Friday 17 February 2017

Stoke City at Tottenham: Top 5 games ahead of last visit to the old White Hart Lane


Stoke City play at White Hart Lane for the 43rd and final time next weekend before the old ground, which dates back to 1889, closes ahead of demolition and its replacement by a fabulous new stadium right next door.
Stoke's record at the Lane has been ordinary, to put it mildly, after 11 draws, 28 defeats and just three wins since their very first visit in April 1920.
But here we have dug out five memorable matches in chronological order, including those three victories, by way of a Stoke-style celebration of the old White Hart Lane...
And what a day for the prolific Joe Mawson after bagging all three of Stoke's goals that day.
Plucked from a Durham coal face and signing for Stoke in February 1929, Mawson would score an hugely impressive 50 goals in 93 appearances for Stoke before being moved on in September 1933.
That treble at Tottenham would contribute towards an eventual return for the club's leading scorer in 1931/32 of 20 goals in 34 games.
Others in the side that day included familiar faces of the time like Bobby Liddle, Harry Sellars and future team manager Bob McGrory.
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Stoke's manager in 1932 was one Tom Mather whose decision to release some players, and tell others to take a pay cut, once caused a near riot that left the dressing room damaged and with broken windows.
Mather, spurred on by days like this one at White Hart Lane, would eventually put together a vintage Stoke side winning the Second Division championship in 1933 and housing the likes of Freddie Steele, Frank Soo, Tommy Sale and a young Stan Matthews.


October 7, 1972: Tottenham 4 Stoke City 3 (Ritchie 2, Bloor)

Another defeat at White Hart Lane, but no ordinary defeat.
Stoke were in a free-scoring mood after travelling to North London on the back of a 5-1 home win over Manchester City and a 5-3 loss at Wolves.
John Pratt's early opener for Spurs is followed by another from Alan Gilzean for 2-0 by the 25th minute.
John Ritchie pulls one back on 32, only for Pratt to grab his second a minute later as Spurs take a 3-1 lead into the half-time break.
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It's 3-2 by the 51st minute thanks to Ritchie's second, but Martin Peters, guilty of a poor back pass for Ritchie's first, makes amends by making it 4-2 and effectively game over.
Alan Bloor popped up with a rare goal for his beloved club on 75, but not even a combined strike force of Ritchie and Geoff Hurst can make any late inroads.
Great game, though, and one of only two instances where Stoke have scored three at the Lane.
Stoke: Banks, Marsh Pejic, Smith, Bloor, Skeels, Mahoney (sub Robertson), Greenhoff, Conroy, Ritchie, Hurst.

February 8, 1975: Tottenham 0, Stoke City 2 (Greenhoff, Hudson)

Stoke City's first-ever victory at the Lane - and it remained their only victory for nearly 40 years.
Spurs are on their way down towards the old Second Division, surviving by just one point at the end of the season, and Stoke give them a timely nudge in that direction.
Jimmy Greenhoff's close-range finish opens the scoring on 23 and then Alan Hudson, just nine minutes later, plays a one-two with future Spurs striker Ian Moores before drilling home Stoke's killer second.
Stoke's win produced few ripples in the wider world because they were heading for a fifth-placed finish in 1975, just four points shy of title winners Derby, while Tottenham, struggling in the post Bill Nicholson era, survived the drop by just one point.
Sadly, both clubs would accompany each other into the Second Division just two years later.
Stoke: Shilton, Lewis, Pejic, Smith, Skeels, Mahoney, Hudson, Greenhoff, Hurst, Moores, Salmons.


October 24, 2009: Tottenham 0, Stoke City 1 (Whelan)

Tony Pulis proclaimed this result as Stoke City's best yet after a season-and-a-bit in the Premier League.
Spurs were enjoying their best start to a season since winning the double in 1960/61 - and it was only Stoke's second win in 37 visits to White Hart Lane.
“It's a smashing result," Pulis enthused. “I think it has to be our best yet, when you consider Tottenham have spent about £140 million on players and where they are now as a club."
Steve Simonsen, a late replacement for Thomas Sorensen in goal, enjoyed an absolute blinder as Stoke rode their luck a little.
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And then in the 86th minute, Ricardo Fuller, looking out on his feet, spurned the chance to waste time down by the corner flag by heaving his tired body into action as he swerved infield and laid the ball back for Glenn Whelan to fire home the most memorable of his eight goals in 327 appearances for the club.
“I thought Ric looked really tired," Pulis added. “But he's a special player who can do what the top players do. He can pull a genie out of the bag and has done that here. Glenn has finished it with aplomb."
Glenn Whelan after scoring at Spurs late in the day
Only this week Andy Wilkinson, who was right back that day, reflected on the game by recalling: “Glenn doesn't score many. I texted him the other week that I fancied him to score but… well, nothing. But that's coming from me, and unless it's a set-up penalty I can't say too much!
“Whelo does his job for the team and I think he's irreplaceable. He's such a top player and it tells when he's not in the team.
“He's one of my best mates, although that's not why I'm saying this, but he's top class and if he comes up with a goal it's an added bonus that he gives to the team.
“Simmo was incredible that day too after Tommy had got injured in the warm up. White Hart Lane was one of my favourite grounds to play at, a great place where you can sense the history, like Stamford Bridge … although we never got much change there either."
Stoke: Simonsen, Wilkinson, Collins, Shawcross, Ab Faye, Delap (Whelan,57), Diao, Whitehead, Etherington, Beattie (Tuncay,70), Fuller (Higginbotham,89).
Att: 36,031.

November 9, 2014: Tottenham 1, Stoke City 2 (Bojan, Walters)

Bojan's very first goal for Stoke City, in the sixth minute of his seventh appearance, teed up his side for only their third win at Tottenham.
The mighty maestro exchanged passes on half-way, sidled past one challenge and then, with Spurs in retreat, shot low and true from the edge of the D to beat Hugo Lloris.
And it was 2-0 on 33 when Mame Diouf broke down the right and pulled the ball back for Jon Walters to prod home.
Goal! Bojan nets Stoke's opener back in 2014
There was no way back for Spurs, despite Nacer Chadli's 78th minute goal, and City boss Mark Hughes was left exclaiming: “It was an excellent result and excellent performance from start to finish.
“You sense he (Bojan) is fully integrated into the Premier League and we are really pleased for him because he's a great kid with fantastic technical ability.
“There's not enough superlatives for Jon and I'm really pleased he's getting the rewards for his huge efforts."

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