Today I'm going back 31 years to 1991 and Tottenham's FA Cup 4th Round tie against Oxford United, played at White Hart Lane in front of 31,665 spectators.
There was a personal milestone associated with this match for me as it was my 700th game attended. It proved to be a cracker too. I've mentioned previously that it had always been an ambition of mine to watch Spurs in every round of the FA Cup from the 3rd Round all the way through to winning the Final. This was the season when my dreams came true! In those pre-Premier League days, First Division Spurs had already eliminated Fourth Division Blackpool and next drew Second Division Oxford United at home. The League naming conventions were so much simpler back then weren't they?
Brian Horton, manager of Oxford put out a more than useful side for this Cup tie that included future York City staffers Martin Foyle and Lee Nogan, Steve Foster (headband and all), Jim Magilton, Les Phillips and Paul Simpson. This game was one of those where I would say that Paul Gascoigne won it almost single handedly. Tottenham's first goal, scored by Gary Mabbutt, came as a result of a penetrating run into the box by Gazza. Tottenham's second goal was more of a route one affair from Thorstvedt's forward punt which was headed on by Gacoigne to Gary Lineker who lashed home powerfully. With half an hour gone, Oxford showed that they weren't about to lay down and die. Martin Foyle put them back in the tie with a tidy finish and it remained 2-1 until halftime. With 58 minutes gone, Gascoigne turned from provider to scorer, opening up the Oxford defence via a one-two with Paul Walsh which took him wide of the goal before slotting home from the acutest of angles. It was a magnificent goal but 10 minutes from the end, Oxford kept Tottenham nerves jangling with a lovely finish from Martin Foyle for his second of the game. 3-2 and still Spurs weren't sure of going through, kept waiting until the 87th minute when Gascoigne fired home his second and Tottenham's fourth. He had had a hand in all four Tottenham goals that day and Spurs were through to the 5th Round where they would play Portsmouth at Fratton Park (and you can find the programme from that match in my blog by searching for Portsmouth) in what was to be another Gascoigne masterclass.
Today's programme cover star is, of course, Nayim, aka Mohamed Ali Amar or "Nayim From the Halfway Line" as he will be forever known at Tottenham. Ironically his spectacular halfway line goal wasn't even scored whilst he was playing for Tottenham but, rather, it came in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners Cup Final when playing for Real Zaragoza against....erm....Arsenal. That goal elevated Nayim to legend status at Tottenham and what a glorious goal it was! Nayim was Spanish by birth and joined the Barcelona youth system where he would eventually make his first team debut under Terry Venables. He made just seven La Liga appearances for Barcelona before moving to Tottenham (where Venables was now in charge) as part of the same deal that also took Gary Lineker from Barcelona to Tottenham. Nayim stayed at Spurs until 1993 and, during his spell with the club he was part of the side that won the FA Cup in 1991, coming on in the Final as a substitute for the injured Paul Gascoigne and setting up both of Tottenham's goals. Nayim did have a bit of a reputation as a diver whilst at Spurs and was rebuked live on TV by the normally fence-sitting Trevor Brooking having to be dissuaded from further simulation by his manager who advised him that diving was reviled in England (those were the days eh?). Nayim left Tottenham for Real Zaragoza in 1993 and the rest, as they say, is history.
CRB Match No. 700
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