Tottenham Defeat Leicester City on 3rd April 1982 in FA Cup Semi-Final
By Logan Holmes
In 1982 Tottenham reached their second successive FA Cup semi-final. They were drawn to play 2nd Division, Leicester City at Villa Park. It was a difficult game for everyone and Ossie Ardiles was due to return to Argentina as part of his country’s preparations for the World Cup. There was the additional problem of the Falklands War, however, and Ardiles was constantly booed by the Leicester fans.
On This Day: 3rd April, 1982
FA Cup Semi-Final at Villa Park
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Leicester City 0
Scorers: Crooks, Opp. o.g.
[Photo: www.amazon.co.uk]Tottenham booked a second successive Wembley Cup Final appearance by beating a Leicester City team which included Gary Lineker and it was to be Ardiles’ last game for Spurs for some considerable time.
The game at Villa Park was played under the tension of the war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands. It had been planned that Ardiles would return to Argentina for World Cup preparation but he may have returned for the Cup Final but the worsening political situation and comments made by Ardiles about the war meant that Tottenham had to play at Wembley without him.
Garth Crooks [Photo: www.oldschoolpanini.com]In a tight game, it was early in the second half before Spurs eventually managed to wear Leicester down and take the lead. Eleven minutes after the interval, Ardiles received a short corner from Glenn Hoddle and his cross was hit home by Garth Crooks. Leicester lost a player to injury but their ten men battled gamely. In the 76th minute they conceded a soft own goal. The defender with many options to clear lifted his back pass over the goalkeeper’s head and into his own net.
The early 1980s saw Spurs as regular visitors to Wembley – their win over QPR in the Final as they retained the FA Cup would be their fourth and fifth visits in twelve months – following on from the 1981 FA Cup Final and replay, Charity Shield and the 1982 League Cup Final.
Team: Clemence; Perryman, Roberts (Miller), Price, Hughton; Ardiles, Hoddle, Hazard, Galvin; Archibald, Crooks
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