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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Previous FA Cup Results :

1904-05  2  H 1-1 Walton  19,013
        2R  A 0-4         26,755
1934-35  4  H 2-0 G Hunt (2)  61,195
1951-52  4  A 0-3  69,009
1986-87  5  H 1-0 C Allen (pen)  38,033
1998-99 S/F N 0-2 (a.e.t)  53,609

Previous League Cup Results :

1975-76 SF/1L H 1-0 Pratt  40,215
        SF/2L A 1-3 McAllister  49,657

This is the first occasion since Spurs last played in the qualifying stages of the FA Cup that Tottenham have played in the FA Cup before Christmas. The last occasion on which Tottenham had to qualify for the later stages of the FA Cup was as long ago as season 1898-99. In that competition we were drawn at home to Wolverton, beating them 4-0, in the 1st Qualifying Round, on October 29th 1898. We were then drawn away to Clapton, who now play in the Isthmian League, and drew 1-1 on November 19th 1898. Four days later, we beat Clapton in the replay, 2-1.On December 10th 1898, we were hosts to Luton Town in the 3rd Qualifying Round but were held to a 1-1 draw. The replay was held on December 14th 1898 and, again, we were held to a 1-1 draw. The second replay was held at Tufnell Park, on December 19th 1898, and this time we won 2-0.

This victory put us in the 1st Round of the FA Cup. We were drawn at home to Newton Heath, better known these days as Manchester United. We drew 1-1 on January 28th 1899 but won the replay four days later, 5-3. In the 2nd Round, we were drawn at home to Sunderland, and beat them, 2-1, on February 11th 1899. But our cup run came to a conclusion when we lost 1-4 to Stoke City on February 25th 1899 in the 3rd Round.

There were 235 entries to the FA Cup that season. Stoke lost in the Semi-Final to Derby County, who were in turn beaten 4-1 by Sheffield United.

Our run was quite a good one when you remember that Tottenham were still in the Southern League, which was then much stronger than it is today. Spurs had only been a professional club since December 1895 and did not form a Limited company until March 1898. Newton Heath finished 4th in Division 2 and Sunderland finished 7th in Division 1 that season. Stoke City, who beat us in the Quarter-Finals, were 12th.

The victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup in 1934-35 was something of a surprise even allowing for the fact that Newcastle were in the old Second Division at that time. Spurs were in the middle of a terrible season which ended with their relegation to the old Second Division at the end of that season. Some of the results we had that season were awful with Arsenal thrashing us 5-1 at Highbury and 6-0 at Tottenham among a litany of truly dreadful results. We used no less than 36 players that season and Fred Channell was the only player who appeared in almost every match, missing only the League match at Stoke City on April 20th 1935. Yet within a year, Channell had been lost to the game after a dreadful injury at West Ham ended his career at the relatively early age of 26.

The 3-0 defeat at Tottenham in the 1951-52 season came as Newcastle were on the way to retaining the FA Cup. They had beaten Blackpool in the 1951 Cup Final and retained the Cup by beating Arsenal. To be fair to Arsenal, they had only 10 players for quite a lengthy time as Wally Barnes was injured and substitutes were not permissible in those days. The Toon Army saw the victory against Tottenham as revenge for a 7-0 thrashing that Spurs had inflicted on Newcastle during the 1950-51 season. They had already beaten us 2-7 when we were drawn against them in the FA Cup.

None of the other matches provide happy memories for us. Clive Allen's goal was one of several goals he scored for us in our Cup run that season which ended in tears at Wembley. The pain of that Final at Wembley against Coventry City still causes me severe heartache even though it happened nearly 13 years ago.

And no one, I am sure, will want to be reminded of the dismal outcome of our tie at Old Trafford last season.

Sunday's tie is the only all-Premier League tie in the Cup. Since we beat Arsenal, we have not played very consistently and memories will still be fresh of our dismal display at Fulham on December 1st 1999. On the other hand, Newcastle made a truly awful start to the season. But with Bobby Robson replacing Ruud Gullit and making a few technical changes, Newcastle have climbed the table to relative safety. They are not yet out of the woods but they can, undeniably, breathe a bit more easier, particularly as Watford and Sheffield Wednesday both look doomed to relegation.

If Duncan Ferguson is fit, I can forsee Sol Campbell and Chris Perry having a very busy afternoon. But I think it is likely that Ferguson will start on the bench and play for the last half-hour or so. He has been out for much of the last twelve months with a long litany of injuries. He will probably not be fully match fit until after Christmas.

With Spurs' current form being erratic and Newcastle slowly but surely improving, I find this match rather too close to call. My gut instinct is that the outcome will be a narrow victory for Spurs if we win or Newcastle snatching an equaliser late in the game to take the tie back to St James' Park. That will probably be Newcastle's best hope for progress in the FA Cup so Tottenham will have to try to win this tie without it going to a replay.

Cheers, Brian

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