Spurs: Tottenham's five greatest games of all time
Tottenham Hotspur are making headlines on a daily basis as the search for a new manager continues but Squarefootball's Steve Coulter has something to keep all of your minds off of who will be replacing Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane.
Here are Steve's five greatest Spurs games of all time, with video footage rolled in so you can relive those epic ocassions again and again.
Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester City 2
1981 FA Cup Final replay
Ricky Vila's wonder goal was a fitting climax to the centenary FA Cup Final. The original game was notable for a piece of Wembley history. Manchester City's
Tommy Hutchison became the first player to score for both sides in a FA Cup Final. The Cup seemed destined for Maine Road when Hutchison's diving header gave City the lead. However, Spurs equalised when the unfortunate Scot deflected Glenn Hoddle's free-kick past Joe Corrigan.
The Argentine Villa had endured a torrid time and was substituted by manager Keith Burkinshaw. The bearded midfielder cut a forlorn figure as he trudged towards the Wembley tunnel. Many thought Burkinshaw would drop Villa for Thursday's replay, but the Tottenham boss resisted calls for change and Villa kept his place.
Within eight minutes the World Cup winner had justified his manager's decision, Villa stabbed home after the City defence hesitated. Undaunted by the setback Manchester City were soon level. Ray Ranson's floated free-kick was partially cleared by the Tottenham defence. The danger looked over until Steve MacKensie cracked an unstoppable 30-yard volley past Aleksic.
Buoyed by that magnificent goal John Bond's side took the lead after 52 minutes. Dave Bennett made a dangerous run into the Spurs' box. Just as Bennett was about to advance Paul Miller checked the winger's run. Referee Keith Hackett pointed to the spot and Kevin Reeves made no mistake.
Spurs were far from finished and equalised with 20 minutes remaining. Villa found space on the left before feeding Hoddle. As the City defence rushed out the England midfielder's first touch fell into the path of Garth Crooks who slid the ball home.
The stage was set for Villa's heroics.
The glorious move began when Graham Roberts executed a fine tackle on MacKenzie. The centre half gained possession and passed to Tony Galvin. The Irish winger sprinted up field before being closed down by the Blues' rearguard. Galvin turned inside and played in Villa. The Argentine ace made for goal before being confronted by Ranson and Tommy Caton. The midfielder evaded the challenges before poking the ball under Corrigan.
Spurs survived a late City rally to win a wonderful and memorable cup final.
Tottenham Hotspur 3 Inter Milan 1 2010
Champions League
The match will be forever associated with Gareth Bale. The Welsh winger turned in a majestic performance to inspire Spurs to a famous victory. Bale terrorised Inter full-back Maicon throughout and set up two of the goals. Inter can't say they weren't warned . . . Bale has scored a stunning hat-trick when the two sides met in the San Siro.
On that ocassion Inter held on for a 4-3 2in, but this was to be Tottenham's night. Spurs went in front midway through the first half. Luka Modric's defence=splitting pass found Rafael Van der Vaart, who easily beat Castellazzi.
Redknapp's side should have extended their lead before the break. Bale broke clear on the left before crossing to the unmarked Peter Crouch. With the goal gaping the lanky striker screwed his shot wide.
Crouch made amends at the beginning of the second half. Yet again Bale left Maicon standing before squaring to the England international. This time Crouch couldn't miss and Spurs had breathing space.
The visitors reduced their arrears on the hour when Samuel Eto's well struck shot raised hopes of an Inter comeback. Despite Eto's goal Spurs always looked likely to add to their tally.
More blinding wing play by Bale set up Crouch who bundled the ball home. However the goal was disallowed for offside. This was to prove a temporary reprieve though as Roman Pavlyuchenko wrapped up the game. In a carbon copy of Tottenham's second goal, Bale's blistering run and cross was slid in by the big Russian.
Unsurprisingly the hapless Maicon was hauled off. The poor full-back might have contemplated hiring a black cab as the only means of catching his tormentor in chief.
The famous victory helped Spurs reach the quarter-finals but Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid ended their dream in a one-sided encounter. However, nobody present at White Hart Lane will forget Bale's destruction of Inter Milan.
