Football on Christmas day (Spurs history); Merry Christmas to all Spurs supporters

Football on Christmas day (Spurs history); Merry Christmas to all Spurs supporters

Some of you may be surprised to learn, that on Christmas day, back in the day, football fans got up, not just thinking about their presents or the Christmas dinner, but actually looking forward and going to watch there favourite team play. Of course, in those days – pre-60s – most supporters lived not far from their ground, so it wasn’t like today when fans came from all over the world to see their favourite team perform. With so much going on in today’s society, it would be beyond all comprehension to even suggest that clubs opened up on that festive day. Just imagine the outrage from loved ones, the community and of course those people in their blue uniforms who have to come out and watch our merriment, or sadness. No, it would be frowned upon.

Most kids now, along with their parents, first thoughts of Christmas is to get their nuts out and share them around; followed by breakfast, presents, Christmas dinners, puddings, stuffing the turkey, dog or cat and giving each other tickles under the mistletoe. Getting absolutely sloshed (not the kids, though). 

According to family legend (i.e. my parents) when I was just a baby, my dad took me to a game on Christmas day (“to wet the baby’s head,” as he put it). Of course, I have no way of verifying this, but still, I’ll accept it, as it sounds good.

Until 1958 Tottenham and all football clubs traditionally fulfilled fixtures on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day with teams playing each other home and away over the festive season. But as I had said, most fans came from the same area as their clubs, so distance wasn’t a problem (later on one had to travel further afield, as it is today).

Matches during the holiday period are traditionally high scoring affairs for Spurs.

Those early Christmas Day Games

Christmas 1894 Queen Victoria was on the throne, and our Prime Minister was Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. In those days most of the Prime Ministers ruled from the House of Lords.

On Christmas Day 1894 the Queen was settling down to Dinner with her royal guest at Osborne House, Isle of Wight. Food was aplenty for the wealthy and privileged, while those of a more inferior disposition made do with what their pennies could purchase for them; that is if they had the necessary pennies in the first place. The wealthier peasants/ proletariat were going to get a special treat on this Christmas day, they were going to see a football match on this day of Holy-days. That is if Football was of any interest to them, and to be fair, there wasn’t that great deal of entertainment for the lower part of the population other than picking a few pockets or two of the wealthy and up-your-arse-privileged.

Our first game on Christmas Day was a home friendly in 1894 against the Sheffield and District League. Just think, a 7-1 victory over our opponents would have brightened up any Christmas dinner,  maybe afterwards a glass of potent tipple to warm your cockles, then tucking into the Christmas pudding. Those were the days!! Not that I am saying I was part of them… at least, nothing I can remember (and certainly not that far back… with or without a tardis).

The next year saw us cross London to take on Millwall Athletic in another unique eight-goal friendly. But, this time the journey home wouldn’t have been so great as we were beaten 5 – 3 (no doubt, a few cats were kicked along the way and probably a police officer or two were duffed up). Another year on and we got our revenge in our first competitive Christmas fixture, beating Millwall Athletic 4 – 0 in an away game in the Southern League. Then the supporters would walk back from Millwall on top of the world. Maybe the only out-range was a tickle for a fair maiden that was lolling about in the streets. Or perhaps the Spurs supporter took the young lass down a side street to give her her Christmas present. In those days Millwall lasses were quite partial to a tickle up the alley (to be honest, nothing has changed in Millwall! And not just for the girls! Anyway, I am digressing…).

In 1897, the first Christmas match against Woolwich Arsenal (that was before they invaded North London and started squatting on our territory… or is that shitting on our domain?) was an away fixture in the United League which we won by kicking some arses… 3 – 2, a future warning.  Over the next few years, Portsmouth became the regular Christmas Day opponents in Southern League games.

In the Football League

After gaining admission to the Football League in 1908, we travelled to Oldham for our Christmas day party (now we start going further afield on Christmas day), where we lost by the only goal of the game (what a wasted bloody Christmas trip; I bet the only food on the menu in many homes was stuffing). The following season, having gained promotion to the First Division we played Nottingham Forest in a 2 – 2 draw at White Hart Lane.

