Tottenham On This Day: Nervous End To Season As Spurs Win Promotion
By Logan Holmes
Tottenham regained their position in the 1st Division, after just one season, winning promotion by taking a point in a scoreless draw on a very nervous day at Southampton.
Tottenham on this Day
29th April, 1978
Southampton 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 (2nd Division)
Team: Daines, Naylor, Holmes, Hoddle, McAllister, Perryman, Pratt, McNab, Jones, Duncan (Armstrong), Taylor.
The conclusion to the 1977-78 season was a very nervous time for Tottenham supporters. On the final Saturday both Southampton and Spurs needed a point to ensure promotion at Brighton’s expense. The match was an extremely tense and nail-biting affair. There were many dramatic moments and Southampton could have scored on a number of occasions but Spurs held on for the point they needed.
[Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]Spurs finished third claiming the final promotion place, two points behind Bolton, a point behind Southampton and level on points with Brighton. Tottenham, however, were promoted and regained their position in the 1st Division after just one season’s absence, thanks to a superior goal difference. Spurs were top scorers in the division and their goal difference was nine goals better than Brighton’s, the exact score by which they had defeated Bristol Rovers, the previous October.
The Directors had shown faith in manager, Keith Burkinshaw. In his first season in charge in 1976-77, the club had been relegated for the first time in 26 years but they gave him the opportunity to restore the club to the top flight and he responded and went on to bring further success to White Hart Lane.
The first step towards the top was the signing of two Argentinian World Cup stars in the summer – Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa.
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