GLORY GLORY TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

A study of the history of Tottenham would not be complete without a reference to unquestionably it's most universal connection with 'Tottenham Hotspur Football Club' known throughout the football world simply as the 'SPURS' !

Now one of the greatest Football Clubs in England and Europe, with passionate supporters all around the world, it is hard to imagine that the club was built from such humble beginnings. According to legend a small group of boys gathered in Tottenham High Road in 1880 and decided to form a football team. Many were already members of the 'Hotspur Cricket Club', which played its matches at nearby Northumberland Park, and they wanted to keep themselves occupied and together as a team during the winter season. So the new football club was created and named 'Hotspur' the same as the cricket club. The name had been chosen because Tottenham and the surrounding district formed part of the great estates of the Percy Family. Sir Henry Percy was the son of the first Earl of Northumberland who had been nicknamed Harry Hotspur and had a reputation as a bold and courageous warrior.

Their early matches were played on the vast expanses of Tottenham marshes before moving to their first enclosed ground in Northumberland Park in 1890. They had become members of the Football Association in 1888 but it was not until 1896 that the club joined the Southern League. Then in 1899 they moved from Northumberland Park to their present ground at White Hart Lane because they were attracting crowds of over 15,000 spectators for their matches. It was when still in the Southern League that the 'Spurs' first won the FA Cup in 1901 beating Sheffield United 1-0. At this time they were still a non-league and so became the only non-league club to win the FA Cup a feat that is never likely to be achieved again.

The Club Shield reflects the area around White Hart Lane. On the top left, Bruce Castle's Tower is shown and on the right, there are the Seven Sisters trees. The club motto "Audere Est Facere" is Latin for 'To Dare is to Do'.

In 1908 they gained admission to the Football League and were placed in Division Two, from which they promptly won promotion to the top Division in their first season. The Spurs were to win the FA Cup again in 1921 and so the 'Year ending in One' was beginning to have an effect. They went on to win the League Championship in 1951 and 1961, the League Cup in 1971 and won the FA Cup in 1961, 1981 and 1991, not forgetting their further Cup wins in 1962, 1967 and 1982.  The 1961/2 Season was of special significance in the History of the 'Spurs' since in that season they were to win the infamous 'Double' of Cup and League a feat that at that time had not been achieved in the 20th Century. Another often overlooked fact was that in 1963 the 'Spurs' were the first English Club to win a European Competition when they beat Athletico Madrid by 5-1 in the European Cup-Winners Cup. Other European wins included the UEFA Cup in 1972 and 1984.

Tottenham Hotspur have always been associated with an entertaining style of play and this was typified in the early 1950's with the 'Push and Run' team managed by Arthur Rowe, followed in the 1960's by the 'Double' team managed by the great Bill Nicholson and the 1980's team of Keith Burkinshaw. These teams exemplified the type of Football that the Tottenham supporters came to expect and anything that falls short of these demanding standards is unacceptable to the true die-hard fans of the 'Spurs'

There have been many great players and managers who have represented the 'Spurs' over the years and it would be impossible on this website to even begin listing their names and exploits. Thankfully there are a great number of 'Spurs' websites that can fulfil this task  more adequately than I could even begin to do within these pages.

I have been an ardent supporter of the 'Spurs' for more years than I care to remember. I was taken by my father and left in the old Boys enclosure when it cost just six old pence to get in. The thought of leaving your children unattended in this day and age is unthinkable and such a small admission fee would be considered beyond belief.  I watched the Push & Run Team, savoured the delights of the Double Team, Queued throughout the night down Park Lane to get tickets for their early European Cup matches against Gornik, Dukla Prague and the wonderful night when we played Benfica from Portugal at White Hart Lane. I will never forget the three guys who would dress as angels and on that night carried a placard that read 'Lisbon Greaves Tonight'. I have truly wonderful memories of the Spurs that have given me so much pleasure over the years as well as many hours of exasperation 

Newspaper article published in Daily Mail 2006 that also features the history of the 'Spurs' legendary Cockerel

Of course there has always been the ongoing rivalry between that other team from North London known with disaffection as the 'Gooners'. Mind you their origins are from Woolwich in East London so they cannot truly be labelled as a North London team. Over the years many families and friendships have been tested to the full due to the split loyalties to one or other of these Teams and without question the rivalry will continue for future generations to come.

I will therefore conclude this brief History and memories of these most famous sons of Tottenham with the most appropriate and well known call that is chanted by their most devoted of fans....

COME ON YOU SPURS !  

Alan Swain - Aug 2005 (Updated Dec 2006)