In 1972, a historic moment unfolded as Tottenham Hotspur triumphed in the inaugural UEFA Cup, etching their name in European football history.
Join us as we unravel the tale of triumph, where under the astute leadership of Bill Nicholson, a squad of legends etched their names in the club’s rich history
The Birth of the UEFA Cup
In 1971 the UEFA Cup was introduced, as a replacement for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It was the third-tier competition after the European Cup and Cup Winners Cup. The tournament was open to the highest-placed European teams that had not qualified for the before mentioned competitions. With 64 teams vying for European supremacy, the tournament was set to unfold, offering clubs a chance to etch their names in history.
Tottenham’s Journey Begins
In the semi-final the Italian giants AC Milan awaited. The first leg was played at White Hart Lane on the 5th of April. The visitors have taken a lead through Romeo Benetti in the 25th minute. Just eight minutes later Steve Perryman equalized and the teams were level at half-time. In the 61st minute Sogliano was sent off for the visitors and just 3 minutes later Perryman added his second goal to bring Spurs the victory in 1st leg. With one goal advantage going into the second leg at San Siro, Tottenham started the game strong and Alan Mullery scored an opening goal 7 minutes into the game. Milan equalized in the 69th minute, courtesy of Gianni Rivera penalty but Spurs held on and celebrated a win which took them to the final.
The Final
In the final a fellow English side Wolverhampton Wanderers waited them. The final was a two-legged contest, with the first leg, being held at Molineux Stadium on the 3rd of May in front of the crowd of 38,362. After a fiery first half finished goalless, Martin Chivers put the visitors ahead in the 57th minute, before Jim McCalliog equalized in the 72nd minute. In the 87th minute Chivers long range shot found the back of the next and Spurs have gone back to London with 2-1 victory.
Two weeks later on the17th of May, the second leg was played at White Hart Lane in front of the crowd of 54,303. Tottenham started the game better and were ahead after 29 minutes Alan Mullery slotted home the header after a free-kick. 5 minutes before the half time Dave Wagstaffe’s long range strike found the back of the net and the teams were level at half-time. There were no goals scored in second half and Spurs held on to the aggregate lead and secure the victory. The final whistle marked scenes of jubilation as Tottenham players celebrated their historic UEFA Cup victory. Spurs have become the first team to win the newly inaugurated UEFA Cup. This was their second European trophy after the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963 and have also went on to win the UEFA Cup in 1984.
