By Dave P
February 5 2006

One could use Charlton at home as a good pointer to how far we have improved as a team because before today we have never beaten the Addicks at home in the Premier League. Given that we are struggling a bit with the injury situation this could also be a measure of our strength in depth as well. One could use Charlton at home as a good pointer to how far we have improved as a team because before today we have never beaten the Addicks at home in the Premier League. Given that we are struggling a bit with the injury situation this could also be a measure of our strength in depth as well.

To find the last time we beat Charlton at home you have to go back to March 1990 and a season when Charlton got relegated. On 10th March 1990 in front of 21,104 supporters John Polsten, Gary Lineker and David Howells all scored to give us a 3-0 win in a League Division 1 game in a season that saw us finish 3rd. That incidentally was the last time we did the double over Charlton Athletic as well.

Three years before that in April 1987, Clive Allen scored the only goal in a 1-0 win in front of 26,926 at the Lane. Once again we finished 3rd in the league that season as well.

The previous win over Charlton at the Lane came in 1978. On the 11th March 1978 to be precise. 34,511 were present to see Glen Hoddle score from the spot and John Pratt get on the scoresheet in the League Division Two encounter. Where did we finish that season – 3rd in Division Two and promoted.

So if we play Charlton at home in the league and win do we always finish 3rd. Well the answer to that is obviously no. The next league encounter before 1978 that we won was in 1957 on the 10th March. Terry Medwin, Tommy Harmer (twice), Bobby Smith, John Brooks & George Robb all scored in a 6-2 win over Charlton in front of 25,579 supporters. So if we didn’t finish 3rd that season where did we finish? The answer is of course Runners Up.

Then if you count the FA Cup 3rd Round game against Charlton at White Hart Lane on 3rd January 1961, a game that saw Les Allen score twice and Terry Dyson getting the third in a 3-2 win in the season that saw us win the double you could argue that a win over Charlton at White Hart Lane is a very good indicator of a good season in the modern game.

Before 1953 home wins over Charlton were very much the norm with 14 wins in 19 matches played on our soil going right back to 19th April 1930 when Ted Harper (wih two) and James Smy got the goals in a 3-0 League Division 2 win in front of 15,814 paying punters.

So to todays game and a win will leave us sitting in a position from which we can still hope for a good finish to the season and a high league position , and a first double over the Addicks since 1990. A good measure of how far we have come as a side in my opinion and a chance to lay a premiership ghost to rest.

Come on you Spurs.