The U.E.F.A. Cup Final 1991 (two legged)
Anderlecht 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Attendance 40,000
Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Anderlecht (Tottenham win 4-3 on penalties)
Attendance 46,258
May 1984
Spurs beat the Yugoslavians Hajduk Split to reach the Final against the Belgians Anderlecht. Anderlecht were the U.E.F.A. Cup holders, and had beaten Nottingham Forest in their semi-final.
Anderlecht, playing at home in the first leg, were expected to hold the advantage going into the second leg, by beating Spurs. Inspired by Paul Miller and Graham Roberts, Spurs rode out the early onslaught and slowly but surely began to get on top. Spurs' confidence received a massive boost before the hour when Miller rose above the defence to thunder a header home from Micky Hazard's corner.
Anderlecht had been unbeaten at home in European competitions for ten years, this proud record looked under threat, until five minutes from the end when Morton Olsen scored from close-range following a goalmouth scramble.
A good performance by Spurs was tarnished with a booking to Steve Perryman, it was his second of the competition, and meant he was automatically suspended for the return leg.
Spurs went into the second leg without the services of Hoddle, Clemence and Ardilles, but Ardilles was fit enough to take a place on the bench. Both teams had their chances but the Belgians took the lead after sixty minutes through Alex Czerniatinski. For the next fifteen minutes it looked as if Spurs were going to lose their unbeaten home record in Europe, but it all changed when Ardilles was calles into action from the bench, to replace the first-leg hero Miller.
He inspired Spurs and could have scored the equaliser himself, but his shot came back off the bar. As he was cursing his luck, Hazard returned the ball to the centre and Roberts emerged from nowhere to score the equaliser.
Extra-time could not seperate the two teams, so the destiny of the Trophy went to penalty kicks.
Roberts scored first, Tony Parkes saved well from Olsen and the next six kicks were all converted. Danny Thomas stepped up to take the penalty to give Spurs the Cup; and saw his kick saved by Munaron. The last of the ten penalties was taken by the Icelandic international, Gudjohnsen. Parks flung himself to the right to push the ball away and etch his name permanently in Spurs' history.
This was a fitting end to the reign of Keith Burkinshaw, he was now the second most successful Spurs manager after Bill Nicholson.
