Tottenham Hotspur Official Thread

The following announcement has been made to the Stock Exchange this morning on the proposed de-listing of Tottenham Hotspur plc.

Commenting on the proposed de-listing, Daniel Levy, Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur plc, said:

"It is clear to us that increasing the capacity of the Club’s stadium is a key factor in the continued development and success of the Club and will involve the Company in considerable additional capital expenditure. Given this requirement, we believe that the AIM listing restricts our ability to secure funding for its future development. We are ambitious for the Club and have always taken the steps that we believe to be in its best interests."

superspurs1337 wrote:Spurs have made 1100 more successful passes than Villa despite playing one match fewer. They also make five more chances per game than the Villans. Spurs average seven shots on target per game, Villa only three.

Easy game tomorrow lads.

Harry Redknapp has confirmed he will be back in the dugout when Tottenham tackle Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on Monday evening.

The Spurs boss underwent heart surgery at the start of November and was forced to miss the Europa League defeat to Rubin Kazan and the Premier League victory over Fulham. But the veteran boss always intended to return following the international break and has now been given the all-clear by his doctors.

And Redknapp, who has been tipped to replace Fabio Capello as England manager following Euro 2012, insisted he was in great shape.
Feel good. He told Sky Sports News: "I feel fine, I feel really good. In fact, I've got more energy than before. "I certainly feel better than I did three weeks ago and I'm looking forward to getting back to work. "I can handle the stress of a football match. I've been used to doing it for so long now that I'm sure I won't have a problem. "If I keel over, the doctors will be right behind me, I'm sure."

Tottenham can move up above Newcastle into third in the Premier League table with victory over Villa, but Redknapp knows there is a long way to go if they are to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League. Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal are all locked together on 22 points as they look to stay in the title race behind Manchester City and United and battle for a top four finish.

Redknapp added: "I said about seven weeks ago when everyone was writing Arsenal off that they would be bang there again. They've won a lot of games since we beat them. "Liverpool were fantastic today (beating Chelsea 2-1) and they have some real quality players. You can never write Chelsea off. "It's going to be very, very close. We've got to keep playing as we are - we've won seven and drawn one out of the last eight - but there's nothing between us and the teams I've just mentioned.

Of the 11 players that have turned out in the Premier League during their fifth decade, nine have been goalkeepers, it is a position where experience is valued and maintaining your conditioning is often rewarded. Brad Friedel is a month younger than Edwin van der Saar, who retired in the summer, subsequently replacing the decorated Dutchman as the league’s elder statesman.



Representing his new employers, Tottenham Hotspur, the veteran American leads the league with a 75% shots to saves ratio and is in the midst of a remarkable, record-breaking run of 285 consecutive appearances. If this phenomenal streak is to stretch to a landmark 300 games, Friedel will reach this milestone with a North London derby at Arsenal in February.

Despite a tortuous path from UCLA to English football, which involved both Brian Clough and Kevin Keegan failing to secure a work permit on his behalf, Friedel signed for Graeme Souness at Galatasaray before eventually moving to Liverpool in 1997. Meagre opportunities resulted in a free transfer to Blackburn Rovers, reuniting with Souness, appearing 287 times for Rovers during eight seasons and embarking on his astounding uninterrupted run.

This spell included a man of the match performance in winning the 2002 League Cup, Blackburn Player of the Year the following year and in turn also making the PFA Team of the Year that season. Working with both Mark Hughes and Paul Ince during this period, he eventually opted for a 2008 move to Aston Villa, the then 37-year-old Friedel signing a three year contract in a £2.5m deal.

Friedel broke the record for continuous games played with his 167th appearance in November 2008, also becoming Villa’s oldest ever player in February 2011. After three years in Birmingham, having played under Martin O’Neill and Gerard Houlier, Friedel joined Spurs when his contract expired, opting against a return to Liverpool to act as Pepe Reina’s understudy. Harry Redknapp may not have spent heavily in the summer but he made three particularly shrewd signings in Emmanuel Adebayor, Scott Parker and Friedel, rejuvenating Tottenham’s fortunes in the process.

Friedel has replaced the erratic Heurelho Gomes and installed a new calm in the Spurs defence, despite the long-term absences of Michael Dawson and William Gallas and the intermittent contribution of Ledley King. After heavy defeats against Manchester United and Manchester City Tottenham are unbeaten in eight league games, a run which includes seven wins. Friedel’s last outing and finest performance to date, a 3-1 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage, saw him repel 13 attempts on goal,claiming the man of the match award in a game he referred to as “A bit hectic.”

Spurs currently lie fifth, level with Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal on 22 points, boasting a game in hand over fourth placed Chelsea with a slightly inferior goal difference, but have two games in hand over Liverpool and Arsenal, who lie in sixth and seventh respectively, with a better goal difference.

Tottenham entertain Friedel’s former employers Aston Villa on Monday, with designs on leapfrogging the current tenants of third place, Newcastle United. As always, Friedel will provide a formidable last line of defence, whilst further extending his staggering record for punctuality, a record that looks likely to remain long unsurpassed.

XxBradKennedyxX wrote:4 points behind an out of form united with a game in hand. No chance we'll finish above them but itd be nice to be ahead of them for a little while.

easley91 wrote:

XxBradKennedyxX wrote:4 points behind an out of form united with a game in hand. No chance we'll finish above them but itd be nice to be ahead of them for a little while.

I wouldn't say out of form, because they're winning still.

Adebayor wrote:"At the moment everything is going our way and you can see we are enjoying ourselves on the pitch," he said.

"Training is fun. As soon as the team starts winning games they get confidence and everything just follows, and we are full of confidence right now. At training we are always laughing and that is showing on the pitch. Even when we miss chances we all laugh because we know the next one will be in.

"I think I’m playing in the right team at the moment. We've got a lot of fantastic players. For me, I'm like a baby boy enjoying myself again here."

kyro7 wrote:Thread bumped.

Just to say.

Ledley King.

XxBradKennedyxX wrote:Tottenhams win percentage with Ledley King since Redknapp took over - 75%
Tottenhams win percentage without Ledley King since Redknapp took over - 32%

what a fucking stat