Sunday sees our final game at White Hart Lane as we know. The demolition will begin on Monday and a new stadium will take its place. Taking that into consideration I've decided to do a series of blogs saying farewell and sharing some of my memories of the place that feels like a second home to me.
The first of these is my all time favourite players that I've seen play since I started supporting Spurs in 1981. I started this three days ago and am now in a darken room gently rocking back and forth trying to get all my favourite players into the team. Forget the current team, the dark days of the 90's and 00's we've had some outstanding players down the years and here is my team of the last 36 years.
You may disagree, you may agree, let me know in the comments and well see if we can come up with an all time team for our page. For now though this is my team, taking a leaf out of the Ossie Ardiles school of management, i.e. you score 1 well score 3, I've gone with a 4-1-2-1-2 formation. Lots of goals in this team and some of the best defenders I've ever seen. So lets start with the keeper.
Who do I chose? Ray Clemence? So good he shared the England goalkeeper slot with Peter Shilton on an alternative basis as there was nothing between them. Tony Parks? Heart over head due to his UEFA Cup heroics? Ian Walker? Another England goalkeeper or how about Hugo Gomes? No sorry kidding with that one. My all time favourite keeper inspired me as kid when I played in goal. He was a monster, huge hands, a booming voice and was brilliant on his day, nothing got past him. I've gone for Erik Thorsvedt. Our keeper between 1989-1996. He was, in my opinion underrated due to the utter shite that he had to play behind, he never got the credit he deserved. He was and still is my No1 all day long.
Defenders is a tough one, we've hit the highs with Gary Stevens, Steve Perryman, Richard Gough, Kyle Walker, Toby Alderweireld, Dean Richards to name but a few but my defence has pace, knowledge and players able to read a game and turn it from defence to attack in the blink of an eye.
At right back there is only one, Danny Thomas, I've already written about Danny and I cannot add anymore than that. Playing a short while, 1983-1988 for us I will never forget him and as good as Kyle Walker is, in my opinion the only player who has come close to Danny, there is no other choice for right back.
In the middle is Mr Tottenham himself, Ledley King, to think the player he was with his knackered knees, not training all week and then going into battle against the best every week is legendary. He is also the captain of this team and one of the best I've ever seen at this position.
Next to him is in my opinion a very underrated player, never bragging of what he achieved, struggling with diabetes and still performing to the level he did is Gary Mabbutt. I loved watching him play, a quiet man off the pitch he was a lion on it. A great player for us for 16 years. 1982-1998.
Left back I'm going with Danny Rose and the only current player to make this team. Danny is quick, knowledgeable and has come on leaps and bounds since Poch has been his manager. To me there is no one better than him and therefore he makes my team and I'm not having anyone say we've had a better left back.
I need some steel in this team of mine and there is no one who compares to Graham Roberts. I'm moving him up from his natural centre half position because I know he would and could thrive in the defensive midfielder role. A true combatant on the field, fair as well as hard, he used to get my blood pumping watching him tackle. A great team player, he wouldn't accept anything other than full 100% commitment for the team he was playing for. 1980-1986
In the middle I've gone for flair, Ginola? nope, Bale? nope, Ardiles?, nope, Villia? nope, Hazzard? nope, Waddle? nope. There can only be two in my team and who wouldn't want to watch Hoddle and Gascoigne at their absolute peak playing alongside each other?
We would have Gazzas enthusiasm and work rate, alongside Hoddles skill and flair. One to take the game by the scruff of the neck, the other to ping a pass to split a defence. Who wouldn't want to play with these two behind you? Which brings me onto my link man.
Teddy Sherringham was the best link man Ive ever seen in a Spurs shirt. He would look like a bloke taking a stroll on a Sunday then bang its in the net. Not blessed with a huge amount of pace with which to beat defenders, he had a brilliant football brain and could read a game way before anyone else. He could knock a ball at his colleagues feet or dummy a pass brilliantly and its a shame we were never good enough to keep him.
Up front who do I choose? Archibald? Falco? Allen? Crooks? Kane? Rosenthal? Hey I loved rocket Ronnie! For me it has to be Lineker and Klinsmann. Gary Lineker joined from Barcelona in the summer of 1989 signed by his former manager Terry Venables. A league winner with Everton he joined us in one of our most traumatic times. Issues of the pitch meant that any progress was hindered and he eventually left to finish his career in Japan. Not before he had won us over with his skill and goal scoring exploits. A true 6 yard finisher if there ever was one.
Jurgen Klinsmann was a diver and cheat, if you believe all those that spoke about him when he joined us. A German International he was tarnished with the label all foreign players who came here at the time got. He may not have left in the best of circumstances but he bought me a lot of fun whilst he was here. Scoring his first goal he raced across the pitch and dived along the floor! Perfect answer to his critics. Plus don't forget he resigned for us when we were on the brink of relegation as well. A special player deserving of his place in this team.
So that leaves the manager and there can be only one and that is Keith Burkinshaw. I believe he would have got the best out of this group of players, having won 2 FA Cups and the UEFA Cup with us this team would be unstoppable. So that's my best team in the years I've been supporting Spurs what's yours?
Erik Thorsvedt GK 89-96
Danny Thomas RB 83-88 Gary Mabbutt CB 82-98 Ledley King CB (Cpt) 99-12 Danny Rose LB 07-
Graham Roberts DM 80-86
Glenn Hoddle AMF 75-87 Paul Gascoigne AMF 88-92
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Teddy Sherringham AMC 92-97 and 01-03
Gary Lineker ST 89-92 Jurgen Klinsmann ST 94-95and 97-98
Manager: Keith Burkinshaw 76-84
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