90sSpursBook
Erik Edman
So with the start of the season merely hours away I thought we’d look back at some of our previous opening day fixtures since I’ve been watching Spurs. I always think of the opening day as Christmas Day; we have recharged our football supporting batteries and have looked forward to the day for several months.
In my teens I often missed the opening day of the season as my Dad always booked our family holidays for mid August meaning I’d have to ring home from the States in the pre-internet days. Hopefully the details below will bring back some memories.
Tomorrow is the second time in the Premier League era that we have played away to West Ham. We lost the opening game of the 1999-2000 season 1-0 thanks to a Frank Lampard effort. Chris Perry made his Spurs debut that day. We also faced London derbies, both at Selhurst Park, on the opening day of the 1998-99 with a fairly shambolic 3-1 defeat at Wimbledon, just two games since Klinsmann’s 4 goals in the same fixture had saved our bacon. Most recently we began the 2013-14 season with a new look, post Bale, team including Roberto Soldado who scored the only goal of the game from the spot.
In happier times, and (coincidentally) before the Sky/Premier League fanfare all eyes were on White Hart Lane for the opening game of the 1990-91 season where England’s returning heroes from the World Cup, Gazza and Gary Lineker ensured a full house for the visit of Emirates Marketing Project; neither disappointed with both scoring in a 3-1 victory. Emirates Marketing Project were also our opening opponents at WHL in the 2010-11 season. Joe Hart played a blinder for deny Spurs a goal in an exciting 0-0 draw. Spurs had travelled to Emirates Marketing Project (Maine Road) for the opening day of the 1995-96 season, a season that felt like something of an anti-climax having seen Klinsmann, Barmby and Popescu leave in the Summer to be replaced by Chris Armstrong and Clive Wilson. A 1-1 draw courtesy of Teddy Sheringham secured a point in what would become a slow start to the season.
There’s no denying the most exciting and most anticipated start to a Spurs season; that came in 1994-95 when having shocked the football world by signing Jurgen Klinsmann and incorporating him into a 5-man attack under Ossie Ardiles; Klinsmann didn’t disappoint heading in a winner to supplement goals by Anderton, Sheringham and Barmby in a 4-3 thriller at Hillsbrough.
Whilst not as spectacular the 2-1 victory over Liverpool on the opening day of the 2009-10 season set the scene for a brilliant season which culminated in Champions League qualification. A screamer from Benny and a debut goal by his compatriot Seb Bassong the difference between the teams.
Another Spurs player to score on his full debut was Gordon Durie who netted in between two Gary Lineker strikes at the Dell in 1991-92; the last season of the old Division 1. Spurs returned to the Dell to kick off the 1992-93 campaign, this time to play out an uneventful 0-0 draw. Darren Anderton, Andy Turner and Neil Ruddock (the latter against his former team) made their debuts on the opening season of the Premier League. Gary Lineker had made his debut on the opening day of the 1989-90 season and would have been expected to score against Luton Town at White Hart Lane; instead Paul Allen popped up to score the winner with Paul Stewart also on target. Lineker had to wait until his sixth appearance before getting off the mark.
Only once have we played the reigning champions on the opening day; that came in 1997-98 when a Manchester United side boasting new signing Teddy Sheringham arrived in North London. Having contained United for 70 minutes the game burst into life; firstly Sheringham crashed his penalty against the bar to delight of the Park Lane end before two late goals gave the Champions all three points. From a Spurs perspective the game saw debuts of David Ginola and then club record signing Les Ferdinand. As we all know Teddy did return to Spurs and made his second debut in 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, who included Peter Schmeichel in goal, to open 2001-02.
In 1993-94 Teddy was our hero silencing the Geordies in a 1-0 win at St James Park in Saudi Sportswashing Machine, under Kevin Keegan, first top flight fixture in four years. We were not as fortunate on the opening day of the 2012-13 campaign at the same venue. IN AVB’s first game in charge Defoe’s scrappy equaliser was not enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat. The North East has not been a lucky part of the world, we lost to newly promoted Sunderland to kick off the 2007-08 season when much was expected of new signings Darren Bent, Gareth Bale, Kevin Prince-Boateng and Younes Kaboul. A late Michael Chopra strike culminated in a tepid start to the season which saw Martin Jol lose his job in October. This was the second of three successive away defeats on the opening day; we began 2008-09 under a cloud with Berbatov on ‘strike’ and Keane left Middlesbrough beat us comfortably 2-1 and also in the North in 2006-07 saw us lose 2-0 at bogey side Bolton Wanderers.
