Consent Preferences Spurs Odyssey match preview - Leeds v Spurs, 04.03.98
Spurs Odyssey Banner

Over 25 years of archives at Spurs Odyssey

Main Page
News and views from Paul Smith, and links to the interactive features of the Spurs Odyssey Site. [more..]
Features
Articles, reports, views, opinions, comments and other features all related to Spurs. [more..]
News

Harry Hotspur's Tribute Pages to the late great Bill Nicholson

A Commemorative plate that was issued to celebrate the Spurs Double Season

Match Reports
Thanks for visiting Spurs Odyssey!

Spurs Odyssey Preview - Leeds v Spurs, 04.03.98

"It was Twenty Years ago today!"
article published March, 2018, but first written in 1998 by the late Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Leeds United



Prem           Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home            6   3   2   1     9-4   11
Away            5   1   2   2     4-9    5
===========================================
Total (Prem)   11   4   4   3    13-13  16
===========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 1)   28  14   8   6    47-34  37
Away (Div 1)   28   6  10  12    32-42  23
===========================================
Total (Div 1)  56  20  18  18    79-76  60
===========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 2)    4   3   1   0    10-4    7
Away (Div 2)    4   1   1   2     3-5    3
===========================================
Total (Div 2)   8   4   2   2    13-9   10
===========================================
Total (Prem)   11   4   4   3    13-13  16
Total (Div 1)  56  20  18  18    79-76  60
Total (Div 2)   8   4   2   2    13-9   10
===========================================
Grand Total    75  28  24  23   105-98  86
===========================================

This match has been brought forward from Saturday afternoon to Wednesday evening as Leeds still have an interest in the outcome of the FA Cup. They have been showing signs of developing into an exciting team. Their youth team won the FA Youth Cup last season and some of those youngsters have progressed to the first team. Leeds have been disrupted by the calls of various FIFA competitions being played on the African continent and Australia's challenge to qualify for the World Cup Finals. I think Leeds would have probably been higher in the table if they had not been forced to part with so many of their players for long spells.

The country -v- club issue is always going to plague us but most managers and observers believe it is best to release a player for international duty rather than to prevent him from going. A resentful player is never going to be productive. George Graham has made his feelings known, speaking through gritted teeth in order to prevent his true feelings from being revealed. At Arsenal, Graham had an undeserved reputation for producing boring teams. The tactics he adopted reflected the thinking of the times. It is always true to say that if you do not concede a goal, you have earned a point.

Since moving to Leeds, where he has David O'Leary, another former Gooner, as his assistant, Graham has patiently sorted the wheat from the chaff and disposed of those players he felt were not looking for change in their daily routine. When Leeds last played at Tottenham, I tipped them as future champions and I have seen nothing in the intervening period to make me change their mind. David Hopkin, for example, reminds me very forcefully of the very young Billy Bremner before Bremner toned his act down. If Hopkin can tone his act down, I can see him captaining Leeds and Scotland for many years.

Over the years, Tottenham have not performed very well at Leeds. They seem to be intimidated by the crowd, which, at its worse, can be a vicious one.

Much will depend on the make-up of the team. Spurs are still plagued by their long standing injuries. I will be surprised if Anderton and Iversen play again this season despite the many optimistic noises being made from within the Spurs camp. I would infinitely prefer them to take their time to regain full fitness before attempting to reclaim their first team place. I think a good pre-season's build-up is what both players require.

As I say, Leeds have a lot of confidence but will have their minds distracted by thoughts of their Cup match on Saturday. The twin towers of Wembley are just over the horizon and no one will want to miss a coach trip to the Cup Final. If Spurs catch Leeds early on with their pants down literally, they may well snatch a point from the game. But I am not optimistic and sense we may well lose 2-0 or 3-0, particularly if defensive errors raise their ugly heads again.

Cheers, Brian

· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats

Top of page | Index to 1997-98 Match Reports

Statistics
Fixtures, appearances, current league table, form guide, reserves fixtures, and Spurs Honours. [more..]
Archives
Find match reports, appearances, goalscorers and features from previous seasons. [more..]
Pick of the Week
Selected Spurs related sites are highlighted in this section. [more..]
Links
View a comprehensive list of links to other Spurs related sites. (With a few extras) [more..]
About this site
· Overview
· History
· Contributors
Contacts
Site Owner
· Paul Smith


Over 25 years of archives at Spurs Odyssey

We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Full details van be found via the Spurs Odyssey Privacy Policy