Today I'm going back 27 years to 1995 and Tottenham's FA Cup 4th Round visit to a wet and windy Roker Park for their match against Sunderland, played in front of an attendance of 21,135
The programme cover star is Northern Irish international Phil Gray, a former Spurs player with the programme editor finding it far too tempting to taunt Spurs fans with the sight of their man in another club's strip, something that I have noted in these articles before. I doubt very much whether the Spurs fans who made the trip to Sunderland that day felt any sense of loss over the departed Phil Gray who had made only nine League appearances for Spurs in four years and never tore up any trees as they say. Gray had a much more successful time of it at Sunderland (115 League appearances, scoring 34 goals) and Luton Town (140 League appearances, scoring 43 goals) and he even had spells at Nancy in France (can I wheel out my Nancy boy joke again?) and Fortuna Sittard in the Netherlands. He managed 26 caps for Northern Ireland, scoring 6 goals.
This game was played on a Sunday afternoon to suit the BBC's Road to Wembley coverage and, after a goalless first half, viewers were treated to a veritable goal fest after the break. First to score was Jurgen Klinsmann from the penalty spot following a Gary Bennett handball on the goal line for which he received his marching orders. In the 57th minute Sheringham made it 0-2 with an unchallenged run into the box before slotting past the keeper, no doubt exploiting the freedom caused by Bennett's absence. Tottenham's third goal wasn't long in coming, fired home from 20 yards by Gary Mabbutt although it did take a deflection along the way. The game was won! Sunderland's consolation came in the 74th minute and, wouldn't you just know it, it was scored by that man Phil Gray getting in just ahead of Justin Edinburgh to score. There was still time for Jugen Klinsmann to get his second goal of the afternoon with a header from a pinpoint Sheringham cross to finish off the scoring.
I have covered other matches from this particular Spurs FA Cup run previously and you can find articles regarding the 3rd Round tie against Altrincham and the Semi-Final against Everton in my blog if you missed them. Sadly, that Everton Semi-Final was the end of the road as far as Tottenham's Cup run was concerned that season.
CRB Match No. 947
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