Spurs Legends

[Jordinho]

Dean Marney

Born in Barking, London, Dean Edward Marney is a box-to-box midfielder and a product of the Tottenham Hotspur youth system. Although predominantly a midfielder he showed an aptitude at right back and understudied to then Spurs right back Stephen Carr, and was viewed by many as the Irish international's natural successor. He really emerged onto the scene in a mid season friendly against Irish champions Bohemians putting in a man of the match performance from right back. Unable to get his start as a young player in the Tottenham team, he was loaned out early on in his career to Swindon Town.

His initial first team action for Spurs came in August 2003, against Birmingham City. By January 2004 he had joined Queens Park Rangers on loan, as by that time Spurs had strengthened their strike force. Upon his return he was handed his debut start, but that would be his only appearance until November 2004, when he joined Gillingham on loan.

When he returned to Tottenham, he was immediately thrown in at the deep end, as a last minute choice to face an Everton team on 1 January, in which he scored the first and last goals of the match in a 5–2 victory, the second being a superb 25-yard curler into the top right corner.

I phoned him yesterday just before 12 O'clock.

I wasn't sure because with young players you never know with the celebrations and fireworks.

So I phoned him and he had his voicemail on, so I had a sneaky feeling he was at a party. But he called me back and said no (he wasn't).

He was at home, he almost was asleep and said he almost put his phone out.

So I appreciate that.

[video=youtube;3IeHH9ksUyU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IeHH9ksUyU[/video]

He struggled with form until February 2005, the month in which he participated in his first international, an England under-21 match versus Holland. He has not appeared for England since then.

After considerable squad strengthening in the early part of the 2005–06 season, which included the signings of Edgar Davids and Jermaine Jenas, he found himself out of action, and moved for a season-long loan to Norwich City in the hope of winning them promotion back to the Premier League. However his time at Norwich City was cut short due to injury, when he suffered a partial rupture to his achilles tendon, and he returned to Tottenham on 31 October 2005.

Phil Parkinson made Marney his second signing for Hull City on 14 July 2006 for an undisclosed fee. He played a key role in Hull's 2007-8 campaign which saw them reach the Premiership following a play-off final win over Bristol City. Marney and Hull were relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2009/10 season

Burnley manager Brian Laws made Marney his first summer signing on 28 May 2010. Marney struggled to establish himself in the Burnley team in his first season at the club, having spells in and out of the side. For the opening few games of his second season, Marney found himself out of favour and used predominantly as a substitute. However, a string of impressive performance from the midfielder saw him given an extended run in the side and Marney finished the season as one of the Clarets most impressive performers. The 2012-13 season is considered by many to be the best of Marneys career to date, being an almost ever-present in the Clarets side missing matches only through suspension and injury. Marney helped Burnley stave off relegation and eventually finish 11th in the Championship.

Marney began the 2013-14 season in a similar vein, performing very well during pre-season and the opening matches of the Football League Championship, where he formed an effective partnership with former Wolves and Wigan Athletic midfielder, David Jones, who signed for the Clarets in the summer. Over his first 3 seasons with Burnley he appeared in approximately 75% of their league games and, with his contract about to expire in 2013, signed a new 2-year deal. Next season we might see him back in the Premier League again as Burnley have won promotion.

 

[Papercut]

Dean Marney

Born in Barking, London, Dean Edward Marney is a box-to-box midfielder and a product of the Tottenham Hotspur youth system. Although predominantly a midfielder he showed an aptitude at right back and understudied to then Spurs right back Stephen Carr, and was viewed by many as the Irish international's natural successor. He really emerged onto the scene in a mid season friendly against Irish champions Bohemians putting in a man of the match performance from right back. Unable to get his start as a young player in the Tottenham team, he was loaned out early on in his career to Swindon Town.

His initial first team action for Spurs came in August 2003, against Birmingham City. By January 2004 he had joined Queens Park Rangers on loan, as by that time Spurs had strengthened their strike force. Upon his return he was handed his debut start, but that would be his only appearance until November 2004, when he joined Gillingham on loan.

When he returned to Tottenham, he was immediately thrown in at the deep end, as a last minute choice to face an Everton team on 1 January, in which he scored the first and last goals of the match in a 5–2 victory, the second being a superb 25-yard curler into the top right corner.



[video=youtube;3IeHH9ksUyU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IeHH9ksUyU[/video]

He struggled with form until February 2005, the month in which he participated in his first international, an England under-21 match versus Holland. He has not appeared for England since then.

After considerable squad strengthening in the early part of the 2005–06 season, which included the signings of Edgar Davids and Jermaine Jenas, he found himself out of action, and moved for a season-long loan to Norwich City in the hope of winning them promotion back to the Premier League. However his time at Norwich City was cut short due to injury, when he suffered a partial rupture to his achilles tendon, and he returned to Tottenham on 31 October 2005.

Phil Parkinson made Marney his second signing for Hull City on 14 July 2006 for an undisclosed fee. He played a key role in Hull's 2007-8 campaign which saw them reach the Premiership following a play-off final win over Bristol City. Marney and Hull were relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2009/10 season

Burnley manager Brian Laws made Marney his first summer signing on 28 May 2010. Marney struggled to establish himself in the Burnley team in his first season at the club, having spells in and out of the side. For the opening few games of his second season, Marney found himself out of favour and used predominantly as a substitute. However, a string of impressive performance from the midfielder saw him given an extended run in the side and Marney finished the season as one of the Clarets most impressive performers. The 2012-13 season is considered by many to be the best of Marneys career to date, being an almost ever-present in the Clarets side missing matches only through suspension and injury. Marney helped Burnley stave off relegation and eventually finish 11th in the Championship.

Marney began the 2013-14 season in a similar vein, performing very well during pre-season and the opening matches of the Football League Championship, where he formed an effective partnership with former Wolves and Wigan Athletic midfielder, David Jones, who signed for the Clarets in the summer. Over his first 3 seasons with Burnley he appeared in approximately 75% of their league games and, with his contract about to expire in 2013, signed a new 2-year deal. Next season we might see him back in the Premier League again as Burnley have won promotion.

Give the lad a huge welcome next season.

 

[milo]

I remember people on here getting a little over excited about Marney after that Bohemians game.

 

[Jordinho]

Mark Bowen

Mark Rosslyn Bowen was born in Neath, Wales, and joined Tottenham as an apprentice in 1980. He signed his first professional contract in December 1981 and was given his first team opportunity in the 1983/1984 season. The Welsh midfielder was scoring for the reserves, but did not get a first team opportunity until he dropped to left back. Despite being right footed, the youngster impressed in a number of games for the Lilywhites, before the club purchased Mitchell Thomas.

... on joining Tottenham, having the option of joining Manchester United, because of the digs he was staying in ... 29.09.1989 (Norwich City programme)

I was really happy there. I still keep in touch with the family. That influenced me the most, I joined Spurs at 16 and spent six happy years there.

... not making it at Tottenham ... 29.09.1989 (Norwich City programme)

Yes ... it was nice being with all the superstars but when you are looking to get into the first team you realised that there was no real chance of staking a permanent claim. I played a few first team games but I knew that the 'big' names would reclaim their places and I felt I couldn't wait for them to move on. Therefore, I had to move on and decided came to Norwich.

... on his latter years in the Spurs Reserve team ... 29.09.1989 (Norwich City programme)

I got in the side when I was 16 or 17 and I was still playing 30 to 40 games a season when I was 22 !

This left Bowen with only 20 appearances and 2 goals to his name, leaving White Hart Lane for Norwich City in 1987. Norwich City manager Ken Brown paid Spurs £90,000 for Bowen, who was one of a number of players that Norwich signed from Tottenham during that period.

They had a good scouting policy back then. Four or five of us were ex-Spurs lads, players who had played 15 to 20 games for them and had been brought up well. It wasn’t so much the coaching at Tottenham, it was working with players like Ossie Ardiles, Glenn Hoddle, Steve Archibald and Garth Crooks. They were good professionals and every day you had to do things right or they would let you know.

He made his debut for the Canaries on 19 August 1987 in a league match against Southampton at Carrow Road. Bowen spent much of his first season at Norwich playing on the left of midfield, but when Tony Spearing left the club to join Leicester City in July 1988, Bowen made the left-back spot his own for the next eight years. As well as carrying out his defensive duties in a consistent and dependable manner, Bowen was a threat going forward and in the 1989–90 season he finished as the team's joint-top league goalscorer. That season, he also collected the Barry Butler memorial trophy when the supporters voted him Norwich City player of the year.

Bowen was called Mr Versatile by his boss Martin O'Neill. He played in both full back positions, sweeper, up-front and all positions across midfield for club and country. He even played in goal when Bryan Gunn was sent off at Coventry, saving a Penalty! He should ensure his lasting place in Norwich City Hall of Fame for his glorious WINNING goal in Norwich's greatest night of cup football. October 1993 in Munich, that goal meant Norwich was the only British club side to beat Bayern Munich in Munich in any European Match for a long time.

