‘If there’s one distinction now, it is that we knew what it meant for Tottenham to go down’: We’re the final Spurs group to be relegated – that is the story of our ‘hell on earth’, what brought about it and why we concern present aspect might not come again up

The final remnants of a expertise cycle collided with managerial upheaval, the seek for a brand new course, suspect recruitment calls, a crippling fixture schedule.

Accidents took maintain and a fragile defence leaked objectives. A horrible run of outcomes invited a disaster of confidence and Tottenham Hotspur sank into hassle, creating, within the phrases of 1 participant, ‘a dressing room malaise’.

All of which sounds eerily like this depressing Spurs marketing campaign in a nutshell, however that is the relegation season of 1976-77, as retold to Each day Mail Sport by those that have been there.

It was an period of flowing locks and sideburns. When stars glided by nicknames like ‘Meathook’ and showboated on muddy pitches to a soundtrack of disco and punk as London decked its streets with Silver Jubilee bunting.

For the beginning of a narrative that led to tears at Maine Highway, it could be finest to rewind to September 1974, when legendary boss Invoice Nicholson, disillusioned with the sport he liked, stepped down.

Regardless of that includes storied gamers like Pat Jennings (pictured throughout a 5-0 hammering at Manchester Metropolis that each one however condemned Spurs to the drop), Tottenham suffered their solely relegation since 1950 in 1976-77

Nicholson’s alternative was Terry Neill from Hull Metropolis, and Spurs flirted with relegation and solely escaped by some extent by beating Leeds within the closing recreation of the 1974-75 season.

They improved to complete ninth a yr later earlier than Neill was lured away by Arsenal – the membership that gave him his senior debut as a participant, and 275 appearances in all – and his coach Keith Burkinshaw was promoted after a ballot amongst all of the Spurs squad.

It was drawn up on a sheet of paper with a line down the center with everybody requested to signal ‘for’ or ‘in opposition to’ the concept.

Burkinshaw can also rely himself a Spurs legend, having led the membership to win the FA Cup twice and the 1984 UEFA Cup, however his rookie season was something however plain crusing.

Gerry Armstrong recollects the accidents above all else and attributes them to an unimaginable post-season tour in April 1976, when the group circled the globe to play 9 video games.

This was an ideal period of growth for soccer. Spurs flew straight after the ultimate league recreation to play three days later in Canada in opposition to Toronto Metros-Croatia, who had Eusebio up entrance. From Toronto they flew to Fiji by way of California and Hawaii, then performed twice in New Zealand and 5 occasions in Australia. 9 video games in whole in 26 days, after which residence by way of India and Italy.

‘The Fiji group was stuffed with rugby gamers,’ recollects former Northern Eire centre ahead Armstrong. ‘New Zealand and the Aussies have been very aggressive, very bodily. Only a few guidelines. However we received all of the video games.

‘It was an ideal tour. Nice for camaraderie and going to locations you may by no means get to. We went to look at Jaws on the cinema in Australia, and no person would go within the sea after that. Nice for us youthful gamers. I used to be rooming with Glenn Hoddle and we bought an opportunity to point out what we may do. However everyone was shattered by the top and the accidents got here straight after.’

A number of gamers went on worldwide obligation earlier than a brief break and the return for pre-season coaching and one other tour in West Germany. ‘We didn’t begin the season effectively and by no means picked up,’ says Armstrong.

Spurs, everybody agreed, have been too good to go down, however clearly in a decline, one thing midfielder John Pratt traces again to Neill – who impressed as a younger boss at Hull and with Northern Eire, and as soon as put in at White Hart Lane started dismantling Nicholson’s group solely to give up inside two years – answering a name from Highbury.

‘Terry was nice for me however I’m unsure he was nice for the membership,’ says Pratt, a veteran of 415 appearances in 15 years at Spurs. ‘Folks known as him a traitor but when I used to be managing one other group, whoever it was, I’d have left them for Tottenham the identical as he left us for Arsenal.

‘Terry removed all of the senior gamers. He thought Martin Peters had gone as a midfielder, so he offered him to Norwich. Martin went there and performed on the again for one more 5 years and he was their Participant of the 12 months for the primary two. Typically there’s no substitute for expertise.’

