FLASHBACK: First Tottenham team of the Millennium
White Hart Lane, January 2000
With the end of the decade nigh, The Spoiler thought it worth looking back at some of the great teams that saw us into the Millenium. Starting with Tottenham – at home to Man City tonight – here are a few names that you might remember.
So, close your eyes, cast your mind back. Then probably open your eyes again, because below is the team that went down 1-0 to Liverpool at White Hart Lane on 3rd January, 2000…
Goalkeeper, Ian Walker
Ian Walker enjoyed over ten years at White Hart Lane, and was married to a former Page Three girl. At the time, that was somewhat revolutionary, making Walker quite the forward thinker. He went on to enjoy a stint at Leicester, before pretty much vanishing without so much as a “cheerio then”. Thanks a lot Ian.
Right Back, Stephen Carr
Signed by Ossie Ardiles in 1993, Carr gave Spurs some of the best years of his life. He then gave Newcastle some of the less good years of his life. Then he retired. Then he unretired himself, and can now be found – almost completely bald – lolloping up the right hand side for Birmingham City.
Centre Back, Sol Campbell
Back in 2000, Sol was already a Tottenham legend, and for the right reasons. But fast forward a year-and-a-bit to when he moved to Arsenal, and some fans couldn’t even utter his name without weeping and slamming their fists into the nearest face. Now basically loathed, which is a shame. He was great for them.
Centre Back, Chris Perry
Partnering Sol on that frosty afternoon in North London was Chris Perry – once a card carrying member of Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang”, so called because they were totally bonkers. After Campbell buggered off, he was a Spurs favourite at the back… until Ledley King came along and ruined things. He’s now at Southampton.
Left Back, Mauricio Taricco
Now on Gus Poyet’s payroll at Brighton & Hove Albion, Taricco was once George Graham’s first signing for Tottenham. He went on to nail down a spot and play over 150 games for the club. Then, in 2004, he went to West Ham, and played for exactly twenty-seven minutes. True story.
Right Midfield, Luke Young
Yes, that Luke Young. The Villa player who recently decided to retire from international football for no apparent reason. He was once a Spurs trainee, who turned out around 50 times for the club, before going on to glitzier things at Charlton, Middlesbrough, and now Villa.
Centre Midfield, Tim Sherwood
Three-cap England wonder Tim Sherwood is now many things – Tottenham coach, magazine mogul, occasional pundit. But back in 2000, he was the £3 million man in the Spurs midfield. Sadly, a few years later a barny with Hoddle pretty much called time on his Tottenham career, so he moved to Portsmouth, in a move now known as “The Reverse Peter Crouch”.
Centre Midfield, Stephen Clemence
Known in some quarters as “Son of Ray”, Stephen Clemence enjoyed a rather injury-ravaged six years at Spurs, before trundling off in the direction of Birmingham City, where he would now be playing alongside Lee Bowyer, had he not left in 2007 to join Leicester. A move known as “The Ian Walker Classic”.
Left Midfield, David Ginola
Just months after winning his Footballer of the Year award, Ginola was still performing his magic on the left side of midfield in the Winter of 2000. Not so in the Winter of 2001, however. By that time, he’d already been ushered off against his will to Aston Villa, safe in the knowledge that he’ll always be a Spurs legend.
Striker, Chris Armstrong
An interesting drug testing result in 1995 suggested that Chris Armstrong liked to unwind with a nice cigarette with pot in it during his days off, which was rather frowned upon at the time – it being the olden days and everything. Still, it didn’t stop Spurs splashing out £4.5 million for him later that year. He then hung around in the dugout for about seven years. Mosty watching Les Ferdinand.
Striker, Steffen Iversen
Norway’s second greatest Premier League striker at the time – probably behind Solskjaer – Iversen enjoyed seven very happy years at Spurs. Well, seven quite happy years at Spurs. He got a League Cup winner’s medal in 1999, anyway. He then went to Wolves for a bit in 2003.
PLUS, for those remotely interested, were Spurs facing the first Man City team from 2000 tonight, it would line up a little something like this: Nicholas Weaver, Lee Crooks, Gerard Weikens, Richard Jobson, Daniel Granville, Tony Grant, Ian Bishop, Jamie Pollock, Kevin Horlock, Rob Taylor, Shaun Goater.
Ah, great days.
2 responses so far
Darren Fletcher's mum // December 16, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Norways 2nd best Prem striker at the time was Tore Andre Flo
Brian // December 17, 2009 at 11:59 am
Tottenham???
How can you be scraping at the base of the barrel in the first issue of this new feature?
Ginola, Campbell, yes… But come on! Was this written whilst Chas & Dave sang in the background, or at least held a shotgun to your head?
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