Away Day Blues: Tottenham Hotspur

Patrick McFarlane 07/09/2020 4comments  |  Jump to last

Since Everton gained promotion to the top flight, way back in 1954, Everton’s visits - to the original White Hart Lane, Wembley or the newly lavishly upgraded White Hart Lane - haven’t produced many victories for the Toffees.

Tottenham and Everton first met competitively in 1904 when Spurs as a non-League team defeated them in the FA Cup, the last time Everton lost at home to side from outside the Football League. In Tottenham’s days in the Southern League, they strengthened their team with three players who would help them to their first major Cup success in 1901.

John Cameron was a Scot who played for Everton but moved south to Tottenham as a player in May, 1898. The following February he took on the additional roles of manager and secretary. He made an immediate impact leading Spurs to the Southern League title in his first full season and the FA Cup the following year. Cameron returned to Everton and signed two players – Ted Hughes and John Kirwan who were an important part of Spurs successful team at the turn of the century. Hughes remained with Tottenham until 1908 and was very influential as the club rose to League status.

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Alex Young, a centre-forward, was the first player to be transferred between the two clubs after Spurs had gained entry into the Football League. Not Everton’s 1960s Alex Young, but a version from 1911. He had played for Everton for ten seasons and had scored over 100 League goals for the side as well as scoring the winning goal in the 1906 FA Cup Final. He had also won two caps for Scotland but his time with Spurs was short. He signed in June, 1911 and was gone by the following November. He scored three goals in his first two games but didn’t score again and when dropped demanded a transfer and was allowed to go to Manchester City. He emigrated to Australia in 1914 but a year later was charged with the willful murder of his brother and was found guilty of manslaughter. Evidence had been produced from his football days in England showing that he had been subject to fits of temporary insanity. On completion of his year three year sentence he was not released immediately on grounds of ‘mental weakness’. He did later return to Scotland.

Back to 1954, the newly promoted Everton travelled to White Hart Lane, in early December and came away with all the points after scoring three unanswered first-half goals.

"EVERTON TAKE THEIR OWN “STORM” TO LONDON AND HIT SPURS FOR THREE GOALS IN THREE MINUTES December 4, 1954. The Liverpool Football Echo

Spurs 1, Everton 3 By Contact

Tottenham Hotspur; Reynolds, goal; Ramsey (captain) and Hopkins, backs; Nicholson, Clarke, and Marchi, half-backs; Gavin, Bailey, Dunmore, Brooks, and Robb, forwards.

Everton; O’Neill, goal; Moore and Donovan, backs; Farrell (captain), Jones and Lello, half-backs; Wainwright, Fielding, Hickson, Parker, and Eglington, forwards. Referee; Mr. R.T.E. Lawgdale

Not only was the Spurs pitch vey bare, it was a heavy as lead and likely to churn up. A gale added to the difficulty. The ground was so heavy that when Ramsey spun for choice of ends the coin stuck and Ramsey had to spin again and spring the penny down on the pale of his hand.

Baily’s nonchalant mis-passing of the ball was fantastic, for Spurs at the moment were all at sea. Ramsey giving a corner at 30 minutes led to Everton taking the lead. The ball was half cleared and Farrell lobbing it back with a header, caused Reynolds to misjudge the ball completely. It dropped behind him, and bounced before Parker, sensing a goal for the taking, dashed in and edged it over the line.. Fielding lobbed the ball towards goal, and Parker’s header got Reynolds so unbalanced he could only half save it and turn it over the line.

Within 30 seconds Eglington had centred and Hopkins in attempting to take the ball on his body, diverted it over the line beyond all hope of anyone also doing anything to save the situation. So Everton went 3-0 and the crowd whistled derisively, for Gavin with shots and headers was Spurs only revivalist though they played with a greater sense of urgency. Half-time; Tottenham Hotspurs nil, Everton 3

Fielding seemed to be having a quiet chivvy at Baily’s expense as they waited for the second half to begin. Ramsey continued to blunder on and on and O’Neill made saves from Gavin and Robb in the opening minutes, in which it seemed that Spurs were in for a better innings, maybe because the wind swirled with them. Both Everton backs in turn made for class tackles at critical moments.

Baily headed a goal from Robb’s centre two minutes from the end. Final; Tottenham 1, Everton 3. Official attendance 31,554.

A nice December opening gambit for Everton. They had a patchy beginning, but O’Neill with one of his best games, kept his goal intact until near the end, and once Everton took charge Spurs disintegrated more and more the longer the game went. Spurs’ defensive blunders presented to Everton one if not two goals. Ramsey has never played worse, Spurs did better in the second half when Everton were inclined to relax, and O’Neill became the day’s hero with a tremendous save from Brooks."

Everton would have to wait almost another ten years to taste victory at Spurs, and would suffer the ignominy of conceding double-figures when they visited that ground in 1958, losing by ten goals to four to Bill Nicholson’s new charges.

Stokes gave Spurs the lead on three minutes, but Harris equalised after eight minutes later. Bobby Smith made it 2-1 on the 15 minute mark and George Robb put Spurs 3-1 just before the half hour. One minute later, Smith scored again and one minute on Stokes grabbed his second to put the score at 5-1. Right on half-time, Terry Medwin struck the sixth Tottenham goal.

Seven minutes into the second half, Harris pulled one back at 6-2, but Smith netted again to restore the five goal gap. On 80 minutes Tommy Harmer score to put Spurs 8-2 up, but Harris got another for Everton straight from the kick-off to complete his hat-trick. With five minutes remaining, Smith made it 9-3, before Bobby Collins got Everton's fourth within a minute and Ryden (who had been hobbling out on the left wing, as he was injured) scored past shell-shocked keeper Jimmy O'Neill to put Spurs into double figures and round off a memorable day for Bill Nicholson and Tottenham Hotspur.

