Is Gascoigne Going to Have a Crack? 90s Spurs book (15th April 2024)

[thfcsteff]

I remember the misery of that semi final. I still think that we should have had a pen when Linighan brought down Shaggy, it was right in front of where we were sitting. I think that just before the free kick from Adams scored, Ian Wight was taking an age to get his boot back on before going into the penalty late, maybe a distraction for our defenders, especially Mabbs who went to cover him.
The feeling going back down Wembley was horrible (obviously) compared to two years earlier. "Where's your double gone?" to the tune of Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, had been replaced by "Donkey won the derby" from those clams.

BOTH of those moments were killers. I have been saying exactly the same for decades. Wright's boot thing absolutely threw opur focus because the donkey got a freebie he didn't previously have; I always felt Wrighty played that one as a disruptor. And yes, deffo pen on Shaggy; it was in front of us!!!!

 

[Eeyore Spurs]

It was a definite penalty - Phil Don played it safe by giving a corner!

I don't remember the Wright boot thing but both Teddy and Ruddock in their respective books spoke about having an unnecessary 4-man wall which left Adams free at the back post! I'd like to say we'd have definitely beaten Sheffield Wednesday in the final but we did lose both league games to them that season (in fact we lost 6 in a row to them between 91 - 94!)

 

[DeanoAustin]

Pre-ordered. What sort of masochistic shower are we that we're willing to pay money to relive the darkest of periods where perennial mediocrity was only interrupted by something even worse in the shape of a couple of relegation fights?

Good luck with it @GPRD81 - I'm looking forward to reading it. Does it have any Dean Austin who was a childhood idol of mine?

 

[billyiddo]

Ordered

 

[90sSpursBook]

Pre-ordered. What sort of masochistic shower are we that we're willing to pay money to relive the darkest of periods where perennial mediocrity was only interrupted by something even worse in the shape of a couple of relegation fights?

Good luck with it @GPRD81 - I'm looking forward to reading it. Does it have any Dean Austin who was a childhood idol of mine?

Thank you!

I managed to name check every one of the 109 players who appeared in a first team game throughout the decade and yer man Deano was well up on that list. Didn't quite have the space to reference the incredible goal line clearance he made right in front of me at the Paxton End in a victory over Wimbledon in 1995. Probably the best I've seen live bar Gallas' overhead kick against AC Milan in 2011!

 

[DeanoAustin]

Thank you!

I managed to name check every one of the 109 players who appeared in a first team game throughout the decade and yer man Deano was well up on that list. Didn't quite have the space to reference the incredible goal line clearance he made right in front of me at the Paxton End in a victory over Wimbledon in 1995. Probably the best I've seen live bar Gallas' overhead kick against AC Milan in 2011!

Yeah as time’s gone on, I came to realise he probably wasn’t the greatest right back in England as I believed at the time, but I can’t help but be loyal.

Still think his leg break (against Oldham IIRC) seriously hampered his progress through his career.

 

[90sSpursBook]

Yeah as time’s gone on, I came to realise he probably wasn’t the greatest right back in England as I believed at the time, but I can’t help but be loyal.

Still think his leg break (against Oldham IIRC) seriously hampered his progress through his career.

Yes you're right - Oldham home Sept '93 having had a promising breakout season the year before. He talked about his subsequent injuries that stemmed from this one sadly. When I used to write out my England XI in the back of my school exercise books throughout 93 it was always between him and Earl Barrett for the right back spot! (I could never acknowledge Lee Dixon!)

 

[90sSpursBook]

Morning everyone,
This week a preview of the 93/94 season titled 'Ossie's Nightmare'

This was a particularly traumatic season in which we nearly got relegated! Ossie had returned as manager bringing Steve Perryman with him but the club was fractious following Venables' sacking in May. We started really well with away wins at Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Liverpool in August (not repeated since!) and Teddy was scoring for fun until Bryan Robson crocked him at Old Trafford in October.....the season then fell into freefall. We went from October until April without a home league win and recorded a new club record with 7 successive league defeats leaving us perilously close to the drop zone. A serious injury to Mabbutt sustained by John Fashanu's elbow and Howells and Austin also missing most of the season didn't help either.

A win on an horrendous playing surface at Oldham in May with goals by Samways and Howells ultimately kept us up.

