Here is Brian Judson's preview of the game
Full Record of Spurs -v- West Ham United
Premier Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 9 4 2 3 9- 9 14
Away 9 3 2 4 12- 12 11
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Total (Premier) 18 7 4 7 21- 21 25
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Football League
Home (Division 1) 33 17 7 9 65- 51 47
Away (Division 1) 33 9 9 15 45- 54 29
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Total (Division 1) 66 26 16 24 110-105 76
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Football League
Home (Division 2) 10 4 4 2 18- 13 12
Away (Division 2) 10 3 3 4 13- 12 9
======================= ======================
Total (Division 2) 20 7 7 6 31- 25 21
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Total (Premier) 18 7 4 7 21- 21 25
Total (Division 1) 66 26 16 24 110-105 76
Total (Division 2) 20 7 7 6 31- 25 21
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Grand Total 104 40 27 37 162-151 122
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This match will be the 105th League clash between the two clubs since
Spurs first met them for Football League points in season 1919-20. The
Hammers, as they are popularly known were originally founded in 1895 as
Thames Ironworks but reformed under their present name in 1900, having
joined the Southern League at the start of season 1899-1900. Spurs first
met West Ham United in the Southern League during 1900-01. Their record
is:
Southern League
Home (Div 1) 8 4 2 2 11- 8 10
Away (Div 1) 8 4 2 2 11- 7 10
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Total(Div 1) 16 8 4 4 22- 15 20
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Unhappily for the Hammers, they are coming to White Hart Lane having to
boast they are the strongest side in the Premiership, having to hold up
the nineteen clubs immediately above them, They made an awful start to
last season but slowly but surely climbed the table. Life at the Boleyn
Ground is never dull it seems! It remains one of life's major mysteries
how the Hammers manage to produce a team that, on paper, looks fairly
strong, particularly in midfield, but never seems to gel.
Over the years, West Ham have been noted for their loyalty to managers and
a desire to play football. Closing down to defend a 1-0 lead is not their
style of play. There have only been nine managers in the whole history of
West Ham, with the last four only being appointed since 1989. It is
probably why they have been able to concentrate on developing players from
within their ranks. There have been so many good players over the years
that it would be unfair to name any stars. Most have eventually left West
Ham for other clubs because they wanted tangible reminders of their
career, which they knew they would be unlikely to achieve with West Ham.
The Hammers, in fact, recognise they cannot compete with the bigger clubs
and settle for being on the fringe of the leading clubs.
Until 1958, West Ham were an average Second Division side but that season
they raced away with the Second Division championship and have spent most
of their time since then in the top flight, though they do tend to yo-yo
between the top flight and the one below from time to time. When West Ham
are very poor, they can be horrible to watch but in full flight, they can
be poetry in motion even more than Tottenham.
One of my memories of Spurs and West Ham matches is of Greaves and Moore,
nearing the end of their time with their respective clubs, dancing a jig
during a footie match. Another of my memories is Greaves missing a penalty
kick during the 1966-67 season, a costly miss, as we lost 3-4. My happiest
memory is travelling home from Upton Park, stomping on the tube trains,
celebrating our return to Europe at the end of season 1966-67.
Spurs and West Ham have swapped many players over the years but the
saddest of them all has to be John Smith. Like many players, John was
ambitious and he was a central lynchpin in the Hammers defence. He left
for Tottenham, expecting to replace Danny Blanchflower. His departure from
West Ham allowed the promotion of one Bobby Moore .... Smith had the
frustrating experience of having to play understudy to Blanchflower and
when Blanchflower was injured, he saw Tony Marchi preferred to him. Smith
presumably turned to alcohol for consolation. At any rate, his weight
ballooned and he became quite tubby. Ultimately, Smith left for greener
pastures, just before Blanchflower announced his retirement as a player in
the spring of 1964. Yet imagine for a moment that Smith had remained at
West Ham ... perhaps Bobby Moore might have become frustrated and left
himself. There might not have been a famous West Ham three in the World
Cup or could it have been John Smith instead of Bobby Moore, holding aloft
the World Cup?
To my mind, Sunday's game is a hard one to call. With West Ham bottom and
Tottenham's ability to achieve defeat from the jaws of victory when
playing a team at the lower end of the table well chronicled in the past,
I shall be surprised if we have it easy. We should win but I would advise
spectators to ensure they have nails long enough to chew before they can
celebrate.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Cheers, Brian
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