Harry Catterick’s Everton travelled to White Hart Lane as reigning Champions in March 1964, having beaten the lilywhites to the title the previous season. The results of the games against Spurs in the 62/63 campaign had helped to propel the Toffees to the title.

Prior to this match Tottenham were leading the way at the top of division and Everton were a little off the pace in fourth place so once again the encounter between the two sides would have a bearing on the title-race.

Dyson (17') put the league leaders ahead midway through the first half, but Everton re-grouped and a two goal burst in two minutes saw the Blues take the lead before half-time. Alex Young (32') scored the equaliser and Derek Temple (34') put the Toffees ahead a lead they retained going into the break. On the hour mark Les Allen (60') struck back for Tottenham and his goal restored parity. But that state of affairs didn't last long as Roy Vernon (62') restored Everton's advantage just two minutes later. Eight minutes from time Roy Vernon converted a penalty to score his second of the match and Everton's fourth and the Blues held on to secure an impressive victory and put themselves two points closer to the table-toppers.

Everton:West, Brown, Meagan, Gabriel, Labone, Kay, Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Temple.

Evertonia reflected upon the victory at White Hart Lane:

This score underlines our intentions of retaining the League trophy at the end of this season. The fact that Tottenham scored the first goal did not deter Everton - or their many supporters. Spurs hung on to their lead for some time, but justice was done when Alex Young and Derek Temple shot us into an interval lead with two beautiful goals. After half-time the story was repeated. Spurs levelled the scores before Everton really showed their supremacy over Spurs in all eleven departments. Roy Vernon crowned an excellent display with two goals - one a great shot from twenty-five yards out, the other his fourteenth consecutive successful penalty.

Unfortunately, for so many reasons, neither Spurs nor Everton would end that campaign as Champions and it would be another six years before Everton landed the title again. As it happened that title winning season would also be the next time that the Toffees would taste victory in that part of North London.

The fixture was originally scheduled to be played on the last Saturday of November 1969, however heavy snow on the morning of the game, put paid to that idea. A midweek encounter in December, managed to get to the half-hour mark, before a failure at the local electricity sub-station, caused the floodlights to fail and the game had to be abandoned with neither team on the scoresheet.

The next available date also saw the game postponed due to Spurs’ progression in the FA Cup, eventually the game was played in March 1970, just a few days before Spurs were due to travel to Goodison for the return match.

Potential champions Everton took all of the points thanks to Alan Whittle's first half goal. Everton also won the return with Spurs by three goals to two at Goodison the following Saturday, to help the club in its quest to become champions.

Spurs: Jennings, Evans, Beal, England, Want, Pearce, Bond (Jenkins), Mullery (cpt), Pratt, Chivers, Morgan

Everton: West, Wright, K. Newton (Brown), Kendall, Kenyon, Harvey, Whittle, Ball, Royle, Hurst, Morrissey.

Four years later, much had changed for Everton and Spurs as neither club held the lofty positions that they had occupied in the previous decade. In March 1974 shortly after Bob Latchford had signed for a club record fee, he repaid some of that outlay with the opening goal at White Hart Lane, Ralph Coates almost equalized for the home side, but his shot hit the post. John Connolly scored the second goal for Everton to make it two-nil and that remained the score until full-time.

Everton: Lawson, Bernard, Seargent; Hurst, Kenyon, Clements, Harvey, Buckley, Latchford (Jones), Lyons, Connolly

Almost ten years would pass before Evertonians could celebrate a victory over Spurs on its patch, but this time it would herald a hat-trick of league wins during a particularly productive era in Everton’s history.

17/09/1983 Two first half goals for Everton from Peter Reid and Kevin Sheedy put Spurs on the back foot, but they managed to pull one back shortly after the interval through Mark Falco, but were unable to grab an equaliser to end their run of three home games without a win.

A long throw by Gary Stevens from left saw a group of players go up at the near post and the ball dropped for Kevin Sheedy to rifle the ball home with his left foot from the left corner of the six-yard box in the 38th minute.

Into the second half, Hughton played a long ball forward that headed out by Mountfield, but picked up by Falco, 30 yards out on the right. He held off two players and turned to smash a low bouncing shot past the keeper from 25 yards out.

Spurs : - Clemence, Hughton, O'Reilly, Roberts, Price, Perryman (c), Mabbutt, Falco, Galvin, Brooke, Crooks (Brazil)

Everton : - Jim Arnold, John Bailey, Kevin Ratcliffe, Mark Higgins, Alan Harper, Peter Reid (Kevin Richardson), Kevin Sheedy, Trevor Steven, Adrian Heath, David Johnson, Graeme Sharp

03/04/1985 Tottenham's hopes of challenging for the First Division title more or less ended with a disappointing defeat at home to Everton. As early as the ninth minute, the visitors took the lead when striker Andy Gray volleyed in a fierce shot from 20 yards and in the 62nd minute, Trevor Steven added a second to give Spurs a tough task to get anything out of the game. Although Graham Roberts scored a pile-driver from 25 yards out in the 73rd minute, Tottenham could not force an equaliser and finished the game on the attack, but with no reward.

Spurs: Clemence; Thomas, Bowen; Roberts, Miller; Perryman, Ardiles, Falco; Galvin, Hoddle, Crooks (Brooke)

Everton:Southall; Stevens, Bailey; Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Reid; Steven, Sharp, Gray (Harper), Bracewell, Sheedy

26.08.1985 A Gary Lineker goal won this match ... for Everton !!In the days before he joined Spurs, he got thirty league goals in this season for the Toffees and it was enough for his first goal for the Blues in his fourth game to secure all the points from this game.

Everton: Southall; Stevens, Van Den Hauwe; Ratcliffe, Marshall, Harper; Steven, Lineker, Heath, Bracewell, Sheedy

Bobby Mimms was the second player to join Spurs from Everton, 77 years after Alex Young. Born in York, Mimms began his football career as an apprentice at Halifax Town. However, he failed to break into the first team and joined Rotherham United in November 1981 for a fee of £15,000. In 1985, he was sold to Everton, who had just won the league title and European Cup Winners' Cup. During the 1980s, Mimms played for no less than eight different clubs, as he went out on loan from Everton more than once.

