Tottenham On This Day: Spurs Take First Step To Wembley FA Cup Success

Paul Stewart played for both Blackpool, City and Spurs [Photo: Logan Holmes]

Tottenham On This Day

5th January, 1991

Blackpool 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (FA Cup 3rd Round)

Scorer: Stewart

Team: Thorstvedt, Fenwick, Edinburgh, Samways, Howells, Mabbutt, Stewart (Bergsson), Gascoigne, Moran, Lineker, Allen. Sub: (unused) Garland.

This was a 3rd Round FA Cup tie made for an upset and was the first meeting between the two sides in the competition since two semi-final ties in the late 1440s/early 1950s. Blackpool progressed to the Final on both occasions but in 1991 they were in the 4th Division.

Related article:

The Match which changed Paul Stewart’s Career – Read more

The game was played in very stormy conditions and at one point there were doubts as to whether the game would take place. Spurs who were having an indifferent season needed to show determination and character to overcome Blackpool, the poor condition of the pitch and the weather. This they did and managed to win with a goal from Paul Stewart who had started his career at Blackpool before joining Manchester City.

It was a game of few chances but Stewart was on hand when a free-kick by Paul Gascoigne caused confusion in the Blackpool area. Terry Fenwick was making his first appearance for Spurs for more than a year afters breaking his leg against Manchester United in a League Cup tie at Old Trafford in November, 1989.

Spurs, inspired by Gascoigne, then set off on an amazing series of results which took them to Wembley and success in the Final against Nottingham Forest. This was achieved against a background of financial problems threatening the club’s very existence and leading to the eventual take-over by Alan Sugar and manager Terry Venables.