We had a free-kick and Ian Crook hit a 30-yard diagonal ball. Chris Sutton was going to jump for it and I screamed to him to leave it. I got behind their full-back Jorginho and headed it into the far corner. Everyone goes on about Jeremy’s goal that night, but I’d like to think mine was just as good. They were wondering ‘who are these upstarts?’ but we beat them comfortably.

Bowen is also the only Norwich player to have represented the Premier League against the Italian League. He also still holds the record number of International caps won as a Norwich city player (35 caps for Wales). Whilst with Norwich, he became a regular in the Welsh international team that nearly qualified for the 1994 World Cup were it not for a missed penalty from fellow defender Paul Bodin. He has also played at right back and as sweeper.

Criticism of Gary Megson's tactics saw him dropped from the first team and finish on 399 appearances for the Canaries. Norwich's financial problems in 1996 saw them release many stars on free transfers. Despite interest from Leeds and Coventry, Mark joined West Ham and was a first team regular. In March 1997, Mark joined Japanese side Shimizu Pulse, managed by Ossie Ardiles, for the reported sum of £1million and scored on his debut against Brummel Sendai on March 22nd.

Bowen then signed for Charlton Athletic shortly after the start of the 1997–98 season. He was a member of the Addingdongs side that won promotion to the Premiership at the end of that season after a memorable play-off final against Sunderland at Wembley ended 4–4. Charlton won the penalty shoot-out, with Bowen scoring one of the spot-kicks. For a while during his time at Norwich Bowen had been the team's penalty taker but had enjoyed little success. He scored just twice from the spot for Norwich, against Notts County and Queens Park Rangers respectively. That 1998 play-off final proved to be the last high-point of Bowen's playing career. He left Charlton a year later having suffered a serious injury and after trials with Bristol City and Oxford United he played briefly for Wigan Athletic and Reading.

Before joining Reading, new Welsh national team coach Mark Hughes had given Bown responsibility for the Welsh Under 21 team. He was promoted to Assistant Manager for the Welsh national team before joining Steve Bruce in a similar role at Crystal Palace in June 2001. Bowen followed Bruce to Birmingham City (again as Assistant Manager) in December 2001 where they led the Blues to promotion to the Premiership via a Play-Off final victory over the Canaries. Birmingham's presence in the top flight and the struggles involved with that led to a club vs country row at the end of August 2002 when Bruce suggested that he retires from his position with the Welsh Under-21 squad. Eventually stepping down from his role with Wales, Bowen and Birmingham parted company towards the end of June 2004 due to a contractual dispute. When Mark Hughes took over as manager of Blackburn Rovers, he re-established his link with Bowen appointing him as Assistant Manager.

In June 2008, Bowen followed Blackburn manager Mark Hughes to Emirates Marketing Project, joining the backroom team at Eastlands and left Emirates Marketing Project in mid-December 2009 after Hughes was sacked and replaced by Roberto Mancini. At the end of July 2010, Hughes and Bowen were appointed as the management team at Fulham, replacing Roy Hodgson who had joined Liverpool. When Hughes quit in June 2011, Bowen stayed at Fulham taking a new role coaching the Academy.

When Hughes took charge at QPR on 10th January 2012, replacing Neil Warnock, he brought in his trusted management team including Bowen as Assistant Manager, Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitch****. Hughes was sacked as QPR manager on 23rd November 2012 with the club sitting at the bottom of the Premiership having taken just 5 points from 13 games. Bowen was caretaker manager for the clash at Old Trafford on 24th November which QPR lost 3-1. He was then sacked from QPR when Harry Redknapp was appointed manager and brought in Kevin Bond as Assistant Manager on 1st December 2012.

When Hughes was appointed manager of Stoke City on 30th May 2013, replacing Tony Pulis, he again brought his backroom team of Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitch**** with him.

 

[PochettinoPochettinoPochettino]

ha so many legends in this thread.

 

[Jordinho]

Give another couple of months and we'll be talking about greats such as Ramon Vega and Gus Poyet.

 

[Flannerz]

Great thread!

 

[Jordinho]

Calum Davenport

Calum Ray Paul Davenport was born in Bedford, England, and joined Coventry City as a trainee in August 2000. He made his debut, in the final game of the 2000–01, a 0–0 draw against Bradford City, the season which saw the club relegated from the Premier League. It was not until the 2002–03 season that he became a regular first team player, earning the accolade of Young Player of the Year. During the 2003–04 season he gained another accolade, winning the Player of the Year award. He made 84 appearances for Coventry City in all competitions, scoring three goals.

He moved to Tottenham in August 2004 for a fee of £1.3 million. While at Spurs, Davenport had short loan spells at West Ham, Southampton and Norwich City. After returning to Tottenham in January 2006, he made his Premier League debut in the 2–1 home defeat to Manchester United in April 2006.

... on his Spurs debut ... 28.11.2004 (THFC programme)

Of course, it was great to pull on a Spurs shirt and get on, but I would class my proper debut as playing in my usual position and starting the game, rather than coming on for 10 minutes up front !

He was the subject of transfer talk during the 2006 close season, but remained at Spurs following a series of injuries to other defenders in pre-season. Davenport scored his first league goal for Tottenham on 17 December 2006, being the first goal in a 2–1 victory away to Emirates Marketing Project, scored from a Tom Huddlestone free-kick. However, since joining Tottenham in 2004, he had struggled to establish himself in the first team and in January 2007, transferred to West Ham. Davenport made twenty appearances for Tottenham in all competitions, scoring one goal. While on loan, he made ten appearances for West Ham, twelve appearances for Southampton and 16 appearances for Norwich.

I wasn’t patient enough. I wanted everything yesterday instead of learning. I thought I knew it all.

It was Matthew Upson who helped me at West Ham. There was him going to the World Cup and me alongside him, and I realised I needed to take things more seriously. He introduced me to people away from the club, to work on conditioning in my own time.

I could see what he was achieving. I was working at the Lea Valley, the indoor complex, working on becoming stronger, thinking ‘What have I been doing all this time?’

Davenport joined West Ham United for an undislosed fee, reported to be £3 million, on 18 January 2007. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract. He made his first start in his second spell for the club two days later in a 2–2 draw against Saudi Sportswashing Machine. He had a goal disallowed during this match by referee Uriah Rennie. On 18 January 2008, he joined Championship side Watford on a month's loan, with a view to a permanent deal. Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd had previously been interested in signing Davenport when he was at Tottenham and he was to provide cover for Danny ****tu whilst he was at the African Cup of Nations. Davenport made his debut against Charlton Athletic on 19 January 2008, but had to be substituted before half-time after a collision with team-mate Darius Henderson. He was stretchered off and taken to hospital, where he spent a number of days and was diagnosed with a fracture to a bone in his neck. His injury meant the loan deal was cancelled.

After a lengthy spell on the sidelines Davenport returned to competitive action for the start of the 2008-09 campaign. Injuries meant he found himself in the starting eleven against Wigan Athletic on the opening day. Davenport took his chance in the first team, impressing many critics with both his defending and goal threat from set pieces. He scored his first goal for The Hammers against Blackburn Rovers on 30 August 2008 when he headed in Julien Faubert's corner. On 2 February 2009 he joined Premier League club Sunderland on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season. He made eight appearances for Sunderland.

Davenport returned to West Ham for the start of the 2009–10 season but in August was involved in a stabbing incident:

A Premiership footballer wept after being cleared of attacking his sister when he learnt she was pregnant by her mixed-race boyfriend.

Calum Davenport was accused of biting and headbutting Cara Davenport and calling her a '*****' during a drunken row.

The former West Ham defender and his father barged into her home at 2am after a night of drinking last August to confront her about her relationship with Worrell Whitehurst, Luton Crown Court was told.

Davenport was alleged to have grabbed his sister by the throat and bundled her to the floor as their father, Curtis, screamed racist abuse at her, branding her a disgrace to their family.

However, a jury cleared the footballer of causing actual bodily harm after Davenport claimed he had been acting as a peacemaker between his sister and father.

Miss Davenport, who was seven weeks pregnant, called police after the alleged assault. When officers arrived Whitehurst was also there, mumbling: 'He ain't never going to play football again.'

Whitehurst later tracked Davenport down and repeatedly stabbed him in the legs. There were fears Davenport would have to have a leg amputated because of a severed main artery which caused him to lose more than half of the blood in his body. He has since recovered.

Davenport, 27, told the court he and his father had gone to his sister's for a 'chit chat' with her at her council house in Bedford. He said she became aggressive when they asked about the pregnancy and punched his father.

'I got in the middle of them and she punched me in the face,' he said. 'I was trying to calm her down and restrain her when we fell on the stairs.'