There were some moments of joy though....Micky Hazard returned to add some spark and invention in midfield and scored a great goal in a boxing day win at West Ham. Despite the Rosenthal's, Scott's and Dozzell's there was also the break through of several talented youngsters with Anderton and Barmby continuing to impress and it was a breakthrough season for Caskey and some kid called Campbell!

Would love to hear some of your memories of this season...

The book is out in 7 weeks and is available to pre-order. I've now set up my own selling space if you'd prefer to buy direct (can only distribute within UK) - https://90sspursbook.square.site/

or alternatively via Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gascoigne-...d=1706634017&sprefix=is+gascoi,aps,305&sr=8-1

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Morning everyone,
This week a preview of the 93/94 season titled 'Ossie's Nightmare'

This was a particularly traumatic season in which we nearly got relegated! Ossie had returned as manager bringing Steve Perryman with him but the club was fractious following Venables' sacking in May. We started really well with away wins at Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Liverpool in August (not repeated since!) and Teddy was scoring for fun until Bryan Robson crocked him at Old Trafford in October.....the season then fell into freefall. We went from October until April without a home league win and recorded a new club record with 7 successive league defeats leaving us perilously close to the drop zone. A serious injury to Mabbutt sustained by John Fashanu's elbow and Howells and Austin also missing most of the season didn't help either.

A win on an horrendous playing surface at Oldham in May with goals by Samways and Howells ultimately kept us up.

There were some moments of joy though....Micky Hazard returned to add some spark and invention in midfield and scored a great goal in a boxing day win at West Ham. Despite the Rosenthal's, Scott's and Dozzell's there was also the break through of several talented youngsters with Anderton and Barmby continuing to impress and it was a breakthrough season for Caskey and some kid called Campbell!

Would love to hear some of your memories of this season...

The book is out in 7 weeks and is available to pre-order. I've now set up my own selling space if you'd prefer to buy direct (can only distribute within UK) - https://90sspursbook.square.site/

or alternatively via Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gascoigne-Going-Have-Crack-Mediocrity/dp/1801507023/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4246SOCAKXT0&keywords=is+gascoigne+going+to+have+a+crack&qid=1706634017&sprefix=is+gascoi,aps,305&sr=8-1

The Oldham away game still lives fresh in my memory. Any moment where you are dicing with relegation would.

Did everything to get to this game, when in need and all that. For some reason (traffic I think), we went the peak District way to get there...at a terribly fast speed though as we'd been delayed. I still remember it being cold despite being May (although this is Oldham). iirc we actually sent them down that night...while we were 100% safe at the final whistle.

I lost my watch in the absolute mayhem when Howellsy notched our 2nd late on ...proper release valve stuff.

We turned up AND the team turned up that night

 

[parklane1]

Morning everyone,
This week a preview of the 93/94 season titled 'Ossie's Nightmare'

This was a particularly traumatic season in which we nearly got relegated! Ossie had returned as manager bringing Steve Perryman with him but the club was fractious following Venables' sacking in May. We started really well with away wins at Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Liverpool in August (not repeated since!) and Teddy was scoring for fun until Bryan Robson crocked him at Old Trafford in October.....the season then fell into freefall. We went from October until April without a home league win and recorded a new club record with 7 successive league defeats leaving us perilously close to the drop zone. A serious injury to Mabbutt sustained by John Fashanu's elbow and Howells and Austin also missing most of the season didn't help either.

A win on an horrendous playing surface at Oldham in May with goals by Samways and Howells ultimately kept us up.

There were some moments of joy though....Micky Hazard returned to add some spark and invention in midfield and scored a great goal in a boxing day win at West Ham. Despite the Rosenthal's, Scott's and Dozzell's there was also the break through of several talented youngsters with Anderton and Barmby continuing to impress and it was a breakthrough season for Caskey and some kid called Campbell!

Would love to hear some of your memories of this season...

