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"It was Twenty Years ago today!"
article published April, 2018, but first written in 1998 by the late Brian Judson
Full Record of Spurs -v- Newcastle United
Premier Pl W D L For-Ag Pts
Home 4 1 1 2 7-7 4
Away 5 1 2 2 6-12 5
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Total (Prem) 9 2 3 4 13-19 9
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1) 43 24 7 12 87-48 59
Away (Div 1) 43 15 14 14 70-76 45
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Total (Div 1) 86 39 21 26 157-124 104
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2) 6 1 3 2 6-7 5
Away (Div 2) 6 3 0 3 6-4 6
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Total (Div 2) 12 4 3 5 12-11 11
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Total (Prem) 9 2 3 4 13-19 9
Total (Div 1) 86 39 21 26 157-124 104
Total (Div 2) 12 4 3 5 12-11 11
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Grand Total 107 45 27 35 182-154 124
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The point that Tottenham earned at Barnsley last weekend may have secured
their future in the Premier Division but it is vital that Tottenham
remain undefeated in their closing games of the season. One win from the
three games remaining may be enough to ensure that we survive.
This week's game is against Newcastle United. Their supporters must feel
terribly let down after a vintage season in which they came very close to
winning the Premiership. The season went sour on them before a
competitive ball had even been kicked in anger when Alan Shearer
sustained a broken leg in one of their pre-season warm-up games. Things
grew worse when it became clear they had sold Les Ferdinand to Tottenham
within hours of Shearer sustaining his broken leg. Newcastle tried to
withdraw from the agreed transfer without success. Soon after that,
Asprilla was also injured and side-lined for a lengthy spell, leaving
Newcastle without a recognised centre-forward.
Once Newcastle were eliminated from the Champions League, they plunged
downwards towards the bottom end of the Premiership. They have now
reached the point where they could quite easily plunge into the
Nationwide League.
As a neutral observer of Toon affairs (my paternal grandfather was a Toon
supporter and once walked from North London to the old Crystal Palace Cup
Final grounds to support Newcastle in one of their pre-First World War
cup finals), I have been saddened by their demise. Over the years, they
have spent far too long in the doldrums since winning the FA Cup three
times in the distant 1950s including the 1952 Final when they beat
Arsenal, 1-0. They had a very rampant side in the 1970s when Malcolm
MacDonald was their main goalscorer. They also had a very good side in
the 1980s when Kevin Keegan finished his playing career with them and
Chris Waddle took his first faltering steps in a career that has led to
his playing for Burnley in the mid-1990s.
Whatever the reasons for Newcastle's downfall (and I have my suspicions
the finger should be pointed at Kenny Dalglish for not having a more
tactically aware number two instead of Terry McDermott), Newcastle have a
lot of hard work to do during the summer.
It is odd that both Newcastle and Tottenham, once both heavy spenders in
the transfer market, have been reduced to scrambling to buy other
people's cast-offs. Newcastle have bought Rush, Barnes and other fading
stars. Spurs have bought Fox, Dominguez, Calderwood, Wilson and other
dubious purchases. The fans have demanded better purchases than those but
there are very few first class stars available. It is, for example,
ridiculous that Del Piero could be available at a price of EIGHTEEN
MILLION POUNDS to Manchester United if they can afford to pay that price.
Just think what his signing-on fees are likely to be ........
But for the moment both clubs need to focus on Saturday's match.
Tottenham are expected to be largely unchanged despite the dismissal of
Vega last weekend and the fact he is likely to miss the last two games of
the season. Hopefully, Anderton will make his first start for many a long
day instead of Fox, having played for two-thirds of England's 'B'
friendly with Russia's 'B' team. Hopefully, too, Armstrong and Ferdinand
will start the game with Klinsmann, who has been totally out of form, on
the bench.
It will be interesting to see how both teams fare on Saturday. Neither
side can afford to drop any more points and both must be praying that
Arsenal do not leave their shooting boots at Highbury, particularly after
the way they recently took Newcastle apart by 5-0, when they travel to
Barnsley. It might even be the case the Tottenham faithful might even
greet an Arsenal win at Barnsley with a full throated roar of approval
for once!
How do I see the game? I visualise an end to end game, possibly quite a
few goals but hopefully with Tottenham scoring at least one more than the
Toon. Much will depend on how Sol Campbell deals with Alan Shearer!
Cheers, Brian
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