Whitehurst, 25, pleaded guilty in November to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Davenport and will be sentenced later.

Davenport, who lives with his wife Zoey and their two daughters in Greenfield, Bedfordshire, had a £15,000 a week contract at West Ham.

Calum Davenport today faces a fight to rebuild his career as a Premier League footballer.

He is now a free agent after his contract with West Ham United was terminated in March and has yet to play a competitive football match since he was stabbed in both legs.

Before the attack on August 22 last year, life was looking up for 27-year-old Davenport and his wife Zoey.

They had a six-year-old daughter Angel-Skye and a second child on the way, a five-bedroom detached house in Greenfields, an upmarket area of Bedfordshire, and enjoyed holidays abroad.

But success on the pitch also led to tensions within Davenport's family.

For while Calum Davenport's life held so much promise, that of his sister Cara was proving problematic.

The father of her first child Calum Junior was jailed for life for armed robbery and the 28-year-old regularly needed hand-outs from her wealthy brother, including £1,000 on one occasion to cover her rent.

The footballer, who was reportedly earning £15,000 a week at West Ham, also bought clothes for the four-year-old boy and took him on holiday to America.

Having spent four weeks in hospital, Davenport was released to try to rebuild his career but in March his contract with West Ham United ended by mutual consent.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1291182/Footballer-Calum-Davenport-cleared-headbutting-throttling-sister.html

His attacker was later sentenced to six years in prison.

Quotes from a piece by Matt dingdonginson in The Times:

She’d been with another fellow who’d been to prison. Then other stuff. Maybe it wasn’t clever, but I gave her my opinion and so did my dad. When we left, we didn’t think anything more of it. Then the phone went at three in the morning.

It was his sister’s boyfriend, Worrell Whitehurst.

‘Where are you?’ ‘At my mum’s house’. I put the phone down and said, ‘Mum, this doesn’t sound good’.

We went outside, walked up the driveway. He came round the corner. I thought he’d punched my mum. I got between them.

In fact, Whitehurst had stabbed Davenport’s mother in the stomach.

At first I thought he had a corkscrew [it was a kitchen knife]. I couldn’t really see. Next thing I know, he obviously hit my artery in my leg and I collapsed to the ground. All I really remember is my mum saying, ‘Stay awake, stay awake.’ Then it all goes dark.

People say he stabbed me in the legs because I was a footballer. I’ve no idea. All I know is that I’d never had a crossed word with the guy. You can’t be the full ticket to stab someone.

He stabbed me in my main artery, severed it on my left thigh. If you sever it all, apparently it shuts down. But it was cut 90 per cent, so the blood was just gushing out everywhere. That’s why I passed out. That was the first blow, I think. He stabbed me in the hamstrings, but I don’t remember any of that.

They resuscitated me twice, once in the ambulance, once at the hospital. When they rushed me into surgery, they told my family I might not come out. They said it would be a miracle if I didn’t die. Then if I did survive, I’d lose my leg.

After being released by West Ham, Davenport joined Nottingham Forest on trial during the club's 2010 pre-season. In August 2010, Davenport started training with Leeds United. He started a trial period which was later confirmed by manager Simon Grayson. In September 2010 Davenport returned home to think over his options. On 8 September 2010, Grayson revealed that Leeds were still interested in the player and were awaiting Davenport to think over his future.

I soon knew there was something not right in my leg. When I was trying to be explosive off my leg, it felt dead.

I was fine in small-sided games, but as soon as it went to 11-a-side, I was having 16, 17-year-olds running off me. We played a practice game at Leeds. I couldn’t turn. I felt like a bus. I took my bib off at half-time and said, ‘That’s it.’

In September 2010 Davenport signed for United Counties team Wootton Blue Cross in order to gain some match fitness before returning to the professional ranks.

I had my family, my insurance and my health. After everything that happened, I was lucky that I could still walk the dog.

I was at the high performance centre in Birmingham. The way those guys trained was a million miles away from football. I worked under a lot of managers — Martin Jol, Alan Curbishley, Alan Pardew, Harry Redknapp, Gordon Strachan — and we did team preparation, team shape. But there’s so much more we can do as individuals.

I’d watch Phillips Idowu train, watch the jump practice and wonder how many centre forwards and centre halves have specialist training on that.

I took in as much information as I could. I turned into a geek. I am at the bottom of my coaching badges, but I’d like to incorporate the sports science I’ve seen for my own eyes.

For the 2011–12 season, Davenport also became first team coach as well as player.

He cites another positive. Davenport and his wife have found the time to fulfil a long-held ambition to become foster parents.

I’ve two daughters but we’ve plenty of room and we just wanted to help. It’s amazing. You can get a call with two hours’ notice. We’ve a little lad who is four months and we’ve had him since he was three days old. You never know when he might leave.

Recovering, and fostering, has helped to ease the regrets about the career that he might have had.

I’ve not had the time to stop and dwell.

I nearly lost my life but now I can walk down the street. I’m not bitter. If I have a regret, it is that I didn’t establish myself consistently at one club. If I knew then what I know now, I could have been an established Premier League centre back.

A lot of what I’ve done is negative and disappointment. I don’t want to let that happen to people around me when I’m involved in coaching or managing. I’ve picked up a lot. I know better now.

 

[Jordinho]

Paul Moran

Paul Moran was born in Enfield, England, and started out at Tottenham as a 17-year old in 1985. He played 36 times for Spurs over the next 10 years, scoring 2 goals. He was also out on loan at Portsmouth (3 appearances), Saudi Sportswashing Machine (1 appearance), Leicester (10 appearances) and Southend (1 appearance), scoring 1 goal for Leicester.

[video=youtube;p0y0WfT1bFI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0y0WfT1bFI[/video]

The worst ever miss at St James' Park by Paul Moran for Saudi Sportswashing Machine on loan from Spurs.

This came on 21st Feb 1991 v Wolves in the second division.

Rumour has it Moran was out on the lash the night before - a credible excuse given his rubbish and only appearance for Saudi Sportswashing Machine.

Not much is known about what happened with Moran after he left Spurs for Peterborough, where he made 7 appearances, but Wikipedia lists him as having played for these clubs: Enfield, Boreham Wood, Enfield again and Hertford Town. He has also appeared with various Spurs Legends XIs.

According to My Eyes Have Seen The Glory he works (worked?) for the Press Association and was a painter and decorator in Enfield.

 

[Jordinho]

Steven Pienaar

Steven Jerome Pienaar was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He started his professional career at Ajax Cape Town, some 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) away from his home in Johannesburg. He was brought to the attention of Ajax CT whilst playing for the School of Excellence and was asked to join their youth academy.

At Ajax Cape Town he won the Rothman's Cup beating Orlando Pirates 4–1 in the final on 13 December 2000, in what was to be his final game for the club. Aged 18, he was brought over to the Netherlands in January 2001 but did not make his Eredivisie début until 24 February 2002 – in a 1–0 victory over NAC Breda. He became a pivotal member of the Ajax team that won the Dutch League in 2002 and 2004.

In January 2006, German club Borussia Dortmund signed Pienaar on a three-year contract from Ajax. Seen as a replacement for Arsenal-bound Tomáš Rosický, Pienaar's first year with Borussia Dortmund saw him receive the number 10 shirt vacated by the Czech playmaker. Pienaar struggled at Dortmund and never felt truly accepted by the other players at the club.

Pienaar joined Everton on loan for 2007–08 and later signed a three-year contract from Dortmund for a pre-agreed fee of £2 million after payment of an initial loan fee of £350,000 in April 2008. Despite missing eleven games through injury, Pienaar was named Everton's Player of the Season for 2009–10.

In January 2011, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur had bids accepted to buy Pienaar from Everton before the South African joined Spurs for a fee of £3 million on a four-year contract. He made his Tottenham debut in a 1–1 draw away to Saudi Sportswashing Machine. In August 2011, Pienaar suffered a groin injury, which ruled him out for six weeks. Pienaar scored his first goal for Tottenham in a 4–0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League on 15 December. Pienaar's spell at Tottenham was characterised by persistent injuries and not much impact in games which resulted him rarely featuring in the team.

Late on transfer deadline day in January 2012, Pienaar completed a return to Everton on a six-month loan deal. Despite only playing in 14 games, and being cup-tied from the FA Cup, Pienaar finished his spell with six assists, the most of anyone at Everton for the season. He also scored four goals, which is his joint-best tally in the league out of his five seasons with the club. A permanent transfer was agreed in July 2012, with Everton paying Tottenham Hotspur a fee of £4.5 million.

Pienaar has been capped 61 times by South Africa and scored three goals. He participated at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups. On 2 October 2012, he announced his retirement from international duties.

