On this day, 10th August, 1991, Tottenham made their last appearance in the season’s curtain raiser, the FA Charity Shield, now the FA Community Shield. As winners of the FA Cup Spurs would meet the League Champions who just happened to be Arsenal. It is the only time that the two rivals and neighbours have contested the FA Charity Shield. A north London derby at Wembley to start the season with the added incentive, if any were needed, that Spurs had denied Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final at the same venue in April.
Gary Mabbutt led a team showing two changes from the side which had defeated Arsenal and then went on to defeat Nottingham Forest in the Final in May. Terry Fenwick replaced Justin Edinburgh and Paul Gascoigne was absent, Nayim being his replacement. Spurs employed the same tactics as had proved successful in the semi-final with Gary Lineker as the lone striker and five across midfield. The match didn’t reach the heights of excitement and endeavour that the previous contest had generated and ended as a scoreless draw. As there was no penalty shoot-out to decide a winner, the two clubs shared the trophy for six months each.
The spark that had created all the excitement four months earlier was still recovering from the cruciate ligament injury to his right knee, sustained in the early stages of the Final. With further complications, it would be a year before Paul Gascoigne regained fitness and his transfer to Lazio was completed for a fee of £5.5 million.
Team: Thorstvedt; Fenwick, Sedgley, Howells, Van den Hauwe; Allen, Nayin, Howells, Stewart, Samways; Lineker
#knowyourtottenhamhistory 9th August, 1969
#knowyourtottenhamhistory 8th August, 1981