Spurs Once Upon a time 11 - Man U (sort of)

Once Upon a time
By Dave P
October 22 2005

"We must always consider our supporters, for without them there would be no professional football. It would be better to have more fans watching football the way they like it played, rather than have a few fans watching football the way we would like it played."

Those were the words of Bill Nicholson and in these days of inflated wages, inflated prices and some killjoy tactics employed by certain teams they are very relevant in my opinion. I hope you will forgive me going off on a tangent from the normal style of these once upon a time articles for this week and this week only.

Although I know we are playing Manchester United and that is a fixture that evokes memories of great (and highly entertaining) football matches of days gone by it may have slipped your attention that we are on the eve of the first anniversary of the saddest day in Tottenham Hotspurs history. Many of us were on our way to White Hart Lane on October 23rd to watch Spurs play Bolton unaware that the club had issued a statement announcing the death of our legendary manager. Some of us were still at home when we heard the news, I was and I was plunged into a state of shock. I think everyone associated with Tottenham was and the result that day became irrelevant in a way. No more would I see the great man sitting a few rows behind me with Martin Chivers in their seats in the Legends enclosure. Bill used to sit there and watch the team that had become a shadow of the greatness he had created go through the emotions and often a glance in his direction would show that he was discussing what he would do if he had still been in charge. And many a time we would jokingly ask him to come out of retirement and restore us to the Glory he had invented.

And invent it he did! When people talk about great managers the names of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley and even Brian Clough are usually mentioned but lets not forget that Bill did it first. The Double in 1961 when it was considered impossible, The FA Cup the year after, and a European Cup Semi Final in which we so nearly succeeded. This then of course followed by the first British success in a major European trophy with the Cup Winners Cup of 1963 and that 5-1 trouncing of Athletico Madrid. More trophies followed with an FA Cup in 1967, the two League Cups in ‘71 and ‘73 and of course becoming the first British side to win two European trophies with the 1972 UEFA cup triumph. Tottenhams golden years and lets also not forget his part as a player in the first League Championship in 1951 either. And all this done the Tottenham Way (The Bill Nicholson Way)

"It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory."

We have of course won trophies since then, and in some style echoing back to those Glory Days but in recent years our standards had slipped somewhat. Only recently under the leadership of Martin Jol have some of our aspirations of greatness returned. Jol himself has said he is on a mission to return the glory to White Hart Lane and to us – some of the most loyal supporters in British (or world) Football. And even here Bill has to take some of the credit because I think we saw a change in attitudes at the club after the Memorial Service held at White Hart Lane and the realisation that we the fans, want our Tottenham Hotspur to succeed and not only succeed, but to do it in style,

"Any player coming to Spurs whether he's a big signing or just a ground staff boy must be dedicated to the game and to the club. He must be prepared to work at his game. He must never be satisfied with his last performance, and he must hate losing."

I think that an element of that quote has been bought back to the Club by Jol and it is Bills legacy that is one of the driving forces behind the side. I remember my first visit to White Hart Lane as if it were yesterday and funnily enough that was against Manchester United on an October afternoon in 1968. The game ended 2-2 with Cliff Jones and Alan Gilzean scoring our goals. I was enthralled watching (along with 56000 others) the likes of Gilzean and Jones up against Denis Law and George Best and Co. That was the way football was meant to be and I thank Bill for that. I thank Bill for giving me a team I could be immensely proud of and enjoy watching. Even if the result was not always the one desired.

I’ve come a long way from being that snotty nosed eight year old awestruck by his first visit to the Lane and football has moved on from those entertaining days (not necessarily for the better) but there is still something about this club that is different to any other and that is the Tottenham Way. I think we are starting to return to that ‘Tottenham Way’ under the stewardship of Jol and I can just see Bill now in the directors box in the sky, telling the likes of Bill Shankly and Brian Clough that they had better keep an eye on his club as they return to the top of the English game and I can just see a wry smile on his face as he looks down over us.

No matter what the result today against Manchester United lets all raise a glass in memory of our Bill Nicholson and thank him for the legacy he left which although interrupted for a while is gradually returning to N17.

All together now;

Glory, Glory , Hallelujah
Glory, Glory , Hallelujah
Glory, Glory , Hallelujah
And the Spurs go Marching On.

"When it is played at its best football remains the greatest game of all. And Tottenham, so close to my heart, is still to me the greatest club."