For February 16th I'm going back to 1991 and Tottenham's FA Cup 5th Round tie at Fratton Park against Portsmouth.
This game and indeed most of 1991's FA Cup run was all about one man: Paul Gascoigne. Without doubt the best player that I ever saw and someone who could win a game almost single handedly. This was one of those games. Portsmouth took the lead, against the run of play, just before half time. Gascoigne, struggling with a hernia after Christmas that season, not that you would have known it when he played, simply rolled up his sleeves and scored twice in the second half to put Spurs into the Quarter Finals.
Portsmouth, under the management of the man with the flat cap and the moustache, Frank Burrows had players such as John Beresford, Colin Clarke, Guy Whittingham, scorer Mark Chamberlain and, coming off the bench, a very young future-Spur, Darren Anderton. Terry Venables' Spurs were all about Gascoigne although there were 10 others on the field that day including Gary Lineker, Gary Mabbutt and Paul Allen - they would all have their day at Wembley come May.
CRB Match No. 703
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