Today I'm going back 30 years to 1991 and Tottenham's First Division fixture against Luton Town at White Hart Lane.
Programme cover star was Tottenham's Norwegian goal keeper Erik Thorstvedt or "Erik the Viking" as he was known to the Spurs faithful. Thorstvedt spent eight years at Tottenham from 1988 to 1996 when he sadly had to retire due to a back injury. Erik managed 173 League games for the club scoring one goal as well as earning 97 caps for his country. His name is still sung occasionally at White Hart Lane on those slow afternoons when the crowd gets nostalgic for former favourites. "I love Erik the Viking, Erik the Viking loves me".
As often seems to be the case at White Hart Lane, it was the visitors who took a surprise lead, following a defensive error which was suitably punished by Mick Harford slotting the ball into an empty net. It took Spurs until the 69th minute to find themselves an equaliser with former Hatter Paul Walsh finding Scott Houghton who scored at the second attempt. Like the proverbial London busses, you wait ages for one and then two come along at once. So it was for Tottenham when, two minutes after their first goal, Samways crossed for poacher supreme Gary Lineker to grab their second. The floodgates were now well and truly open as Houghton stole a cheeky third goal, his second of the game, with a shot that looked more like a cross but found itself nestling beautifully in the back of the Luton net with 15 minutes still to play. For good measure and not to be outdone by the young upstart Houghton, it was left to Lineker to conclude the scoring with Tottenham's fourth and final goal providing a score line which had looked so unlikely just over 20 minutes earlier.
I suspect that this game was a memorable one for Scott Houghton as it featured the only League goals that he scored in 10 League appearances for the club between 1990 and 1993. Ironically he must have made a big impression on Luton because it was to Kenilworth Road he went upon leaving Tottenham followed by spells at Walsall, Peterborough United, Southend United and Leyton Orient amongst others. After quitting the game in 2002, Houghton joined the Police force and he has appeared on Sky TV's "Cop Squad" just to make sure that we don't forget about him completely.
1991/2 season was another disappointing one for Tottenham. Having won the FA Cup in May, hopes were high for a better season in the League but a final place of 15th would not have matched supporter expectations. It was worse for Luton Town however who finished 20th (out of 22) who were relegated after a decade in the First Division and have failed to attain top flight status again since. Shame eh?
CRB Match No. 748
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