Cliff Jones – 85 today!

Energetic and enthusiastic as ever, Cliff Jones turns 85 today (Friday 7 February).

One of the all-time great wingers of any era, Cliff lit up the Lane in our ‘glory, glory’ years of the early 1960s. Led by Bill Nicholson, our famous team became the first in ‘modern’ football to win the Football League and FA Cup double in 1960/61, retained the FA Cup and reached the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1961/62 and created more history by becoming the first British team to lift a European trophy, taking apart Atletico Madrid 5-1 in the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup in Rotterdam in 1963.

Cliff was there every step of the way. Signed in February, 1958, and making his debut against Arsenal at Highbury, the Welsh wing wizard made 378 appearances in all competitions before departing for Fulham in October, 1968.

Famed for his high-velocity dribbles down either flank and bravery diving in for headers at the far post, Cliff scored 159 goals in that time and he’s still fifth in our all-time goalscoring list behind Jimmy Greaves (266), Bobby Smith (208), Harry Kane (181) and Martin Chivers (174).

Speaking to us this week after a round of golf, Cliff was naturally in a reflective mood as we asked the one question all Spurs would want to know – how are you feeling at 85, Cliff?

“Where have all the years gone? Dear me! 85 - that’s not too bad, is it? Look, I am under the doctor and I have to keep taking tablets but other than that, I’m in good shape physically.

“I had a nice round of golf today (Wednesday), and you need a bit of stamina for that, so, yes, I feel okay. I’m always active, always in the garden, keeping busy.

“I’m one of the lucky ones in many respects. If you look at the (double-winning) team I played in there’s me, Terry Dyson, Maurice Norman and Les Allen and that’s it now. So that’s sad. Terry Medwin, he’s okay as well, Terry, he’s still in Swansea.

“I’m enjoying life. I’ve a large family around me as well, so I’m very fortunate. I’m lucky and will never forget that.

“I look back at all those great days at Spurs with a great deal of pride and enjoyment, no doubt about that. Tottenham Hotspur has been a huge part of my life, and not only my life, my family’s life as well.

“It’s been my life, really, you can say that. I’m in my old age now and I’m still there, still attached to the Club, still at the games, still mixing with the supporters, still loving the Club.”

Cliff on his early days in Swansea

“When I was playing for Swansea, Swansea prison overlooked the Vetch Field. The story goes that if we were playing badly, the prisoners were made to watch us as punishment!”

Cliff on the spine of the ‘double team’

“Danny Blanchflower, John White, Dave Mackay. I always say when I’m asked about those ‘glory, glory’ years that if Danny, Dave and John all played well, we’d just bounce off that. We’d be unstoppable if they all ticked.”

Cliff on Bill Nicholson

“Bill Nicholson, the top man. He ran the Club from the boot room to the board room. He was across every aspect of this football club.”

Cliff on our first-ever European game, away to Gornik Zabrze of Poland in 1961

“I remember that away leg. We came in trailing 3-0 at half-time. Bill said to us ‘right, this is what we’ll do second half, keep it tight for 10 minutes and then attack them’. After five minutes, we were 4-0 down! That went out of the window, didn’t it? Thankfully we turned it around.”

Cliff on the Gornik second leg, 8-1 at the Lane

“That is the one game I’ll never, ever forget. Gornik were beaten before they stepped onto the pitch. They couldn’t handle the atmosphere. What a night! I would say that was probably the best performance by any team that there has ever been.”

Cliff on Greavsie

“I’ve played with some of the greats. Jimmy Greaves, there is only one Jimmy Greaves. Jim, bless him, unfortunately he’s not too well now. He’s the best goalscorer I’ve ever seen. I speak to him every now and then. He was special.”

Cliff on the fans

“Bill always impressed on us players the importance of the supporters and that stayed with me. They were great days. We’d play at White Hart Lane and then go to the Bell & Hare or the Corner Pin to have a few drinks alongside the supporters. The great thing is that I’m still there in amongst the supporters, even at my age now!”