Today I'm going back 33 years to 1989 and Tottenham's First Division fixture against Sheffield Wednesday at White Hart Lane. The game was attended by 26,909 spectators.
Now. A history lesson for you. I think that most football fans know that the name Wednesday comes from the day of the week on which many of the founding members of the club had a weekly half day off work. But did you know that the club was an offshoot of The Wednesday Cricket Club and that the football club was simply known as "The Wednesday" until 1929? I wonder if their supporters had a song that started with "Give us a T?". I also wonder whether you know that Wednesday's original nickname was "The Blades", a nickname now used by their cross-city rivals United? Wednesday also had a monkey mascot for a while but that didn't bring much luck and they eventually settled on "The Owls" following their move to Hillsborough which is in the Owlerton district of Sheffield.
Today's programme cover star is Erik "The Viking" Thorstvedt. His popularity at Spurs is such that he has his own song: "I love Eric the Viking, Erik the Viking loves me" which has been passed on to Eric Dier in recent years and will no doubt belong to all Erics that ever play for Tottenham in the future. But there was only ever one Erik the Viking!
The more eagle eyed amongst you may recall that I reviewed a Spurs against Wednesday match just two days ago and, a bit like busses, you wait ages for one and then two come along at once! That game, from 1997, resulted in a narrow 3-2 victory for Spurs. This game , played eight years earlier was a much more clear cut affair. Tottenham won this one 3-0 with two goals from Gary Lineker and one from substitute Paul Moran.
Lineker's goals in season 1989/90 fired Tottenham to third place in the First Division in what was a much better season for Spurs. Wednesday, managed by "Big" Ron Atkinson, were however relegated along with Charlton Athletic and Millwall. Wednesday would come again and were immediately promoted the following season under Big Ron as well as winning the League Cup. Liverpool were First Division Champions but it would be the last time for 30 years, unthinkable throughout my formative years of the 1970's and 80's!
CRB Match No. 628
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