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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Aston Villa

Premier       Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home           7   3   2   2    9 - 8  11
Away           8   0   3   5    6 -13   3
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Total (Prem)  15   3   5   7   15 -21  14
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1)  47  25   6  16   99 -77  62
Away (Div 1)  47  17  11  19   72 -75  48
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Total (Div 1) 94  42  17  35   171-152 110
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2)   2   1   1   0    4 -3    3
Away (Div 2)   2   0   1   1    1 -3    1
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Total (Div 2)  4   1   2   1    5 -6    4
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Total (Prem)  15   3   5   7   15 -21  14
Total (Div 1) 94  42  17  35   171-152 110
Total (Div 2)  4   1   2   1    5 -6    4
==========================================
Grand Total  113  46  24  43   191-179 128
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In days of long ago, this fixture was a pools favourite on the 9 results as it used to be a solid banker home win for Tottenham. We also used to do quite well at Villa Park. I remember reading about Danny Blanchflower talking to Jimmy McIlroy before the start of the 1961 FA Cup Semi-Final. Because Burnley's colours were claret and blue, they had never previously played there in their normal first choice colours because of the clash with Aston Villa's playing strip. Danny Blanchflower reminded McIlroy that Tottenham had a good record at Villa Park. McIlroy pointed out that Burnley had never lost there, playing in their normal colours. "Well," Blanchflower said, "you never wear them here, do you? And you'll lose today!" And we won 3-0, thanks to the lumbering carthorse they called Bobby Smith.

Smith, for those of you who never saw him play, was signed from Chelsea. He had been a very promising youngster with Chelsea but two years in the Army had converted him from a slim-like greyhound into an overweight cart horse. He was very ungainly, very awkward and clumsy and couldn't run very fast. But he was a very good centre-forward who scored 176 goals from 271 League appearances, 22 goals from 32 FA Cup appearances, 10 goals from 14 European appearances and 43 goals from 42 (including one as a substitute) other appearances. Only Jimmy Greaves has been more prolific.

Blanchflower, of course, played for both Spurs and Villa. He was very much a rebel, particularly in his days with Villa. He queried why the only training was endless running around the pitch and never seeing a ball before taking the team out at 2.55pm on a Saturday. The Villa coaching staff said, "If you don't see a ball during the week, it'll make you more hungrier for it on a Saturday!"

But the game that sticks out most in my mind was the 5-5 draw with Villa on March 19th 1966. I know I have referred to this game before but I remain convinced that this was the match that made Bill Nicholson decide to splash out on Mike England. Neither side had anything to play for as both were well off the championship pace and there was none of the frantic jockeying that you see today for qualifying for Europe.

Jimmy Greaves had recently returned to the side following a bout of hepatitis that was still affecting his fitness. Gilzean opened the scoring after two minutes. Ten minutes later, Greaves made it 2-0 after his first shot was blocked. Saul added a third two minutes later. Tony Hateley (Mark's dad to those who remember the latter Hateley) headed home the first of his four goal haul soon afterwards. Laurie Brown scored from a long shot just before half-time and Robertson made it 5-1 soon after the break. But then in the space of four minutes, Hateley scored twice more and Deakin added a third as Laurie Brown became a total jelly as he panicked as Villa poured forward. Eleven minutes from the end, Hateley levelled the scoring. In the 87th minute, Deakin lured Jennings out of his goal and momentarily paused to savour the thought of scoring the winner goal but Mullery, who had had a stinker of a game playing out of position at right back, suddenly hurtled up to kick the ball off Deakin's toes.

I should not need to describe how Nicholson fidgeted in his seat in the old West Stand during the second half. To say that he was livid is a classic understatement!

Another game that I recall being played at Tottenham was our 2-0 win at White Hart Lane on March 10th 1962 in the FA Cup 6th Round. Blanchflower and Jones scored the goals that put us through to the Semi-Finals on our way to retaining the FA Cup for a second successive year. I remember it was a very wet day and the pitch was very heavy. It was not very conducive to playing good football and there wasn't much of it because there was so much tension. My memory may be playing me tricks but I'm sure both goals came very late in the day. I do remember chewing my nails as the game slipped towards the end of the match .....

Aston Villa, like Tottenham, are very much sleeping giants at the moment. They will soon be making their first appearance at Wembley in the FA Cup Final since beating Manchester United in May 1957 to foil a Manchester United League and Cup double. McParland's battering of Wood, the Manchester United goalkeeper, which caused a broken cheekbone, would have resulted in his instant dismissal and Wood would have been replaced by a substitute today. But in the 1950s, battering the goalkeeper was seen as a legitimate tactic.

Villa, unlike Tottenham, have won the European Cup, following their League Championship success twenty years ago. The side, captained by Dennis Mortimer, was one of the best Villa sides I have seen. I can still see Tony Morley running down the left wing to centre the ball for Peter Withe to head home. But in recent years, Villa have flattered to deceive. Last season, for example, Villa were the pacemakers in the League but inexplicably lost against Fulham at Villa Park in the 4th Round of the FA Cup. They then collapsed and quickly slid down the table ....... It did not help matters that manager John Gregory and Stan Collymore were holding a very public argument ....

Gregory has been building a very attractive Villa side. Paul Merson has revitalised his career after admitting he was an alcoholic and hooked on drugs whilst playing for Arsenal. All that Villa need is that little bit of luck that all sides that want to win honours need .......

Tottenham will be without George Graham who will be in hospital, resting. It should demonstrate to Spurs fans how hard Graham has been working in the Lilywhite cause because he really should have gone into hospital much earlier than he did. Being ill in one's 50s is no joke as I can testify from personal experience. Tottenham will be in the care of Stewart Houston whilst Graham is away. We will, no doubt, have plenty of "Houston, we have a problem!" jokes in the coming weeks ......

I suspect that Tottenham will be up for this game this afternoon if only to try to cheer up George in hospital, who will undoubtedly be listening to a commentary of the game on the radio. Villa's players will be distracted by their forthcoming visit to Wembley. None of them will want to miss Wembley and none of them will want to be booked and risk missing the Cup Final. Villa will be without Joachim, who thought he was eligible to play for another country in one of the myriad World Cup qualifiers being played currently but having played for England U-21s, he cannot play for St Kitts. Unfortunately, for Villa, Joachim seems to have flown out before he could be intercepted.

And this afternoon's score? I think Spurs will win 2-0 through goals by Armstrong and Iversen. They will be late in coming but they'll eventually come. Those of you who are going should be prepared to be patient .......

COME ON YOU SPURS!

Cheers, Brian

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