Tottenham On This Day: Last Christmas Day Game At The Lane
By Logan Holmes
Until 1958 Tottenham, as did all football clubs, traditionally fulfilled fixtures on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day with teams playing each other home and away over the festive season.
Last Christmas Day Match at White Hart Lane
1956-57
Tottenham Hotspur 6 Everton 0
Scorers: Medwn (2), Harmer (pen), Smith (2), Stokes
Spurs’ last Christmas Day win was a six goal victory in 1956 at White Hart Lane against Everton. In difficult conditions, 27,761 spectators saw Bobby Smith put Spurs into an early lead. Alfie Stokes added a second before half-time. Terry Medwin scored twice after the interval, Tommy Harmer converted a penalty and Bobby Smith completed the scoring with his second goal.
The custom of playing on Christmas Day came to an end in 1958 with Spurs visiting Upton Park where they suffered a 2 – 1 defeat.
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Memories of Christmas Day Matches: Read more
Biggest Christmas Day Win!
1952-53
Tottenham Hotspur 7 Middlesbrough 1
Scorers: Bennett (4), Duquemin (2), Baily
In this game against Middlesbrough, Spurs fans received their best ever Christmas present – two points and seven goals in their biggest ever Christmas day win.
Spurs took the lead after 12 minutes through Les Bennett.Middlesbrough equalised after twenty minutes and that was the score at half-time.The difficulty for Spurs was that their goal scorer had been injured and went to play on the wing which greatly reduced the threat from the Spurs forward line.
In the second half, however, in spite of his injury, Bennett returned to his proper position in the centre and the two wingers, Sonny Walters and Les Medley, proceeded to run the full backs ragged.A succession of crosses and passes enabled Bennett to score a second half hat-trick, to give him 4, Len Duquemin scored twice and Eddie Baily scored the other goal to send the Spurs supporters home for a very Happy Christmas Day.