Jimmy Greaves
My boyhood idol, the one and only Jimmy Greaves was 81 years old on February 20th, 2021. On the day we played his first club Chelsea on 19th September, 2021, we heard the very sad news of Jimmy's passing.

So much has been and will be written about Jimmy Greaves, who was my first and last favourite footballer and sporting icon. Jimmy has suffered since his severe stroke 6 years ago, and will be missed by so many. It is so poignant that the news of Jimmy's passing comes on the day we play Chelsea, with whom his career began. Indeed, he scored against Spurs on his debut.

There are several pictures of Jimmy on the walls of my home, one of which is featured in today's match programme. That was a goal for Spurs against Chelsea at White Hart Lane in 1967. There is a great deal of content on this website about Jimmy, and I am proud that Norman Giller's very special insight features on this web site.

R.I.P Jimmy. You feature in just about everybody's all-time Spurs team and you will never be forgotten. I am proud to have seen you play; to have seen your greatest ever goal (5th October, 1968 v Leicester); and even to have met you several times. Thanks for all the memories.

At long last and after a long campaign, Jimmy Greaves was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours list. Jimmy's son Danny said, ""We are very, very proud of Dad. Always have been, always will be. At almost 81 to receive an honour from Her Majesty the Queen is just something very, very special."

Read Brian Judson's original article (written several years ago).

Read John Farrell's further tribute.

Recently added - Extract from The Golden Boot.

When "Peej" met Greavsie.

In June 2010 Spurs Odyssey was invited to attend a gathering at the new prestigious Burger King in Leicester Square. Two of Spurs Odyssey's members - Peter Garnett ("Peej") and Tom Fisher ("Tommy") - went along and produced the following rather unique insight into my personal favourite ever football player.

Hard to put into words how to say goodbye to a club and fans who have done so much for me in my career. You will always be in my heart. Thank you Tottenham, thank you Tottenham fans. 💙 pic.twitter.com/L662cyax7p

— Harry Kane (@HKane) August 12, 2023

Most of us realised this day had to come, and it is incredibly difficult but (for now) it is time to say goodbye to the greatest goalscorer in Spurs and England's history - one of our own - Harry Kane.

It is distressing that Harry's transfer to Bayern Munich has only been confirmed today, on the very eve of our first game of the new season. That game, the season and indeed our future will be incredibly hard without the man who only last week scored four goals in our home friendly against Shakhtar Donetsk, demonstrating the full range of his skills.

Harry is irreplaceable.....

Full story here...

SPURS' FIRST TITLE SUCCESS - THE STORY OF 1950-51
(all articles written by the late Brian Judson - unless otherwise stated)

Month by month account of our first Division One Title success, with links to feature articles.

Fifty Years After - The Double Series
A series of articles and reports giving an in depth look at the 1960-1 season, starting with the building of the side; and a brief account of 1960-1. The series was written during the 2000-01 season but was re-launched in 2011 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Spurs' finest hour. This series also now features tributes and a detailed profile of "Sir" Bill Nicholson, who sadly passed away on 23rd October, 2004.

Spurs Odyssey feature writer Norman Giller ran a series entitled "The Golden Double", which starts here.

Spurs Odyssey Message Board member "Huk" had a very privileged upbringing near White Hart Lane in Creighton Road. "Huk" was not and is not a rich man. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. So what was so special about his life so near to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club? Well, our man "Huk" used to live next door but one to THE Spurs Legend, the late, great "Sir" Bill Nicholson.

Read Huk's Story here

Here is the latest selection of items chosen from the Spurs Odyssey archive relating to events "On this day":-

On this day 25th November. A history of the spursometer.

At some stage or other, you would have heard someone quip quite confidently that losing doesn t build character but actually only serves to reveal it. Like all one-liners that seem to stand the test of time, you can indeed get the essence of the message that they are trying to convey but one can t forget that they are sweeping statements that take a frightening amount for granted.

These days the folks that are banging on about the merits of losing and the mask slipping can be found on Sky Sports as they talk about Jose Mourinho and his new job as Spurs manager. Jim White stopped himself just short of saying here we go after Mourinho lost his first game in charge of Spurs away to Manchester United.

This was always going to be a juicy fixture and a cracking game in prospect given the narrative surrounding it but it seems attentions have now turned to what Mourinho's mood will be like in the wake of it..............

Full story

16,500 Spurs fans in the Estadio Metropolitano were joined by a line of Spurs legends such as Cliff Jones, who played in the historic 1963 European Cup Winners Cup Final against our hosts tonight - Atletico Madrid. Thousands more had made the trip to Madrid, just to "be there". A full house had attended the live screening at New White Hart Lane. Millions more ardent Spurs fans around the world tuned in with the hope that their beloved Spurs could reach their pinnacle of becoming Champions of Europe.

