"It was Twenty Years ago today!"
article published 29th August, 2017, but first written in 1997 by the late Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Arsenal



Premier       Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home           5   3   1   1     4-2   10
Away           5   1   3   1     6-6    6
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Total (Prem)  10   4   4   2    10-8   16
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1)   55 24  12  19    93-83  63
Away (Div 1)   55 16  12  27    65-85  46
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Total (Div 1) 110 40  24  46   158-168 109
==========================================
Total (Prem)   10  4   4   2    10- 8  16
Total (Div 1) 110 40  24  46   158-168 109
==========================================
Grand Total   120 44  28  48   168-176 125
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Earlier than usual this season comes the visit to *that* place in Islington, a place where no true Spurs supporter would normally visit except for the annual pilgrimage to see the white knights of Tottenham Hotspur confront the barbarian horde from Islington.

Over the years since the clubs first confronted each other in mortal combat for League points, there has been a remarkable division of the spoils with neither side gaining the ascendancy over the other for more than a few seasons. Until September 1975, there had never been a 0-0 draw : there have been a number of goal-less draws since then.

Of all the 120 League fixtures played so far, only one has really had much significance for honours. No one who was at Tottenham on 3 May 1971 will ever forget that night. Suffice to say the Championship hung on the outcome of the battle. It was a titanic battle, watched by 51,992 spectators, with thousands more locked out, but who stayed to listen to the roar of the crowd, listening for clues as to who was dominating proceedings.

Like so many matches won by Arsenal, the vital goal was late in coming. Kinnear was trying to extricate himself from a group of Arsenal players when the lanky long haired George took the ball off his feet and whipped it into the penalty area. Radford headed the ball goalwards, but Jennings blocked it. The ball ran loose to Armstrong, almost by the corner flag. Armstrong chipped it back as Kennedy dashed forward and the ball bulleted into the net.

I don't think I've ever seen so many Spurs supporters rise as one to choke the exits since that night!

Consider the players who have graced the field of play in the fixtures between the two clubs. There has been the genial Irishman, Pat Jennings, one of the few to play for both clubs and probably the only one to be welcomed at Tottenham when he returned with the visitors without the accompanying chants of 'Judas!'. There has been Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay, John White, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, Jimmy Bloomfield, George Eastham, George Graham, Eddie Kelly, Martin Peters, Liam Brady and many many more.

Tottenham fans can remember the 5-0 thrashing handed out to Arsenal on Easter Monday 1983 when an injury ravaged Spurs side thrashed an Arsenal side that was obviously thinking of their forthcoming FA Cup Semi-Final against Manchester United. Arsenal fans can equally rejoice in the memory of the 5-0 thrashing they handed out to Spurs in December 1978 when an equisite display of midfield mastery by Liam Brady enabled Sunderland to prise a hattrick. Strange that the Tottenham side that day had a future England coach and future Assistant coach in the team that day. Other future managers in the Tottenham team were Perryman, Pratt, Ardiles, Lee and Taylor.

Very rarely has the fixture been played in the opening stages of the season. Only once in my 40 odd years of following the fortunes of Tottenham has the fixture been the first one played. That was back in 1968-69 when Tottenham were hosts to their neighbours. Spurs came out and played like world champions for twenty minutes before Phil Beal needlessly conceded an own goal. Radford made it 2-0 and Greaves (who else?) scored a late consolation goal. The major surprise was that Arsenal did not hand out a drubbing.

But I have happier memories of my first visit to Arsenal in September 1969. It was a chilly September Tuesday evening. Spurs were 3-0 ahead thanks to goals by Gilzean, Pratt and Chivers before Arsenal even got going. The late goals by Robertson and Radford could not affect the outcome. Typically Spurs, once they were 3-0 ahead they relaxed, almost fatally.

Another game I remember from the 1970s is one where Ken Hancock made an all too rare appearance as Pat Jennings was injured. I've always thought Hancock, whose reactions were dulled by years of reserve team football, was to blame for the first goal when he should have stayed on his line instead of coming out to challenge Radford. The ball ran loose to Armstrong who wriggled away from Kinnear to prod the ball home. Armstrong also scored the second goal.

Lest it should be thought I am remembering too many triumphs of the Reds, there was a match at Tottenham when Gilzean and Chivers struck very late in the game in October 1973 to win the game for Tottenham. I have a memory of Gilzean thrusting both arms in the air, surrounded by Chris McGrath (remember HIM?) and Martin Peters.

Then there was the match where Tottenham, guided by a former Arsenal player whose name I still cannot bring myself to mention, (Ed: This was Terry Neill)beat Arsenal 2-0 a month after his two year sojourn began. Both clubs were near the foot of the table with similar records. Perryman put Spurs ahead in the first half, when Ball fatally hesitated in clearing the ball. Perryman and Pratt, both nursing injuries, helped to score the winner. Pratt's runs, despite a shoulder injury, put pressure on Arsenal until they finally won a free kick near the Arsenal goal. Perryman took the kick, Peters met it by the far post and Chivers nudged the ball behind Rimmer, whose days of glory lay ahead of him with Aston Villa.

And, finally, let us look back to the year we became the first club this century to achieve the double. The match at Highbury, in September 1960, saw Tottenham defending six straight wins, having scored 18 goals, conceding but 5. Saul, then only 15, put Spurs ahead after only 10 minutes. Dyson headed the ball home, making it 2-0 but David Herd reduced the arrears. Ward equalised to give the Highbury faithful hope of a famous victory but Allen lobbed the ball over Kelsey to snatch Tottenham's seventh victory.

The return game saw Spurs beat Arsenal, 4-2. They'd had a touch of the wobbles, dropping some silly points. The heavily overweight Smith put Tottenham ahead but Jackie Henderson equalised. Allen restored Tottenham's lead and Blanchflower extended it from the penalty spot after Arsenal's centre half, later to be Tottenham's manager, upended Dyson in the penalty area. In the second half, Allen further extended Tottenham's lead but Joe Haverty reduced the arrears.

So many memories down the years, Gazza's free-kick at Wembley among them, and doubtlessly there will be chants about a certain kick from the halfway line that occurred in Paris from the Tottenham supporters at Highbury.

Let battle commence!

Cheers, Brian

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