The Tottenham squad forward of the 1976-77 season, alongside supervisor Burkinshaw (again row, center), together with a 19-year-old Glenn Hoddle (again row, second from proper)

‘Terry Neill removed all of the senior gamers… generally there’s no substitute for expertise,’ says midfielder John Pratt (pictured), who spent 15 years in north London

England World Cup winner Peters left Spurs in 1975, as did Mike England, for Seattle Sounders, and Joe Kinnear and Phil Beal, who each joined Brighton. Cyril Knowles retired a yr later. Martin Chivers moved to Servette in Switzerland after the world tour.

‘Time wears on,’ says Terry Naylor, who spent 11 years at Spurs from 1969, affectionately generally known as ‘Meathook’ as he labored as a porter at Smithfield market earlier than turning professional. ‘The arduous half was changing them.’

‘We misplaced 5-0 at Derby when (former Spurs captain) Dave Mackay was of their group and afterwards John Pratt says to Dave, “How come you left Spurs then, Dave?” and he says, “As a result of I weren’t adequate for them anymore”.

‘That claims all of it, actually. Dave Mackay was nonetheless a person mountain for most individuals. If you wish to be on the high, you want the cream. That was the group I went into. Stuffed with world-class gamers. What they may do with a ball and the best way they noticed and performed the sport was stunning. You grow to be a part of that machine, and also you grow to be higher with higher gamers.’

Spurs had been in Division One since 1950, topped champions for the primary time in 1951. Nicholson was appointed in 1958 and led them to eight main trophies in 16 years.

In 1961, they have been the primary group within the twentieth century to win the League and FA Cup Double. They received the FA Cup once more a yr later and the European Cup Winners’ Cup a yr after that, the primary English group to win a trophy in Europe. They added one other FA Cup in 1967, two League Cups and the UEFA Cup in 1972.

‘We have been spoiled,’ says Naylor. ‘And searching again, we signed gamers who simply weren’t the standard of these going out, however you don’t know that till you’ve put them to the take a look at.

Gerry Armstrong (centre) blames the relegation on crippling accidents suffered on a post-season tour in April 1976

Goalkeeper Barry Daines retains out an effort in opposition to Liverpool, as Kevin Keegan seems to be to pounce, in March 1977

‘I’m not going to have a pop at anybody. I felt sorry for these coming in. How do you change these folks? You may’t blame them. They gave their all. Most likely just like the boys now.’

Steve Perryman, Ralph Coates and Pat Jennings have been surviving stalwarts of extra profitable occasions, and thrilling younger gamers have been rising, together with Hoddle and Armstrong.

Neill’s signings included John Duncan from Dundee, Don McAllister from Bolton and Willie Younger from Aberdeen. In the summertime of ’76, Burkinshaw signed, amongst others, Ian Moores from Stoke, John Gorman from Carlisle and Peter Taylor from Crystal Palace.

Taylor’s debut was a 4-2 defeat at West Bromwich Albion. His second was an 8-2 shellacking at Derby, the place Mackay was supervisor. ‘Keith went spherical the entire altering room after the sport with what we didn’t do effectively,’ recollects Taylor. ‘We most likely let everybody down.’

One other inquest adopted on Monday. They received 1-0 at Birmingham subsequent outing, however the pattern was set. They leaked three at Everton and 5 at West Ham.

Alfie Conn was the final participant signed by Nicholson. He got here from Rangers, a flamboyant midfielder with distinctive lengthy hair and shirt untucked, and shortly grew to become a darling of the followers. Not least for his scorching show in opposition to Leeds when Spurs needed to win to keep away from relegation in April 1975.

In White Hart Lane folklore, it would at all times be the day Conn sat down on the ball throughout the recreation.

‘Leeds have been a high group, and going to play the European Cup closing,’ says Naylor. ‘We would have liked to win to remain up. We all know they’re within the closing and so they know we all know they’re within the closing.

Alfie Conn was the final participant signed by Invoice Nicholson. He got here from Rangers, a flamboyant midfielder with distinctive lengthy hair and shirt untucked, and shortly grew to become a darling of the followers

‘So, we’re going alongside properly and we’re 3-1 up when Alfie sat on the ball. Billy Bremner got here marching over to me and says, “Hey Terry, he tries something like that once more, and we begin enjoying”. I went, “Aye all proper, Billy”. Subsequent factor, Peter Lorimer hit this ball into the highest nook from what should’ve been 40 yards. I went straight to Alfie and mentioned, “Flip it in, will you”.