 

[Jordinho]

Wayne Routledge

Wayne Neville Anthony Routledge was born in Sidcup, South East London and attended Archbishop Lanfranc School in Croydon. Routledge began his career at Crystal Palace and made his Palace debut in October 2001 in a 1–0 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion, aged only 16. He made his starting debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the age of 17 in September 2002, and scoring after just one minute on the field. He was England's second ever player to score at the new Wembley Stadium.

He was an important member of the side which won promotion to the Premiership via the play-offs in 2003–04, and he was ever present as Palace battled for their Premiership place in 2004–05 and, although they just failed to avoid the drop, Routledge proved to be an exciting talent on the wing and up front, chipping in with an impressive 8 assists. He was not to leave the top flight, though. After rejecting a contract with the side that developed him as a youngster in January, Tottenham Hotspur snapped him up on 1 July 2005. The clubs could not come to an agreement over a fee for Routledge so the transfer went to a tribunal. There it was agreed that Palace would receive an initial £1.25m, rising to £2m depending upon appearances in future.

After impressing in the pre-season, His career at White Hart Lane started slowly as he sustained a broken foot on his league debut for the club, but on 12 December 2005 he made his return as a substitute in only his second game for Spurs against Portsmouth. He was loaned to Portsmouth in the January 2006 transfer window and made 13 appearances for them before returning to Spurs at the season's end.

After impressing in the pre-season again, he was once again loaned out on a year deal to Fulham as part of the deal that brought Steed Malbranque to Spurs. This was also partly due to the emergence of Aaron Lennon at both club and international level.

Tottenham had a really good squad, a good group of lads, and it was decent.

It was a different experience in terms of expectation, playing staff, coaches, and it was a learning curve.

I've learnt a lot in football and I learnt a lot coming through Tottenham.

Football is not always straight forward. By the time I reached Spurs everything was going really well and then obviously I had a dip.

I had to pick myself back up and that was a lesson.

I'm not the only person that has setbacks, but you have to get through it. If you don't then you don't last.

If you do then you come out on the other side.

On 30 January 2008 Routledge joined Aston Villa on an 18 month contract in a deal worth £1.5 million.

On 10 July 2008, Routledge was the subject of a scathing verbal attack from Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan. Jordan was giving an interview about now ex-Palace midfielder John Bostock, during which he used Routledge as an example of why he believed the youth player should not leave Palace to join Tottenham.

When Spurs came knocking I told Wayne to stay and learn his trade at Palace, but he went, he grabbed the money, and now he's at Villa not getting in the first team, just like he didn't get in the Spurs team, just like he didn't get in the Portsmouth team and just like he didn't get in the Fulham team.

In November 2008 after making just one league appearance for Aston Villa so far during the season, Routledge was allowed to join Football League Championship side Cardiff City on a two-month loan deal after the club suffered a double injury blow when both Joe Ledley and Peter Whittingham were ruled out for one and three months respectively. In the lead up to the opening of the January transfer window it was revealed that Cardiff had offered a fee of around £3m in order to sign Routledge on a permanent deal. The transfer was expected to be completed prior to the clubs FA Cup third round match against Reading on 3 January, but the day before Routledge rejected the deal and was subsequently recalled from his loan spell.

On the same day that his loan spell at Cardiff was terminated, Routledge signed a 3 and a half year deal at rival Championship side Queens Park Rangers for a fee of £600,000, saying that he was "thrilled" to join.

On 26 January 2010 Routledge signed for Saudi Sportswashing Machine for an undisclosed fee, on a three and a half year deal, and wore the number 10 shirt. Due to his good form in the side, he kept his place for Saudi Sportswashing Machine's opening games of the Premier League. He started Saudi Sportswashing Machine's opening five games on the wide right of midfield, in an unchanged side which saw them pick up seven points from the first five games and climb to 5th in the table on 18 September 2010. Routledge lost his place however and found himself serving bench duty. On 21 January 2011, Routledge returned to Queens Park Rangers, signing a loan until the end of the season.

On 4 August 2011, Swansea City announced the signing of Routledge on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. On 28 January 2013, Routledge signed a new four-year contract with Swansea.

Routledge has represented England at under-16, under-19 and under-21 level. Routledge made 12 appearances for the Under-21's between 2004 and 2007 and was part of the England squad that made the Semi Final of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in the Netherlands, when England lost 13–12 on penalties to the Netherlands Under-21's after it finished 1–1 after extra time.

---

EXCLUSIVE: I'm not a money grabber, insists journeyman Routledge ahead of bid for Wembley final

It's almost nine years since Wayne Routledge last played in a final and his memory of it has faded to the bare facts.

'I don't remember too much, just everyone going mad at the end,' he says. 'It was a massive game, the play-off final.'

He is trying to recall the day in May 2004 when Crystal Palace beat West Ham 1-0 in Cardiff to go up to the Premier League; the day when 17 of the 32 players involved had won, or would soon win, full international caps.

Of those, only Michael Carrick drew more hype than the short, rapid winger routinely listed among the best outside the top flight. 'It's hard to think of much from the game itself,' he adds.

'We'd gone from relegation candidates to the play-offs and there was a great feeling around the place. But the game itself, I can't give you many details. A lot has happened since.'

That's true. But most of it is not what you might have expected at the time. There's been the move to Tottenham, that rather unfortunate debut when he broke a bone in his foot, and the hours spent researching the healing rate of a navicular.

There were also the other eight moves in seven years that ultimately led him to Brendan Rodgers' Swansea in summer 2011, and the statistic that showed he played 116 Premier League games without scoring before last season.

'Journeyman' appeared in several stories; some recycled an accusation from former Palace chairman Simon Jordan that he was a bench-warming money grabber.

And yet here he is, almost certain to start for Swansea against Chelsea in the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final.

His team are 2-0 up after smashing and grabbing more than their fair share from Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago, the highlight of what had already been a remarkable season.

When Michael Laudrup's team go forward, he, like Michu, will be a focal point, a key component of an attack and strategy that has evolved markedly since Rodgers so impressively consolidated Swansea's place in the Barclays Premier League last season.

Unlike Michu, he doesn't get much attention, but privately Laudrup is known to rave about him, or as much as he ever does in that understated way of his.

Routledge certainly raves about Laudrup. 'He's been brilliant since he came in,' says Routledge, and so he should - Laudrup appears to have revitalised his career in the space of seven months.

'I'm probably the happiest I've been and playing the best in my career,' Routledge says.

'But I've learned to keep a level head. In football, a low point can be just around the corner. It has been a long road to get here.'

He started in Sidcup, south-east London. 'My family have always been into sport,' he says.

'My uncles played football and my father played rugby. He still says he is faster than me.'

Routledge took to football late by standards - 'I didn't play for my first Sunday League team until I was 10' - but once he started he was hooked.

'My ball went everywhere with me,' he says. 'But we weren't allowed to use proper balls at school - we used tennis balls.

'At lunch I wouldn't stop to eat. The only time I didn't have a ball was when I got into bed.'

He started his first league game for Palace aged 17 in September 2002 and scored within a minute.

By the time he left for Tottenham in 2005 he had played for England at every level from Under 16 to Under 21.

'Mum kept all my shirts and caps, but there aren't many left because she keeps giving them away,' he says.

'She can't say no to anyone who asks for something.'

Spurs had first shown interest during Palace's promotion campaign and then failed with a couple of bids the next season as Routledge excelled in a team that would ultimately go straight back down.

Routledge let his contract expire and a tribunal set the initial fee at a staggeringly low £1.25million. Then it started going wrong. 'It was a massive move,' he says. 'I had big expectations from others and from myself.

'I had a good pre-season, went to South Korea with the team, and played a tournament with the England Under 21s and had no rest.

'It was one of the main factors in me breaking my navicular in my foot in the first game of the season against Portsmouth. 'It doesn't get much oxygen so when it breaks it's hard to heal. Four months out and Aaron Lennon came in. He stayed in.'

Routledge went on loan to Portsmouth and then Fulham. Around that time Spurs manager Martin Jol said: 'He is almost as big a talent as Aaron Lennon. It is only a matter of self-confidence.'

He left White Hart Lane in January 2008, having played five games, and joined Aston Villa. After three games he was loaned to Cardiff, and has since had two stops at QPR (once on loan) and one at Saudi Sportswashing Machine.

He was a key part in both Saudi Sportswashing Machine and QPR's most recent promotions.

It was while Routledge was at Villa that Jordan, in discussing why John Bostock should not be so quick to leave Selhurst Park, said: 'I told Wayne to stay and learn his trade at Palace, but he grabbed the money, and now he's at Villa not getting in the first team, just like he didn't get in the Spurs team, just like he didn't get in the Portsmouth team and just like he didn't get in the Fulham team.'

Routledge is unimpressed.

'If I was just doing it for the money, why would I change clubs so much?' he says. 'I moved to play football. I have moved all around the country because I love playing, getting games. I have seen Simon Jordan since and he said I am doing well now which is a nice compliment after what he said.

