Read time:- 12 minutes

The inaugural UEFA Cup competition was held during the 1971/72 football season and culminated in the final game being played at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane stadium in May 1972. But I’m sure you knew that already. And I was there. Here’s a story of my realised and missed opportunities.

First and Last

The first and last UEFA Cup competitions, now known as the Europa League, are neatly bookmarked by wins in both competitions by Tottenham Hotspur FC. I watched on in 1972, as Spurs drew the 2nd Leg 1-1 with European heavyweights Wolverhampton Wanderers and won the UEFA Cup.¹

The Doog

Wolves would have had the likes of Derek “The Doog” Dougan playing up front, whilst Spurs had Chivers and Gilzean. But it was Alan “Mullers” Mullery who headed Spurs into the lead in the 2nd Leg, injuring himself in the process.

But before all of that was this.

Tickets

Somehow my Dad got tickets for the final, after Spurs beat AC Milan in the semi-final, and I went to White Hart Lane with my Dad and brother, Robert. We had tickets in the terraces which cost a whopping 50p each.

Twist

However in a change in fortune, my Dad, who was never the most extravagant spender, shelled out an additional 10p each to go into an area called the Enclosure. This was a section in the West Stand, below the Directors Box which limited the number of supporters, so it was a little less congested than the other sections.

Lightweight

Now, because I was 11 at the time (I wouldn’t be 12 for another couple of months) and I was about 3ft nothing and weighed about 4 stone in wet clothing, my Dad put me in front of him coming through the turnstiles and then, as we came up the steps at the back of the stand he started calling out in a raised tone, “Excuse me gents, young ‘un coming through.” A sea of faces turned round, looked first at my Dad, and then down at me, smiling gormlessly from under my anorak.

Moses

Just when I thought they would merely turn around and ignore us, a funny thing happened. They started moving out of the way and some would tap the shoulder of the person in front and say, “Young lad coming through,” and they’d move too.

Windsor

It was like Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. Well, Blue and White Sea really. But suddenly I felt like royalty, and for a moment I thought about having some poor people flogged for my own amusement, but then decided better of it.

Steps

At first, just a couple of people moved and we made it down a few steps, before my Dad started calling out again and then more and more just moved out of the way. A few patted me on the shoulder and said things like, “Go on lad, you get yerself down the front where you can see. Off you go.”

Resistance

And then suddenly, there I was. At the front, with people shuffling up so I could get a good view. Then my Dad produced the pièce de résistance. It was a small, wooden box that he’d brought in under his jacket.

“Here,” he said. “This is for you to stand on.” I asked him where he’d got it and he said, “One of the fella’s at work made it for you, so you could see better.” It wasn’t very big but it was sturdy and it was the difference between peering through the iron railings and being able to see over the top of them.

Penny

I was thinking, “This is amazing, I should come to football more often,” and for years I was so thankful my Dad had made sure I got down the front to see. It wasn’t until some time later when we were talking about it at home that one of my siblings said, “He didn’t do it for you. It was so he could get down the front with you!” And then the penny dropped.

Pip-Squeak

But I didn’t mind. I’d been at the front and I thought I had the best view in the house. But that’s what it used to be like on the terraces. People looked out for the youngsters who had come along. Especially if you a were a little pip-squeak like I was.⁴

Report

Anyway, I’m not going to do a report on the game. You can probably find that online somewhere if you’re that interested, but you may find some photos from the game that perfectly reflect my viewing position. Because right in front of me, sitting on the cinder track that ran round the perimeter of the pitch was an old, grizzled Fleet St. press photographer. He looked like he’d had an argument with a door and lost, but he was snapping away with his Nikon or whatever.

Bonk

At one point during a break in play, my Dad said to me, as a joke, “If he gets in the way (indicating the photographer), just bonk him on the head.” I laughed. My Dad laughed. Robert laughed. The photographer didn’t. He quickly became somewhat vexed. “Do you mind? I’m doing a job here,” he started. “I’ll try and keep out of your way but there’s no need to be like that!”

Game’s On

I was shocked. I thought it was obvious it was a joke, bearing in mind my less than impressive physical stature. My Dad laughed, slightly embarrassed. “I’m only joking mate. You’re alright.” And the photographer started saying, “Yeah, well you don’t have to…” and then my Dad nodded over the photographer’s shoulder. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Game’s on,” my Dad said. The photographer became even more agitated, saying, “Oh, oh…shit!” and getting his camera ready he turned away, incase he was missing some important action.

Peters

A short while later, Spurs had an attack and the ball flew over the bar. Probably because he was feeling a little guilty over his outburst earlier the photographer turned around, and addressing me he said, “Excuse me, but did you see who headed that over?” “Yes, I said. “Peters.” “Right,” he said. “Martin Peters?” I nodded. “Ok, thanks,” and he wrote in his little book, “Peters heads narrowly wide.”