‘Cyril Knowles scored, we received 4-2 and stayed up however we may see then issues have been going a bit wonky.’

Conn recounts the relegation marketing campaign in his autobiography The Alfie Conn Story: What’s It All About, revealed in 2024. He left Spurs in March 1977 to affix Celtic, making him the primary to play on each side of Glasgow’s Previous Agency divide because the Second World Warfare.

He adored his time in London however his recollections of the doomed marketing campaign embrace ‘backbiting’ and participant energy, with an instance from pre-season in West Germany when Burkinshaw known as a gathering however was overruled by gamers, who wished to exit consuming.

Conn accepts his share of the blame, however thought Burkinshaw ‘merely wasn’t sturdy sufficient’ and added: ‘Going by our disaster, it was hell on earth as you possibly can see what doubtlessly may repair it, however the malaise was too ingrained in our dressing room for something to essentially make a distinction.’

Second-tier Cardiff Metropolis dumped Spurs out of the FA Cup and third-tier Wrexham received at White Hart Lane within the League Cup. The Cardiff defeat in January sparked one other inquest.

‘What did that kind out?’ wrote Conn. ‘We spent almost an hour and a half discussing why I hadn’t challenged for 3 balls within the air. The next day there was one other assembly. I wasn’t there, as a result of I had been dropped for the sport in opposition to Queens Park Rangers, however once more I used to be the goal – this time over throw-ins. That’s after I knew my time was up.’

Two months later he was enjoying for the reserves in opposition to Hereford United, when he was substituted and instructed there was somebody to see him. Celtic boss Jock Stein was ready to inform Conn he had agreed a switch charge and booked him a haircut.

Spurs gamers (from left) Terry Naylor, Pratt, Jennings and Armstrong are put by their paces in entrance of the remainder of the squad

Division One had 22 groups and the foot of the desk grew to become congested. ‘We nonetheless believed,’ says Armstong. ‘Nonetheless pondering we may flip it round with one good efficiency.’

However 5 video games with no win beginning with defeat at Arsenal on Easter Monday have been damaging as a result of rivals had video games in hand.

‘Taking place wasn’t a nice thought,’ says Pratt. ‘It was a cross to bear. If there’s one distinction between then and now, it’s that we have been in little question what it meant to be relegated as Tottenham Hotspur.

‘It’s a large membership with a unbelievable historical past. I used to be at all times proud to tug that shirt on. I wasn’t the most effective Tottenham participant ever, however all of them knew I used to be attempting.’

A 5-0 hammering at Manchester Metropolis within the penultimate recreation left Spurs praying for a miracle that didn’t materialise.

Pratt winces as he recollects giving the ball away to Metropolis’s Willie Donachie. Naylor recollects 4 or 5 days of introspection. ‘Taking a look at the place we went flawed,’ he says. ‘We had a marvellous Tottenham crowd behind us.’

Armstrong’s abiding recollections of Maine Highway are of tears within the dressing room. ‘The stress constructed up after which a beating like that after we wanted a end result…’ says Armstrong. ‘That was devastating.’

Spurs completed backside, relegated with Stoke and Sunderland. West Ham escaped by beating Manchester United 4-2 on the Monday after the season ought to have ended.

Coventry and Bristol Metropolis escaped three days later in very controversial trend, enjoying out a attract a recreation the place a delayed kick-off meant they knew some extent was sufficient as a result of Sunderland had misplaced the identical night time. Animosity nonetheless lingers on Wearside.

Spurs supporters take to the pitch in protest on the membership’s relegation, forward of their solely season outdoors of the highest flight since 1950

Spurs spent one season in Division Two, and it stays their solely season away from the highest flight within the final 76 years.

Burkinshaw discovered his ft as a supervisor within the second tier, constructed a group and after promotion signed Argentina World Cup stars Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa to launch one other profitable period of 4 trophies in 10 years.

‘Relegation gave them an almighty kick up the bottom,’ says Taylor. ‘All of us felt accountable. Fortunately, there was sufficient love and dedication contained in the membership from individuals who wished to get the membership straight again up.

‘That’s why we had an excellent season the season after. That’s what worries me if the identical factor occurs. I fear in regards to the folks there not doing that.’