This current Spurs side failed in their quest........

Champions League Final Match report

10-4 ...Bill Nick's astonishing introduction

On Thursday October 11 2018 an anniversary passed quietly that deserved to be shouted from the rooftop of the new stadium dominating the N17 skyline. It was sixty years to the day that Bill Nicholson launched his career as Tottenham s greatest manager with an extraordinary 10-4 victory over Everton at the old (always much-loved) White Hart Lane.

As Spurs prepare to move (at last!) to their new state-of-the-art stadium there are those of us who will be clinging to magical memories of the Lane-that-was; the ground that for 118 years featured some of the finest club football ever witnessed (Here in our Spurs Odyssey home we are allowed to feast on hyperbole). While waiting for the Tottenham first-team squad to hopefully get through the international break without injury, I am taking time out to revisit what was arguably the most astonishing of all the games that graced the Lane............

See Norman Giller's article in full.

The "Giller Index" - listing all Norman's articles for Spurs Odyssey

GARY LINEKER - Spurs 1989 - 1992

On This Matchday
Information featuring programme notes, and/or points of interest regarding a match of a similar ilk to the game being played "on this day". This occasional series has been updated with a very special report on a match played on 4th April, 1983, when Spurs beat Arsenal 5-0!

Premier League Match report - Spurs v Manchester United, 14.05.17 (White Hart Lane Finale)

Spurs 2 Man Utd 1 - Football came second at The Lane today, and so have Spurs!
Spurs v Man Utd preview - The end of an era

On the pitch Spurs achieved their one remaining footballing objective for the season (to finish runners-up to Chelsea) by beating Jose Mourinho's Manchester United, thanks to fine goals by Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane. After the game, following what was essentially a good natured pitch invasion, Spurs gave their 118 year old home as fine a send off as you could wish for. There was a film introduced by "Spurs fan" Sir Kenneth Branagh, before a parade of many playing legends from the Double season onward. A choir, band and tenor gave us a haunting, then rousing rendition of "Mine eyes have seen the Glory", and "Glory, Glory Allejuhah" to ensure there was hardly a dry eye in the house. I certainly shed a tear or two today. It was emotional..........

Full report here

Norman Giller's unique insight on Bill Nicholson

Norman Giller concludes his brilliant series on Spurs' managers with a unique insight on the greatest of them all - Bill Nicholson......

Arthur Rowe - Push and run coaching master

Norman gives us yet another great history lesson, writing a detailed account of Spurs' "Push and run" hero - Arthur Rowe, who led us to the Second Division and First Division Championship titles in successive years. (Updated - 25/07/16)

Giller's Weekly (30.05.16) - The John Cameron Story

Regular columnist, and accomplished journalist Norman Giller has updated his history of one of the earliest Spurs heroes. Full details here

Peter McWilliam - The second man to win Spurs the FA Cup

Norman Giller truly excelled with this detailed account of Peter McWilliam, who led us to FA Cup victory in 1921. Norman also found space to detail the scandal of Arsenal securing a First Division place when the Football League resumed after the Great War. You might not have read this tale in such detail before!

R.I.P Dave Mackay - A true Spurs legend

Click on the image to reveal a larger version

The picture adorns my wall, signed by the great man himself. I was in the south-east corner of the lower terraces at White Hart Lane and had the privilege of seeing the scene of Mackay lifting Bremner from the same angle as the iconic photograph, but from a greater distance.

It was and remains a truly memorable football photograph. It is one that will be seen many times over today and tomorrow as the national, Tottenham, Derby, Scottish and Edibnburgh press reports the sad passing yesterday (02.03.15) of David Craig Mackay, born on 14th November, 1934 at Musselburgh, Scotland.......

See full details here

Sixtieth anniversary of 1963 European Cup Winners' Cup win

The story of Spurs 1963 European Cup-Winners' Cup win - Introduction.
Round One - Spurs beat Glasgow Rangers 8-4 on aggregate.
Round Two - Spurs beat Slovan Bratislava 6-2 on aggregate.
Semi-Final - Spurs beat OFK Belgrade 5-2 on aggregate.
The Final - Spurs beat Athletico Madrid 5-1.

