps, scored against Liverpool and what number shirt does he currently wear with Tottenham?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 33. Deadline: midnight this Friday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part. There are around 60 out there within shooting distance of the SOQL title. You will soon hate me. What fun!

The rules are the same as in the previous ten seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact.

This year's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2025, plus three signed books to be revealed at a later date.

Last week's question: Who won 28 Scottish caps, missed just one game in the Double season and in which country did he end his playing career?

Answer: Bill Brown/Canada

See you back here on Monday. COYS!

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