We take a closer look at our opposition for the upcoming Premier League season
Tottenham Hotspur
Originally formed as Hotspur Football Club in September 1882 by a group of schoolboys led by Bobby Buckle.
They were members of the Hotspur Cricket Club and the reason behind the football club being formed was to play sports during the winter months.
Two years after forming, the club was renamed ‘Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’ to avoid any confusion with another London club named Hotspur.
After playing their first ever recorded match against local side ‘Radicals’, Spurs then entered their first ever cup competition in the London Association Cup in 1885.
Tottenham turned professional in 1895 and became the only ‘Non League Club’ to lift the FA Cup in 1901 after beating Sheffield United.
After 13 years in the Southern League, Spurs were elected into the Football League’s Second Divison with the London side achieving promotion to Divison One in their first season in 1909.
Football was paused in 1915 due to WW1 after Spurs’ relegation to the Second Divison, however when play was resumed in 1919 the Lilywhites were promoted back to the First Divison.
A flurry of relegations and promotion from the top-flight to the second tier were aplenty before lifting winning back-to-back FA Cup’s between 1960 -1962 as well as reaching the European Cup semi-final in the same period.
Glory days were high and a first UEFA cup was picked up in 1972 as well as winning the League Cup either side of that, before achieving successive FA Cup’s again for a second time between 1980-1982.
The Lilywhites won their eighth FA Cup in 1991 and a third League Cup trophy in 1999 as Spurs pushed for Premier League success, but a 5th placed finish was their highest position reached up until 2008 when the North London side lifted the League Cup once again at Wembley, turning out to be the club’s last major honour.
League Cup runners-up the following season and again in 2015, Spurs then came the closest they had been to the PL title after finishing 2nd in 2016 either side of a 3rd placed finish.
Tottenham were then Champions League runners-up in 2019 after losing to Liverpool in Madrid and have recently since struggled for success and an 8th placed finish last season saw Spurs miss out on European football.
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Nickname(s): Spurs, Lilywhites
Manager: Ange Postecoglu
2022/23 finishing position: 8th
2022/23 top scorer (all competitions): Harry Kane (32)
Played for both:
Dean Marney – The Barking-born midfielder came through the academy system at Spurs. Marney made his Tottenham debut against Birmingham City in 2003 and with gametime limited the central-midfielder had loan spells at Swindon Town, QPR, Gillingham and Norwich City before signing for Hull City in 2006 after 11 appearances at White Hart Lane. Marney spent four seasons with Hull before arriving at Turf Moor in 2010 where he became a cult hero and played 221 times over eight years. The former No.8 is now back at Turf Moor working within the academy in a coaching role.
Aaron Lennon – Lennon joined Spurs from Leeds in 2005 making his debut for the club two months after signing against Chelsea at White Hart Lane. The winger spent 10 years with Tottenham featuring 364 times and scoring 30 goals across his time in North London. Picked for England’s World Cup squad in 2006 aged just 19, Lennon went on to make 21 appearances for the Three Lions. The wideman signed for the Clarets in 2018 after joining from Everton and made 55 appearances across three seasons. Lennon then left for a spell in Turkey in 2020 and after just one season abroad, the midfielder returned to Turf Moor and made 32 appearances in the 2021/22 season before retiring that summer.
Chris Waddle – Felling-born Waddle signed for Spurs from Newcastle in 1985 and spent four seasons with the Lilywhites. The winger scored twice on his debut for the club in a 4-0 win over Watford and after 42 goals in 173 appearances Waddle left Spurs for Marseille. After that, the former England international had time at Sheffield Wednesday, Falkirk, Bradford City and Sunderland before becoming a Claret in 1997. Waddle was at Burnley for just one season playing 36 times before joining Torquay the following year.
Full record against (competitive): P – 122, W – 42, D – 28, L – 52
Last time we met: 15.05.2022 – Spurs 1 [Kane, Pen] – 0 Burnley (PL)
Last win against: 23.02.2022 – Burnley 1 [Mee] – 0 Spurs (PL)
2023/24 Fixtures: H – 02/09/2023 / A – 11/05/2024
