By Dave P
December 28 2005

We can trace matches against West Bromwich Albion right back to the semi-final of our first ever FA Cup triumph way back in 1901. On the 8th April 1901 46,000 fans traveled to Villa Park to see us crush them 4-0 with all four goals scored by Sandy Brown. We can trace matches against West Bromwich Albion right back to the semi-final of our first ever FA Cup triumph way back in 1901. On the 8th April 1901 46,000 fans traveled to Villa Park to see us crush them 4-0 with all four goals scored by Sandy Brown.

Two years later we were to knock Albion out of the cup again. This time in the old first round after a replay. The first game at White Hart Lane ended 0-0 but the replay at their place was won 2-0 by the Spurs with Vivian Woodward and William Dryburgh scoring the goals. 25,641 watched the match at White Hart Lane and 35,000 attended the replay.

West Bromwich Albion were the first team to win a league match at White Hart Lane when on 7th November 1908 in our first meeting at league level in a Division2 game won 3-0 by the Baggies. The return match that season was also won by Albion but we did manage one goal (scored by C.L.Woodruff) in the 3-1 defeat. That match also gave West Brom the honour of being the first team to complete a league double over us..

The next away match at the Hawthorns was on 6th January 1912 when 4,000 fans were ‘entertained’ for 57 minutes until the fog force the match to be abandoned at 0-0. The game was replayed in March and 12,00 saw us lose 2-0. In between we also played them in the FA Cup again at the Hawthorns, this time losing the 1st round game 3-0.

West Brom were destined to be something of a bogey team for Spurs as we did not win again at the Hawthorns until 22nd November 1930 when in a Division 2 game Ted Harper scored twice to give us a two nil win for the first time in 17 matches.

In fact our away record at the Hawthorns does not make for particularly good reading as in a total of 63 matches at their ground Spurs have only won 17 to West Broms 35 victories so lets not assume that this game will be easy and there is a precedent for sendings off at the Hawthorns - Ask Martin Jol. The 3rd February 1982 was the League Cup Semi Final game 1st leg match that saw both Martin Jol and Tony Galvin sent off.

West Brom and Spurs have shared a number of players over the years but what stands out for me are some of the names that have shared other roles at either or both clubs. For example; Vic Buckingham (Spurs player, WBA manager), Ossie Ardiles (Spurs player, Spurs and WBA manager), Keith Burkenshaw (managed both sides as well as being a Spurs coach and WBA Assistant manager), Jesse Carver (Spurs coach and WBA manager), Wilf Dixon (Spurs assistant manager and WBA coach), Arthur Rowe (Spurs player & manager and WBA Chief Scout) John Gorman (Spurs Player and assistant at both clubs) and of course Martin Jol (WBA player and Spurs (Manager/Head Coach).

And then there was Freddie Cox. Born in Reading in November 1920 he played on the right wing for St Georges Lads Club before joining Spurs as an amateur in 1936 turning professional in August 1938. After a spell at our nursery club Northfleet he scored on his debut for us against Swansea in a Division 2 match in November of that year an going on to score 26 goals in 144 games. He was awarded the DFC during the war and left Spurs for Woolwich in September 1949 for £12,000, remaining with the Gooners until July 1953 when he was appointed player-coach at West Brom, later acting as assistant manager at the Hawthorns to former Spurs team mate Vic Buckingham. He Left the Baggies in 1956 to manage Bournemouth and followed that with managerial spells at Portsmouth and Gillingham (winning the 4th division title in 1964) before returning to Dean Court until 1970 and his retirement. Whilst at Bornemouth in his first spell there he guided the Cherries (then a Third Division South side) to a memorable 3-1 giant killing over Spurs in the 1957 FA Cup fifth round. Freddie Cox died in Bournemouth in August 1973.

Not our happiest Hunting ground over the years, The Hawthorns, but today is a good chance to exorcise some of the ghosts of days gone by.