It really is 50 years ago today that Tottenham
became the first team in modern football to win
the League Championship and F.A.Cup in the same
season. Ours was known as The Double, not a double,
not another double, just The Double.
The older I get the more I start to wonder whether
I will ever see anything like that team at WHL?
What I would really like to know is what THFC Plc
are doing or have done to mark this unique event.
Before the start of this season I contacted various
people at the club to see if anything had been planned
to commemorate the 50th anniversary. I had even
gone as far as suggesting that a match could have
been assigned as a 'testimonial celebration'. A great
way of making sure that such a brilliant achievement
was properly recognised, and maybe making a few
quid for the remaining players.
During the course of interviewing players for The Ghost
Of White Hart Lane, one thing that struck me was the
dignity of those players. These were the guys who shaped
the history of Tottenham Hotspur, the real legends, who
gave our club glory. I can still remember Bobby Smith
saying to me that the one thing he wanted to see this
season was for the club to mark their achievements in some
way, something that would be 'right and proper'. Sadly,
Bob along with many others, will not get his wish.
I've been told that there were various discussions
within the club, but it was felt that anything they did
would be 'setting a precedent'. As if winning The Double
wasn't enough of a precedent!
There had recently been plans by the Tottenham Tribute
Trust to hold a celebration dinner at a hotel in King's
Cross at the end of this month, but these have now been
cancelled. No reason was given, however tickets were very
briefly advertised at about £180 a head.
Spurs as a club could have been really positive about any
events to commemorate The Double, but seemingly have
chosen to put profit and loss above history and tradition!
