Today I'm going back 31 years to 1991 and recent FA Cup winners Tottenham's visit to The Dell to face Southampton in a first game of the season First Division fixture. The match was played in front of an attendance of 18,581 and it was a tale of two top class strikers..
Southampton took the lead with an exocet of a strike from the edge of the box by their 21-year old striking discovery Alan Shearer. Tottenham's equaliser wasn't long in coming however as Gary Lineker clinically notched his first goal of the season from Paul Stewart's cross. The two sides went in level at 1-1 at the break. The next goal looked like it might be decisive and it was Tottenham that got it. Southampton's keeper couldn't quite hold on to a cross and, Tottenham's new signing from Chelsea, Gordon Durie was on hand to fire home the spillage from close range. Next, Lineker was put through with only the keeper to beat and he confidently slotted the ball into the back of the net with what was to prove the match winner. Southampton weren't quite done yet however and when their defender Richard Hall headed home from a corner it looked like they might still snatch a point but it wasn't to be for the Saints.
Shearer had initially made his debut for Southampton in 1988 against Arsenal and the 17-year old became an overnight sensation by scoring a hattrick in the game to break the 30 year old record held by Jimmy Greaves as the youngest player to score a hattrick in the top division. Shearer would go on to make 158 appearances for the Saints scoring just 43 goals: surprisingly few when compared to the strike rate which he achieved at Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. Shearer made his England debut in 1992 and, unsurprisingly, scored on his debut against France. He would go on to earn a host of individual awards during his career and his 260 Premier League goals remains a record for the the Premier League era. In total at club level Shearer scored 379 goals in 734 appearances and, for England he scored 30 goals in 63 appearances.
Spurs and Southampton ended season 1991/92 with identical points tallies in the First Division. 52 points from 42 matches placed Spurs 15th and Southampton 16th, ten points clear of the relegation places which were occupied by Luton Town, Notts County and West Ham United. Champions that season, the last before the Premier League era began, were Leeds United. 28-goal Spurs striker Gary Lineker was voted as PFA Player of the Year and he left Spurs and indeed England in an end of season move to Japan where he would play for Grampus Eight.
CRB Match No. 727
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