Terry Venables purchased Mimms in February 1988 as he believed that he could help to resolve Spurs goalkeeping problems, following the retirement of Ray Clemence. This, however, didn’t prove to be the case and he was replaced by Erik Thorstvedt the following year. His time at Spurs is not remembered favorably by Spurs supporters

In December 1990, Blackburn Rovers manager Don Mackay signed him for a fee of £250,000 from Tottenham Hotspur making him Blackburn's most expensive transfer at the time. He was signed in the early stages of Jack Walker's backing of Blackburn, and just weeks before Walker took full control of the Second Division club. In early 1996 joined Crystal Palace, where he played just once. He then dropped into the lower divisions, playing for Preston North End, Rotherham United, hometown club York City and finished off his playing career at Mansfield Town in 2001.

Pat Van den Hauwe Van Den Hauwe was brought up in London, and joined Birmingham City as an apprentice in July 1977. He made his debut in the First Division as a 17-year-old, on 7 October 1978 in a 2–1 home defeat to Manchester City. He played 143 games for Birmingham in all competitions before joining Everton in September 1984 for a fee of £100,000. He helped the Toffees win the league title and European Cup Winners' Cup that season, as well as a second league title two years later – when his goal against Norwich City at Carrow Road confirmed Everton as champions.

Van Den Hauwe joined Tottenham in August, 1989 for a fee of £575,000, He helped Spurs win the FA Cup of 1991 and the title of his autobiography, ‘Psycho Pat’ sums up perfectly the hard-man full back.

He was signed by Venables for a position which had caused Spurs problems for many seasons. He brought experience, strength and power to the Spurs defence. After four seasons and over 100 League appearances he joined Millwall.

The first Premier League encounter with Spurs at White Hart Lane set the pattern for so many of Everton’s visits to that venue and indeed many of the grounds of the other sides which had helped to form the new league

05/09/1992 Tottenham's captain for the day Paul Allen was on the mark to pull Spurs back into this first ever Premier League meeting with Everton at White Hart Lane. Peter Beardsley scored to give Everton a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute when he ran away from the Spurs defence down the left, to slot home past Ian Walker, who got a hand to the ball, but could not stop it. Things looked black for Spurs with only 11 minutes left, but a long throw from Andy Gray led to Gordon Durie having a cross-shot that was touched on by Sheringham, with Neville Southall saving, but Paul Allen hit the loose ball past Southall to level the scores and a point looked the likely outcome for Tottenham. The introduction of Andy Turner from the bench to make his debut changed the course of the game. As Spurs pressed forward and won a few late corners, one dropped just inside the box at the far post and Turner struck the ball as it bounced up, waist-high and it ripped into the net for a late winner gave Spurs the points and made him the youngest scorer in the Premier League at the time aged 17 years and 166 days - a record that stood for five years.

Spurs: Walker, Austin, Cundy, Tuttle, van den Hauwe, Anderton (Turner), P. Allen (c), Gray, Samways, Durie, Sheringham

Everton: Neville Southall, Alan Harper, John Ebberell, Gary Ablett, Andy Hinchcliffe, David Watson, Robert Warczycha (Peter Beagrie), Peter Beardsley, Mo Johnston (Stuart Barlow), Barry Horne, Mark Ward

Vinny Samways the last Everton player to score a trophy winning goal at Wembley, albeit in the lowly charity shield, takes the honours as the first player to be transferred from Spurs to Everton.

He developed through the Spurs youth system and during his eight seasons with the club he played 193 League games and scored 11 goals Vinny was in the FA Cup winning team of 1991. The introduction of Ossie Ardiles’ attacking five formation which included Jurgen Klinsmann, Teddy Sheringham, Nicky Barmby, Darren Anderton and Ille Dumitrescu restricted Samways’ opportunities to play.

He joined Everton in 1994, and was part of the Everton squad that reached the 1995 FA Cup Final, but Samways was left out of the team for the final itself. He did however score the only goal of the 1995 Charity Shield to defeat league champions Blackburn Rovers. In the 1995–96 season, he spent time on loan at Division One sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City.

Unable to settle at Everton, Samways enjoyed a degree of success in Spain with UD Las Palmas during the late 1990s and early 2000s, where he was team captain and played a key role in the Canary Islands side. In 2002–03, he played ten league games with Sevilla FC, becoming the first Englishman to play in the Sevilla derby against Real Betis. He then returned to England, where he spent the 2003–04 season with Walsall in Division One. He then went back to Spain, joining lower league side Algeciras CF, and retired in 2005, aged 36

Richard Gough signed for Charlton Athletic as an apprentice professional in July 1978. However, he returned to play for Wits University for a brief period in 1979. Gough signed for Dundee United in February 1980. He played for Dundee United for six seasons finishing with 23 goals in 165 appearances. Gough helped them to the Scottish League title in 1982–83. Dundee United also reached the 1983–84 European Cup semi-final against Roma during his time at the club. In 1986, Gough was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £750,000 He played for slightly over a year and captained the Tottenham team which lost to Coventry City in the 1987 FA Cup Final, the only FA Cup Final that the Londoners have lost.

He was a stylish, commanding centre back but unfortunately for Tottenham, his family failed to settle in London and Gough decided to return to Scotland, joining Rangers early in the 1987–88 season. In making the move he became the first Scottish player to be transferred to a Scottish team for over £1m.

His debut was at Tannadice Park, in a defeat against former club Dundee United. He was named the SFWA Footballer of the Year in 1988–89. Gough remained at Ibrox until 1997, captaining the side that achieved nine consecutive League titles. He won 9 league titles, 3 Scottish Cups and 6 League Cups at Rangers. In all, he played 427 league games with Rangers, scoring 37 goals.

