10 Tottenham Connections with Cardiff City
By Logan Holmes
Tottenham travel to play newly promoted Cardiff City in the Premier League for the first time. It is their first meeting in the League since Spurs’ season in the 2nd Division and their first match in the top flight since 1961-62. Cardiff are known as the ‘Bluebirds’ but they were rebranded in 2012 by their new Malaysian owner. He changed the team’s crest and their home colours from blue to red.
Steven Caulker – Spurs U-21 player with most PL playing time last season. [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]
1. Last League Meeting: Tottenham and Cardiff last met in the League in Tottenham’s season in the 2nd Division in September, 1977. It was Spurs’ second away game in the League and their second scoreless draw which ensured they maintained their undefeated run.
2. Spurs League Record at Cardiff: Spurs have an identical home and away record in the League against Cardiff. This is Cardiff’s first season in the Premier League but while Cardiff have spent many seasons outside the top flight only 6 of Tottenham’s clashes with Cardiff have been in the 2nd Division.
Spurs’ League Record in Cardiff
P 20 W 10 D 5 L 5 For 24 Ag 14
3. Last Win: Spurs haven’t won in Cardiff since April, 1957. In 5 League and Cup games since then 3 have been drawn with Spurs losing twice. Cardiff were relegated at the end of the 1956-57 season and Spurs 3 – 0 win didn’t help their cause with goals scored by Dave Dunmore, Johnny Brooks and Terry Dyson.
Cardiff’s old badge
4. In the Double season Cardiff were one of the teams to defeat Spurs. They won 3 – 2 in March, 1961 on the Saturday between Spurs FA Cup games against Sunderland and Burnley. The Sunderland 6th Round match had ended 1 – 1 on the previous Saturday with Spurs winning the replay 5 – 0 on the Wednesday at White Hart Lane. At Ninian Park Spurs went ahead after 4 minutes but Cardfiff equalised only for Les Allen to score after 17 minutes to give them a half-time lead. Cardiff shocked Spurs with two goals in less than a minute early in the second half as Spurs suffered their 4th defeat of the season. The following weekend they recovered with an FA Cup semi-final win over Burnley.
5. Last Meeting: Spurs and Cardiff were drawn together in the FA Cup 3rd Round in 2006-07. The match in Wales ended scoreless with Spurs winning the replay 4 – 0 through goals from Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and steed Malbranque.
6. First Meeting: The clubs first met in 1921-22 in a 1st Division game. Spurs were FA Cup holders and Cardiff were newly promoted to the 1st Division. It was Cardiff first ever match in the 1st Division having been elected to the League the previous year. They gained promotion after finishing second in the 2nd Division. They met in Cardiff on the opening day of the season at the end of August with Spurs winning by the only goal scored by Jimmy Banks. A week later, Spurs won 4 – 1 at White Hart Lane. Tommy Clay (pen), Andy Thompson (2), Jimmy Dimmock. Spurs finished the season 2nd in the League, 6 points behind Liverpool with Cardiff a further three points behind in 45th position.
7. Steven Caulker/Chris Gunter: The transfer of Steven Caulker from Spurs to Cardiff this summer is the first transfer between the two clubs since Spurs signed Chris Gunter from Cardiff in January, 2008.
8. Mike England: The Welsh international spent 8 seasons with Spurs from 1967 and was central to the club’s success in the early 1970s. He unexpectedly retired in March, 1975 but returned to football with Cardiff the following August having spent the summer playing for Seattle Sounders.
9. Terry Yorath who was with Spurs at the end of the 1970s having signed from Coventry City, had a spell as manager of Cardiff in 1994-95. He also managed Wales and Swansea.
10. Spurs have lost only one of their last 11 league matches against Cardiff – a sequence which stretches back to a win in Cardiff in March, 1955. Hopefully, Spurs will be able to maintain that record on Sunday afternoon.