Throwback Thursday: Tottenham whitewash Arsenal 5-0
By Gary Pearson
You might not be old enough to vividly remember the 1983 north London derby which saw Spurs whitewash Arsenal 5-0 so here’s a poignant reminder of the blessed day.
I presume, even if you are old enough, that you won’t mind taking a trip down this particular memory lane.
The shellacking Spurs handed to their bitter north London rivals on April 4, 1983 is etched in time, a sweet reminder of what it feels like to batter Arsenal. Revenge, as they say, is best served cold. Tottenham further validated that adage, as they redeemed themselves emphatically after being on the other end of a 5-0 result in 1978.
Chris Hughton, who scored two on the day, opened the scoring and Mark Falco put Spurs two to the good from a stunning volley. It was a moment he’d be hard pressed to replicate. Hughton scored his second barely 20 minutes in, the result already beyond doubt.
Falco then scored from yet another volley in the second half, this time capitalizing on a hapless Arsenal defence.
After missing a few chances – one from a crafty lob that hit the top netting – Alan Brazil notched his first Spurs’ goal to cap off Tottenham’s goal-scoring deluge.
The final score actually flattered Arsenal, with Spurs relentless barrage deserving of more goals.
The 5-0 drubbing at White Hart Lane was Spurs most lopsided win against the Gunners. Still waiting for another thrashing of that magnitude, Tottenham came close in 2008, when they thrashed Arsenal 5-1 to advance the League Cup Final. Spurs beat Chelsea 2-1 in the final to hoist what was then called the Carling Cup.
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No matter the year, venue or competition, there’s no better way to start a Thursday than by watching Tottenham dismantle Arsenal.
Which north London derby is your all-time favourite? We’d love to hear about it so we can feature it in the next Throwback Thursday segment.