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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Everton

Prem           Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home            7   4   3   0    12-6    15
Away            7   4   2   1     7-3    14
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Total (Prem)   14   8   5   1    19-9    29
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1)   54  25  16  13   107-67   72
Away (Div 1)   54  10  17  27    60-88   38
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Total (Div 1) 108  35  33  40   167-155 110
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2)    1   1   0   0     1-0     2
Away (Div 2)    1   0   0   1     2-4     0
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Total (Div 2)   2   1   0   1     3-4     2
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Total (Prem)   14   8   5   1    19-9    29
Total (Div 1) 108  35  33  40   167-155 110
Total (Div 2)   2   1   0   1     3-4     2
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Grand Total   124  44  38  42   189-168 141
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This fixture is one of the oldest fixtures in the Spurs calendar. Only in the fixtures against Arsenal and Manchester United can we claim to have played as many games. Everton, of course, have only spent four seasons outside the top Division in their long history since being founder members of the Football League in September 1888. They spent one season in the Second Division in 1930-31, a season in which Spurs had looked likely to accompany them to the First Division until Percy Harper broke a leg at a critical stage of the season, and three seasons between 1951-52 and 1953-54. No other club, not even Arsenal, can claim to have enjoyed such a long run in the top flight. (Arsenal, of course, were not elected to the League until 1893 and were not even legitimately promoted before the 1919-20 season started.)

Everton was once known as the Academy of Football. It is hard to realise that they once had one of the greatest teams that we have ever seen or are likely to see. In recent years they have been a joke. Twice they have scrambled clear of relegation through dramatic last day victories. Five times they have been flirting with the idea of relegation. During these five years, Howard Kendall's great love affair with Everton was finally broken after thirty years as player and coach. Kendall, of course, played in that great Everton team of 1969-70 which was graced by a midfield comprising of Kendall, Harvey and Ball. It was a joy to watch that side as it played football as it was meant to be played and not grinding football as performed by the lot from the other end of the Seven Sisters Road .....

Walter Smith enjoyed ten great years in charge of Rangers at Ibrox in which the 'Gers were so supreme that no one, not even their arch-rivals at Parkhead could mount a challenge to them. Yet since Smith joined Everton he has had to firefight all the time. The club is heavily in debt with rows in the boardroom and a fight for supremacy and control of the club that has been going on for at least three seasons. The losers, of course, have been the faithful who have trekked to Goodison Park each home game. Last season was their most humiliating as they could not score goals at home and only racked up 14 in all .... It became a joke that each time Everton scored at home they arranged for a triumphant bus tour through the City of Liverpool .....

Yet Everton have a string of youngsters coming along yet they are not ready to be thrown into the mess the First Team is in currently. Their second half performance against Manchester United in their 1-1 home draw last Sunday has been quickly forgotten by the shambles of their 3-0 defeat at Villa Park on Wednesday. Although they seem to have patched up their quarrel with the promising Francis Jeffers, who had stunned them with a request for a transfer 24 hours before their game with Manchester United, it is clear that all is not well at Goodison Park.

Tottenham will, hopefully, take advantage of Everton's continuing problems by beating them at White Hart Lane tomorrow. Les Ferdinand seems unlikely to play and Chris Armstrong is nowhere near ready to make an appearance in the team. Spurs are likely to persist with a 4-5-1 approach to the game, similar to the tactics pursued by David Pleat during his spell at Tottenham during 1986-87. Much will depend on Scales and Perry continuing to form an effective partnership at the back in the expected absence of Sol Campbell.

Providing Spurs concentrate on their game and play football as it is meant to be played, Spurs ought to win. I think they will need time to break down a doggedly defensive Everton side that is likely to be marshalled by former Spurs captain, Richard Gough, who at 37, forms part of the oldest centre back partnership with Dave Watson, who will be 38 in November. I hope the fans will be patient because I think it will be a while before Spurs break Everton down ....

Cheers, Brian

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