please log in to view this image Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal at White Hart Lane in the 7th round of 2011-12 Premier League matches on Sunday 2nd October 2011 (6th match for Spurs). This will be the 240th time the two teams have met. Spurs v Arsenal is now one of the great rivalries in World Football but the fixture had very different beginings back in November 1887 when the clubs first met in a friendly played on Tottenham Marshes. Arsenal, then called Royal Arsenal, had been formed just a year earlier as Dial Square and were essentially the works team for the munitions factory situated in Woolwich, Kent, while Spurs who had been formed some five years earlier in 1882 still had many of the youngsters who founded the club playing for them. Spurs won that first encounter 2-1, although the game was cut short by 15 minutes, due to poor light conditions because of the Arsenal team turning-up late for the start. Seven more friendlies were played between the two clubs from 1888 to 1896 with Spurs winning four and Arsenal winning three before their first competitive match in March 1899. By this time, Arsenal were re-named Woolwich Arsenal and the clubs met in the United League with the Gunners winning 2-1 at the Manor Ground in Plumstead while Spurs won the return match 3-2 at Northumberland Park. Two matches were played within the same week in April 1900 in the Southern District Combination League with Spurs winning 4-2 at White Hart Lane which was followed by a 2-1 win to Arsenal at Plumstead in a game abandoned after 75 minutes due to "bad language". History doesn't provide the answer as to who was the guilty party! From 1901 to 1920, the clubs met in various minor competitions, friendlies and matches played during the First World War. September 1913 proved to be a hugely important date in the history of both clubs as Arsenal controversially moved from south of the River Thames into the territory reserved for Tottenham Hotspur and Clapton (later Leyton) Orient, in clear violation of the rules and regulations governing such relocations as stipulated by the Football League. Despite bitter protests, Arsenal's move to Highbury (more correctly called Arsenal Stadium) was allowed. White Hart Lane was requisitioned by the Army during WWI, so Spurs played many of their wartime matches at Highbury. When League football resumed after the war in 1919, it was decided to once again expand the First Division from 20 teams to 22. The normal way of doing this had always been to add the top two clubs from the Second Division to those who were already in the First Division. However, there were complications arising from allegations of match-fixing from Liverpool and Manchester United during the final matches of the last season played before the League was suspended and it was felt that they would forfit their Top Flight status as a result. From nowhere, Arsenal, who had finished sixth (later corrected to fifth) in the Second Division before the war were 'elected' to take Tottenham Hotspur's place in the First Division. Allegations of bribery persist to this day and Henry Norris (Arsenal's Chairman) was later given a lifetime ban from football from the Football League for underhand financial activities. Spurs and Arsenal finally played their first Football League match in the First Division in January 1921 with Spurs winning 2-1 at White Hart Lane while Arsenal won the return match at Highbury 3-2. All 140 League games played to date have taken place in the Top Flight of English football. Highbury was taken over by the Army during the Second World War and Spurs returned the favour by allowing Arsenal to play their wartime matches at White Hart Lane. Arsenal won the first FA Cup meeting between the two teams 3-0 in the 3rd Round in January 1949. The clubs have played five FA Cup matches to date with Spurs winning two and Arsenal winning three. The first Football League Cup match took place in November 1968 with Arsenal winning the first leg of the Semi-Final 1-0 at Highbury and Spurs drawing 1-1 at White Hart Lane the following month. Of the 12 League Cup matches played so far, Spurs have won 3, Arsenal have won 6 and three games have been drawn. Both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were founder members of the Premier League in season 1992-93 and both clubs are among the seven (Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa are the other five) who have been ever-present during the 20 seasons of the competition. Arsenal went two goals ahead by halftime in the reverse fixture last season at the Emirates in November 2010 through Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh but Spurs came back strongly with goals from Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart (penalty) and Younes Kaboul to secure a 3-2 win. The match at White Hart Lane in April 2011 was a six goal thriller with honours even. Theo Walcott and Rafael van der Vaart scored goals within the first 10 minutes before Samir Nasri put the Gunners 2-1 up after 12 minutes. Arsenal went further ahead with a Robin van Persie goal on 40 minutes but Tom Huddlestone made it 2-3 by halftime. Van der Vaart scored the only goal in the second half from the penalty spot. As far as Football League / Premier League matches go, two player have both scored nine goals for Spurs against Arsenal - Billy Minter and Bobby Smith. Three Arsenal players have each scored eight goals agianst Spurs - Robert Pires, Emmanuel