The day Brighton upset Tottenham's Chris Hughton, Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles at White Hart Lane

Brighton face a huge task at Jose Mourinho's Tottenham in the Premier League this Sunday and Ian Hine looks back to a day in 1981 when Albion upset the odds against a star studded Spurs line-up
Chris Hughton was a key man in Tottenham's defence back in 1981Chris Hughton was a key man in Tottenham's defence back in 1981
Chris Hughton was a key man in Tottenham's defence back in 1981

Albion’s first visit to White Hart Lane came way back in October 1903. The Southern League fixture ended in a 2-0 victory for Spurs, in front of a crowd of 8,000.

We met a further nine times in the next five years, before Tottenham joined the Football League. It was to be just under seventy years before another fixture.

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After relegation from the top flight, Spurs had one season in Division Two in 1977/78 and the two games between us were watched by huge crowds.

The Tottenham programme cover from October 1981The Tottenham programme cover from October 1981
The Tottenham programme cover from October 1981

The first encounter at White Hart Lane attracted an attendance of over 48,500 and a further 32,500 flocked to The Goldstone for the return fixture.

Spurs went straight back up, but we had to wait a further season before renewing hostilities.

For this week’s column, I am going back to a first division game at White Hart Lane in October 1981.

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At the start of that season, we had to deal with the resignation of Alan Mullery, following a disagreement with Chairman Mike Bamber, over the transfer of Mark Lawrenson.

The new man in charge was Mike Bailey and he made a good start to his time at the helm. By the middle of October 1981 Albion were in 9th place, following a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool at The Goldstone Ground.

We were 3-1 down with just eleven minutes to go, but goals from Jimmy Case and Andy Ritchie snatched a point. Next up was a tricky journey to White Hart Lane, to play a Spurs side who had made an even better start.

After ten games they were second, just a point behind Swansea City. Bailey made just one change from the team that performed so well against Liverpool, with Graham Moseley returning in goal, in place of Perry Digweed.

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The back four was Don Shanks, Gary Williams, Steve Gatting and Steve Foster, behind a midfield quartet of Jimmy Case, Tony Grealish, Neil McNab and Gordon Smith.

Up front, Andy Ritchie and Michael Robinson were forging a partnership that would bring them 24 league goals by the end of the season.

Tottenham started the game strongly and put the Albion defence under a lot of pressure in the early stages. Albion manager Bailey was beginning to come under some pressure for his

perceived ‘defensive’ tactics, but he denied that the team “simply went to White Hart Lane to defend. We only defended because we had to”.

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As well as Chris Hughton in defence, Tottenham boasted a midfield of Glenn Hoddle, Micky Hazard, Ozzie Ardiles and Tony Galvin, supporting the strikeforce of Steve Archibald and

Garth Crooks.

The Seagulls’ defence held firm, with Steve Foster outstanding, and we went in at half-time goalless. After the break, Albion started to find a little more space in midfield and with 20

minutes to go, we took the lead.

Gordon Smith found a little space in the middle of the pitch and he threaded a pass through to Michael Robinson, who drew keeper Ray Clemence before slotting the ball home.

It was a battle to hold on to the lead, but we still managed to create chances right up to the end, and Andy Ritchie came within a whisker of doubling the lead.

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The win lifted us up a place to 8th and hopes were high that we would build on the good start to the season. It didn’t quite pan out as we might have hoped, but a 13 th place finish

remains our best-ever in the top flight.

This came despite seven defeats in our last eight games. Albion were starting to pay the price for giving out some generous contracts and at the end of the season, Chairman Mike Bamber declared “We cannot survive if we have to pay the sort of wages that are being asked”.

A scheme to rebuild the North Stand at The Goldstone was also shelved, which would have involved hospitality boxes and a new electronic scoreboard.

Things have changed beyond all recognition for both clubs since then. Both clubs have a new stadium, although Spurs are still on the site at White Hart Lane.

Albion will be hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of points dropped last Monday against West Bromwich Albion and a win this weekend will be the perfect response.