The book is out in 7 weeks and is available to pre-order. I've now set up my own selling space if you'd prefer to buy direct (can only distribute within UK) - https://90sspursbook.square.site/

or alternatively via Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gascoigne-Going-Have-Crack-Mediocrity/dp/1801507023/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4246SOCAKXT0&keywords=is+gascoigne+going+to+have+a+crack&qid=1706634017&sprefix=is+gascoi,aps,305&sr=8-1

As you say it was a crap season on the pitch ( 19 defeats over the season) and it was a season quicky banished from my memory. Except from one game when my daughter( nine at the time) was chosen by Junior spurs to be our mascot in the away game at Norwich. We got free tickets for the game and we all as a family went to it, she/we were allowed in the dressing room before the game ( got to talk to a couple of players and was looked after by Micky Hazard) Ossie was sat in the corner ( chain smoking) and looked frightened to death). Before the game started she was lead out alongside Mabbs and she was in her element. After the game we were allowed in the players lounge and she got to speak with a lot of the players and they all signed her autograpth book.

As you can imagine she was chuffed to bits and our club gave here a complete Spurs kit free and she still talks about it today, we did win 2-1 ( one of only 11 that season) thanks to two goals from Teddy and overall it was a great day. I managed to get some great photos of her and the players which we had framed and still take pride and place along all of the Spurs stuff we have collected over the years.

 

[90sSpursBook]

As you say it was a crap season on the pitch ( 19 defeats over the season) and it was a season quicky banished from my memory. Except from one game when my daughter( nine at the time) was chosen by Junior spurs to be our mascot in the away game at Norwich. We got free tickets for the game and we all as a family went to it, she/we were allowed in the dressing room before the game ( got to talk to a couple of players and was looked after by Micky Hazard) Ossie was sat in the corner ( chain smoking) and looked frightened to death). Before the game started she was lead out alongside Mabbs and she was in her element. After the game we were allowed in the players lounge and she got to speak with a lot of the players and they all signed her autograpth book.

As you can imagine she was chuffed to bits and our club gave here a complete Spurs kit free and she still talks about it today, we did win 2-1 ( one of only 11 that season) thanks to two goals from Teddy and overall it was a great day. I managed to get some great photos of her and the players which we had framed and still take pride and place along all of the Spurs stuff we have collected over the years.

That's a lovely story and I'm not surprised that you both remember it so affectionately 30 years on!

It was Easter Saturday and Teddy's long-awaited return having last played in mid-October.

Having won at Everton the week before (our first league win since 28th December!) we thought it might be the turnaround but we followed that win at Norwich with an Easter Monday 4-1 home defeat to West Ham - and then went on to lose at Coventry and Leeds. It was real 'seat of your pants' time.

 

[90sSpursBook]

The Oldham away game still lives fresh in my memory. Any moment where you are dicing with relegation would.

Did everything to get to this game, when in need and all that. For some reason (traffic I think), we went the peak District way to get there...at a terribly fast speed though as we'd been delayed. I still remember it being cold despite being May (although this is Oldham). iirc we actually sent them down that night...while we were 100% safe at the final whistle.

I lost my watch in the absolute mayhem when Howellsy notched our 2nd late on ...proper release valve stuff.

We turned up AND the team turned up that night

That is some considerable effort to have got there!

I watched back the highlights of this game while researching. Not much you can reliably tell from a 7-minute clip but it looked like, despite the state of the pitch, that we just passed Oldham to death and took our goals, scored at really crucial times, really well. When I spoke to David Howells about it he described an inner-determination that came out that night to 'get the job done' - they knew a win would effectively relegate Oldham - they weren't mathematically down but would have needed an insurmountable goal swing on the final day.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

That is some considerable effort to have got there!

I watched back the highlights of this game while researching. Not much you can reliably tell from a 7-minute clip but it looked like, despite the state of the pitch, that we just passed Oldham to death and took our goals, scored at really crucial times, really well. When I spoke to David Howells about it he described an inner-determination that came out that night to 'get the job done' - they knew a win would effectively relegate Oldham - they weren't mathematically down but would have needed an insurmountable goal swing on the final day.

The whole game is available here......

Oldham Athletic v Tottenham Hotspur. Premiership. 1993/94 - 5th May 1994

Whole match live.Recorded from TV (Sky Sports) onto VHS

youtu.be

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

When I was a kid I was bought a train station to go with my train set and it had a sign for Oldham, I thought it a made up name like Toytown, didn't realise till I start going to football it was a real place. Only been there once for cup tie it was bloody freezing.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I remember the misery of that semi final. I still think that we should have had a pen when Linighan brought down Shaggy, it was right in front of where we were sitting. I think that just before the free kick from Adams scored, Ian Wight was taking an age to get his boot back on before going into the penalty late, maybe a distraction for our defenders, especially Mabbs who went to cover him.
The feeling going back down Wembley was horrible (obviously) compared to two years earlier. "Where's your double gone?" to the tune of Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, had been replaced by "Donkey won the derby" from those clams.

