Historical Football Kits

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Tottenham Hotspur

Formed 1882

Elected to Division Two 1908

Kit History

Background

In 1882 a group of North London teenagers formed Hotspur FC, named after the combative Henry Percy, "Harry Hotspur" of Shakespeare's Henry IV (Part I) whose descendents owned land in the neighbourhood. The name changed to Tottenham Hotspur in 1884 to avoid confusion with London Hotspur. For a while the lads turned out on Tottenham Marshes and scuffles occasionally broke out with rival teams over the best pitches. In 1884 the club cancelled a fixture to watch the professionals of Blackburn Rovers win the first of three consecutive English Cup finals. So impressed were they that the club adopted Rovers' blue and white halved shirts. In 1885 Spurs entered the London Association Cup and played their first competitive match against St Albans FC, winning 2-0.

In 1888 Spurs moved to an enclosed ground on Northumberland Road and charged 3d (1p) admission. In 1890, playing in red shirts and navy shorts, Spurs were a respected side and five years later, they turned professional. In 1896, Tottenham were elected to the Southern League and adopted a new chocolate and gold strip. Two years later they became a limited company and introduced their now famous white shirts, a homage to the mighty Preston North End, becoming known as the "London Lily Whites." In 1899 they moved into White Hart Lane: in 1900 they won the Southern League championship and in 1901 the FA Cup. Spurs are the only non-League side to have won the trophy since the Football League was formed in 1888.

In 1908 Spurs application to join the Football League was rejected but when Stoke FC resigned a second meeting was called. After two tied votes between Spurs and Lincoln City it was the London club who prevailed by decision of the management committee. A year later Spurs won promotion to Division One.

In 1915 the club was relegated but then the League was suspended for the duration of the Great War. When competition resumed in 1919 it was decided that both divisions would be extended by two clubs. Precedent suggested that the relegated clubs would retain their status but the chairman of Woolwich Arsenal, after vigorous lobbying, persuaded members that there should be a vote. Spurs' relegation was confirmed and their place in the First Division given to Woolwich Arsenal. Although Spurs won promotion at the first attempt, the injustice of these machinations is keenly felt to this day.

In 1921, Tottenham won the FA Cup for the second time and the following year they were Division One runners-up. 1928 brought relegation, 1933 promotion and 1935 relegation once more.

When the League resumed after World War Two Spurs enjoyed a meteoric rise under manager Arthur Rowe who pioneered the "push and run" style. Promoted in 1950, they were League champions in 1951. A decade later Bill Nicholson, a member of the 1951 championship team and now manager, led Spurs to the first League and FA Cup double of the twentieth century. A year later, Spurs won the FA Cup again and in 1963 they became the first British team to take European honours when they won the European Cup-Winners' Cup. Inevitably this glorious side, featuring Jimmy Greaves, Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay broke up. While League honours eluded the club, Spurs became formidable cup competitors. The FA Cup was won in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973 while the UEFA Cup found its way to White Hart Lane in 1972.

After a brief sojourn in Division Two (1977-1978), Spurs achieved a transfer coup by signing Argentine World Cup winners Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa. Villa inspired a dramatic FA Cup win in 1981 and in 1982 the club retained the cup. In the 1982 final the club unveiled their new shadow striped kit, an innovation that was quickly copied by other manufacturers. In 1984 Spurs won the UEFA Cup for the second time and in 1987 they were beaten FA Cup finalists.

In 1991 Terry Venables was recruited from CF Barcelona as the new manager. After surviving a financial crisis, Spurs won their seventh FA Cup in 1991 and once again marked the occasion by introducing another innovative strip, featuring long, generously cut shorts. Venables was controversially sacked by Executive Chairman Alan Sugar in 1993, an affair that rumbled through the courts for several years. In 1999 ex-Arsenal boss George Graham became manager in a move that most fans saw as a betrayal of the club's heritage of open, attacking football but which did bring a League Cup win in 1999. Graham left, also in controversial circumstances a year later and since then a succession of high profile managers have attempted to bring back the glory days but with limited success.

In 2007 Spurs celebrated their 125th anniversary, adopting a special kit for some games modelled on their 1884 halved shirts.

Sources

• (a) Official Tottenham Hotspur Website
• (b) Sporting Heroes
• (c) True Colours (John Devlin 2005)
• (d) Andy Porter (THFC Historian)
• (e) Pete's Picture Palace
• (f) David King
• (g) Alick Milne
• (h) Steve Czyrko provided details of the badge worn 1920-1965
• (i) Simon Monks