Today I'm going back 42 years to 1979 and Tottenham's visit to Elland Road to play Leeds in the first Division. Programme cover star is, of course, the little Welsh Wizard Brian Flynn who made 154 league appearances for Leeds scoring 11 goals.
This was only my second time seeing the mighty Spurs. It was my second time seeing them at Elland Road too. It was also my second time watching them beat "Super Leeds" 2-1. It would be almost two more years until my third Spurs game, away at Sunderland in 1981 and then I got the bug (and had turned 18) and the rest, as they say, is history.
This game was a cracker (if you are a Spurs fan). Tottenham took the lead through Northern Ireland international Gerry Armstrong in the first half only to see Ray Hankin notch an equaliser to make it 1-1 at half time. The drama came in the second half when Spurs' goalkeeper Barry Daines was injured and could not continue. This was back in the days when each side had only one substitute and they were always outfield players. So the question arose as to who should go in goal. John Pratt came on as the substitute but Glenn Hoddle went between the posts and kept a clean sheet as Spurs won the game courtesy of a Chris Jones winner.
This game wasn't Hoddle's only appearance in goal for Spurs but his performances in midfield are what he is best remembered for. Hoddle is regarded as a God by Spurs fans: the King of White Hart Lane. He made 490 appearances for Spurs scoring 110 goals before being transferred to AS Monaco in 1987 where he played under Arsene Wenger. Hoddle is often cited as the player who should have won a lot more England caps than he did (53 caps, 8 goals) but he did go to the World Cups of 1982 and 1986 as well as the European Championships of 1980 and 1988 so, in my view he didn't do too badly. Hoddle was an artist and could change a game on his own with a piece of magic but he could also be bullied out of a game and had rather too many quiet games for my liking,
Spurs, under the management of Keith Burkinshaw, were enjoying their second season back in the top flight and finished the season in 14th position (out of 22). Leeds, managed by Jimmy Adamson finished the season on the same number of points (40) but ended up three places higher than Spurs on goal difference. Champions that season were Liverpool.
CRB Match No. 59
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