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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Leicester City

Premier        Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home            6   2   1   3    8 - 8    7
Away            5   1   1   3    4 - 9    4
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Total (Prem)   11   3   2   6   12 -17   11
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1)   29  13   6  10    64-46   34
Away (Div 1)   29  16   4   9    53-54   40
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Total (Div 1)  58  29  10  19   117-100  74
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Football League
Home (Div 2)    7   3   3   1    12- 7    9
Away (Div 2)    7   4   1   2    14-13    9
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Total (Div 2)  14   7   4   3    26-20   18
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Total (Prem)   11   3   2   6   12 -17   11
Total (Div 1)  58  29  10  19   117-100  74
Total (Div 2)  14   7   4   3    26- 20  18
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Grand Total    83  39  16  28   155-137 103
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Tomorrow afternoon's match will see yet another Tottenham reunion. This time it is with 'Spud' Taylor, who played for us in the mid-1970s after joining us from Crystal Palace. I was never really satisfied that Taylor gave his best for us. On his day he could create havoc on the left wing but all too often he flattered to deceive and sometimes his mazy runs went nowhere. Of course, it was his misfortune to be in a very poor Tottenham team during 1976-77 when we were awful and deserved to be relegated. But he played a leading part in our campaign for promotion the following season. Taylor then suffered a series of injuries and found himself regarded as cover for Ricky Villa when he was fit again. Reluctant to play in the reserves, Taylor left for Orient before dropping down into the non-League scene. Taylor has had a successful career as a manager, progressing from Dover via Southend United and Gillingham to Leicester City via the England set-up.

It has to be admitted that Leicester, like Tottenham, have been hampered by injuries this season. Since they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Wycombe Wanderers, Leicester have lost eight successive League matches and slid from being contenders for Europe to the nowhere of no-man's-land in the middle of the Premiership table.

This weekend is the 40th anniversary of the day that Spurs completed the second half of the League and Cup Double. Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson scored the goals that gave Spurs a 2-0 victory but it has to be admitted that the crippling injury to Len Chalmers, the Leicester right back, helped Tottenham's cause. There is no doubt that Tottenham were a tired side that day and a fully fit Leicester side might have stretched Tottenham more than they did.

That, of course, is not the only time we have played Leicester in a Cup Final as we beat them 1-0 in the Football League Cup Final in March 1999, thanks to Allan Nielsen's very late goal.

Spurs have twice drawn a match 5-5. One occasion was in 1966 when we drew 5-5 with Aston Villa. The other occasion was on January 10th 1914 when Spurs were drawn to play Leicester Fosse in the FA Cup 1st Round at Leicester. Our five goals were scored by Bert Bliss 2, Fanny Walden, Billy Minter and Jimmy Cantrell. It was in this game that Spurs spotted Tommy Clay and signed him shortly afterwards.

The best goal I have ever seen a Spurs player score was by Jimmy Greaves against Leicester in October 1968. (Ed - totally agree with you on this one, Brian) Jimmy scored a hat-trick that day to help Spurs win 3-2. This particular goal was a stunning one. Pat Jennings booted the ball upfield to Greaves, hovering on the wing. Greaves killed the ball and spun round in one movement. He then dribbled upfield beating four or five players, drew Shilton in the Leicester goal and plonked the ball in the net. Unhappily, the Match of the Day cameras were elsewhere so there is no film of this goal, which I think was Jimmy's greatest for Tottenham.

And tomorrow? Neither side have much to play for except pride. Leicester will want to end that barren run of defeats whilst Spurs will want to finish in the top half of the table if they can do so. I think Spurs will just about shade it as Leicester will be short on confidence. I take them to win 1-0.

COME ON YOU SPURS!

Cheers, Brian

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