'I don't think anyone who knows me would question how much I love the game or say I have moved for the money.'

To that end, Sportsmail understands he took a cut on his basic wage in joining Swansea from Saudi Sportswashing Machine 18 months ago.

Routledge adds: 'When I am at home I always watch football - Premier League, Spanish football, the Championship, anything. My girlfriend gets so bored of it.'

He refers to Rate My Player, an online forum he created with his brother last year.

'We were in Wagamama's and just thought the site would be cool, a place to go and talk about football like you do at the pub or wherever.'

He occasionally joins debates on the site under an anonymous username. On the basis of this season, he has a lot to say. He's started 24 games in all competitions and has already scored five and assisted in five, flourishing on either flank in Laudrup's 4-2-3-1 system.

For the first time since he left Palace he has been offered a second contract at a club. 'I don't think you'll find a footballer who is unhappy when they are playing,' he says.

'I'm getting a proper run and I'm just really happy. I think it shows in my performances.' That much is obvious.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2266657/Wayne-Routledge-Im-money-grabber.html

 

[Jordinho]

Stephane Dalmat

Stéphane Dalmat scored a glorious goal in the Champions League last season. Playing for Bordeaux, he picked up the ball on the halfway line, breezed past an opponent and lobbed PSV Eindhoven’s goalkeeper, Gomes, from 25 yards. In the Sky TV studio, Jamie Redknapp, Dalmat’s team-mate at Spurs in 2003-04, described the midfielder along the lines of being “one of the most skilful players I’ve ever seen”, but labelled his attitude “shocking”.

Dalmat was kicked out of White Hart Lane before his season-long loan had run its course, following an altercation with a youth-team player. It then emerged that he had also fallen out with caretaker coach David Pleat and several team-mates.

This was just another controversial episode in the career of the most talented French footballer of his generation. Pleat had spotted a teenaged Dalmat playing for Lens against Arsenal in the Champions League in 1998. “I immediately felt he was special. I thought there and then he would go places.” Pleat was right in one sense – Dalmat has played for ten clubs in ten years. He has failed to come close to fulfilling his potential. In June, he joined Sochaux, yet another attempt to relaunch his flagging career.

It was so different in 1999, when the 20‑year-old Dalmat moved from Lens to Marseille for 68 million francs (£7.3m), a record fee for a move between two French clubs. His effortless passing ability, two-footedness and ferocious shooting made him an almost complete midfielder. Raymond Domenech, then coaching France’s Under-21s, remarked: “At his best, he reminds me of Lothar *Matthäus in his early days.”

Even before the switch to Marseille, however, the warning signs were there. After monitoring Dalmat for a season, Lens coach Daniel Leclercq commented: “At first, he seemed very nice, very straightforward. But dig a little deeper and you see he has a lot to learn about general behaviour.” Dalmat sulked for a month because Lens refused to sell him to AC Milan midway through 1998-99. “I was angry at the whole world because I was so desperate to move to Italy. I went crazy at everybody, including my team-mates and manager.”

Financial woes forced Marseille to sell him to Paris Saint-Germain for 70m francs in 2000. In the capital he sealed his enfant terrible reputation. Dalmat was part of PSG’s hugely expensive policy of buying the most exciting young French players – but he imploded. “I was 21 and had money. The Parisian nightlife is tempting. I perhaps made mistakes but was badly advised. The negative image I have comes from my time at PSG.”

Big clubs were still willing to take a risk on him. In January 2001 he joined Inter, but struggled to win a first-team place. He made just 48 Serie A appearances in two-and-a-half seasons. A couple of stupendous long-range goals reminded fans how good he was.

After Spurs he moved to Toulouse, starting brightly before a foot injury sidelined him for four months. The Ligue 1 club wanted to sign him permanently, but Dalmat refused. “I couldn’t stay at Toulouse because financially there was too great a difference between there and my final year at Inter, I’m not afraid to say it.”

There was no clamour for his signature this time, at least not from Europe’s bigger clubs. Instead Dalmat signed a five-year contract with Racing Santander, who had finished 16th in La Liga the previous season. Club president Manuel Huerta raised fans’ expectations, saying: “He will be our very own galáctico.”

Events proved otherwise. After four months of forgettable performances, Dalmat returned late from the Christmas break, provoking Huerta’s ire. “Either he changes or he will have to leave,” the president fumed. “His attitude is a problem. This ‘Monsieur’ gets up every day to collect his money while young players give everything to succeed as footballers. Dalmat has all the qualities in the world: if he applied himself, he would be a revelation in La Liga.”

Worse followed in March 2006, when the player was disciplined for failing to stop for police after driving at high speed at four o’clock in the morning. Santander terminated his five-year deal four seasons early. Dalmat reflected: “When you’ve played for big clubs in France or abroad, and you sign for Santander, psychologically you’re not as committed. I knew very well I wouldn’t spend the rest of my life at Santander. It was just an opportunity to have a good season and, why not, be sold on for a higher price.”

He signed a one-year deal with Bordeaux in summer 2006. The wonder goal against PSV aside, he made little impact. Coach Ricardo implored him to try harder in training, then dropped him. Dalmat played no part in Bordeaux’s League Cup victory or end-of-season run-in. From appearing the most likely successor to Zinedine Zidane, Dalmat is almost washed up at 28. Sochaux may be the final fresh start for a player who has often seemed to care less than those who watch him about his career.

http://www.wsc.co.uk/the-archive/26-the-strange-case-of/433-stephane-dalmat

He spent two seasons at Rennes from 2010 to 2012, before signing for Ligue 2 side Nimes. However, after just three seeks he announced that he was unable to continue as a player.

A more recent photo:

 

[Jordinho]

David Bentley

David Michael Bentley was born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Bentley started his youth career at Wormley Football Club in Wormley, Hertfordshire, before moving to Arsenal aged 13, as a striker, occasionally playing in the hole. He was used primarily in midfield, usually as a wide midfielder. As a 16 year-old he trained with the Arsenal senior squad and by January 2003 he was handed his senior debut, coming on as a substitute for Kolo Touré in the 77th minute of a 2–0 FA Cup Third Round win over Oxford United. Bentley's first goal for Arsenal was a chip shot from the edge of the box over goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, in a 4–1 FA Cup win over Middlesbrough on 24 January 2004. He played once in the league for Arsenal, starting against Portsmouth in May 2004.

Bentley spent the whole of the next league season on loan to Norwich City, playing 26 league games and scoring two goals, against Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Southampton. His season at Carrow Road was interrupted by an injury sustained in January. He returned to the side in April 2005, coming off the bench against Manchester United and playing a key role in Norwich's 2–0 win. Despite a late run of form, the Canaries were relegated from the Premier League on the last day of the season. Bentley returned to Arsenal in the summer of 2005, but submitted a transfer request, citing his desire for first team football. In subsequent interviews, he also revealed that he was having "personal problems" at that point in his career and had lost his enjoyment for football—problems which he overcame later in his Blackburn Rovers career. He admitted to gambling addiction in the early stages of his career, reaching a peak of placing 100 bets a day. He got over his problems in 2005.

Desiring a permanent move, Bentley was linked with a number of clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers, before returning on a further season's loan, to Blackburn Rovers in August 2005. In January 2006, Blackburn announced they had signed Bentley on a permanent basis from Arsenal. In his first match after permanently signing for Blackburn, he scored his first senior hat trick in a 4–3 victory against Manchester United. Bentley went on to feature regularly for Blackburn in the 2005–06 season, and helped the club finish sixth in league standings and qualify for the 2006–07 UEFA Cup.

The 2006–07 season saw Bentley become more of a regular goalscorer for Rovers, including some stunning strikes in the Premiership. In Europe, a 25-yard volley against Salzburg in the UEFA Cup helped secure Rovers' passage into the group stage, where he also scored a last minute winner against Wisła Kraków. Bentley's club performances attracted much transfer speculation. However, on 27 February 2007, despite being linked to a move to Manchester United, he agreed to a new contract that would keep him with Blackburn until 2011. Commenting on the new deal, Rovers manager Mark Hughes described Bentley as "a great talent with a big future" while Chairman John Williams added that he "is widely regarded as one of the best young footballers in the country." Bentley ended the season with seven goals and 13 assists for Blackburn, the latter statistic also highlighting his creative importance to the team. The young midfielder was later voted by Rovers fans as the club's Player of the Year.

Bentley recorded similar statistics in the following campaign, scoring eight goals and providing 13 assists. Blackburn finished seventh in the Premier League, but did not qualify for European competition. Bentley's consistent performances for his club, however, ensured that he played in a series of post-season friendlies for England. But that was to be the Englishman's final season with the Lancashire club. Not long after the departure of manager Mark Hughes to Emirates Marketing Project, Bentley reiterated his desire to join a bigger club, and Blackburn placed a valuation of the player at around £18 million.

