"Although he has been in charge of the team for the last two League matches, this is the first opportunity we have had to refer in a first team programme to Mr. Terry Neill – our new manager.

Mr. Neill, who took over shortly before our victory over West Ham United in the last home match, has a soccer pedigree and background well known to most of our supporters.

He joined us from Hull City, who had engaged him as Player-Manager in 1970. Terry's peak years were spent as a centre-half with Arsenal, and when he left our Highbury neighbours for Hull, he was their longest serving player.

Terry, who comes from Belfast, joined Arsenal from Bangor, the Irish league club, in December 1959. He made his league debut for Arsenal during season 1960-61. At the age of 20, he was appointed captain, the youngest in Arsenal's history.

He gained a place in the Northern Ireland international team in 1961, and first captained his country in 1964. When he played for and captained Northern Ireland for the last time, against Wales on Everton's ground in May 1973, he established an all-time record of 59 appearances for that country.

By that time, Mr. Neill had become Player-manager of Northern Ireland in addition to Hull, and he has therefore been an outstanding performer and personality in international football over many years. He is also a former chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Mr. Neill is aware of the size of his task as Spurs' new manager and he is tackling it with enthusiasm and determination. He is well aware, from his past knowledge of London football, that only the best, in performance and achievement, will be good enough for Spurs.

We are proud of the past record of Spurs' achievements. Mr. Neill's aim is to lengthen that list but after our early knock out from the Football League Cup and our poor start in the First Division of the League this season, he cannot be expected to achieve instant success.

He is as impatient for success as the most fervent spurs supporter, but needs time to put his plans into practice.

He has been joined by Mr. Wilf Dixon, his former assistant at Hull, Who had had considerable experience in the game.

Mr. Dixon was born in Silksworth, near Sunderland, and was signed as a young wing-half before the war by Aldershot, then managed by the celebrated Bill McCracken.

Wilf was unfortunate enough to sustain a serious ligament injury that brought his playing career to a premature close. He decided to settle for the training and coaching side of football and in this capacity served Aldershot, Southend United, West Bromwich Albion, Blackpool and Everton before joining Hull.

He is fully qualified both as an FA coach and as a remedial trainer."