"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- Liverpool

Prem          Pl   W   D   L  For-Ag  Pts
Home           5   1   2   2    6-8    5
Away           6   1   2   3    6-14   5
=========================================
Total (Prem)  11   2   4   5   12-22  10
=========================================
Football Lge
Home (Div 1)  49  24  10  15   73-58  62
Away (Div 1)  49   4  14  31   38-95  24
=========================================
Total (Div 1) 98  28  24  46  111-153 86
=========================================
Total (Prem)  11   2   4   5   12-22  10
Total (Div 1) 98  28  24  46  111-153 86
=========================================
Grand Total  109  30  28  51  123-175 96
=========================================

Long gone are the days of swaying Liverpool supporters, bawling at the top of their voices ....

"Walk on! Walk on! With hoooopppppe in yer heaaaaartttttt!
And yer'll NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVER WAAAAAAAAAAAAAALKKK AALLLLLOOOOONE!
YER'LL NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVER WAAAAAAAAAAAAAALKKK AALLLLLOOOOONE!
YER'LL NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVER WAAAAAAAAAAAAAALKKK AALLLLLOOOOONE!"

followed by ....

"EE-AYE-ADDIO! LIVE-RRRR-PEWL! LIVE-RRRR-PEWL! LIVE-RRRR-PEWL!"

In the '60s, there was a church poster on the Scotland Road, proclaiming 'What happens when the Lord cometh?'. Underneath was written 'Move St.John to inside-left!'

For me, the most amazing ninety minutes I have ever seen involving a match between Spurs and Liverpool were those played on 16 March 1971. Ray Clemence was simply brilliant that night, defying everything Spurs could throw at him. Steve Heighway scored the only goal of the match in the first half. I don't think I've ever seen one goalkeeper defy the opposition as much as Clemence did that night. (The only other equally frustrating evening I can think of was that of 5 April 1962 when Benfica held on to qualify for the European Cup Final but that, as they say, is quite another story.)

The slow decline and demise of Liverpool as a major force since Heysel has been a sad sight to witness. No one who saw the rampant Reds in the 1970s and 1980s will enjoy the sight of Liverpool today. Somewhere along the line since Heysel they have lost their way and are in danger of becoming just another middle of the table team. For at the height of their powers there was no more enjoyable sight than watching Liverpool on the rampage. Leeds were an equally good side in those days but spoiled the effect by whingeing to the referee about every single decision against them. Liverpool just got on with the game.

So far as Tottenham are concerned, possibly the worst memory they have is that of the 7-0 thrashing at Anfield in September 1978. This is still our worst ever defeat, although not as humilating as Bolton and Newcastle in recent years. I doubt if anyone could have lived with Liverpool that afternoon.

It is clear that all is not well in the Liverpool dressing room this season. Patrik Berger has been allowed to return home and will not be playing for Liverpool again. I am mystified about this because in some ways in his early days at Liverpool he looked a very exciting player. McManaman seems to run in to so many cul-de-sacs these days that he does not look as bright a prospect as he used to be. Like Robbie Fowler, I think McManaman needs a change of club and a fresh challenge.

With Fowler out until the end of the year, a great deal of responsibility is riding on the shoulders of young Michael Owen. The signing of Karl-Heinz Riedel was supposed to be to relieve the scoring responsibilities of the younger (Fowler and Owen) players but it has not worked out this way.

Their defence has looked shaky all season. I am not convinced that David James is the right goalkeeper for them so I'll be interested to see Brad Friedel if he plays on Saturday.

When Neil Ruddock left Tottenham, he was looking the finest prospect for England caps for a very long time but over the last 18 months, Ruddock has either been injured or playing for the reserves. Ruddock has been linked with West Ham but I think he can do better than that. There is no doubt that Ruddock needs a transfer. I'd like to see Ruddock paired with Campbell at the back if Ruddock can find it in himself to forget what happened in 1993. He's certainly got to be better than Calderwood and Vega.

But Tottenham have their own dressing-room problems with the media seemingly intent on magnifying every dispute. At times it seems to be the case the media are determined that Tottenham are a perennial crisis club that will be relegated at the end of the season and will struggle in the Nationwide. But if everyone can pull together, including Klinsmann, who ought to have been more reticent in public, I am sure we can escape. All we need to do is to win our home games and pick up odd points away from home.

Let us hope we play well enough so that we can roar at Paul Ince at the final whistle .....

"OH! OH! INCE-Y! ONE! TWO! THREE!
GO BACK TO SUN-NY I-TAL-YYYYYYY!"

And my forecast? The longer the game goes on without a goal, the more likely the balance will swing to Liverpool, who tend to play a patient game. If we can score early on, it will force Liverpool to open up. So, hopefully, a 2-1 win for Tottenham, but realistically, more likely a draw.

Cheers, Brian

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