5Q | Clive Allen – Villa Park 1986 and 2026, hat-tricks, 49 goals and Spurs: “It’s a way of life”

The date - 23 August, 1986. The opening day of the First Division season, as it was before the arrival of the Premier League, took us to Birmingham to face Aston Villa.

Clive took home the matchball that day after bagging all three goals in a 3-0 win – only the fourth Spur to hit a treble at Villa’s home since we first played over 100 years ago – more on that below – and he didn’t stop scoring.

The spearhead of a 4-5-1 system implemented by manager David Pleat in a 4-2 win at Oxford on 22 November, Clive had reached 48 goals in all competitions when he stepped out for the FA Cup Final against Coventry City at Wembley in May, 1987. He soon made it 49 – but, alas, number 50 didn’t arrive and we ended up losing 3-2.

That was the story of that season – third in the league, runners-up in the FA Cup and agonisingly losing semi-finalists in the League Cup against Arsenal despite taking the lead in both legs and then the replay.

Clive won the Golden Boot and his 49-goal haul hasn’t been topped at Spurs – Jimmy Greaves scored 42 (44 including the Charity Shield) in 1962/63, Martin Chivers also hit 42 in 1971/72, Harry Kane the only other Spur to score 40-plus with his 41 in 2017/18.

As we prepare to hit the Aston Expressway again on Sunday for another crucial Premier League fixture (7pm UK), Clive sat down for our new ‘five questions with…’ feature.

Here’s what he had to say…

The opening game of 1986/87, Villa away – you scored a hat-trick and went on to score 49 goals – what do you remember about that afternoon at Villa Park?

Clive: “I just remember we started so well - first game of the season and we literally flew out the blocks. It was unbelievable. We were in front early. If I remember rightly, Tony Galvin crossed it and I just got the bottom of my boot to it and it sort of hit my studs and flew in the bottom corner. The the start we'd made - we had chances and we were really, really playing well, well on top, I remember that more than anything. Obviously, scoring on the opening day of the season was always a great moment because you want to get off to a good start, but to do that and score so quickly was really good.”

Did you sense something special could be happening that season?

Clive: “Oh, definitely. I felt so good. I'd had the injury the season before and I'd played the last 12 games of the previous season. I'd just overcome all the problems and the worry that I wasn't going to play - lots of things during that year out. I'd really worked hard through the summer. David Pleat took over and I always remember him saying to me, ‘I want you to have a holiday’. I said, ‘no, no, no, I'm going to be training right the way through, I feel good again and I'm going to be on the start line’. Then he mapped it out for me, that we’d be doing a tough pre-season and if I wanted to do anything (more), to do it three weeks before I was back in. I followed his instructions, had a holiday and then I worked really hard for three weeks before coming back to pre-season. I was probably in the best shape of my life, really, coming back. Pre-season was good. I scored a few goals. My uncle saw us play a friendly at Aldershot and later that season, he told me he’d backed us to win the title and for me to be top scorer. He didn’t tell me that until the end of the season! So, we went into the start of the season in good shape, really good shape."

We were back at Villa Park for the FA Cup semi-final later that season – you scored again as we beat Watford 4-1 – was Villa Park always a happy hunting ground for you?

Clive: “It's one of my favourite away grounds. I scored my first league goal there for Queen's Park Rangers against Villa. I came on as sub - aged 17. It wasn’t at the Holte End, unfortunately, but it was still my first goal and I'll never forget that. Then obviously the hat-trick on the opening day of the 86/87 season, a semi-final victory. I went back there with Man City and scored. I loved Villa Park. I loved playing there and had good results there.”

By the way - you are one of only four players to score a hat-trick for us at Villa Park - and what a cast list - Martin Chivers, yourself, Gareth Bale and Heung-Min Son!

Clive: "Oh really? I didn't know that! That's not bad. Yeah, I'm very happy about that. They were good players, good strikers. I obviously worked with Gareth and was there when he came to the club, so to see him grow and develop - an incredible, incredible talent."

You are such a popular pundit and co-commentator with Rob Daly on SPURSPLAY - putting your pundit's hat on, what do you think about Villa on Sunday?

Clive: “Villa have had a fabulous season, you can't get away from that. I'd say they've probably done what they need to do in the league (they're fifth, and in the final UCL spot, eight points clear of Brighton) and subconsciously that's always a tricky thing, especially with the Europa League semi-finals either side of our game. I just think there's an opportunity for us. Listen, we've come off of a win at Wolves which was so, so important. That should give the players confidence. I think you just see at the moment that there's no guaranteed result in the Premier League, not at this stage of the season. Not at all. For whatever reason, whether it's a top-vs-bottom or whether it's two mid-table teams, you just see the strength of the Premier League. Everybody's playing for places and it's going to go right to the wire - everything - top, bottom, European places, everything's up for grabs. Villa, they're nearly there, but they've got other things on their minds as well. I just think after last week's win at Wolves the whole feeling within the group will be different."

Finally, about you and the club. Your dad was the legendary double-winner Les Allen, you were born when he was at Spurs in the double year, 1961. You've always said you and Spurs, it was meant to be - so, what do Spurs mean to you?

Clive: “It's a way of life. It's been a massive, massive part of my life and obviously football is what we've been all about. The experiences that I've had with the club... I just absolutely love it. I love every minute of it. I'm just really passionate about the club being successful. I loved my time as a player. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a coach and a couple temporary managerial appointments in there as well. Now working with SPURSPLAY and my ambassadorial role. It's just such an important part of my life.”