Memories of A Sweet Tottenham Victory Over Arsenal
By Alan Hill
Memories of a Sweet Tottenham Victory over Arsenal at White Hart Lane in November, 1999.
Spurs v Arsenal November, 1999 [Photo: Alan Hill]I never went to Highbury on principle. The Emirates looks very nice on TV but I feel the same about it. Incidentally what a betrayal of London-ness to name it after a foreign country/airline. I know it’s all about finances these days but it shouldn’t be, not to that extent. I do so hope Spurs come up with something more appropriate for our new stadium. It may have brought in the spondulix for Arsenal but it hasn’t helped them win any trophies. So my memories of attending Arsenal games are exclusively home ones. As with most games, I only retain much detail if they were victories. One of my favourite blasts from the past is our victory over them on 7th November, 1999. It’s one of the programmes that I have hung on to.
There were a couple of reasons why that game stood out for me. My nephew, who I had taken to games as a kid, had grown up, got a job and got hold of the tickets for us, I think through his employer Chase Manhattan’s contacts. By “us”, I mean my wife and me, so the 3 of us were able to turn it into a bit of a family day out.
The Arsenal team were the core of the Invincibles squad of 2003/4. Arsene Wenger had not been manager long. He had retained George Graham’s defence, with Seaman, Dixon, Adams, Keown, and Winterburn still in the side. The French contingent had started to be added, with Viera, Henry and Petit already there. Dennis Bergkamp was up front. He is another player that fits in my fantasy list of “one’s that got away.” He did wonderfully for Arsenal in a period when they changed from dour grinders to purveyors of silky football but I felt his talents would have been ideal for Tottenham’s traditional stylish game. Ian Wright and Paul Merson had disappeared from the squad for the previous season’s game.
Team sheet in 1999 [Photo: Alan Hill]The Tottenham team was by now managed by George Graham, so there was added spice and Spurs had already won the Carling Cup the previous spring. Wenger was no doubt eyeing up Sol Campbell for his infamous swoop. The Spurs team also included Ian Walker, Stephen Carr, Steffen Freund, Darren Anderton, Tim Sherwood, Les Ferdinand and David Ginola.
David Ginola’s a**e vs. the A**e: no contest
My wife was really up for it – the game that is – because this was the David Ginola era and like most women, she fancied him something rotten (still does!).
On 1st October 2013, our ever-faithful marriage will have lasted 30 years. As a young man, I was as proud as any young buck and would have been insanely jealous if she even looked at another man. By the time we got to 1999, I had matured (well a bit), felt secure in our relationship and realised that sometimes you just have to accept you are outclassed. I am as heterosexual as they come but can appreciate what women see in Ginola. I found a picture of me in the loft recently when I was about 20 and might almost have given him a run for his money but I know when I’m beaten. Ginola’s looks, the hair, the accent and the muscles are just too much (remember when he ripped his shirt off on scoring for Aston Villa to display his Tarzan-like torso? John Gregory had foolishly suggested that he was carrying too much weight). I spoke fluent French when I met my wife but somehow it didn’t make her as weak at the knees as when David speaks English with a French accent. “Because I am worth it” indeed.
David Ginola [Photo: Alan Hill]
Alan Hill (in your dreams) [Photo: Alan Hill]Two years earlier, as a Valentine’s treat I had taken my wife to the Arsenal derby on Saturday, February 15 1997. It was a 0-0 draw and our seats were high up in the “gods” at the Paxton Road end. This time, our seats were in the East Stand down by the Park Lane end, just a couple of rows back from the touchline. With David playing on the left and taking the corners, we got to see him really close up. It afforded my wife a great close up view of his rear again and again throughout one half. I pointed out to her that with very little effort that she could lean over and pinch his bum before the stewards realised what was going on. I don’t think David would have really minded and it would have gone down in Spurs folklore. Sue was too refined/embarrassed to give it a try but she did sport a very self-satisfied grin on her face for much of the game. I’m sure it wasn’t only because we just outplayed this very good Arsenal team to claim a 2-1 victory with goals from Steffen Iversen and Tim Sherwood. I think we may have even been caught briefly on camera in the Match of the Day highlights.
These days we are both very grateful that the TV companies use him as a studio guest on a regular basis. My wife because she can indulge her fantasies and me because it stops her changing channels during the pre–match discussions to watch Dick van Dyke solving murders or her little chum Derek Marks on the Jewellery channel until just before kick-off. Another victory over the A**e is due at the beginning of March and it would make a nice combined Valentine’s and birthday present for her (25th Feb), so Come on You Spurs!
And Just for Sue
David Ginola still strutting his stuff at WHL. [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]