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| Tottenham: already a beautiful history in European Cups |
On May 8, at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, Mauricio Pochettino could let go of his emotion at the final whistle of the semi-final return of C1 between Ajax and Tottenham (2-3), where the Londoners went to clinch a qualification with tripe. The Argentinian coach, in tears after the liberating goal of Lucas Moura at the last minute of play (90 + 6), allowed the Spurs to become the eighth club to reach a final of C1 *. This will be the fifth European final in Tottenham history, after three C3 finals (two wins) and one C2 victory. It may be the most beautiful, if the Londoners overcome the Reds.
Before this meeting at Wanda Metropolitano, Tottenham has already had some fine epics in European Cups. Including this year, the Lilywhites have participated in total five editions of C1, six of C2 and fifteen of C3. It is only since 2006 that they participate each year in the European Cup, except in 2008/2009 where they finished 8th in the Premier League and are not qualified in Europe for the following season.
A first encouraging participation
To attend their first appearance on the European scene, we must go back to September 13, 1961, at the Silesian stadium in Chorzów (Poland). That day, Tottenham met Górnik Zabrze in the preliminary round of the European Champion Clubs' Cup (C1), five months after being English D1 champion. The English will fall on Polish soil (4-2), but that will not prevent them from spanking their opponent at home on the return (8-1). Led by a trio of fire attack (Cliff Jones, Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson), soon joined in December 1961 by Jimmy Greaves (top scorer in the history of the English league), the Spurs will go to the semi-final of the competition, released by the future winner Benfica (4-3 at the end of the two confrontations), with several contentious arbitration decisions (two goals refused one way, one return).
But at the final whistle, their captain, Danny Blanchflower, preferred to remember the emotion experienced in the European Cup, a feeling he considers unique: "It would be difficult to design a football competition more powerful or more popular. Playing in the European Cup has been the biggest emotional experience of my career. This is good, he will have the opportunity to relive such an experience twice (he will retire in 1964), but at the lower level, in C2.
Success and then lightning
Not to demotivate him, he will raise in 1963 one of the most beautiful trophies in the history of Tottenham Cup Cup, which is the first European tournament won by an English team. After defeating Glasgow Rangers, Slovan Bratislava and OFK Belgrade, the Londoners face in the final the defending champion and favorite, Atlético de Madrid. The speech of Blanchflower (nicknamed the "poet") in the pre-game, interrupting the talk of his coach to speak, will be decisive. "Danny lowered the merits of the Spaniards and reminded us of all our superior qualities, both as individuals and as a team," said striker Jimmy Greaves after the final. The latter will also be one of the great craftsmen of the 5-1 victory of his on Atlético, including a doubled, as Dyson.
After these two first good experiences, it will take a decade to see Tottenham shine in Europe. The Spurs are eliminated by Bobby Charlton's Manchester United, at Old Trafford, in the second round of C2 in December 1963 (4-1 defeat after a 2-0 first-leg), and by Olympique Lyonnais. Fleury Di Nallo, still in 8th of C2, in December 1967 (defeated 1-0 in the first leg and win 4-3 at home, but they are eliminated by the goal rule outside, appeared two years before). Especially, Tottenham is marked by the death, only 27 years, of his midfielder John White (second scorer of the final won against Atletico in 1963), struck by the lightning in the summer of 1964, while he played golf. His passing leaves a void on the field and in the locker room of White Hart Lane, which was appreciated by his teammates and was so valuable to the game of his team, always one step ahead of the others in ball transmissions. Nicknamed "The Ghost" because of his ability to slip on the field, his death marks the end of a golden era for Tottenham (who has always finished in the top 4 in the league with White).
Feyenoord hooligans fight
It was not until 1971/1972 to see the Londoners on the European scene, with the first steps in C3 this time. The team is led by a new team of players, including leaders such as Steve Perryman (the most caped player in the history of Tottenham, with 854 games) in the midfield, Martin Chivers and Alan Gilzean in attack. Cynically, it marks the break with the older generation Lilywhites, since it was spotted by London recruiters during the tribute to John White in December 1964, when Tottenham faced a selection of Scottish players. In 1972, under coach Bill Nicholson, who has been at the post since 1958, the Spurs will win their second European Cup trophy, the UEFA Cup (in its first edition), by winning in the final against Wolverhampton (1-2; 1-1), having notably released AC Milan in half.
No player in the Wolves final was there in the C2 final against Atlético nine years ago. It is generally the same team that will reach the semifinals of C3 the following year (eliminated by Liverpool), then again the final in 1974, against the Feyenoord Rotterdam. The Spurs will fall against the Dutch (2-2, 2-0), but what attracts the most attention in this double confrontation, it is the multiple violence which broke out between the hooligans of the two teams, in particular to the return to the Netherlands, where English fans went to fight in tribunes with those of Feyenoord. Acts that the coach, Bill Nicholson, condemns: "You, hooligans, are a shame for Tottenham and a shame for England. This is a football match, not a war. The English tactician will also retire in September of the same year, disgusted by this violence and the demands for salary increases of some executives. In his tribute, a street today bears his name, the "Bill Nicholson Way", right next to White Hart Lane.
The C3, Tottenham's last European success
This departure will lead to a slack period for Tottenham, who even knows a passage in the second division (1977/1978), before returning to Europe in 1981. Winners of the FA Cup 1981, the Londoners find the C2, thirteen years after their last participation, and reach the semifinals, where they fall in front of the future winner of the event, FC Barcelona (1-1, 1-0). The following year, they fell in the second round against Bayern Munich Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1-1, 4-1), before finding them in the 8th finals of C3 in 1983/1984. This time, the Spurs take their revenge (1-0, 2-0), then eliminate Austria Vienna and Hajduk Split, before meeting the defending champion, Anderlecht, in the final.
This shock will lead to two extremely close meetings, with Anderlecht resisting the onslaught of the men of Keith Burkinshaw (arrived on the bench in 1976), deprived for the occasion of his three leaders of the game: Steve Perryman (who gets injured between the two matches), Glenn Hoddle and Osvaldo Ardiles. After the 1-1 first leg in Belgium, an event will change the face of the return match: the coach, Keith Burkinshaw, announces to his players that he will leave after the final. That will trigger a snap in his squad: "We wanted to win for our boss," said captain Graham Roberts today. Keith had never really told us before this week that he was going to leave the club. In London, Tottenham is 0-1, until Roberts equalizes six minutes from time. No team takes the advantage in overtime, which leads to the fateful shootout. This is where the real hero of the final, Tony Parks, 21-year-old Tottenham doorman, who replaces the usual injury holder Ray Clemence, is revealed. Parks released the last two strikes of Morten Olsen and Arnor Gudjohnsen, allowing the Lilywhites to win the C3 (1-1, 1-1, 4-3 tab), their third and, until today, last European trophy. "It's one of those matches where you think, 'how lucky I was to be a part of it,'" Burkinshaw said recently.
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