On 31 July 2008, Tottenham Hotspur announced their signing of Bentley, on a six-year contract, for a £15 million fee, with an additional £2 million conditional on future performance. Reports suggested that £7m of this fee was payable to Bentley's former employers, Arsenal. Bentley made his competitive debut on 16 August 2008 away at Middlesbrough where Spurs lost 2–1. He scored his first competitive goal for Spurs in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup first round tie against Wisła Kraków on 18 September 2008. He then scored his first league goal for Tottenham against his old club Arsenal with a 43-yard dipping volley in a 4–4 draw on 29 October 2008. This led the British mathematician Tony Mann to ask Marcus Du Sautoy to name a Symmetry group in honour of David Bentley; the group is labelled Set [C[1], C[2], C[3], C[4]]=[40, 13, 4, 4], with the final two digits corresponding to the result of the match.

Bentley's form would suffer at Tottenham, however, and after falling down the pecking order for both club and country, it was reported on 17 June 2009 that he was in talks to move to Aston Villa. Subsequently, it was revealed by Bentley and Aston Villa that this was untrue. The form of Aaron Lennon meant that Bentley was mostly used as a substitute for the start 2009–10 season, although he did score a free kick in Tottenham's 9–1 victory over Wigan Athletic, with the ball then going in off the back of Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. On 12 January 2011, Bentley joined Birmingham City on loan for the remainder of the season. He went straight into the starting eleven for the Second City derby against Aston Villa and was named man of the match. Bentley scored his first goal for Birmingham in a 3–2 win against Coventry City in the fourth round of the 2010–11 FA Cup. Described in the Birmingham Mail's season review as having "flattered to deceive", he failed to establish himself in the first team, and returned to Tottenham at the end of the season.

On 31 August 2011, Bentley signed a season-long loan deal with Championship side West Ham United. He made his debut on 10 September 2011 in a 4–3 home win against Portsmouth coming on in the 63rd minute for Julien Faubert. In October 2011, he was ruled out for six months following a knee operation and returned to Tottenham for treatment, after playing five matches for West Ham. In February 2012, Bentley was named in Tottenham's 25-man squad for the second half of the 2011–12 season despite his injury.

Despite featuring prominently in Tottenham's pre-season under new manager Andre Villas-Boas, on 7 September 2012, Bentley went out on loan to Russian side FC Rostov. Bentley became the first Englishman to play in the Russian Premier League when he made his debut for the club on 15 September, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 victory over Dynamo Moscow. He went on to start all four subsequent league games for Rostov before picking up an ankle injury in the 0–0 draw with Lokomotiv Moscow on 21 October. Bentley made seven appearances for Rostov without scoring.

In January 2013 Bentley's former manager at Tottenham, Harry Redknapp, attempted to sign him on loan for Queens Park Rangers as a potential supplier of crosses for Peter Crouch. However the move did not take place because Crouch did not sign for QPR and Bentley's weekly wage of £50,000 was deemed too high. On 15 February, Bentley returned to former club Blackburn Rovers on a 93-day loan. He made his second Blackburn début the next day, coming on as substitute in a fifth round FA Cup away win at Arsenal, and went on to play seven times for them.

On 7 June 2013 the Premier League confirmed that he had been released by Tottenham Hotspur. Bentley has remained without a club since then.

The relationship never worked at Tottenham. Whether it was with the club, the manager or the fans, it just didn’t happen for me.

I didn’t set the price. That wasn’t down to me. Most of my friends are Spurs fans and there’s nothing I would have wanted more than to succeed - but the manager [Harry Redknapp] didn’t pick me. It was the unknown which was difficult, there was a total lack of communication.

I thought the new manager [Andre Villas-Boas] might give me a chance but there’s probably been too much water under the bridge already.

[video=youtube;t2VCyWLh2og]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2VCyWLh2og[/video]

It was all good natured but he [Redknapp] definitely didn’t see it like that. That season, I’d played 20 games up until that point and we got into the Champions League. Even though I didn’t start that game, we were just celebrating a brilliant achievement.

He never said anything to my face about it – he didn’t really ever say much to me at all – but I knew I was always up against it after that. I hardly got another look-in.

 

[Jordinho]

Guy Butters

Guy Butters was born in Hillingdon, England, and started out as a trainee at Tottenham. Drafted into the first team due to defensive injuries, he scored an unfortunate own goal in his first senior outing, a League Cup tie at Blackburn Rovers in November 1988. In the very next game, his towering header helped to defeat Wimbledon 3-2 in the league at White Hart Lane. As the sturdy centre back settled in, his strong tackling and no-nonsense approach helped to bring solidity to a defence that had leaked goals at an alarming rate of over two a game up to mid-November. Indeed, Spurs achieved their first clean sheet of the season in Butters' next league start, a 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, and a further four clean sheets followed in the next seven games. Butters kept his place for the rest of the season, making 28 league appearances as Spurs turned around their dismal early form to finish 6th. His form earned him a place in the England U21 team for the Toulon tournament, where he earned his first, and only, 3 caps.

The team made another poor start in 1989-90, losing three of their first five games and winning just one. The assuredness Guy had shown in his first campaign had given way to uncertainty, and a series of costly errors followed. A nightmarish performance in a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa was followed by a 4-1 home mauling by Chelsea and Butters found himself out of the team. Though he was briefly recalled later in the season, he continued to look shaky and was again dropped. After only seven appearances, he spent the rest of the campaign on loan at 4th division Southend United. Butters had a better time at London Road, scoring three times in 16 games.

With new signings coming in and moving ahead of Guy, As the 1990-91 season got underway, it was clear that he was no longer part of Terry Venables' plans and on 28 September 1990 he was transferred to Portsmouth for a fee of £375, 000, having made a total of 35 league appearances in Tottenham colours.

He stayed at Portsmouth for 6 seasons, only interrupted by 6 months on loan at Oxford in 1994, making over 150 appearances. In 1996 he joined Gillingham, where he would also stay for 6 years and make over 150 appearances. In 2002 he signed for Brighton and after spending the latter part of that season on loan at Barnet he went on to become Brighton's Player of the Season in 2003-2004 and was runner up for the next two seasons.

After another 6 year stay age started to catch up with the defender and he was released by Brighton on 6th May 2008 after making over 200 appearances, moving to non-league Havant and Waterlooville later that month, going out on loan to Lewes for a month in January 2009.

He started the 2009-2010 season at Winchester City and scored for the club on his debut before taking over the manager's job in September 2010 when manager Glenn ****erill was sacked. In the October 2012, having gained promotion to the Southern League for Winchester City, Guy moved on to Brighton and Hove Albion as part of the coaching staff at the Championship club. However, this role did not last long and he was soon back in the Conference South as assistant manager to Richard Hill at Eastleigh, but he's still involved with Brighton, working as a Community Coach/Mentor.

https://twitter.com/GuyButters

 

[Jordinho]

Louis Saha

Louis Laurent Saha was born in Paris, France, and started his career at Metz 1995, being a former scholar of the Clairefontaine football academy. From 1997 to 2000 he made 67 appearances at Metz, scoring 13 goals. Eight of those goals came in the eight European matches he played for them in the 1999-2000 season. He also spent time on loan at Saudi Sportswashing Machine, scoring twice in 12 appearances.

Before the start of the 2000–01 season, Saha moved to Fulham where he established himself as first-choice striker, helping them to gain promotion to the Premier League in his first season. His performances gained attraction from Manchester United, in his final season at Fulham he contributed fifteen goals in only 22 appearances before leaving in the January transfer window, who eventually secured his signing for around £12.4 million midway through the 2003–04 season. Injuries plagued his Old Trafford career, however he did enjoy success with twice winning the Premier League, the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League and also scored six times en route to victory in the League Cup, including one goal in the final. Despite Saha's injury woes, United stars Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand have stated that they believe Saha to be the best striker either have ever played with or against.

There are so many but I'm going to say Louis Saha. He was a fantastic player, a real handful for anyone and I just really enjoyed playing off him.

He was so lively, a real striker who made great runs in behind and who was always making space for others.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2232811/Wayne-Rooney-says-Manchester-United-players-answer-Alex-Ferguson.html

After four and a half years at United, Everton took him to Goodison Park,signing a two-year 'pay-as-you-play' deal. Not match-fit at his time of signing, Saha offered to train without being paid while injured. He made his Everton debut on 22 September coming on as a substitute in a league game away to Hull City.In the FA Cup final, Saha scored the fastest goal in the final's history after 25 seconds, though opponents Chelsea came from behind to win 2–1. This broke Bob Chatt's record, which was set 114 years earlier in the 1895 Final. It was also the fastest goal in any match at the new Wembley Stadium, beating the previous record by Gianpaolo Pazzini in March 2007 in an under-21 international for Italy.