Spurs' European Cup Campaign, 1961-62

Spurs v Gornik Zabreze, European Cup - September 1961
Spurs v Feyenoord, European Cup - November 1961
Spurs v Dukla Prague, European Cup - February, 1962
Spurs v Benfica, European Cup - March/April, 1962

Like everyone else I was very saddened to hear of the passing of one of the Spurs Legends, Bobby Smith, on Saturday 18th September, 2010. Read the full item here

Extract from "The Golden Boot" - Bobby Smith

The passing of another Spurs Legend - Eddie Baily

Eddie Baily was not just a former player for Spurs, but he was an integral member of our Championship winning side in 1950-51, managed by Arthur Rowe. Eddie made 40 appearances in our 1950-51 season, missing just two games, and scoring 12 goals. Eddie was an inside forward, or in modern-day terms an attacking midfielder, wearing the number 10 shirt.

Eddie Baily is pictured here amongst the 1950-51 League Champions. Left to right (back) - Ramsey, Nicholson, Clarke, Ditchburn, Duquemin, Willis, Walters - (front) - Castle, Bennett, Burgess (Capt.), Baily, Medley....Read the full article

See also Norman Giller's article about Eddie Baily

John Ripsher Dedication Service

Spurs Odyssey was represented at the service held at St. Mary's Cemetery, Dover to dedicate the headstone placed at the grave of John Ripsher, the very first President of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

The Burkinshaw Years
Brian Judson details the career of the second most successful Spurs manager ever.

Keith Burkinshaw installed into the Spurs Hall of Fame
Exclusive report and pictures

Spurs Odyssey was saddened to hear of the passing of another Spurs Legend - Ron Burgess - yesterday on February 14th 2005. On this date in 1958, Spurs signed the great Cliff Jones from Swansea, when Ron Burgess was the manager. Ron Burgess died at the great age of 87 years, and Captained the great Championship winning sides from 1949-51, when Spurs won the old Second and First Divisions in successive seasons. He can also claim the credit for discovering Pat Jennings, as regular correspondent Brian Judson writes:-

See also this piece written in July 2015 by Norman Giller

R.I.P. - TED DITCHBURN

Spurs Odyssey has heard the sad news of the passing of yet another legend of the 1950-51 Championship-winning side. The goalkeeper from that era, Ted Ditchburn, passed away yesterday (26th December, 2005) at the great age of 84, and joins the likes of Ramsey, Nicholson, Duquemin and Burgess in the great stadium in the sky.

R.I.P. - LEN DUQUEMIN

The Spurs Odyssey tribute to len Duquemin was published in April, 2003. Most of the article was written by Brian Judson.

Pat Jennings installed into the Spurs Hall of Fame
Exclusive report and pictures

Heroes of Tottenham - Glenn Hoddle
Brian Judson provides his usual detailed insight into the career of one of the Lane's all time favourites.

Spurs Odyssey was proud when it was chosen to exclusively offer you the chance to purchase this beautiful bone china plate, commemorating the marvellous first modern Double victory in 1960-61 by Tottenham Hotspur football club. The plate is no longer available

Do you recognise the young goalkeeper in the middle of this picture (below), taken in 1988? Have a look at this feature article, where all will be revealed!

Spurs 0 DC United 1 - West Stand in Mexican Wave shock!

Last night's Tottenham Tribute match was never supposed to be about the football, was it? A generous crowd (estimated by THFC at 27,000) came to White Hart lane for the pleasure of seeing two or three candidates for their all-time dream team wearing the lilywhite shirt again, and playing together. Their wish was granted, as Spurs played in an all white strip against a DC United team, dressed in black, and who had clearly not read the script for such occasions, when they scored a late winner, after applying themselves fully to the game throughout proceedings.

The Worthington Cup Final 1999

Re-live the last touch of glory for Spurs at the old Wembley. On that day we even cheered George Graham!

There are five accounts from:-
Paul Smith
Ivan Cohen
Brian Judson
Dave Gallagher
Les Wilson

Remembering Cyril Knowles
Spurs recent Worthington Cup clash with Torquay evoked memories of the late Cyril Knowles, who graced White Hart lane for so many years, but who also had a spell at Torquay as manager before his tragic and early passing in 1991.

Photograph by Derek Ridgers See Derek's website archive here

This was a game about legends. Firstly the legend that is Ledley King, winning his fitness battle for the day to lead his team to victory, with a performance as immaculate as ever, and finally becoming the latest in a line of great Spurs Captains to lift a trophy. Secondly the legend that is to come in the shape of man of the match Jonathan Woodgate, who scored the winning goal in just his fifth Spurs game. It was not a classic goal, but one scored through great determination and application, typifying the Spurs performance on the day. Thirdly, and not least, the game was about Juande Ramos winner of all 6 Cup Finals he has managed tactician supreme. ......more...

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