In 1911, It was Monday, the US president was William Howard Taft (Republican), the UK Prime Minister was H. H. Asquith (Liberal), Pope Pius X was leading the Catholic Church. As for Spurs supporters, well they were enjoying a happy Christmas Day on that day, as over 47,000 spectators watched our team overcome Woolwich Arsenal by scoring five goals to nil (that’s the spirit, send the bastards home with a bloody nose). We were three goals ahead inside twenty minutes. Left-winger, Bert Middlemiss, put us ahead after nine minutes and Billy Minter added a second five minutes later. John McTavish showed individual skill from the right-wing to score a third a few minutes later.  The fans were going crackers (undoubtedly a few were pulled over the festive period as well). The players eased off but still scored twice in the second half while playing with ten men following an injury to centre half, Charlie Rance – Jabez Darnell and Billy Minter getting the goals. Smiles all around when one stuffs the future pretenders to the North London throne.

Biggest Christmas Day Win yet!

Our biggest win on Christmas Day came in 1952 (three years later and I descended on the earth… through a womb, of course), against Middlesbrough. We took an early lead through Les Bennett, but the visitors levelled a few minutes later.  The score remained unchanged until the interval as our goal-scoring threat had significantly been reduced with an injury to Bennett who, in those days before substitutes, had moved to play on the wing. After the break, however, Bennett, despite his injury, returned to the centre and the two wingers, Sonny Walters and Les Medley teased their opposing full-backs throughout the half creating numerous chances for the forwards.  A succession of crosses and passes enabled Bennett to score a second-half hat-trick, bringing his total to four. Len Duquemin scored twice, and Eddie Baily added another as we stuffed them 7 – 1, to send the team and supporters home in magnificent spirit (which, probably included the alcoholic spirit as well). But that wasn’t the end of it, oh, no, indeed the celebrations would have continued forty-eight hours later as, having made the long journey to the north-east, we completed the ‘double’ over our northern rivals with a 4 – 0 victory – Walters, Bennett, Duquemin scoring along with an own goal. That must have been a great Christmas present to all our supporters. I am sure they were wearing their cocks on their sleeves, as we all do now… yes, even the ladies!).

Now to the end of the Christmas fairy story and our Last Christmas Day Win.

The great Bobby Smith

Our last Christmas Day win was a six-goal shitter in 1956 (I was just over a year old) at White Hart Lane against Everton. The Conditions where difficult: 27,761 spectators saw Bobby Smith put Spurs into an early lead. Alfie Stokes added a second before half-time. Terry Medwin scored twice after the interval, Tommy Harmer (“the Charmer”)converted a penalty and Bobby Smith completed the scoring with his second goal. Those were the days, and they – the players - were some of the greatest legends in our history playing then.

In 1958 Christmas day football came to an end, England. In that year was a totally different year than it was 64 years earlier. It was Thursday, the US president was Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican), the UK Prime Minister was Harold Macmillan (Conservative), Pope John XXIII was leading the Catholic Church. The New Testament In Modern English by J.B. Phillips was one of the best selling books. On TV people were watching Blue Peter, Muffin the Mule (before it was a criminal offence), Bill & Ben etc. That was some of the kids' programmes I grew up with, probably that is why I have never been well adjusted since.

So: sadly, the custom of playing on Christmas Day came to an end in 1958 with us visiting Upton Park. West Ham attacked for most of the first half, but goalkeeper John Hollowbread managed to keep us in the game. The Hammers, however, took the lead early in the second half and augmented their lead a few minutes later with a ricocheted shot. Spurs made something of a comeback but could only score one goal, which was achieved by the legendary Bobby Smith.

So, now Christmas day is entirely a family affair, however, the tradition that is carrying on (in the best Carry on tradition) is the Boxing day football feast; and many times I have disappointed family by travelling on Boxing day morning (if the game is at home) to Tottenham’s High road, parked up (or came by train) and waited with all the other poor bastards forsaking their family for a Christmas pie, a tickle, a pint and of course the legendary Spurs strutting their stuff in front of us all, while we whooped, shouted, cuddled, back-slapped, here, there and everywhere.

What do we have to look forward to over this Christma period (2020)? An authoritarian police state,  curfew, travel to visit loved ones - banned, Football and all other sports behind closed doors, those alone and lonely isolated and treated like lepers, thousands in the hospital because of COVID-19, with thousands dead. Boris Johnson on the throne… sorry, leader of the country, while we have a clown who has hindsight on his side and knows better, in opposition (Keir Starmer), travels abroad limited for the very few and privileged… oh, and then there is Brexit! As the song says, it can only get better! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year; be safe and enjoy!!

UP THE SPURS!!!

Glenn COYS!

I drink a toast to you all; Merry Xmas