Saha signed a two-year contract extension with Everton in February 2010, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2011–12 season. He moved to Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer in the 2012 January transfer window, signing a six-month contract. He was given the number 15 jersey, last worn by Peter Crouch. Less than a week later he made his debut against Liverpool coming on as a substitute for Emmanuel Adebayor in a 0–0 draw. He made his full debut in the very next league fixture against Saudi Sportswashing Machine, scoring twice in a 5–0 win. On 26 February 2012, he made it three goals in three games for his new club when he scored the opening goal in Tottenham's 5–2 North London derby defeat against Arsenal.

He scored his fourth goal, in all competitions, for the club against Bolton Wanderers to make it 3–1 to Tottenham with the last kick of the game to send his side through to the FA Cup semi-finals against London rivals Chelsea. Following his successful short spell with Tottenham, Saha reported that he was desperate to seal a long term deal at White Hart Lane, citing Harry Redknapp as a big factor in his upturn in form. On 13 July 2012, it was confirmed that Saha was released after his contract expired at the end of the season.

On 16 August 2012, Sunderland confirmed the signing of Louis Saha on a one-year deal. He made his debut two days later, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw with Arsenal. His contract was mutually terminated on transfer deadline day January 2013. During Saha's time at Sunderland, he made only 14 appearances and failed to score a single goal. On 6 February 2013, Saha signed a six-months contract with Italian Lazio. He made his debut as a substitute on 9 February, in a match against Napoli. Saha was released at the end of the short-term deal.

Saha represented France at various youth levels and scored the winning goal in the 1997 European Under-19 Championships against Portugal. It was not until 2004 that Saha finally earned his first full cap, marking his debut with a goal in a 2–0 victory over Belgium on 18 February. That summer he was also selected for the Euro 2004 squad.

Saha contributed to France reaching the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final, but he was suspended for the final against Italy after receiving a yellow card during the semi-final victory over Portugal. Louis Saha was named in the squad picked for the Euro 2012 qualifiers (September 2011), which also included the goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Chelsea's Florent Malouda and nine other players who took part in France's disappointing 2010 World Cup campaign. Prior to this, Louis Saha had not played for his national side since November 2006 (although he was called up by Raymond Domenech in February 2010, he withdrew from the squad due to injury). Saha made his return to the national team in a 2–1 win against Germany on 29 February 2012.

On 8 August 2013, date of his birthday, Saha announced his retirement from professional football via Twitter.

Louis became first marquee player for IPL style IMG-Reliance League, to be played in India in 2014.

https://twitter.com/louissaha08

 

[Jordinho]

Jason Cundy

Jason Cundy was born Tooting, London, England, and started out at the Chelsea Academy. After being involved in the Chelsea first team squad for four years without gaining a regular starting place he joined Tottenham on loan in 1992. Brought in by Terry Venables for manager Peter Shreeve to shore up the leaky Spurs defence in March, Cundy played a part in turning things around, when it looked bleak for Tottenham for a while. Initially joining on loan, at the end of that season, his move was made permanent in the summer of 1992 for £750,000.

However, his performances were slightly erratic and his size sometimes made him vulnerable to nippy forwards, who could out-pace him. He fell out of favour when Gerry Francis took over, not helped by a number of injuries that rule him out of contention for the team. Sent out on loan to Crystal Palace and Bristol City, it was perhaps unsurprising when Jason left Tottenham to join Ipswich Town in 1996, following a spell there on loan.

He is perhaps best remembered for this:

[video=youtube;pqddHaJeMj8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqddHaJeMj8[/video]

Alan Ball bought the defender at the start of the 1999-2000 season and his physical presence made a difference, as Pompey's defensive record improved, but the defender was rocked by being diagnosed with testicular cancer His fight against the condition was successful and he continued to play at Fratton Park until he retired through injury in 2000. He went on to play for Sydney Olympic until 2002.

Cundy subsequently became a presenter on talkSPORT, regularly appearing with Ian Danter and Alvin Martin on Football First, between 12:00pm–5:00pm. He also occasionally co-hosted Evening Kick-Off, subbing in for any regular member, while appearing regularly as a presenter/pundit on Chelsea TV. He currently co-hosts Andy Goldstein's Sports Bar with Andy Goldstein four of the five weekdays the show airs, with the exception being Fridays when it is co-hosted with Goldstein by Bobby Gould aka the Gouldfather. Cundy is popular for nightly feature 'Wheel Of Cundy' in which he tells a story about a sometimes named and sometimes anonymous footballer he has played with throughout his career.

In recent years he's been getting attention for some not so pleasant stuff, walking out on his wife of 13 years and their two kids after an affair and most recently lashing out at Liverpool fans.

My husband ran off with an opera star: TV presenter Lizzie Cundy tells how her life was shattered by a VERY surprising love rival

I’ve been having some interesting conversations with Liverpool fans on Twitter.

They are the most bitter, twisted, bitchy and spiteful fans I have ever, ever come across. By some distance.

https://twitter.com/jasoncundy05

 

[Jordinho]

Helder Postiga

Spurs spent £6.25 million on Postiga in 2003 but gave up him one season later.

What has his career taken in since? Look no further...

Portuguese striker Helder Postiga was snapped up nine years ago by then Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle, who saw him at Europe's next big thing.

He had come off a impressive season at Porto where he scored 19 goals in all competitions, at the young age of 20 under the management of Jose Mourinho.

"He is a player who will add definite striking quality to our squad," said Hoddle, adding, "I'm sure our supporters will enjoy watching him over the coming seasons."

They didn't, because just one year later he was sold back to Porto, in a deal which saw Spurs sign midfielder Pedro Mendes, 'scorer' of the famous ghost goal at Old Trafford, in exchange.

So what went wrong? Like so many foreign strikers, he simply failed to settle, and failed to adapt to the Premier League.

He scored a paltry one goal in 19 appearances, and found himself behind Frederic Kanoute and Robbie Keane in the queue for first team places, and that was before the club signed Jermain Defoe in the January transfer window.

Hoddle was sacked in September, and David Pleat took the reins, but could only lead the club to a disappointing 14th place finish.

So he returned to Porto, who by that time were Champions League winners, and Mourinho had since taken charge at Chelsea, but not before he scored a vital equaliser to break English hearts.

At Euro 2004 he scored a late equaliser for Portugal, with the game looking to be heading for an England win. Portugal went onto win on penalties, and Spurs fans scratching their heads at what they had just seen.

After returning to Porto, he simply never enjoyed the same success as before he left, scoring only three goals, and mid-way through the next season, he was dispatched on loan to French side St Etienne, which proved to be equally unsuccessful, scoring just twice.

His 2006-07 season was an improvement, he netted 12 times back at Porto, but fell out of favour the next season, and was loaned to Greek side Panathaniakos midway through the season.

He then went onto make a surprise move to Portuguese rivals Sporting Lisbon, but this proved to be fruitless too. He almost completed the 2009-10 season without scoring a single goal, netting just once.

This season, he finally moved on, after just 18 goals in three season at the club, signing for Spanish side Real Zaragoza for just £1 million

Finally, he has had something of an upturn in fortune scoring nine times, including this sensational bicycle kick against Rayo Vallecano, and his performances have been enough to see him called into the Portugal squad for Euro 2012.

[video=youtube;RTNLG_09LFs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTNLG_09LFs[/video]

http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2012/05/17/former-tottenham-hotspur-striker-helder-postiga-where-is-he-now/

In the 2012-13 season he netted a career best 14 goals, but his team was relegated. On 8 August 2013, Postiga joined Valencia CF for a fee of £2.6 million, replacing Tottenham-bound Roberto Soldado. Postiga was loaned to SS Lazio of the Italian Serie A for the remainder of this season on 30 January 2014, with the option of a permanent move afterwards.

 

[Armenia Spur]

When postiga signed, in all the excitment he bough the away shirt and got '1ST CLASS POST' on the back! Need to check if he's still got it

 

[Jordinho]

Johnnie Jackson

Lifelong gooner John Alec Jackson was born in Camden, London.

The opportunity to train and play with Spurs came very early to you at the age of 11. What was it like to go from wearing the replica arsenal shirt to then representing Tottenham youth?

I had always dreamt of being a footballer, so when the opportunity to play for Spurs came along I was just excited that a club wanted me! Of course I'd have loved it to have been the Arsenal, but they'd never shown an interest.... I quickly got my head round the fact I was 'Spurs' for two nights a week and 90 minutes on a Saturday morning!

In representing the Tottenham Youth side, and then the reserves, you came across the team you supported on numerous occasions. What are your memories of those games?