In May 1997, Gough left the United Kingdom to play in the United States' nascent professional league, Major League Soccer, signing for Kansas City Wizards. In October 1997, he returned to Rangers due to injury issues at Ibrox. He resumed his MLS career with the San Jose Clash. He played 36 games in total in MLS, scored 2 goals and he was named in the MLS Best XI for his 1997 season with the Wizards. Gough also went on loan to Nottingham Forest from March until May 1999, playing seven matches as the club was relegated.

After leaving San Jose Clash he linked up with former boss Walter Smith at Everton. He played two seasons at Goodison Park making 60 appearances and scoring once against Southampton during his time at Everton he was made captain for the 2000–01 season and retired from playing in May 2001. Gough agreed to play as a guest for Australian team Northern Spirit in October 2001, but had to withdraw due to injury.

Paul Gascoigne had his success and heartache with Spurs and then after playing for Lazio, Rangers and Middlesbrough he spent two seasons with Everton. Gascoigne signed a two-year contract with Everton, managed by former Rangers boss Walter Smith, after joining on a free transfer in July 2000

He started the 2000–01 season well despite not playing every game due to his lack of fitness, but a series of niggling injuries and his ongoing depression took him out of the first team picture by Christmas. Walter Smith left Goodison Park in March, and Gascoigne left the club shortly after his successor, David Moyes, took charge.

Nick Barmby left Spurs in 1995 after developing through the Spurs youth system. He scored 21 League goals from 89 appearances for Spurs, before moving north to Middlesbrough to be closer to his home. A year later he joined Everton and four years on moved to Liverpool, a rare occurrence. David Ginola joined from Newcastle United and enjoyed three seasons with Spurs, winning the Worthington Cup, and then joined Aston Villa in 2000. A year later he signed for Everton.

Espen Baardsen had four years at Spurs, mostly as understudy to Ian Walker. He made 29 appearances for Spurs and joined Watford in 2000. He spent two years there and in January 2003 played one game for Everton against Spurs at White Hart Lane. Spurs won 4 – 3.

Simon Davies joined Spurs from Peterborough United along with Matthew Etherington in January, 2000. He made almost 150 appearances for Spurs before moving to Everton in 2005. After two years at Goodison, he joined Fulham.

In August 2006, Everton managed to obtain its first Premier League victory at White Hart Lane.

Spurs 0, Everton 2 (Echo) Aug 28 2006 By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

There were 700 tickets still remaining for the trip to a stadium which hadn't hosted a Blues win for 21 years. Judging by the handful of gaps in the top tier, plenty reacted to the appeal to lend their support to what many had seen as a lost cause. But when Kevin Kilbane became another seated spectator with the match just 31 minutes old, they must have feared a wasted £36. Instead it became the most wisely invested away day for years. David Moyes has provided many must-see moments during his managerial tenure. The Rooney moment which ended Arsenal's enduring unbeaten run, an Elland Road win, even a success in a penalty shoot-out. But he beamed afterwards: "This is up there with them." The Blues lost Kilbane to a rash red card, responded heroically, and passed their way to a thoroughly deserved 2-0 win.

Against the battering rams of Watford and Blackburn the Blues had looked uncomfortable. But against a side willing to trade pass for pass, they excelled - eventually. The first half was something of a non-event, and if it hadn't been for Kilbane's red card, almost nothing would have happened. Lee Carsley sliced a Spurs throw into his own six yard box and Gary Naysmith was forced to frantically hook a clearance against the top of his own crossbar. But that was it for goal-mouth action, which suited the 10-man Blues down to the ground. Kilbane had been booked in the 15th minute for sticking out a hand to slow full-back Lee's progress. It was an inoffensive crime. Mark Halsey is one of the Premiership's more sensitive and sensible officials, but he left himself with the likelihood of brandishing his first red of the season with that impetuous action. Sixteen minutes later Kilbane's desperate challenge on the same player was mistimed. The full-back went down and Kilbane went off. Ireland team-mate Robbie Keane and Spurs boss Martin Jol consoled him. Indeed it was such an inoffensive dismissal that Kilbane was allowed back into the dug-out, changed and showered, to watch his team-mates take up the battle a man down. They did so magnificently. Short on physical presence - with James Beattie dropped to the bench, Everton passed the ball slickly. There were heroes throughout the side. Tim Howard handled impeccably, again, Joleon Lescott settled superbly on his full Premiership debut, Phil Neville was much improved, but there were none better than Gary Naysmith and Andy Johnson. Naysmith handled the dangerous Aaron Lennon magnificently, tracking his penetrating runs doggedly, showing him inside at every opportunity and lunging in with a series of tellingly timed tackles.

Up front, if Beattie is looking for an example on how to win his way back into the side, he could look no further than his strike partner. Johnson's work-rate was prodigious. He chased a succession of outlet balls down the channels, reaching them first in the majority of cases. He dropped deep to link up play with the over-worked midfield - and he still had the energy to make telling runs in the Spurs penalty box.

He was involved in both goals. On 53 minutes, he chased a pass aimed at the right corner flag, and was fouled as he looked like winning yet more possession. Mikel Arteta's passing had been uncharacteristically poor. But even on an off day his expertise from dead balls remains a lethal weapon. He clipped in a piercing free-kick, Lescott made meaty contact with his head and Joseph Yobo would have applied the finishing touch if Callum Davenport hadn't got there first and touched the ball into the empty net. In the 65th minute the Blues scored a stunning - and significant, second. Leon Osman held off the dogged intentions of Edgar Davids superbly to carry the ball across field and release Phil Neville on the right. With only one target to aim at in the Spurs' box, Neville's cross had to be laser guided.

It was a beauty, and Johnson gave it the finish it deserved, rapping clinically in with his right foot. Lescott had to exit the fray seven minutes from time to receive six stitches in a head wound, but that simply ushered in the reassuring figure of David Weir.