Travesty that we lost that game. There was only one team playing football. I think that was my saddest moment as a Spurs fan coming away from that game, it wasn't just the fact that we'd lost a semi-final to the Woolwich Wanderers but the fact that we didn't deserve to.

 

[DeanoAustin]

Morning everyone,
This week a preview of the 93/94 season titled 'Ossie's Nightmare'

This was a particularly traumatic season in which we nearly got relegated! Ossie had returned as manager bringing Steve Perryman with him but the club was fractious following Venables' sacking in May. We started really well with away wins at Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Liverpool in August (not repeated since!) and Teddy was scoring for fun until Bryan Robson crocked him at Old Trafford in October.....the season then fell into freefall. We went from October until April without a home league win and recorded a new club record with 7 successive league defeats leaving us perilously close to the drop zone. A serious injury to Mabbutt sustained by John Fashanu's elbow and Howells and Austin also missing most of the season didn't help either.

A win on an horrendous playing surface at Oldham in May with goals by Samways and Howells ultimately kept us up.

There were some moments of joy though....Micky Hazard returned to add some spark and invention in midfield and scored a great goal in a boxing day win at West Ham. Despite the Rosenthal's, Scott's and Dozzell's there was also the break through of several talented youngsters with Anderton and Barmby continuing to impress and it was a breakthrough season for Caskey and some kid called Campbell!

Would love to hear some of your memories of this season...

The book is out in 7 weeks and is available to pre-order. I've now set up my own selling space if you'd prefer to buy direct (can only distribute within UK) - https://90sspursbook.square.site/

or alternatively via Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gascoigne-Going-Have-Crack-Mediocrity/dp/1801507023/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4246SOCAKXT0&keywords=is+gascoigne+going+to+have+a+crack&qid=1706634017&sprefix=is+gascoi,aps,305&sr=8-1

I remember the Oldham game vividly. Genuine relegation fears do that to you. Thursday night on Sky if I'm not wrong.

But the game that sticks most in the memory is the Chelsea away game. It was on TV and I was about 15 at the time so watched it in a pub with my mates because no one really had Sky back in those days. We go 2 up but they get back to 2-2 and then eventually go ahead 3-2. We get a pen and Andy Gray dispatches it. Then Rosenthal runs through 1 v 1 and is brought down by the 'keeper (Kharine?) and Gray steps up to surely put us ahead. Only this time he misses. Then, in injury time, we give away a pen and I'm pretty sure it was the great (ahem) Dean Austin who fouled their lad. They score and beat us 4-3. I stormed out of the pub and sulked all the way home.

When I got home, I went upstairs in the house to check something on my brother's computer and was visible through the window with my mates outside. So I'm stood waiting for the computer to load but above it, as in every good Catholic household in Ireland of that time, is a crucifix hung on the wall. So my mates assumed that I was stood there praying for Spurs to stay up. I took a lot of grief for that one.

 

[greatwhitenorf]

Cracking title.

It is, you know.

 

[Baleforce]

He wanted to get Lineker in the title at first, but used him by not using him.

 

[Craig_J]

I was born 93 so missed it entirely.

My uncle though was 13 years old and broke his finger hitting a wall celebrating but said he was still buzzing from the goal even as he was in agony.

Obviously I know all about Gaza, Linekar, Mabbutt and Thorstdvet but what was the rest of the team like?

I’ve checked the line up and though I know their names I don’t know anything about them as players.

Were the other good or did we find our form on the back on a select few players?

 

[Baleforce]

I was born 93 so missed it entirely.

My uncle though was 13 years old and broke his finger hitting a wall celebrating but said he was still buzzing from the goal even as he was in agony.

Obviously I know all about Gaza, Linekar, Mabbutt and Thorstdvet but what was the rest of the team like?

I’ve checked the line up and though I know their names I don’t know anything about them as players.

Were the other good or did we find our form on the back on a select few players?

Typical Spurs really, could beat anyone on our day, but that didn’t happen very often.

Good, but wildly inconsistent.