That we never had much luck when coming up against the Gooners' in youth team and then reserve matches. Arsenals youth team at that time was particularly strong and we regularly received 3 or 4 goal spankings! The same could be said of the reserve team games too, although they did present me with the chance of playing against two of my all time idols in Tony Adams and Dennis Bergkamp. One Monday night at Stevenage (home of Tottenham reserves) I came across a talented young Spanish lad called Francesc Fabregas. He introduced himself by rounding 5 of our players, nutmegging a couple before beating the goalkeeper and squaring it to his mate to tap in to an empty goal. He went on to be a decent player I believe, and those of us who suffered from him that day still reflect on the 'Fabregas Five'.

You broke through to the Spurs first team on Boxing Day 2003, aged 21, before going on to make 20 appearances for their first team. Did being a part of the Spurs set up for so long, and then playing for them in the Premier League, have any affect on your affection for the team you grew up supporting?

I guess being part of the Spurs first team set up for that long meant it was quite difficult for me to be quite as devoted to the Arsenal as I was whilst growing up. I'd still try and get to games as much as I could, but it was naturally difficult as I was always playing. Ironically, I remember attending a home match against Emirates Marketing Project with you, when Henry scored a great goal in the p***ing down rain. Ten days later I scored my one and only goal for Spurs in a 4-3 win against Charlton at the Valley. That was a special night for me, and I can only imagine how much better it would have felt if I'd have had a cannon on my chest instead of a ****erel

That same year you started against your boyhood idols at White Hart Lane, in a game where we needed just a point to secure the League title. What are your memories of that day? And thanks for sorting me out a ticket! (Johnnie's corner for Spurs ultimately led to Arsenal's break away for Vieira to open the scoring).

Yeah, my first and last senior North London derby, and quite an important one too! I remember being both nervous and excited beforehand, but also surprised that I wanted to win this game more than ever! Sorry, but when you're in the tunnel pre-game, your idols quickly became just another eleven men that you want to beat, and Arsenal would've gone on to win the league that year anyway! The game didn't go to plan personally. We were 2-0 down after half hour, then I got dragged off at half time! On reflection, that match probably didn't have the worst outcome. I didn't lose the game and Arsenal won the league, and I also have the added bonus of Bergkamp's shirt from the day.

It was the only time you have played against the Arsenal at senior level, but didn't a David Pleat error rob you of the chance of getting a run out at Highbury?

Yes, the previous season I'd travelled with the squad to Highbury, but wasn't named amongst the substitutes. I was gutted, sitting in the East Stand with my suit on, and remember hoping Arsenal would stuff them. Two days later David Pleat called me into his office and told me he had made a mistake and had meant to name as a sub...bit late now David!

Were the players and staff at Spurs aware you were a Gooner? Did the Arsenal inside you ever come out in a Tottenham environment?

Yes, people knew. Arsenal were playing Villareal in the Champions League Semi Final Second Leg. The game was into it's second half as we boarded the Spurs reserve team coach after a game of our own. We had it on the TV. As you know, Arsenal conceded the late penalty. This triggered our manager at the time, Clive Allen, to come running down the coach waving his fists in my face with delight. I remained calm....until Jens Lehmann saved the penalty. Then I erupted and duly returned the favour, screaming with joy right in Clive's face! My emotions also got the better of me once at White Hart Lane during Arsenal's 5-4 victory (Nov 2004). I wasn't part of the Spurs squad so was watching from the stands. Ljungberg went down under a strong Pamarot tackle and I jumped up appealing for a penalty! I quickly realised where I was, before accusing Ljungberg of diving and sitting back down sharpish!

Arsenal fans will use Satuday's derby to remind Spurs that fifty years have passed since they last won the title. Growing up, what was your favourite title winning campaign?

I think the 1997-98 season sticks out most to me. It was Wenger's first full season and he'd brought in some very exciting players in Overmars,Petit and Vieira.I don't think anyone expected them to gel so quickly, but that year we played some incredible football and were worthy champions My abiding memory is the Tony Adams left footed half volley against Everton to clinch the title! How fitting. Of course we then went on to complete the first double of my lifetime at Wembley against Saudi Sportswashing Machine, so it was definitely my favourite year.

The Christmas Gooner will again contain a free calender, this year based around Arsenal kits of the past. Which is you favourite Arsenal kit, and what player do you associate it with?

I love the Adidas home and away kits from from the 1989-89 season. Nothing fancy, just in the classic Arsenal red and yellow away from home with the 3 stripes down the sleeve. I always seem to picture Alan Smith when I think if this kit, probably because he scored every week that season! It also reminds me of that amaxing night at Anfield.....

What have you made of Arsenal this season, and which player has stood out for you?

I've been impressed with Arsenal this year, especially away from home. There does seem to be more resilience about the side, but the home form is a slight concern and the goalkeeper 'problem' still remains an issue. Samir Nasri has been the standout player for me. I've always liked him, but this year his game seems to have moved to another level. He looks a real goal threat too, and he's become one of our most important and influential players.

What are your childhood memories of the North London derby? Which ones stand out and why?

The first North London Derby I remember is, unfortunately, the infamous 3-1 defeat at Wembley in the 1991 FA Cup semi final. I was sat in the Spurs end and I recall my dad telling me to make sure I didn't jump up if we scored! As it turned out I didn't have much to shout about that day anyway...... Another one that stands out is Ian Wright running the length of White Hart Lane and jumping in to Seaman's arms after equalising in the last minute in '93.

The derby will be finished by the time you start for Charlton against Yeovil at the Valley on Saturday. Three points could see us sitting top of the league, however briefly. It's a massive derby isn't it?

It's huge. The fact that we could go top is a great incentive, especially when considering that a few weeks ago it looked like we were playing for second behind Chelsea. Couple that with all the noise coming out of The Lane about how they've 'finally caught us up', and it adds extra spice. A good result might shut them up for a while as they'd be ten points behind us and, surely, out if touch!

I guess you wont know the score until after you've played your important game?

I'll probably get a chance to watch the first half, so I'll know the half time score. After that I'll be concentrating on my own match, which is another important one for us. I'm sure I'll manage to get a little info off someone as to the final Arsenal score!

Speaking of Charlton, and for any Addingdong stumbling across this, things seemed to have turned around for the team recently? You've been amongst the goals yourself and the side have risen to second in the league. What do you put the recent run of form down to, for both yourself and the team?

We always felt we had it in us to go on a good run. We had a meeting after getting spanked at home against Brighton and said it needed to be a turning point in our season. We've tightened things up defensively, whilst looking good going forward too. I feel like I've got myself fitter, and that's certainly helped my own form. It's helped me get into better goalscoring positions. I've also assumed penalty taking responsibilities as well, so that can only help my tally! We've been on a good run at the moment, and we need to keep that going.

http://www.onlinegooner.com/article.php?section=exclusive&id=1951

An article from when we played Charlton in the cup:

Johnnie Jackson will return to Tottenham tomorrow for the first time since the infamous Lasagna-gate game at Upton Park in 2006.

Jackson, now 28, made 20 appearances in seven years after coming through the youth ranks at White Hart Lane.

And he is desperate to add to his remarkable tally of 13 goals from midfield for Charlton this season.

But Jackson, who came through the Spurs ranks in the year below Ledley King and Peter Crouch, had a strange farewell to the North London club nearly five years ago.

“This is a perfect draw for me - I haven’t been back there since I left,” said Jackson, who scored his only Spurs goal against Charlton.

“The last time I was involved I got a call at 7am from Chris Hughton saying a few of the lads had gone down ill and I had to get myself to the ground quick and there would be a car to take me to Upton Park.

"It turned out I wasn’t actually a sub but a few of the boys who had been called ended up on the bench.

"I think it was exaggerated a bit to be honest. The only one who I remember actually played the game who was struggling was Michael Carrick - I think he had to come off in the end.

"But they ended up losing it and missing out on the fourth and I think they made more of a deal of it than it actually was. There were some great stories going about like the chef was an Arsenal fan. I am not so sure about that.”

He added: “I loved my time there but and I always felt eventually some big name would come in to take my spot. I am not bitter about that - the club was going forward and has continued to do so. They are genuine title contenders and will probably end up winning the cup with the year ending in one!”

After spells at Colchester and Notts County, Jackson joined Charlton on loan in February last year before signing in July. And since being pushed further forward to left midfield, he cannot stop scoring with 10 in his last 11 games, including two in the last round against Luton. Tomorrow he will look to continue that streak under new caretaker manager Keith Pea****.

“I am playing probably as well as I ever have at the moment and I have scored more this season than I ever have before,” Jackson said.

“I am doing nothing different - everything is falling for me at the moment. Luck seems to be on my side. I will take a little deflection or tap-in or anything back at the Lane tomorrow.”

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Tottenham-s-infamous-Lasagna-poisoning-against-West-Ham-which-gifted-Arsenal-Champions-League-qualification-was-exaggerated-according-to-former-starlet-Johnnie-Jackson-article666543.html

https://twitter.com/johnnie_jackson

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

Thread of the year in my book. Boy, this Jackson fella sounds like a right knob end though, doesnt he.