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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Brentford

Premier         Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home             0   0   0   0     0-0    0
Away             0   0   0   0     0-0    0
============================================
Total (Prem)     0   0   0   0     0-0    0
============================================
Lge Div 1 
Home             0   0   0   0     0-0    0
Away             0   0   0   0     0-0    0
============================================
Total (Div 1)    0   0   0   0     0-0    0
============================================
Lge Div 2
Home             3   2   1   0     7-1    7
Away             3   1   1   1     5-4    3
============================================
Total (Div 2)    6   3   2   1    12-5   10
============================================
Total (Prem)     0   0   0   0     0-0    0
Total (Div 1)    0   0   0   0     0-0    0
Total (Div 2)    6   3   2   1    12-5   10
============================================
Grand Total      6   3   2   1    12-5   10
============================================

We have played Brentford in the FA Cup and FL Cup. The details are:

FA Cup  Rd   H/A  Result  Goalscorers
21-22    1    A   2-0     Cantrell, Seed
45-46   3/1   H   2-2     Burgess, A.E. Hall
        3/2   A   0-2

FL Cup
92-93   2/1   H   3-1     Sheringham, Watson, Durie
        2/2   A   4-2     Anderton, Sheringham 2 (1p)
                          Turner

98-99   2/1   A   3-2     Carr, Dominguez, Vega
        2/2   H   3-2     Nielsen, Campbell, Armstrong

The paths of Spurs and Brentford have not crossed in the League since Spurs won promotion to the old First Division at the end of season 1949-50. Yet there was a time when Brentford were near the top of the old First Division and Spurs seemingly permanent residents in the old Second Division. Brentford, like many other clubs, were victims of the Second World War. They were just beginning to settle in the First Division when the war broke out. When football resumed in 1946, their team was too old and they were relegated. They have never sampled top flight football since.

However, we have played some League Cup ties in recent years. Brief reports of the last two games against them follow.

Our last visit to Brentford was on Tuesday 15 September 1998. Christian Gross had just been sacked and David Pleat was in temporary control of team affairs whilst the Board were negotiating with Leeds for the release of George Graham.

Brentford almost snatched a dramatic goal after 40 seconds. The Third Division side tore into Spurs from the whistle and they forced an error from goalkeeper Espen Baardsen. The Norwegian raced 10 yards outside of his box to clear, but sliced the ball sideways. Darren Freeman was quick to react but his shot was blocked by Sol Campbell who recovered to deny any hopes of a spectacular goal.

Baardsen was left red-faced again later when another clanger saw him lucky not to concede a goal. He rolled the ball out, struck it against Andy Scott, and was relieved to see it rebound goalwards but just wide.

Scott had the last laugh after 28 minutes with a goal which raised the roof at a packed Griffin Park and gave the home side a shock lead. Warren Aspinall swung in a corner from the left, Jamie Bates' header down hit Scott on the legs, but the striker pounced on the loose ball to stab it across the line.

Steve Carr spared Tottenham's blushes with his first-ever goal in the last minute of the first half when he ran on to Allen's lob and drilled the ball inside the near post.

Tottenham's dominance was rewarded with a goal after 53 minutes but you had to feel sorry for Chris Coyne. The young defender, on loan from West Ham, made a mess of the clearance on the edge of his box and substitute Jose Dominguez pounced to fire the ball into the far corner before celebrating with his trademark back-flip.

The mistakes continued and Brentford were gifted an equaliser by former player Sinton. Sinton, who scored 30 goals in four seasons with the Bees, slid a back pass past Baardsen and Freeman gratefully put the ball into the empty net after 66 minutes.

But in a rousing finale, Vega's moment came when the home defence failed to pick him up as he ran in to meet Ginola's corner with aperfectly-placed header.

The teams that night were:

Brentford: Pearcey, Boxall, Anderson, Coyne, Powell, Bates, Freeman (Rapley 74), Aspinall, Quinn, Rowlands, Scott (Owusu 82).

Subs Not Used: Watson, Hebel, Oatway.

Goals: Scott 28, Freeman 66.

Tottenham: Baardsen, Carr, Tramezzani (Dominguez 45), Sinton, Calderwood, Campbell, Vega, Allen (Gower 82), Ginola, Clemence, Armstrong.

Subs Not Used: Edinburgh, Segers, Berti.

Goals: Carr 44, Dominguez 53, Vega 82.

Att: 11,831

Ref: D Gallagher (Banbury).

The return game was played the following Wednesday, September 23rd 1998.

After losing the first leg 3-2 at Griffin Park, Brentford lost again by the same score, but their performance on each occasion, not least their resilience, did them credit. Ron Noades, their chairman and manager, said: "You have more time to play in these matches. A shame, really, because it's not very good practice for our league games. But it's good for the players. I thought they played well in both games and I thought our supporters were tremendous."

They were, at least, tremendously evident, jeering Tottenham's stuttering performance with choruses such as: "You're worse than third division." There might have been some substance to the claim when that early goal went in. The architect was Oatway, the Brentford midfield player, whose perfect through ball sent Scott clear of Tottenham's shaky defence to beat Segers.

Further embarrassment might well have been heaped on Spurs six minutes later, after Chris Armstrong had just missed with a header from Stephen Clemence's deep cross, the lively and promising Martin Rowlands putting in a fierce long shot that the 36-year-old Segers turned athletically over the bar.

Brentford, for at least half of the first period, were as good as their alleged masters, the three big centre backs dealing capably with Tottenham's attempts at equalising. But, after 24 minutes, Ruel Fox crossed from the right, Armstrong's shot was blocked by Jason Pearcey, Brentford's capable goalkeeper, only for Allan Nielsen to convert the loose ball.

What Brentford did not need was to concede an early goal just after half-time. However, just as Tottenham had done in the first half, so did they. Ginola, always a thorn in Brentford's side, put in a powerful shot that Pearcey parried, Sol Campbell, who had initiated the move, followed up to make put Tottenham ahead.

Seven minutes later it was 3-1. Again, Ginola was the instigator, enabling Clemence to cross. Nielsen shot against the base of a post, giving Armstrong room and time to control the ball and shoot home.

Suddenly, Tottenham became passably fluent. Ginola had one of his runs, enabling Nielsen to drive in a shot that, once more, was blocked by Pearcey. Luck was on the Brentford goalkeeper's side, this time, for the ball ran free.

Tottenham took off Ginola, introducing Dominguez,but it was Brentford, commendably and enterprisingly, who would score the only other goal. It came after 74 minutes and involved all of their three substitutes. Once more, a question mark was placed against the Spurs defence. Folan launched his fellow substitute, Rapley, up the right. Rapley negotiated Edinburgh without trouble and crossed for Lloyd Owusu to convert. So history, or the score, repeated itself; with minimal credit to Spurs.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-4-2): H Segers - S Carr, C Calderwood, S Campbell, J Edinburgh - R Fox, A Nielsen, S Clemence (sub: M Gower, 80min), D Anderton - C Armstrong, D Ginola (sub: J Dominguez, 63).

BRENTFORD (3-5-2): J Pearcey - D Powell, J Bates, R Quinn - D Boxall, C Oatway (sub: K Ratley, 70), W Aspinall, M Rowlands, I Anderson - D Freeman (sub: L Owusu, 59), A Scott (sub: A Folan, 70).

Referee: A Wiley

We ought to win tonight! We should win tonight! But cup tie football is very funny and there is always the possibility of a shock. However, I feel Spurs will do enough to establish a lead for the second leg.

Cheers, Brian

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