Cahill scuffed across and damaged his boot in the process. He simply launched it into the technical area, played on - and won a tackle against Davids with one sock exposed.

Spurs' only serious threat of the entire afternoon came three minutes from time, when usual tormentor-in-chief, Robbie Keane, failed to get a firm enough touch on Lennon's cross and the ball screwed wide. But by then the sun had come out. And Everton had a famous victory to celebrate.

Where this takes them is anyone's guess. A similarly optimistic start to the 2004 season, with confidence gleaned from a deserved draw at Old Trafford, took Everton all the way into Europe. It's far too early to be thinking of targets like that just yet. But for now, Blues fans will dare to dream.

Tottenham: Robinson, Lee (Defoe 60), Dawson, Davenport, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Jenas, Davids, Tainio (Zokora 74), Berbatov, Keane. Subs Not Used: Cerny, Stalteri, Gardner.

Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott (Weir 84), Naysmith, Osman, Carsley, Arteta, Kilbane, Cahill, Johnson. Subs Not Used: Wright, Hibbert, Beattie, McFadden. Sent Off: Kilbane (33).

Goals: Davenport 53 og, Johnson 66. Att: 35,540

Man of the Match: GARY NAYSMITH ONE of David Moyes' 10 out of 10 performers, with the non-stop Andy Johnson not far behind.

Everton manager David Moyes was very pleased with his team:

"That might just be the best performance I have been involved with at Everton. "We were tremendous, but it is only what I have been saying about how we were playing pre-season. Our passing was nothing short of fantastic.

"Andy Johnson was also tremendous. If England are looking for a striker to score goals he's the man. He's a great player to play with and was a constant threat.

The Spurs fans reaction to the defeat is telling with regards to how they viewed Everton as an opponent.

All good runs come to an end, but I had hoped for a better performance from Tottenham in going down 0-2 to a ten man Everton team. An hour with a man advantage did not prove to be an advantage to Spurs, as is often the case when other teams are reduced to ten men.

A good run ? It wasn't just a good run, it was a magnificent one, better than Chelsea's against us and when you consider the complete disarray Spurs have been in for much of those 21 years, it looked all the better. There aren't many home bankers over the course of a season but I always thought Spurs-Everton was the one, above all others. Not any more, as the Toffees ripped up the history books, the rulebook and every other book with a fantastic display which Spurs failed to match. In fact, they didn't come close. For this, there are many, many reasons, because I cannot and will not accept that Everton are better than us. Not a chance in hell. They make three bloody signings, as did we, and theirs are better than ours ? BS. I've said it a million times before and will do so again. The problem is simply that our 'genius' manager has failed to recognize the duff players that cost us so dearly last season AND, astonishingly, continues to select them for first team duty…..Enough already. All I can say is that by the time we visit Everton next year, we'll have the right personnel, system and attitude in place to take them apart like we should've done yesterday.

I don’t suppose that the author of that piece was too happy twelve months later when Everton again left White Hart Lane with all the points.

Tottenham 1, Everton 3 (Echo) Aug 15 2007 by David Prentice

JUST like London buses. You wait 21 years – for nothing – then two come along all at once. And just like last year, Everton were full value for their second successive victory at White Hart Lane – their bogey ground for the past two decades. In fact the last time the Toffees enjoyed a run of success in this corner of North London, it was a halcyon period for the club. David Moyes hasn't guided the Blues to those kind of heights yet, but there's no doubt he's heading in the right direction. Just four days ago Tottenham had been tipped as the team most likely to gatecrash the big-four this season. So where does that leave Everton? Only time will tell. After all, just two matches have gone and it's barely a fortnight since Moyes was being berated for the paucity of his summer signings. But strangely that continuation has proved a strength. That cohesion, that affinity with each other's game, that togetherness is one of the reasons the Blues have got off to a flyer, while a team peppered with new signings has lost its opening two matches. Everton, meanwhile, are basking in the afterglow of having won their first two games in a season for the first time since 1993.

That year Howard Kendall's unheralded side won its first three. They promptly lost the next three, mind, so no-one will be getting too carried away just yet. But there was no disguising the quality of last night's display. While Everton dug in and grafted 12 months ago to end their 20-year hoodoo at The Lane, last night they exuded authority and control. It's as if they've started to believe just how good they are, and how good they can become. Spurs wiped out Everton's early lead. But rather than sag, the visitors soared and it was an unusual sound to hear the away section chanting 'Oles' in the closing stages of the first half . . . at White Hart Lane. With more than £40m worth of striking talent on display, it took two centre-halves to show the way to goal. Joleon Lescott scored the second goal of his Everton career and Anthony Gardner only his second in eight years as the game fizzed into life. Just as David Moyes looked like having to wrestle with the problems of a second minute substitution, he was celebrating an early lead. Joseph Yobo reported a groin strain to the dug-out, Phil Jagielka was instantly sent to warm-up, then a jersey was tossed to Nuno Valente. But while all this frantic activity was taking place in the technical area, out in the opposition penalty area Joleon Lescott was just as animated. He lost his markers with the cunning of a veteran fox in the box – and planted an equally assured header past Robinson. The lead lasted 24 minutes, but in the quarter of a match which passed in between, Spurs' stellar strike force threatened just once, Keane cleverly lifting the ball over Carsley and pulling a pass back for Berbatov, who fired high over the bar. Lescott became the biter bit for the equaliser. Just as he had lost his markers for the opening goal, Anthony Gardner lost him to head past Howard, but after that goal it was Everton who got better and better. The passing was measured, the tackling spiky and the pressing relentless. And the reward came when Leon Osman restored the lead. Victor Anichebe had worked tirelessly, for barely no reward all evening, while Johnson's pace and persistence caused all the problems. But the big Nigerian finally got his payback when he collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area with his back to goal and shuttled it out to Arteta. The little Spaniard crossed, Anichebe guided it back to Osman and he volleyed a rising drive into the roof of the net. But there was even better to come. On the stroke of half-time Anichebe crumpled on the edge of the box. It was a soft free-kick, but there was nothing soft about the way Alan Stubbs sized up the opportunity. No cute precise top corner curls from the veteran centre-back. He might as well have taken a run-up, hollered "It's Clobberin Time" and let fly – in finest Ben Grimm tradition to the Fantastic Four afficionadoes amongst you. The deflection off the end of wall gave Robinson no chance. During the half-time break Spurs turned to the old and the new for inspiration – sixties striker Bobby Smith and the youth team which won the Verona Tournament pre-season. Both were wheeled out to try and lift the crowd, and for two minutes it looked to have worked. Keane drilled in a low shot which Howard scrambled to save, then Berbatov headed a Chimbonda cross against the post. But there was no cavalry charge, no clarion calls and no need for last ditch defending from the Blues. They were comfortable – and but for Robinson's positioning and athleticism Andy Johnson might have celebrated a second half hat-trick. As it was he had to settle for being one of the inspirations behind Everton's outstanding result, along with the magnificent Leon Osman and old Waldorf and Stadler themselves, the perennially unsung Neville and Carsley in the centre. The moment when it became clear it was Everton's night came in the 78th minute, when Tim Howard produced a stunning point blank save, a reaction which had Moyes applauding wildly in admiration from his dug-out. Afterwards, though, it was different. Last season he needed an operation to take the smile from his face after Everton's 2-0 win here. Last night's reaction was more measured. Maybe he's getting used to the sensation of winning at White Hart Lane. And that speaks volumes for the direction he's taking his Everton side in.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-3-3): Robinson, Chimbonda, Kaboul (Rocha 17 mins), Gardner, Stalteri (Routledge 66), Malbranque, Zokora, Jenas, Berbatov, Keane (Defoe 61), Bent. Unused substitutes: Cerny, Huddlestone.

