This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Aston Villa

Premier       Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home           6   2   2   2    8 - 8   8
Away           7   0   2   5    5 -12   2
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Total (Prem)  13   2   4   7   13 -20  10
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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
=========================================
Total (Prem)  13   2   4   7   13 -20  10
Total (Div 1) 94  42  17  35   171-152 110
Total (Div 2)  4   1   2   1    5 -6    4
==========================================
Grand Total  111  45  23  43   189-178 124
==========================================

This match should have been our last before our long awaited return to our ancestral home in North West London, Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately since our last visit there in 1993, it has been infected with the smell of decaying manure, Italian spaghetti, Parma hams and rotten French snails. The famous twin towers are shortly to disappear from the landscape and the chances are we will have to play at the Welsh National Stadium in 2001 when we meet our annual diaried event in a year ending in '1'.

But first our home game with Aston Villa.

Since Christmas, Aston Villa have collapsed faster than one of Richard Branson's accident prone balloons. Since their shock exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Fulham, Villa have started to follow Middlesbrough down the table. Manager John Gregory has been disparaging about some of his squad, in particular the enigmatic Stan Collymore.

Collymore began his career with non-League Stafford Rangers where Crystal Palace spotted him. He made 20 appearances for them, scoring 1 goal, before he switched to Southend United, then managed by Barry Fry, who had just ended his long love affair with Barnet. Fry has said that Collymore never gave him a moment's trouble whilst at Southend and that he has been perplexed by all the problems he has had since leaving his care. I gather they regularly talk on the 'phone and that Fry specifically warned Collymore not to cross Gregory when he succeeded the recently sacked Brian Little.

After leaving Southend, Collymore played for Nottingham Forest, leaving them when they were relegated. At Liverpool, Collymore was always in trouble. One reason was his refusal to move nearer to Liverpool as he preferred to commute from the Birmingham area. In the end, Liverpool washed their hands of him and sold him to Aston Villa. Under Brian Little, Collymore seemed to settle down although there were concerns about his off-the-field activities. But under Gregory, there has been open warfare between manager and player. Gregory has been openly sceptical about Collymore's claims to be severely depressed and requiring psychiatric treatment, although Wednesday's Daily Telegraph suggests Gregory has now changed his stance.

Aston Villa's great days occurred long before the First World War. Their successes since the Victorian and Edwardian days have been few and far between, although they have won the European Cup and the European Super Cup once. Villa's last success in the FA Cup was as long ago as May 1957 when they beat the pre-Munich Busby Babes to deprive Matt Busby's Manchester United side of a League/Cup double. In today's game, Peter McParland's goal, scored when McParland crashed into 'keeper Ray Wood, depressing Wood's cheekbone and leaving him depressed, would probably have been disallowed and McParland booked for dangerous play at the very least. Even at the time, I could not understand why the goal was allowed to stand even though 'keepers were then regarded as fair game for battering.

Any preview of Spurs -v- Villa games has to recall the 5-5 draw between the clubs on 19 March 1966. Neither side were playing well and Spurs to put it bluntly were largely rubbish.

In the first fifteen minutes, with Greaves now regaining full fitness and form after a long absence with hepatitis, Spurs played fairly well. Gilzean put Spurs ahead after two minutes. Ten minutes later, Greaves scored to make it 2-0. Two minutes after that, Saul headed the third goal of the afternoon. But two minutes later, Hateley headed home Villa's first goal. Five minutes before half-time, Laurie Brown rifled home a shot to take Spurs lead to 4-1.

After half-time, Robertson dived to head the ball home to make the score 5-1 five minutes after the re-start. It should have ensured a Spurs win.

However, Hateley then reduced Laurie Brown to a quivering jelly over the next half-hour. In the space of *FOUR* minutes, Hateley scored twice and Deakin once, to take the score to 5-4. With eleven minutes to go, Hateley scored again to make the score 5-5.

Then, with only three minutes left, Deakin was clean through, one on one with Pat Jennings. He rounded Jennings and had an empty goal at his mercy. And he fatally hesitated for a second or two. It gave Mullery sufficient time to hurtle to the goal line and clear the ball.

I think it was this game that finally made Bill Nicholson decide that Laurie Brown was not the answer to Spurs' defensive problems. Brown was dropped for the following four games in which Roger Hoy, an equally hapless centre-back, was given his chance and dismally failed. Although Brown was later recalled, Nicholson was already keeping an eye on Blackburn's position at the foot of the table where a certain Mike England had made it clear he was not going to play for Blackburn in Division Two.

Spurs still need the points to ensure they survive for next season. The players will be aware that Graham will demand nothing less than three points to ensure they are safe. In any case, no one will want to sustain an injury and less than 100 per cent commitment in a tackle usually leads to an unnecessary injury.

So, commitment from Spurs and a 2-1 victory for us, I think.

Cheers, Brian

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