Tottenham Win Their First League Title In 1951- CHAMPIONS
By Logan Holmes
On this day, 28th April, 1951, Tottenham clinched the 1st Division title for the first time in their history. They defeated Sheffield Wednesday by a single goal at White Hart Lane to become Champions.
On This Day
28th April, 1951
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Scorer: Duquemin
Team: Ditchburn; Ramsey, Willis; Nicholson, Clarke, Burgess (Captain); Walters, Murphy, Duquemiin, Baily, Medley.
How the Tottenham programme celebrated Spurs 1st Div. title success. [Photo: Logan Holmes]Amazingly, when Spurs won the League in 1951 and 1961 Sheffield Wednesday were the opponents against whom they clinched the victory.
Having won promotion in great style the previous season, the Spurs ‘Push and Run’ team got off to a disappointing start to their first season in the First Division since 1935. It was a remarkable turn round to become Champions for the first time in the club’s history, only a year after winning promotion from the 2nd Division, not something that many teams have achieved. Gradually, however, they found their way and by the end of December were top of the Division.
They retained their position right through to the end of the season but it was a close run thing and any slip up would have proved costly. With two games remaining, Spurs went into the game against Sheffield Wednesday knowing that the outcome was in their own hands and duly won with a goal scored by Len Duquemin late in the first half, created by Eddie Baily.
Captain Invincible
Ron Burgess captained the ‘Push and Run’ team of the late 1940s and early 1950s, leading them to promotion in 1950 as 2nd Division Champions and then securing the 1st Division title the following year. He was one of Spurs greatest players and had arrived from Wales in 1939, an immense half-back he eventually moved to Swansea as player-manager in 1954.
A Thinking Manager
Arthur Rowe played for Tottenham in the 1930s. He was a footballing centre-half and after retiring went into coaching. He was very highly thought of and was always open to new ideas. He was appointed the Tottenham manager in the summer of 1949. Rowe immediately lead the club out of the 2nd Division as Champions in 1949-50 and became 1st Division Champions the following year with his ‘Push and Run’ side.
The ‘Push and Run’ team managed by Arthur Rowe had put Spurs firmly in the spotlight and the players who achieved that feat and gained themselves a place as ‘Legends’ in the history of the club included greats like Ted Ditchburn, Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson, Ronnie Burgess, Sonny Walters, Len Duquemin and Eddie Baily.
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