EVERTON (4-4-2): Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott, Arteta, Neville, Carsley, Osman, Anichebe (Jagielka 79), Johnson. Unused substitutes: Ruddy, McFadden, Valente, Pienaar.

Referee: Mark Halsey. Attendance: 35,716.

The third and final Everton victory of this sequence arrived on St. Andrews Day 2008, where Steven Pienaar scored the only goal of the match.

Tottenham 0, Everton 1: Identity crisis doesn’t put off Steven Pienaar

Dec 1 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WASN’T just Steven Pienaar suffering an identity crisis yesterday. At White Hart Lane, Everton gave another demonstration of the Jekyll and Hyde tendencies that have epitomised their season. Just six days after their woeful performance at Wigan Athletic had caused genuine alarm among their fans, David Moyes’s side rediscovered the qualities that have given that same support reason for encouragement in recent times. That dismal JJB Stadium surrender had prompted the Goodison manager to demand his players respond to the flak that was justifiably being aimed in their direction. He was not disappointed. This was a consummate away performance from Moyes’s side, their fifth league triumph on their travels this season secured in a manner that has become a hallmark of his time at the club. The visitors, solid in defence, robust in midfield and a potent threat on the counter-attack, wrested the initiative from Tottenham Hotspur and stoically refused to yield once Pienaar struck the game’s only goal shortly after half-time. That it came via a fortuitous deflection off home full-back Vedran Corluka should not be allowed to detract from a deserved victory; the visitors had the better chances and were the better team. All of which begs the question: will the real Everton please stand up? Consistency has been a problem for Moyes. The relatively small size of the squad and a glut of injuries have worked against the Goodison manager, and there was little relief from the latter yesterday.

Winning at White Hart Lane must seem like catching a bus for Everton supporters – after waiting for so long, three have come along in quick succession. Unfortunately for Moyes, the same could be said about injuries to his strikers. Yakubu lasted just 11 minutes before hobbling off with what transpired as a ruptured Achilles in his right leg, instantly ruling the Nigerian out for the rest of the campaign. That was bad enough without substitute Louis Saha, who replaced Yakubu, later being carried from the field on a stretcher after his hamstrings failed for a second successive game.

With James Vaughan out until the New Year, Moyes is facing a striker crisis that it would seem only a dip into the January transfer window can solve. Pienaar had, to considerable mirth and much embarrassment, taken to the field for the start of the second half wearing a shirt with the name and number of Leon Osman emblazoned on the back before being sent back to the dressing room by referee Steve Bennett to change. But the South African’s wardrobe malfunction was a rare error on an afternoon in which he and his team-mates brought Tottenham’s revival under new manager Harry Redknapp to a shuddering halt. Pienaar, back from a knee injury that forced him to miss last Monday’s debacle, was effervescent, floating around the field with real intent in a midfield in which Mikel Arteta, operating in a central role, was far brighter than in recent weeks alongside Marouane Fellaini, who continues to improve. With a defence magnificently marshalled by Phil Jagielka, there was never any chance of Harry Redknapp securing another success over Everton this season having overseen Portsmouth’s 3-0 win at Goodison back in August. Perhaps mindful of the manner in which Everton were ultimately overrun in the centre of field at Wigan last week, Moyes reverted to a five-man midfield with Yakubu the lone striker.

The Nigerian’s unfortunate injury pressed substitute Saha into unexpectedly early service, and the French forward had Everton’s best chance of the first half a minute before the interval when directing an inviting header straight at Heurelho Gomes from Arteta’s left-wing cross. After an opening half-hour in which both goalkeepers were largely redundant, the game sparked into life in the 34th minute. Fellaini dispossessed a dawdling Tom Huddlestone, and his forceful run down the left ended with a cross Gomes, with the help of his defenders, scrambled clear. Tottenham then broke quickly, with Darren Bent feeding a diagonal pass to Aaron Lennon who, coming in off the right, fired woefully high and wide from a good position. Under-fire goalkeeper Gomes has been a source of such comedy of late, and Everton almost capitalise on his unsteady hands in the 39th minute. With the Tottenham defence unwisely retreating, Fellaini unleashed a dipping volley from 20 yards that Gomes parried back into play and, after the ball was not properly cleared, the Everton midfielder returned another drive the goalkeeper fumbled behind for a corner.