I wasn’t sure it was Peters. These things happen fast but it looked like it was. I turned around to my Dad and brother and laughed silently. Indicating the photographer, I said sotto voce, “Was it Peters? I think it was.” They nodded and indicated I shouldn’t say anything. So I didn’t but at that time there were no action replays, or big screens to rely on. You had to watch the game or you missed it.

Home and Away

At the time, the UEFA Cup final was played in the same way as the rest of the tournament. Each tie consisted of a home and away leg. There were no groups or tables to contend with like there are today. Just like the FA Cup, it was a straight knockout tournament from Round 1 to the final.

Record

Spurs and Wolves had played out the 1st leg at Molineux two weeks previously, and Spurs had come away with a 2-1 away win courtesy of a ‘brace’ from star striker Martin Chivers. “Big Chiv” had been bought from Southampton by Spurs in 1968 for the princely sum of £125,000 which was a record at that time.

Chivers didn’t score in the home leg. What did happen was the Spurs skipper “Mullers” scored a bullet header from a free kick and knocked himself out in the process. Everyone was going crazy and he was just lying there, face down on the turf.

Sponge

Then the physio with the magic sponge came on, chucked a bucket of water over him and suddenly he was as right as rain, which was ironic really as he’d just been doused in it. It’s fair to say that in those days the concussion protocols were of a less sophisticated nature.

Aggregate

Mullery’s goal meant Spurs were now 3-1 up on aggregate over two legs, but Wolves scored late in the 1st half, bringing the score to 3-2, to set up a nail biting finish. The game ended 1-1, Spurs prevailed and won the UEFA Cup.

Presentation

The team were presented with the trophy and then Mullers started the lap of honour, and the team jogged round the edge of the pitch, taking in the plaudits from the fans. Suddenly it became apparent he was coming right past us at the front of the terraces. I climbed up on the railings and leaned out as he came nearer. I could see he would be in touching distance within seconds.

The colossus of a cup was glinting under the heavenly glow of the floodlights, Mullers was getting closer, the crowd were cheering and I was stretching out as far as I could.

Trophy

I leaned out a bit further as he jogged closer. The cup was just inches from my fingertips so I edged a little further over the railings and as they moved into range I proceeded to plant my hand on top of the trophy…

When suddenly a big, burly copper appeared from nowhere, pushed me back over the railings and shouted, “And stay back!” My feelings of being treated like royalty were well and truly over and my own UEFA Cup mise-en-scène lay in tatters as I picked myself up.⁶

53 Years

That was as close as I got to touching the UEFA Cup. And now, 53 years later Spurs have won it again. Admittedly they also won it 1984, beating Anderlecht on penalties, again at White Hart Lane. But I didn’t go to that game. And I didn’t go to Bilbao in May either. So, I watched it on the telly and it was wonderful for the players to realise a dream. And for the fans too, who have been starved of silvery success for many years. 17 in fact.

Final

The recent final was generally low on quality but high on tension as the picture below testifies.

Coupe UEFA

And, although the UEFA Cup competition is now called the Europa League, a quick look at the trophy indicates the Cup itself is still called the UEFA Cup (or Coupe UEFA). So, technically, Spurs won the Europa League competition, and were presented with the UEFA Cup as winners.

Gone

And now Ange Postecoglou has been sacked as manager, it feels a little like the shine and the joy of that win, has somehow been dimmed.

Cheated

And when I think back to the halcyon days of the 60’s and 70’s, it feels like I was led to believe Spurs always won something. In the time it took me to reach my thirteen birthday (1960-1973) Spurs won 8 trophies, and I’d been to two finals and they’d won both. So, winning silverware every 18 months or so. I’d been gaslighted by a football club into believing this was normal behaviour. How wrong I was.

Old meets New – Big Chiv and Sonny meet on the pitch at the Spurs Stadium

Success

That was within the first thirteen years of my life. In the last thirteen years, they’ve won sweet FA. So, if I’ve learnt anything it’s this. The club I support is rubbish. No, not that. I’ve learnt to a.) appreciate success when it comes along; b.) not take success for granted, and most importantly, c.) recognise success comes in different forms; in different guises. And it’s not always silver.

Thank you for your time

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Wiki link to UEFA Cup / Europa League

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Europa_League

Spurs v Wolves Final (highlights of both legs)

1. It’s a little disingenuous to call Wolves “European Heavyweights” as they have never triumphed in Europe. However they have won the 1st Division (now the Premier League) three times and the FA Cup four times.
2. Marie-Antoinette was instrumental in the invention of the Croissant, when she asked for Viennese breakfast rolls one day. She instructed her flunkies on how to make them, and they came up with a crescent-shaped pastry made with butter. Croissant is French for crescent.
3. Beak – slang for Magistrate
4. Pip-squeak – Someone considered to be insignificant, especially if they are small or young
5. Pap – abbreviation of Paparazzi or photographer. Paparazzi originated from Paparazzo, a photographer in the 1960 film La Dolce Vita
6. Mise-en-scène – the composition of a scene in a film.