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This preview was written by Brian Judson
Full Record of Sheffield Wednesday -v- Spurs
Prem Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 7 3 1 3 9-12 10
Away 6 2 0 4 8-10 6
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Total (Prem) 13 5 1 7 17-22 16
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1) 34 23 6 5 87-43 56
Away (Div 1) 34 7 7 20 34-58 26
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Total (Div 1) 68 30 13 25 111-101 82
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2) 6 4 1 1 15-8 9
Away (Div 2) 6 1 1 4 5-10 3
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Total (Div 2) 12 5 2 5 20-18 12
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Total (Prem) 13 5 1 7 17-22 16
Total (Div 1) 68 30 13 25 111-101 82
Total (Div 2) 12 5 2 5 20-18 12
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Grand Total 93 40 16 37 148-141 110
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Any recollections of this particular fixture must surely include the one
played on 12 November 1960. Up to that particular match, Spurs had won
16 and drawn 1 of their 17 fixtures and were attempting to add to their
record start without defeat from the start of the season. (The league
record at that time was 19 unbeaten games from the start of the season.)
Their only dropped point had occurred in the home game against
Manchester City on 10 October 1960.
Wednesday were the better team on the day as they chased their great
rivals at the top of the table. Spurs had threatened to take an early
lead when a Wednesday player made a bad back pass to reserve team
'keeper, McLaren. Les Allen pounced on the ball but McLaren pulled off a
brilliant save to retrieve the situation. The ball was cleared upfield,
Craig sent Griffin away, who volleyed the ball home.
Spurs then won a free-kick. Mackay took it quickly and Norman headed
home the equaliser. Wednesday fought back but could not retrieve the
situation until halfway through the second half.
Wednesday had been threatening to score for some time before they
finally snatched the winner in the 67th minute. Megson (Gary Megson's
father, Don) centred the ball, Ellis headed the ball over Norman, and
Fantham crashed the ball home.
But, of course, Spurs were so far ahead at the top of the table (they
were something like 11 points out in front of the rest of the Division)
that the defeat changed nothing. If anything it helped Tottenham to
relax after trying to beat the record they had been chasing.
At this stage of their history, Spurs had only won once at Hillsborough
in the League. That had occurred as long ago as Thursday, September
16th, 1937. Johnny Morrison, Jackie Gibbons and Fred Sargent scored the
goals that won the Second Division match. They had drawn in 1909-10
(1-1), 1949-50 (0-0), 1950-51 (1-1) and 1954-55 (2-2). They were to draw
two further games in 1961-62 (0-0) and 1965-66 (1-1) before they again
won at Hillsborough.
Spurs had had a very indifferent season following their FA Cup Final win
over Chelsea in May 1967. Their quick elimination from the European
Cup-Winners' Cup prompted manager Nicholson to consider re-casting the
team. Over the New Year, Frank Saul was swapped plus a £125,000 cash
adjustment for Martin Chivers, then with Southampton. Chivers made his
debut at Hillsborough and scored one of the goals that gave us a 2-1
victory. Greaves, of course, inevitably scored the other goal.
We then drew 0-0 at Hillsborough in the final game of the 1968-69
season.
In a dismal season for Sheffield Wednesday, who were relegated with
Sunderland, Spurs won their away game at Hillsborough in 1969-70,
Mullery scoring the only goal of the game.
Sheffield Wednesday did not return to the old First Division until
1984-85. We then lost 2-1 at Hillsborough, Falco scoring our goal. But
the following season, in a televised match, we won 2-1 up there, with
John Chiedozie and David Howells scoring. At that time, Howells was
playing up front. We then won again in 1986-87 when Clive Allen scored
the only goal of the game. The sequence continued in 1987-88 when we won
3-0, thanks to goals by Clive and Paul Allen and Nico Claesen. Our
winning sequence continued in 1988-89 when we won 2-0 thanks to two
goals by Paul Stewart. The following season, 1989-90, we won 4-2, with
Lineker scoring twice, Paul Allen and Paul Stewart scoring.
We did not play them in season 1990-91 as they paid a flying visit to
the old Division 2. But we drew 0-0 on their return to the top division
in 1991-92. But in 1992-93 we lost 0-2, ending our most successful
sequence ever at Hillsborough.
In 1993-94, we lost 0-1. But we won the first match of 1994-95 on that
very memorable occasion of Klinsmann's debut, 4-3. Our goalscorers were
Anderton, Barmby, Klinsmann and Sheringham. I well remember Klinsmann
leading the team in a spoof dive after he had scored for us. We won
again the following season, 1995-96, 3-1. Our scorers were Sheringham 2
(1 penalty) and an own goal. In 1996-97, we lost, 2-1, our scorer being
Nielsen. Last season, we lost 0-1.
Down the years, Sheffield Wednesday have had a yo-yo existence. It is a
very long time since they last won any of the major honours as you have
to go back to 1935 for their last major honour if you discount their
Football League Cup Final victory in 1990-91. They have won the League
championship four times (1902-03; 1903-04; 1928-29; 1929-30). Those last
two championships were schemed by Jimmy Seed who had left Tottenham in
February 1927 and who returned over Easter 1928 to contribute to our
totally unexpected relegation at the end of the 1927-28 season.
As the fall-out from the Di Canio affair continues to bedevil Sheffield
Wednesday, we should be able to produce a win up there. We have very few
injury problems currently, unlike last season, and Freund and Tarrico
should, at least, be on the bench if they do not actually start the
game. I am confident that we can win up there, possibly 3-1.
Cheers, Brian
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