Bent then wasted a decent opening when, with more time than he realised, the striker shot hurriedly first-time at Howard after Roman Pavlyuchenko had stepped over a Benoit Assou-Ekotto cross. Given that Everton had previously played 16 away league games during the calendar year and only conceded first-half goals in two of them, a goalless score line at the interval should have come as no surprise. But they wasted no time in forging ahead six minutes after the break. Lennon fouled Arteta 30 yards from goal on the Everton left and, from the Spaniard’s quickly-taken free-kick, Pienaar lashed a shot that deflected off Corluka to deceive Gomes and nestle into the Tottenham net. The home side rarely threatened an equaliser. And when they did find a way through a solid Everton back-line, American goalkeeper Tim Howard continued his fine form from last week with a strong left hand to prevent Pavlyuchenko converting Bentley’s low cross. Indeed, with Gomes parrying a Pienaar drive and then bravely saving at the feet of the South African to reach Leon Osman’s through ball, Everton appeared the more likely to score again. Substitute Victor Anichebe almost made the game safe in the closing stages when firing wide from a Fellaini pass, before, with Jagielka impressing, the visitors saw out six minutes of injury time with relative comfort. A victory, then. But not the ideal way Moyes would have wanted to celebrate his 300th game in charge at Goodison.

Everton boss David Moyes: "I think we owed it to the fans to put in a performance after the defeat against Wigan and we certainly did that. "Spurs' form at home is excellent of late and Harry's doing a magnificent job there so we knew it would be tough. They put us under a lot of pressure late on but we held out well. "Once again, as he always is for us, Phil Jagielka was magnificent and so I'm delighted with the win."

Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekotto (Bale 68), Lennon, Zokora, Huddlestone (Boateng 76), Bentley, Bent (Campbell 62), Pavlyuchenko.

Subs Not Used: Cesar, Gunter, Dawson, O'Hara. Booked: Assou-Ekotto.

Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Arteta, Osman (Baines 88), Cahill, Fellaini, Pienaar, Yakubu (Saha 11), Saha (Anichebe 71).

Subs Not Used: Nash, Castillo, Rodwell, Gosling. Booked: Pienaar, Fellaini, Cahill.

Goals: Pienaar 51. Att: 35,742 Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).

In January, 2011 Steven Pienaar joined Spurs from Everton but injury problems prevented him from making an impression at White Hart Lane. The South African international had three and a half seasons with the Goodison Park side having signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2007, at first on loan. He made over 100 League appearances, scoring 9 goals. He had played for Ajax Cape Town before joining Ajax at the age of eighteen. Twelve months later Pienaar returned to Goodison on loan and completed his transfer in the summer of 2012.

As Pienaar was returning north at the end of January, so Louis Saha was moving south to join Tottenham. He scored twice on his home League debut against Newcastle, having made his first appearance as a substitute at Anfield a few days earlier. Saha, like Pienaar had a habit of scoring against Spurs but his time at White Hart Lane came to an end the following summer.

Gylfi Sigurðsson was born in Reykjavík, Gylfi played for hometown side FH before joining Breiðablik and was an Icelandic under-17 international. He had spent time on trial with Preston North End before signing for Reading on an Academy scholarship on 1 October 2005. To gain first-team experience, Gylfi signed for Shrewsbury Town on a one-month loan. He made a total of six appearances during his time at Shrewsbury, scoring one goal. He then joined Crewe Alexandra on an emergency loan move, his loan was extended until the end of that season.

Gylfi finished the season with 20 goals in 44 matches in all competitions. His performances and his young age prompted several Premier League clubs to enquire over his availability, but he committed his future to Reading when he signed a three-year contract in May 2010

The following August, he completed a transfer to 1899 Hoffenheim, with Reading reporting the fee received exceeded their previous club record sale of £6.5 million from the sale of Kevin Doyle. During the first half of the 2011–12 season, Gylfi fell out of favour with the club's new manager, making just seven league appearances and was linked with a move away from the club.

On 1 January 2012, it was announced Gylfi would join Swansea City on loan for the rest of the season. Swansea agreed a £6.8 million fee with 1899 Hoffenheim for the permanent transfer of Gylfi, subject to him passing a medical. However, following Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers' move to Liverpool, the deal collapsed, despite Huw Jenkins keeping hope in the deal alight.

On 4 July 2012, Gylfi joined Tottenham Hotspur from 1899 Hoffenheim for a reported £8 million transfer fee. He was the first signing for newly appointed Spurs manager André Villas-Boas. Gylfi made 58 league appearances for Spurs, 32 of them when coming on as a substitute scoring 8 goals in the two seasons that the Icelander spent at White Hart Lane. One of the goals that Gylfi scored was a late equaliser for Spurs against Everton in April 2013, thus denying the Toffees a victory at one of their bogey grounds

In July 2014, Tottenham announced a deal had been reached with Swansea City for Gylfi to re-join his former club, with Swansea left-back Ben Davies joining Spurs.

Amidst rumours of a £25 million move to Everton, Gylfi signed a new four-year contract with Swansea on 2 August 2016. In the summer of 2017, Gylfi refused to participate in Swansea's pre-season tour of the United States, proclaiming he was not in right frame of mind to go with the club because of uncertainty over his future. On 16 August 2017, Gylfi signed for fellow Premier league side Everton for a reported £40 million transfer fee (with £5 million in potential add-ons), a club-record deal..

