Today I'm going back 12 years to 2010 and Tottenham's FA Cup 4th Round tie versus Leeds United at White Hart Lane played in front of 35,750 fans.
Today's programme cover star is a rather scruffy looking Jonathan Woodgate in a Spurs shirt albeit that he had launched his career playing for that day's opponents Leeds. It seems to be a speciality of programme editors up and down the land to put a photo of player who used to be the darling of the visiting supporters. Is it an attempt to goad such fans ("Hey look, we've got your old favourite")? Perhaps they think that the visitors won't recognise any other home team players? Irrespective, it seems to happen rather a lot. Woodgate had quite a chequered career and his early promise sadly ended up with a rather underwhelming later career. He made his debut for Leeds United in the 1998/9 Season and amassed 142 games for the club (scoring 5 goals) before transferring to Newcastle United following Leeds' financial implosion. Leeds remain as the club for whom Woodgate made the most appearances during his career. Also whilst at Leeds Woodgate was part of an unsavoury incident outside a Leeds nightclub for which he was convicted of affray.
Woodgate didn't last long at Newcastle because, somewhat surprisingly given his injury record, Real Madrid came in for him with wads of cash on offer (£13.4 Million to be precise) as well as the chance to play with "Galacticos" for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Woodgate was actually injured when he was transferred and didn't play for Madrid at all in his first season there (2004/5). When he finally did make it onto the pitch he became infamous for scoring an own goal and getting sent off on his debut. In the end he made just 14 appearances for Real Madrid (scoring one goal) in his two seasons with the club and in 2007 he was voted as "Worst Signing of the Century" by readers of a Spanish sports daily.
Where to after Real Madrid I hear you ask? Why Middlesbrough of course! This isn't perhaps as surprising as you might think when you learn that Woodgate was born in the area and had been on the club's books as a youngster. He needed to prove himself in the Premier League given his terrible history with injuries and his loan move to Boro offered him that chance. His next stopping off point came after he was signed by Spurs (yay!) for whom he managed just 65 appearances (scoring 3 goals) across three and a half seasons. You guessed it. He struggled with injuries! One high spot whilst at Spurs came in the League Cup Final of 2008 against Chelsea in which Woodgate scored the winning goal late on. It was to be his only senior honour and, to date, is also the last trophy won by Spurs (yes that's fourteen years ago and counting Super League fans!). Woodgate ended his career with Stoke City and then Middlesbrough again. He earned just 8 International caps, another tale of his injury prone career. Since retiring Woodgate has tried his hand at management but without too much success. He was sacked by Middlesbrough and then later performed a caretaker role at AFC Bournemouth before being passed over in favour of Scott Parker.
If you study the programme cover carefully you'll note that the kick-off time was 5:15PM which was to suit the TV audience. Martin and I drove down for this one and almost missed kick-off despite the late hour but witnessed an absolute cracker of a cup tie. After 9 minutes, Spurs had a clear penalty. Disappointingly Defoe's effort was saved by Ankergren but Spurs were not to be denied, taking the lead after 42 minutes from a rebound netted by Peter Crouch. Early in the second half Simon Grayson's Leeds deservedly grabbed an equaliser courtesy of Jermaine Beckford. Then, with just quarter of an hour to go, Spurs regained the lead with a lovely goal finished by Roman Pavyluchenko. That, it seemed, was that but, rather typically of Spurs, in the fourth minute of added time they conceded a penalty which was calmly despatched by that man Beckford again. It finished 2-2 with the Replay to be played at Elland Road.
On a snowy night at the Replay in West Yorkshire, Harry Redknapp's Spurs ran out winners by 3-1 courtesy of a Jermain Defoe hattrick. In the 5th Round Spurs cruised past Bolton Wanderers 4-0 and then despatched Fulham in the Quarter-Final after a Reply to get themselves to Wembley for a Semi-Final against top-flight Portsmouth. It was here that Tottenham's luck (semi) finally ran out as they lost 2-0 after extra time. Chelsea won the FA Cup that season beating Portsmouth 1-0.
CRB Match No. 1727
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