Adebayor and Alan Smith. There have been three hat-tricks scored during North London Derbies - Terry Dyson for Spurs and Ted Drake & Alan Sunderland for Arsenal. Jimmy Robertson is the only player to score for both Spurs & Arsenal in a North London Derby. Arsenal's David O'Leary has played in the most North London Derbies (35) while both Gary Mabbutt & Steve Perryman played 31 games with Spurs. During the 2011 summer transfer window, Spurs signed former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor on loan from Manchester City. Overall, Spurs have won 86 of the 239 matches played against Arsenal with the Gunners winning 96 and 57 matches drawn. please log in to view this image Full History of Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Matches 1887-2011 please log in to view this image They Played for Spurs & Arsenal.... Emmanuel Adebayor Clive Allen Charlie Ambler Bob Arber (Arsenal player, Spurs reserves manager) David Bentley David Black Anton Blackwood Jimmy Brain Laurie Brown Walter Bugg Lycurgus Burrows Sol Campbell Herbert Chapman (Spurs player, Arsenal manager) Damien Comolli (Director of Football at both clubs) Freddie Cox James Delvin Wilf Dixon (Spurs assistant manager, Arsenal trainer) Jack Eggett Tom Fitchie Theo Foley (Arsenal assistant manager, Spurs reserves manager) William Gallas George Graham (Arsenal player, Spurs manager) Vic Groves Tom Hatfield Stewart Houston (Assistant manager at both clubs) Joe Hulme (Arsenal player, Spurs manager) George Hunt David Jenkins Pat Jennings Bill Julian Peter Kyle Neil Lacy Bill Lane (Spurs player, Arsenal scout) Peter McWilliam (Spurs manager, Arsenal scout) Tom Meade Billy Minter Terry Naylor Terry Neill (Arsenal player, Spurs manager) Jamie O'Hara Tom O'Shea George Payne Ron Piper Tom Pratt Rohan Ricketts Jimmy Robertson Andrew Swan Walter Thomas Erik Thorstvedt Steve Walford Ernie Walley (Spurs player, Arsenal coach) Charlie Williams Willie Young please log in to view this image Tottenham Hotspur Premier League Player's Squad Numbers 1993-94 to 2011-12 Arsenal Premier League Player's Squad Numbers 1993-94 to 2011-12
More top stuff, 6061. Only one player has ever scored for both sides in a derby game? Let's hope that Adebayor changes that this weekend, eh?
The parts about Arsenal turning up late, using bad language, being in clear violation of the rules and regulations, and Arsenal's Chairman receiving a lifetime ban from football, all made me smile. And now I have that "Same old Arsenal" tune running through my head. Can't wait for this game. Ade to score a minimum of two goal.
This game is massive, but we do have Shamrock Rovers first. Harry will have to juggle these two games as we need to beat Shamrock as well as Arsenal.
Whilst I agree with you Ghoddle, I think that we'll see a lot of changes for both games. I'm hoping that we'll have a few players back from injury for Thursday, but if we don't then I expect to see a lot of youngsters getting a run out.
A must win game for Spurs as it will really dent Arsenals' self-belief,for Spurs it will continue our run of wins,also our recent good record against Arsenal.Hope we get some players back for the Shamrock game,allowing most of the 1st team a complete rest.Always the most looked forward to fixture of the season,Ade to score(what celebration this time?).COYS
I'm sure we will PNP, but Shamrock is a game that has to be negotiated, and hopefully won, before we can concentrate on Arsenal.
HI Pat, I heard Ade saying he won't be doing much celebrating if he scores. He apologised to Arsenal fans for the 'City incident' and has been at pains to say in a number of interviews that he has great respect for Arsenal.
Couldn't agree more, Ghoddle. I hope that the team don't get distracted too much, as we need to do as well as we can in the group.
Nice one 6061. Great job as always. Not to tempt fate, but I think we expect something out of these games now. The goons are still settling down and this is a good time to play them. Adebayor must be hungry for payback and their defence is far from settled. With Sandro and Parker shielding the back 4, I would predict 2-0.
I heard that also,i did realise that he wouldn't be doing an "over the top" celebration,just be interesting to see his reaction.I can't really see him doing an Allan Clarke and just jogging around with with 1 hand in the air.
If we can't beat Shamrock with our second string then we're better off out of the competition as we wouldn't have the depth to our squad to compete in it aswell as the league. I know it's dirsespectful to them but if Pavlyuchenko, Kane and GDS have another poor game then we're down to 2 strikers in a team that plays 442.
Second time today I find myself agreeing with Schteffen... The Europa League interests me because Spurs have a real chance to win it. But there are so many teams you can't say anyone's chances are really very good. So I'd say the best thing is to try to cruise along and play the second team until the late stages. It might work, and if it doesn't, the next best thing to winning it is getting knocked out early.
I don't see the need to change the last team in the EL. If Pav and Gio can't score against Shamrock they may need to re-evaluate how good they think they are. As for the Goons, same as v Liverpool, I see no need to alter that either, all being fit of course.
I think most Gooners would be happy with a point from WHL given our current form. 3pts would be the ideal outcome though
