SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY, 2000
FA CARLING PREMIERSHIP
Stewart, 8
Armstrong, 61
Clapham, 88
Referee:- Mr M. Messias
Attendance:- 22,234
Ipswich(4-4-2):- Wright; Wilnis (sub
McGreal, 81), Bramble, Venus, Hreidarsson; Scowcroft, Wright,
Holland, Reuser; Armstrong (sub Johnson, 79), Stewart (sub
Clapham, 85)
Subs not used:- Croft; Branagan
No Bookings
Spurs (4-4-2 reverting to 3-5-2 second
half):- Sullivan; Thelwell, Perry, Campbell, Clemence; Anderton,
Sherwood (sub Davies, 79), King, Leonhardsen; Doherty, Korsten (sub
Rebrov, 79)
Subs not used:- Walker; Gardner;
Armstrong
No Bookings
Dateline - 5th October, 1998. George
Graham assumes managerial control of Tottenham Hotspur Football
Club who stand 11th in the Premiership after a 1-0 win at Derby
under the leadership of temporary manager David Pleat. Spurs lose
their next game at Leicester 2-1, but manage to finish the season
in 11th place, and win the Worthington Cup. They finish the
following season in 10th place. In many subsequent
interviews, Graham will claim to have saved a club heading for
relegation. At the time of his appointment, he asserts the aim to
make them a top six club within 2 years.
Year 2000 Premiership Record:-
H W D
L F - A
A W D
L F - A
11
5 4 37 - 21
2 4 14
15 - 37
Season 2000-1 record to date:-
H W
D L F -
A A
W D L
F - A
7
3 0 18 - 7
0 2 9
8 - 25
December 2000 Premiership record:-
H W
D L F -
A A
W D L
F - A
0 2 0
1 - 1
0 1 3
3 - 10
Year 2000 Premiership Totals:-
P
W D L
F - A Pts
40 13
9 18 52 - 58
48
Current League Position:- 13th (6
pts above relegation zone)
Games since last league win:- 6
Minutes since last league goal:- 329.
Most of you will have seen the
latest disaster on television by now, and I do not propose to
give a blow by blow account of events. For one thing the freezing
weather was not conducive to note taking, and my low viewing
position was not the best. I take my hat off to Ipswich. On the
evidence of today, they are a good family club. They have battled
away for several years to win promotion, and have had a terrific
season, currently in third place as a result of this convincing
and wholly justified win. I only had to pay 5 pounds for my son's
ticket in the family enclosure. There was little segregation
between home and away support, and no malice between fans that I
could see or hear.
Ipswich - the new boys - had the
luxury of RESTING ex-Spur Jamie Clapham. George Graham had
clearly telegraphed his decision to drop Sergei Rebrov for this
match, and chose to start with Gary Doherty (making his full
debut), and Willem Korsten as his strike force, leaving Rebrov
itching on the bench, along with Armstrong. The replacements
played like lost schoolboys. The team did not compete. The
biggest cheer from Spurs fans was for the first Spurs shot on
target after nearly an hour, when Doherty forced a save from
Wright. We stood and cheered as if we had scored. We knew that
was as good as it would get. Thanks to a good performance from
Neil Sullivan, the scoreline was kept to three, but it could have
been more.
George Graham admitted after the
game that we had been second best. (He could hardly do anything
else). He also apologised to the travelling fans for what he
described as the worst performance of the season by far (That's
saying something). He said there was a lack of competitiveness,
and that teams associated with him don't give in as easily as
that. WE WERE PATHETIC! (I said that) George now says that he has
been forced into playing the youngsters, whereas he would have
liked to have brought them on gradually. Expect King and Thelwell
to disappear soon, then folks. In fairness, I do believe that
Alton Thelwell in particular is beginning to crack under the
strain of higher quality football, but he was not helped by being
asked fill Stephen Carr's boots today.
The first goal for Ipswich came
after 8 minutes, when Perry was all too easily beaten, being
miles away from Stewart, who made it into the six yard box to
slip in a cross from the left that eluded the defence, and wrong-footed
Sullivan. Sullivan was the only working keeper on the pitch, and
had to make a good save from a sharp cross from Hreidarsson,
after Thelwell had made a bad clearance. Ipswich claimed a close
range goal which was correctly adjudged to be a foul on the
keeper, but Sullivan always had to be on his toes, as he was to
make a flying save from Reuser after 27 minutes. Jermaine Wright
sent a threatening cross from the right, and Scowcroft was given
ample time in the penalty area to control, turn and shoot, but he
sent the shot well over the target. All Spurs had to show for the
first period was one shot - off target - from Sherwood.
Perry did well to stretch and
deprive Alun Armstrong of a goal after a cross from Wilnis on the
right. The historic first shot on target for Spurs came after 57
minutes. Anderton hit a long ball to Clemence, and Doherty did
well to curl a left foot shot to the lower corner, but Wright
dived to retrieve. Ipswich soon increased their led, all too
easily, when Reuser, this time on the left, pierced the defence
to reach Stewart who passed across the goal to Armstrong for an
easy finish. It could have been more as Scowcroft hit the bar
with a rasping shot from another Reuser cross.
Korsten actually managed a shot
which Wright had to push round for a corner, before he (Korsten)
was replaced by Rebrov - too late to make much difference. The
ineffective late substitution is becoming a Graham trait. The
surrender was complete when Jamie Clapham got his name on the
score-sheet against his old club. Reuser looked suspiciously
offside as he skipped down the right win onto a long pass, but
the defence stood still, as Clapham raced in and made another
easy finish.
All credit to Ipswich, who have
capped a special year with another good show. Spurs are
displaying form equal to the worst in the league, and must now
look over their shoulders. They are displaying relegation form at
the moment. The only two teams they have beaten away from home
this year (not this season) are Leicester (Ginola) and Coventry (Armstrong).
There is as much chance of any glory in the forthcoming Year
ending in One, as there is of me becoming King of England.
A man of honour would resign, and I
wish George Graham and his sidekick would go NOW!