Spurs - Once Upon a Time 12 - The goons at home

By Dave P
October 29 2005

I would like to take this opportunity to quote from the 1921 History of Tottenham Hotspur “A Romance of Football” and its account of what transpired at the end of the First World War in 1919 after we had finished bottom in the last season before the war in 1915. Arsenal had finished 6th in Division 2.

“With the conclusion of hostilities came the question of enlarging the two divisions of the League. The decision to increase the membership of the First Division by two clubs naturally led the great football public to think that Spurs and Chelsea, who were due for relegation, would retain their positions. According to precedent they were entitled to do this. Chelsea were re-elected, they having been the victims of a certain match result which was alleged to have been pre-arranged. The League meeting also elected the Arsenal (although a majority of representatives present was NOT obtained). Thus the Spurs were compelled to fight their way through the Second Division again. Surprise throughout the whole country and consternation in Spurs circles were created by the Leagues decision. But the result meant that the Spurs would obtain by verdict of the ball what they had been denied by the vote.”

That my friends, is why I hate Arsenal

Our Second Division results that year ended with us topping the Second Division Table having only lost 4 games and scoring 102 goals and conceding only 32. Thus we then ‘Earned’ our place in the top flight. That is something The Gooner Scum have never done – Earned their right to play in the top flight. They got there by bribing League Officials.

In the 1920/21 Season, the first time we played them after this injustice was a London Professional Charity Competition match at White Hart Lane. Played in front of 17000 supporters on 25th October 1920 we won 2-0 with two Charles Wilson.

A few days later we played them at White Hart Lane in the London Charity Cup. We won that evening in front of 14,500 supporters by 3 goals to 1 with goals from Arthur Grimsdell, F.anny Walden and Jimmy Banks.

On the 15th January 1921 we then played them at White Hart Lane in the League and won 2-1. Over 39,000 saw Jimmy Cantrell and Bert Bliss score the important Goals.

We finished the 1921 season in 6th place while the Goons could only manage 9th and, oh yes – we won the FA Cup for the second time in our history with a 1-0 victory over Wolves in the Final. Jimmy Dimmock scoring the winning goal at Stamford Bridge.