Tottenham Hotspur 9 Wigan Athletic 1 2010
FA Premier League
This was another highlight of Harry Redknapp's reign at White Hart Lane. Spurs were in top form as they put Roberto Martinez's men to the sword. Jermain Defoe was the star of the show, as the England striker scored five goals to join a select band. Only Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and Dimitar Berbeatov have scored five times in a Premier League match.
Strike partner Peter Crouch headed Spurs in front before Defoe opened his account after the break. A minute later Defoe had made it three. Wilson Palacious's neat through ball released the former West Ham marksman who finished in style.
The game was back in the balance when Paul Scharner pulled one back for Wigan. But Defoe put the game to bed as he claimed the match ball. Aaron Lennon bamboozled his marker before cutting the ball back to Defoe to score.
The excellent Lennon then got in on the act with a thumping drive from close range.
Tottenham were 6-1 up when Defoe seized on Vedron Corluka's pass to blast past Ali Al Habsi and he bagged his fifth from an identical position. This time Erik Edman's slip let in the marksman who made no mistake.
David Bentley made it eight with a stunning free-kick before Niko Kranjcar completed the rout.
Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 3
1991 FA Cup Semi-final
The 1990/91 season was a traumatic time for everyone connected with Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs faced financial meltdown until Lord Alan Sugar joined forces with manager Terry Venables. The two men headed a consortium which completed a successful takeover bid.
Aside from the takeover, Paul Gascoigne was the other bright light in a bleak period. Gazza was rightly regarded as one of the world's greatest players. His superb performance at the 1990 World Cup had captured the public's imagination. The Geordie was in similar form as Spurs progressed to the last four of the FA Cup.
At times Gascoigne seemed on a one-man crusade to get Spurs to Wembley. The midfielder scored sublime goals in victories over Portsmouth, Oxford United and Notts County. With due respect to any of those sides, Tottenham's semi-final's opponents were in a different league. George Graham's Arsenal were chasing a League and FA Cup double when the sides met at Wembley.
This was the first time the national stadium had hosted a FA Cup semi-final following the tragic events at Hillsbrough two years earlier.
At least the Twin Towers were a fitting setting for the game's first goal. In the fifth minute Spurs were awarded a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Gascoigne stepped up and rifled a thunderous drive over the wall and past the floundering David Seaman.
Five minutes later Tottenham were two up when Gary Lineker scrambled in a Paul Allen cross.
Arsenal were back in the game on 45 minutes when Alan Smith headed home, but it was Smith's former Leicester strike partner who sealed a famous win over the old enemy. Lineker's shot slipped through Seaman's hands to make it 3-1. Spurs went on to beat Nottingham Forest in the final. Sadly the man who did so much to win the cup watched most of the game from a hospital bed following an awful challenge on Forest's Gary Charles.
Leicester City 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
1961 FA Cup Final
Bill Nicholson's fantastic Tottenham side beat gallant Leicester to make history. Spurs became the first team in the 20th century to win the league title and FA Cup in the same season. Preston North End in 1897 were the last team to do the double.
This great side included the legendary trio of Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay and John White. Spurs were widely praised for their quality of football and the title was never in doubt after Nicholson's men won their first 11 games. Runners-up Sheffield Wednesday finished a distant eight points behind the White Hart Lane club.
Cup final opponents Leicester City would be no pushovers though. The Foxes included a young goalkeeper by the name of Gordon Banks. The East Midlands club suffered a fatal blow midway into the first half when right back Len Chalmers was badly injured. In those pre-subsitute days the defender was forced to play on. Effectively playing with 10 men Leicester held on to the 59th minute. England striker Bobby Smith made the breakthrough after a smart turn and shot. Twenty minutes later Terry Dyson headed in Spurs' second goal. Leicester were unable to respond as Spurs completed the double.
Two years later Tottenham again entered the history books. They became the first British Club to win a European trophy after beating Atletico Madrid to lift the Cup Winners' Cup.
Well there you have my five choices of greatest Spurs games of all time. Do you agree or disagree? Whatever your views, we'd love to hear from you.
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