season review 1977-1978

season 1977-1978

RESULTS.

English Division One/Two/Premier League
Finished : -th

Played	Won	Drew	Lost	Goals for	Goals against	Goal diff.	Points
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

REVIEW

Playing in the Second Division for the first time in 27 years, Spurs were desperate to regain their top flight status at their first attempt.

Tottenham opened with a home match against Sheffield United and the 4-2 win was not as straight-forward as they might have thought, but set the tone for the coming season. It wasn't always about out-passing the opposition, but sometimes there was the need for the likes of Don McAllister, John Pratt and Steve Perryman to do the grafting to ensure other sides did not get the upper hand.

Things started well with 10 unbeaten games at the start of the season, with that run ended at Charlton Athletic, but the side bounced back to win their next game … 9-0 against Bristol Rovers at the Lane. The match included four goals from Colin Lee – the only player who made a debut in this season and a hat-trick from Ian Moores.

A 3-1 away win against Stoke City came next and the goal against us was a header from Garth Crooks, but what was thought would be a tough match next -against Burnley – saw the opponents sitting bottom of the league. Without an away win, Burnley succumbed to a good display from the Spurs team, who won 3-0.

With a good season, Spurs were near the top of the table for the bulk of the season, but a series of draws in the run-in left the side slipping out of the top positions. A 2-1 win for Burnley at Turf Moor on April Fool's Day really gave the side the jitters.

A win over Bolton by 1-0 at the Lane gave Spurs hope, but losing away at fellow promotion hopefuls Brighton and then going down at home to Sunderland gave further doubt to the team going up under Keith Burkinshaw's management. However, Perryman's late winner against Hull City gave Spurs a timely boost, leaving a point needed from the last game away to Southampton.

With both sides looking to go up, it was a game filled with nerves and while there were a few chances at each end, it was the final result that suited both teams … a scoreless draw, leaving Brighton to miss out on goal difference.

Spurs had packed out the grounds on their travels, with a huge away support, as well as having sell-out crowds at home and the football was at times thrilling … not always for the right reasons. Some pitches were little more than mud-heaps and that did not assist he passing game Spurs played, but it forced them to battle against the physical approach of some of their opponents.

Not the outstanding campaign that had been predicted, but one which achieved the main aim of the start of the season and that was to get back to the First Division at the first attempt.

RECORDS.

The 9-0 win over Bristol Rovers was the biggest home domestic margin of victory and the biggest league victory in the club's history.

NOTES.

A pre-season friendly has been set for 06.08.1977 when a Spurs XI will play away at Wimbledon.

In Tottenham's opening home game programme v Sheffield United on 20.08.1977 ...

“The close season weeks are now behind us and today we take the first step on what we hope will be the road back to the First Division.

It was obvious during the closing weeks of last season that we were unlikely to avoid relegation, but as long as there was a chance of survival, we plugged away in the hope that we could avoid the drop.

It has been a hard blow for everyone connected with the club. We had enjoyed 27 years, easily the longest stretch in Spurs’ history.

We have no cause to complain over the workings of football fate. The misfortune that overtook us had threatened for a large part of last season. We failed to pull clear of the danger zone and now have to suffer the consequences.

A new era in Spurs history therefore commences today. It hardly needs saying that our aim is an immediate return to the First Division. Other clubs have managed it in recent years and the players and staff of Spurs are determined to follow their example by finishing among the top three next April.”

THFC comments on programme ...

"The decision to switch from the smaller sized match programme we have published for many years to this larger size was made only after much thought and discussion.

It has been our policy in recent years to produce an informative, up-to-date, pocket sized programme at a reasonable cost and we hope we have succeeded in giving our supporters value for money.

For some time, however, we have been aware that many supporters were in favour of a more modern magazine-type programme published by many league clubs up and down the country and we feel we have chosen the right time for a change in this direction.

We aim to keep the content as accurate and as up-to-date as in the past, and we aim to please you our supporters. We hope the new programme meets with your approval."

THFC comments on new kit design ...