Our travelling support have had some joy over the years - we have recorded opening day away wins in 2005-06 with a 2-0 win at Portsmouth (Defoe and own goal) and 1996-97 when we won by the same scoreline at Blackburn Rovers; a Chris Armstrong brace overshadowed by Gary Mabbutt breaking his leg.
We played the very first game of 2003-04, West Midlands police wanted an early kick-off when we travelled to St Andrews to see Helder Postiga, Bobby Zamora and Rohan Ricketts make their debuts in a 1-0 defeat. We had begun the previous season 2002-03 also away to a team in blue; this time Everton in a 2-2 draw with goals from Ferdinand and Etherington. Merseyside opposition, Liverpool, provided our opponents on the opening weekend of the 2004-05 season; we had 6 debutants that day with Robinson, Ifil, Naybet, Edman, Davis and Mendes all starting, however it was Jermaine Defoe who rescued a point after Djibril Cisse put the visitors ahead.
The only occasion that we have faced a newly promoted team at White Hart Lane was in 2000-01 with the visit of Ipswich Town who would go onto finish significantly ahead of us in 5th place; despite falling behind to a Mark Venus goal a Stephen Carr and Darren Anderton penalty put us ahead before half-time with Ferdinand adding a third late on.
By coincidence our opening games of the 1988-89 and 2011-12 seasons were both postponed for different reasons. In 1988 we were due to play Coventry City at White Hart Lane but work on the redesigned East Stand had not been completed in time and safety certificate not granted. Spurs were docked points for this postponement (all later reinstated on appeal) meaning that the following weekend’s 2-2 draw at Saudi Sportswashing Machine (including a debut for Gazza) with goals by Fenwick and Waddle, both from the North East, became our first game. The Tottenham riots of 2011 put pay to the scheduled visit of Everton and so our opening game of that season came at Old Trafford with a 3-0 defeat.
Fave Opening Day: 1994 – although I was in New York I could sense the excitement at Hillsbrough – would love to have been there that day.
Most anti-climatic opening day: 2007 – having finished 5th twice and spent lots of money on Bent, Kaboul and some kid called Bale we really thought the Champions League was beckoning – an insipid performance at Sunderland set the scene for a really disappointing start to the season.
In my teens I often missed the opening day of the season as my Dad always booked our family holidays for mid August meaning I’d have to ring home from the States in the pre-internet days. Hopefully the details below will bring back some memories.
Tomorrow is the second time in the Premier League era that we have played away to West Ham. We lost the opening game of the 1999-2000 season 1-0 thanks to a Frank Lampard effort. Chris Perry made his Spurs debut that day. We also faced London derbies, both at Selhurst Park, on the opening day of the 1998-99 with a fairly shambolic 3-1 defeat at Wimbledon, just two games since Klinsmann’s 4 goals in the same fixture had saved our bacon. Most recently we began the 2013-14 season with a new look, post Bale, team including Roberto Soldado who scored the only goal of the game from the spot.
In happier times, and (coincidentally) before the Sky/Premier League fanfare all eyes were on White Hart Lane for the opening game of the 1990-91 season where England’s returning heroes from the World Cup, Gazza and Gary Lineker ensured a full house for the visit of Emirates Marketing Project; neither disappointed with both scoring in a 3-1 victory. Emirates Marketing Project were also our opening opponents at WHL in the 2010-11 season. Joe Hart played a blinder for deny Spurs a goal in an exciting 0-0 draw. Spurs had travelled to Emirates Marketing Project (Maine Road) for the opening day of the 1995-96 season, a season that felt like something of an anti-climax having seen Klinsmann, Barmby and Popescu leave in the Summer to be replaced by Chris Armstrong and Clive Wilson. A 1-1 draw courtesy of Teddy Sheringham secured a point in what would become a slow start to the season.
There’s no denying the most exciting and most anticipated start to a Spurs season; that came in 1994-95 when having shocked the football world by signing Jurgen Klinsmann and incorporating him into a 5-man attack under Ossie Ardiles; Klinsmann didn’t disappoint heading in a winner to supplement goals by Anderton, Sheringham and Barmby in a 4-3 thriller at Hillsbrough.
Whilst not as spectacular the 2-1 victory over Liverpool on the opening day of the 2009-10 season set the scene for a brilliant season which culminated in Champions League qualification. A screamer from Benny and a debut goal by his compatriot Seb Bassong the difference between the teams.
