CITY FIVE AT WHITE HART LANE

Following four consecutive seasons in the top half of Division One, City began to find life difficult in 1925/26, like their opponents Tottenham.

With only one win in the Bluebirds’ opening five games, City travelled to White Hart Lane on September 14th 1925 with goalkeeper Joe Hills (Pictured) making his first appearance of the season in place of Tom Farquharson.

A Glamorgan wicket-keeper/batsman, Hills came home on the winning side with goals from Wales International Billy Davies and Scotland International Denis Lawson giving City a 2-1 victory in front of 35,000 at White Hart Lane.

Saturday 9th November, 1929 – Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Cardiff City - 1929/30 Division Two

By the end of the 1920s, both City and Spurs had been relegated to Division Two and were mid-table sides.

From the 1927 F.A. Cup winning side, Tom Farquharson, Harry Wake, Fred Keenor and Len Davies were still in the Cardiff City line-up. On November 9th 1929 the Bluebirds came away from White Hart Lane with a 2-1 victory in front of 23,071 with goals from Albert Miles (ex-Mid-Rhondda) and Matt Robinson. City eventually finished eighth that season while Spurs ended twelfth.

Saturday 5th March, 1949 – Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Cardiff City - 1948/49 Division Two

The late-1940s were boom years for League football with an estimated one million spectators attending matches each weekend.

City competed with Spurs in Division Two at that time and went on to finish fourth in 1948/49 with average home attendances of 35,000. Spurs were getting 50,000 regularly, and City went to White Hart Lane on March 5th 1949 with both clubs challenging for promotion.

Half-back Ken Hollyman scored the only goal of the game with a 1-0 victory seen by 51,183. City finished fourth, two places outside the top two promotion spots, while Spurs ended in fifth place.

Saturday 6th March, 1954 – Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Cardiff City - 1953/54 Division One

By the mid-1950s both City and Spurs were well-established First Division clubs. When Cardiff went to White Hart Lane on March 6th 1954 they were unbeaten in five League and Welsh Cup matches and were in mid-table while Spurs were in the lower half.

As usual a large number of Welsh fans working in London were there to support the Bluebirds in the 45,248 attendance. Winger Mike Tiddy, signed from Torquay in 1950, scored the only goal of the game as the Bluebirds went on to finish tenth in Division One with average home attendances of 32,410. City did the double of Spurs that season having beaten Spurs at Ninian Park by a similar scoreline in October.

Saturday 6th November, 1954 – Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Cardiff City – 1954/55 Division One

For the second consecutive season City came away from White Hart Lane with a victory on November 6th 1954.

Cardiff’s former Wolves forward Ron Stockin, signed in early-September 1954 for £12,000, scored both goals. 36,825 saw the match and City were to finish the season by escaping relegation with one game left, finishing 20th of 22. Tottenham finished in 16th.

Our Last League Visit: Saturday 21st January, 1978 – Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Cardiff City – 1977/78 Division Two

Although City have played Spurs in the F.A. Cup and League Cup matches over the last decide, Cardiff’s last League visit to white Hart Lane came in the old Division Two on January 21st 1978.

City lost 2-1 that day in front of a 29,104 crowd. The Bluebirds’ sole goal came from defender Paul Went who at that period was playing in attack for City. Tottenham’s goals were scored by John Duncan, who later took third tier Chesterfield to an F.A. Cup semi-final in 1997 as a manager.

Teams – Cardiff City: Irwin, Dwyer, Pethard, Campbell, Pontin, Larmour, Grapes, Giles, Went, Bishop, Buchanan (sub. Thomas)

Tottenham Hotspur: Daines, Naylor, Holmes, Hoddle, McAllister, Perryman, Pratt, McNab, Duncan, Lee, Naylor. Sub. not used – Armstrong.