"Another change this season is in the design of the playing strip. As in all things, fashions change in football kit and we feel that the new design enables us to keep pace with modern trends without discarding the traditional basic colours of white shirts and navy blue shorts with which we have been proudly identified for so many years. We hope supporters will like the new strip."

The Football Combination Referees and Linesman's Association hold their first conference of the season at White Hart Lane on 21st August 1977.

Pat Jennings left White Hart Lane after 13 years to move to Arsenal.

“The transfer of Pat Jennings to Arsenal last week was given prominence in the press, but this is the first opportunity to to comment on a move that we know must have caused much concern among supporters.

Although it is not unusual in this present age for a player of long service with one club to make a move to another in the later stages of his career, we wish to emphasise that we are disappointed that we were unable to resolve the circumstances resulting in his transfer.

Pat gave us wonderful service and established a Club appearance record of 472 League games that may well stand for a very long time. In achieving world wide recognition, he also established an all-time international record of 68 appearances for Northern Ireland.

We thank and applaud him for that long and brilliant stretch of service as a Spurs player and wish him and his family well in the future.”

This season the Club has introduced season tickets for the Standing Enclosure in front of the West Stand at the price of £21.00.
These tickets will allow supporters to gain admission to all Football League and Football Combination matches at a slightly reduced rate. Priority will be given to ticket holders for Home FA Cup and Football League Cup ties and any other special games.

RESERVES.

Premier Reserve South League
Finished : -th

Played	Won	Drew	Lost	Goals for	Goals against	Goal diff.	Points
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

ACADEMY.

Premier Academy League Group -
Finished : -th

Played	Won	Drew	Lost	Goals for	Goals against	Goal diff.	Points
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

SQUAD.

MANAGER : - ??

1. -

2. -

3. -

4. -

5. -

6. -

7. -

8. -

9. -

10. -

11. -

SCORERS.

LEAGUE

-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-

FA CUP

-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-

LEAGUE CUP

-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-

PLAYER TOTALS

Player	League	FA Cup	League Cup	Others	Total

APPEARANCES
(Subs appearances in brackets)

Player	League	FA Cup	League Cup	Others

NEW PLAYERS

SUMMER
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date


WINTER
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£-	From	Date

-

PLAYERS WHO LEFT IN THE SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW BEFORE THE SEASON

Steve WALFORD (defender)	£	Arsenal	Date
Kevin STEAD (forward)	£	Arsenal	Date
Pat JENNINGS (goalkeeper)	£	Arsenal	Date
Noel BROTHERSTON (midfielder)	£	Blackburn Rovers	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
Fred BARWICK (defender)	Free	Wealdstone	Date
Steve CAVANAGH (defender)	Free	Ilford	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date

PLAYERS WHO LEFT IN THE WINTER TRANSFER WINDOW

- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date
- (goalkeeper/defender/midfielder/forward)	£	To	Date

PLAYERS WHO LEFT ON LOAN

-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-

NEW APPRENTICES
Paul BATCHELOR (Goalkeeper). Garry BROOKE (Midfielder) - (-) - (-) - (-)	Mark FALCO (Forward) - (-) - (-) - (-)	Ray RYAN (Forward) Joe SIMMONDS (Midfielder) - (-) - (-) - (-)

NEW STAFF
- (-) - (-)	- (-) - (-)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sidney A. Wale (Chairman) C. F. Cox (Vice-Chairman) A. Richardson H. G. S. Groves G. A. Richardson

CLUB STAFF
Company Secretary	G. W. Jones
Club President	-
Club Vice-Presidents	- - -
Vice-Presidents	- - - - - -

CLUB MANAGEMENT

FIRST TEAM
Manager	Keith Burkinshaw
Assistant Manager	-
First Team Coach	-
First Team Assistant Coach	-
Coaches	-
Club Doctor	Dr. Brian Curtin

ACADEMY

Academy Manager	-
Academy Player Development	-
Academy Head of Recruitment	-
Academy Performance Manager	-
Academy Education & Welfare Officer	-
Academy Integration Manager	-
Academy Coaches	-
Academy Doctor	-
Head Academy Physiotherapist	-
Academy Physiotherapist	-
Academy Fitness Coach	-