Another Spurs player to score on his full debut was Gordon Durie who netted in between two Gary Lineker strikes at the Dell in 1991-92; the last season of the old Division 1. Spurs returned to the Dell to kick off the 1992-93 campaign, this time to play out an uneventful 0-0 draw. Darren Anderton, Andy Turner and Neil Ruddock (the latter against his former team) made their debuts on the opening season of the Premier League. Gary Lineker had made his debut on the opening day of the 1989-90 season and would have been expected to score against Luton Town at White Hart Lane; instead Paul Allen popped up to score the winner with Paul Stewart also on target. Lineker had to wait until his sixth appearance before getting off the mark.
Only once have we played the reigning champions on the opening day; that came in 1997-98 when a Manchester United side boasting new signing Teddy Sheringham arrived in North London. Having contained United for 70 minutes the game burst into life; firstly Sheringham crashed his penalty against the bar to delight of the Park Lane end before two late goals gave the Champions all three points. From a Spurs perspective the game saw debuts of David Ginola and then club record signing Les Ferdinand. As we all know Teddy did return to Spurs and made his second debut in 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, who included Peter Schmeichel in goal, to open 2001-02.
In 1993-94 Teddy was our hero silencing the Geordies in a 1-0 win at St James Park in Saudi Sportswashing Machine, under Kevin Keegan, first top flight fixture in four years. We were not as fortunate on the opening day of the 2012-13 campaign at the same venue. IN AVB’s first game in charge Defoe’s scrappy equaliser was not enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat. The North East has not been a lucky part of the world, we lost to newly promoted Sunderland to kick off the 2007-08 season when much was expected of new signings Darren Bent, Gareth Bale, Kevin Prince-Boateng and Younes Kaboul. A late Michael Chopra strike culminated in a tepid start to the season which saw Martin Jol lose his job in October. This was the second of three successive away defeats on the opening day; we began 2008-09 under a cloud with Berbatov on ‘strike’ and Keane left Middlesbrough beat us comfortably 2-1 and also in the North in 2006-07 saw us lose 2-0 at bogey side Bolton Wanderers.
Our travelling support have had some joy over the years - we have recorded opening day away wins in 2005-06 with a 2-0 win at Portsmouth (Defoe and own goal) and 1996-97 when we won by the same scoreline at Blackburn Rovers; a Chris Armstrong brace overshadowed by Gary Mabbutt breaking his leg.
We played the very first game of 2003-04, West Midlands police wanted an early kick-off when we travelled to St Andrews to see Helder Postiga, Bobby Zamora and Rohan Ricketts make their debuts in a 1-0 defeat. We had begun the previous season 2002-03 also away to a team in blue; this time Everton in a 2-2 draw with goals from Ferdinand and Etherington. Merseyside opposition, Liverpool, provided our opponents on the opening weekend of the 2004-05 season; we had 6 debutants that day with Robinson, Ifil, Naybet, Edman, Davis and Mendes all starting, however it was Jermaine Defoe who rescued a point after Djibril Cisse put the visitors ahead.
The only occasion that we have faced a newly promoted team at White Hart Lane was in 2000-01 with the visit of Ipswich Town who would go onto finish significantly ahead of us in 5th place; despite falling behind to a Mark Venus goal a Stephen Carr and Darren Anderton penalty put us ahead before half-time with Ferdinand adding a third late on.
By coincidence our opening games of the 1988-89 and 2011-12 seasons were both postponed for different reasons. In 1988 we were due to play Coventry City at White Hart Lane but work on the redesigned East Stand had not been completed in time and safety certificate not granted. Spurs were docked points for this postponement (all later reinstated on appeal) meaning that the following weekend’s 2-2 draw at Saudi Sportswashing Machine (including a debut for Gazza) with goals by Fenwick and Waddle, both from the North East, became our first game. The Tottenham riots of 2011 put pay to the scheduled visit of Everton and so our opening game of that season came at Old Trafford with a 3-0 defeat.
Fave Opening Day: 1994 – although I was in New York I could sense the excitement at Hillsbrough – would love to have been there that day.
Most anti-climatic opening day: 2007 – having finished 5th twice and spent lots of money on Bent, Kaboul and some kid called Bale we really thought the Champions League was beckoning – an insipid performance at Sunderland set the scene for a really disappointing start to the season.
