Tottenham Hotspur

Lore & Background

The 1990–91 season saw these two clubs cross paths only in the FA Cup final. Tottenham's league form had been average: after standing in third place after 17 games, they won only three of their next 21 league matches, slumping to tenth place. Forest, meanwhile, had their own league campaign. The final itself was a tight contest. Gary Lineker scored for Spurs, and Paul Gascoigne scored a tremendous free-kick in the semi-final against Arsenal, but in the final, his tournament ended early due to the tackle on Gary Charles. The injury put his transfer to Italian side Lazio on hold until the 1992–93 season. For Forest, the match represented a chance to add to their trophy haul, but they fell short against a Spurs side that ended a seven-year trophy drought.

In Their Own Story

The Wembley turf was green and pristine. Paul Gascoigne, full of running, went in for a tackle on Forest's Gary Charles. The collision was sharp. Gascoigne stayed down, his season over. The injury, a ruptured cruciate ligament, silenced the Spurs end. Despite the blow, Tottenham rallied. They beat Nottingham Forest 2–1. The win gave Tottenham their first post-Heysel European campaign, in the Cup Winners' Cup, and made them the first club to win the FA Cup eight times. For Forest, it was a bitter defeat in a final that turned on a single, unfortunate moment.

Reader's Guide

The primary historical connection between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur from this source is the 1990–91 FA Cup final. This was not a league fixture or a regular rivalry. The match occurred on a neutral ground, Wembley. Key figures for Spurs included manager Terry Venables, in his fourth season, and striker Gary Lineker. For Forest, the match is remembered for Gary Charles being the player involved in the tackle that injured Paul Gascoigne. The result gave Tottenham the FA Cup trophy. There is no mention of any other meetings between the clubs in the source, so this single match is the sole basis for their 1990–91 relationship.

Did You Know?

• Tottenham's FA Cup win in 1991 made them the first club to win the trophy eight times.
• Paul Gascoigne's injury in the final, a ruptured cruciate ligament, delayed his transfer to Lazio until the 1992–93 season.
• Tottenham entered the 1990–91 season with Terry Venables as manager for his fourth season in charge.
• The FA Cup final was Tottenham's first post-Heysel European campaign, qualifying them for the Cup Winners' Cup.
• Off the pitch, Tottenham were in danger of going into administration with £20 million of debt before Alan Sugar and Terry Venables took over in June 1991.