Incredibly that game in which Pienaar scored the Everton winner was the last time that Evertonians would leave the Spurs ground celebrating an Everton victory. The divergent fortunes of the two clubs since the last Everton victory at Spurs, is heart-breaking for Evertonians but the views of the Spurs supporters at the time shows that things can change for the better and quickly. Michael Keane is the last Everton player to score on Spurs territory, unfortunately it was against the Blues – let’s hope an Everton player or two scores at the right end in the next encounter as a victory at White Hart Lane on the opening day would be a most welcome boost for the club and every Evertonian.

C Ancelotti	2019-20	Mon	Jul	6	2020	Prem	A	TottenhamL	0	-	1	BCD*	 	Keane M (og)M Silva	2018-19	Sun	May	12	2019	Prem	A	TottenhamD	2	-	2	60,124	 	Walcott T  Tosun CS Allardyce	2017-18	Sat	Jan	13	2018	Prem	A	TottenhamL	0	-	4	76,251	 	 R Koeman	2016-17	Sun	Mar	5	2017	Prem	A	TottenhamL	2	-	3	31,962	 	Lukaku R  Valencia ER Martinez	2015-16	Sat	Aug	29	2015	Prem	A	TottenhamD	0	-	0	35,865	 	 R Martinez	2014-15	Sun	Nov	30	2014	Prem	A	TottenhamL	1	-	2	35,901	 	Mirallas KR Martinez	2013-14	Sun	Feb	9	2014	Prem	A	TottenhamL	0	-	1	35,944	 	 D Moyes	2012-13	Sun	Apr	7	2013	Prem	A	TottenhamD	2	-	2	36,192	 	Jagielka P  Mirallas KD Moyes	2011-12	Wed	Jan	11	2012	Prem	A	TottenhamL	0	-	2	36,132	 	 D Moyes	2010-11	Sat	Oct	23	2010	Prem	A	TottenhamD	1	-	1	35,967	 	Baines L D Moyes	2009-10	Sun	Feb	28	2010	Prem	A	TottenhamL	1	-	2	35,912	 	YakubuD Moyes	2008-09	Sun	Nov	30	2008	Prem	A	TottenhamW	1	-	0	35,742	 	Corluka V (og)D Moyes	2007-08	Tue	Aug	14	2007	Prem	A	TottenhamW	3	-	1	35,716	 	Lescott J  Osman L  Stubbs A D Moyes	2006-07	Sat	Aug	26	2006	Prem	A	TottenhamW	2	-	0	35,540	 	Davenport C (og)  Johnson AD Moyes	2005-06	Sat	Oct	15	2005	Prem	A	TottenhamL	0	-	2	36,247	 	 D Moyes	2004-05	Sat	Jan	1	2005	Prem	A	TottenhamL	2	-	5	36,102	 	Cahill T  McFadden J D Moyes	2003-04	Sat	Oct	4	2003	Prem	A	TottenhamL	0	-	3	36,137	 	 D Moyes	2002-03	Sun	Jan	12	2003	Prem	A	TottenhamL	3	-	4	36,070	 	McBride B  Watson S  Radzinski TW Smith	2001-02	Sat	Jan	19	2002	Prem	A	TottenhamD	1	-	1	36,056	 	Weir D W Smith	2000-01	Tue	Sep	5	2000	Prem	A	TottenhamL	2	-	3	35,316	 	Jeffers F  Nyarko A W Smith	1999-00	Sat	Aug	14	1999	Prem	A	TottenhamL	2	-	3	34,539	 	Unsworth D 2 (2 pens) W Smith	1998-99	Mon	Dec	28	1998	Prem	A	TottenhamL	1	-	4	36,053	 	Bakayoko I H Kendall	1997-98	Sat	Apr	4	1998	Prem	A	TottenhamD	1	-	1	35,624	 	Madar M J Royle	1996-97	Sat	Aug	24	1996	Prem	A	TottenhamD	0	-	0	29,696	 	 J Royle	1995-96	Sat	Dec	2	1995	Prem	A	TottenhamD	0	-	0	32,894	 	 M Walker	1994-95	Wed	Aug	24	1994	Prem	A	TottenhamL	1	-	2	24,553	 	Rideout P H Kendall	1993-94	Sun	Oct	3	1993	Prem	A	TottenhamL	2	-	3	27,487	 	Rideout P  Cottee T (pen) H Kendall	1992-93	Sat	Sep	5	1992	Prem	A	TottenhamL	1	-	2	26,503	 	Beardsley P 

Match reports from Spurs perspective courtesy http://www.mehstg.com/evermatch.htm
Player profile information courtesy https://hotspurhq.com

Everton results information courtesy evertonresults.com

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Reader Comments (4)

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Paul Birmingham
1 Posted 08/09/2020 at 22:24:44
Great read, Patrick, takes me back, to better times for the club, but some good times, and let’s hope that EFC, can take the optimism of this week into this match, and win the game.

I remember getting the overnight train once in 1986, for a cup game, at Spurs, in I think February, I may be wrong, ultimately it was called off due to fog, but we had a decent day in the smokes pubs.


Derek Thomas
2 Posted 09/09/2020 at 01:23:19
Good stuff Patrick; very thorough, I hope TW is paying you by the word.
I must admit to skimming through, some of our many poorer performances though.
Cheek of the Spurs writer head patting us.
Patrick McFarlane
3 Posted 09/09/2020 at 23:00:09
Derek #2

No payment from anywhere for submitting these articles, but I'm glad you enjoyed what you read of it. (I'll try to keep the next one considerably shorter!)

Paul #1

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I remember a cup-tie being postponed circa 1985, but not sure whether it was an FA cup tie or that silly Screen Sports Super Cup game.

Thanks to both of you for commenting.

Alan J Thompson
4 Posted 10/09/2020 at 05:26:42
The nearest I ever got to White Hart Lane was that postponed game in 1969. The coach had just passed Watford and the radio had given out a list of postponed games and Everton wasn't among them and we all felt a little happier albeit there was heavy snow.

But a minute later came the announcement that another game was to be added to the list. The afternoon was spent in Hendon FC's clubhouse.


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