From the ball court to the Champions League...

It's 10 years to the day - 5 May, 2010 - that we qualified for the new format of the European Cup, the Champions League, for the first time.

Semi-finalists in the European Cup in 1961/62 after winning the double in 1960/61, a dramatic victory over Manchester City at the Etihad secured fourth place in the Premier League and therefore a play-off place for the Champions League. Four months later, we stepped out into the group stage of Europe's elite competition for the first time.

How apt, 10 years ago, that two home-grown players were such key figures in making it back to Europe's promised land.

Ledley King, famously a one-club man, came through the youth team to star make 323 appearances in the first team between 1999-2012, most of them as captain from 2005/06.

Peter Crouch, Ledley's long-time friend and team-mate, scored the crucial goal that night in Manchester. He'd also come through the youth ranks at Spurs, but left in 2000 to follow his path in football before returning in 2009.

Fifteen years on from those nights training in the ball court at White Hart Lane, the pair had led us into the Champions League. The San Siro - and later, Real Madrid's Bernabeu - beckoned.

A few months after making it into the Champions League, we spoke to both Ledley and Crouchy about those days in the ball court and how it felt to go from 'the ball court to the San Siro', as we said then.

A further 10 years on - and now 25 years since those training nights at our famous old stadium - here is that interview again...

That night at City, 2010...

From the ball court to the San Siro...

September, 2010

Two 14-year-olds used to dream of playing in the Champions League when they trained together at the ball court facility twice a week at White Hart Lane in the mid-1990s.

They went on to make the grade, progressing from schoolboy to the youth team, going from the ball court to Spurs Lodge and then into the Premier League, England and the World Cup.

Now they are going to achieve that childhood dream by walking out together at the San Siro to face holders Inter Milan in the Champions League on October 20.

They’ve come a long way - but both Ledley King and Peter Crouch remember those nights at the Lane as if they were yesterday...

What do you recall about those early nights in the ball court at White Hart Lane?

Crouchy: “I remember it well. It was quality to play in there when we were kids. I remember every Tuesday and Thursday getting a train, getting off at White Hart Lane. We must have been 13, 14 at the time. We even used it when we were YTS at the club. We’d train at Mill Hill, as it was then and then do another session in the ball court. We used to love it. The parents used to watch us from the balcony.”

Ledley: “As a group we connected really well. I remember how quickly we became friends and that was really important at that age. The ball court was fun back then. It was new, to play indoors on a new surface. It was like our own little Wembley! We had a lot of fun in there.”

What did you think of each other back then?

Crouchy: “Ledley stood out a mile. He was always going to play at the top level. He was probably as big as he is now back then at the age of 14. He had so much ability. He was the best player in our youth team by a mile and he was always going to make it. He was ready for the reserves just about straight away after we’d joined in YTS. He was playing reserve games at 16. We were good friends even then and we’ve always talked throughout our careers. I’ve gone around the houses a little but Ledley remained here and it’s a pleasure to be back here with him all these years later.”

Ledley: “As you’d expect, Peter stood out, even then. We became great friends straight away, a great lad with a lovely personality. To this day, we’re still good friends. Looking back, the first thing that stood out to me was how nice a person he was. When you are young it’s all about making friends and feeling comfortable in the environment you are in. We definitely had that and everyone loved him, no-one had a bad word to say about him. Playing-wise, you could see that he would become a top player as long as he found people to believe in him and give him time to develop.”

What was your training routine before you joined the Club full-time and were still training at the ball court and then Spurs Lodge as youngsters?

Crouchy: “I used to come in from Ealing, so quite a way away. I would get the Central Line to Oxford Circus, then to Seven Sisters on the Victoria Line and then Seven Sisters overground to White Hart Lane. It took an hour-and-a-half, at least."

Ledley: “I used to travel straight from school. I’d travel with Wesley Jones, James Carter and Stephen Nelson. We used to travel from Cambridge Heath Road and get an overhead train to White Hart Lane. We then got a lift home.”

Crouchy: “When we moved to Chigwell, I took the Central Line from Ealing Broadway all the way. It was a bit of graft, but well worth it. We all used to meet up. Leds would sometimes get on at Mile End and a few of the lads got on here and there, so I would start the journey on my own and by the time we got off there would be about 10 of us.”

Ledley: “I remember that well! By the time we used to get to Chigwell the whole youth team was on there! I’d get on at Mile End or Bow. One thing I’ll never forget is how long it used to take us to get home after training. We enjoyed each other’s company so much and we’d dilly and dally on the way home, sometimes letting trains go past at Chigwell so we could sit on the platform and continue playing games. We’d sit there for hours having a laugh between ourselves.”

What do you remember about the moment you were taken on?

Crouchy: “We went away to Northern Ireland to play in the Milk Cup (1996), we actually won it that year and I can remember the lads well, the likes of Nicky Hunt, Nerada Barnard, Ledley, we were with a few lads from the year above and when we were out there we were told that we were being taken on. It was fantastic, great news. I absolutely loved it, but I had to move to QPR to get my chance. I had a lot of players in front of me in my position like Chris Armstrong, Les Ferdinand, Steffen Iversen, Paul McVeigh, Neale Fenn. I just felt I had to go away at that time. Thankfully, I’m back now and playing Champions League football here.”

Ledley: “I got my YTS early. As a schoolboy, I signed one-year YTS and a three-year professional contract. I was a little different in that respect to the other lads. I’m sure I didn’t change me at all. Okay, maybe in school a little bit!”

Crouchy moved on - what do you remember about playing against each other?

Ledley: “It was a funny one. I never enjoyed playing against Crouchy because we were such good friends. It’s never easy to play against a good friend, although myself and Crouchy have never been the most aggressive on the pitch, maybe that made it a little easier."

Crouchy: “Yes, it was always difficult. It’s weird, growing up with Leds, I knew him so well. He’s always been one of the best defenders around. If he hadn’t had the problems with his knee he would have been one of the world’s best, I full believe that, but he’s still a top, top player."

Ledley: “Playing against Crouchy was tough. I had to switch on and make sure there was no talking! As a defender, you don’t want to get caught out while you are talking to the forwards you are up against. He would always have a friendly chat but as a defender, you can’t afford to switch off at any moment.”

Crouchy scored one of the most important goals in the club’s recent history at Manchester City, clinching fourth place. How did it feel to score that goal, Crouchy and Ledley, what can you remember about it?

Crouchy: “It was certainly a special goal. I’ve been lucky enough to score a few important goals in my career but that one is up there as one of the most vital. The lads had put in so much hard work and effort last season to get us into fourth place, so it was a real bonus to get the goal that got us over the line. It was perfect for me to score at that end as well, in front of the Spurs fans. As I ran behind the goal in celebration, I just remember looking into our supporters and seeing the pure joy on their faces. It was a special moment for me and for all of them too!”

Ledley: “It was one of the biggest games in the club’s recent history and we were all completely focused and up for it, and it showed on the night. We were knocking on the door and we were wondering if the goal was going to come, but it was typical Crouchy. I was delighted for him. I would have been delighted whoever scored, but it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

So having played together in the ball court as teenagers, you now get to walk out at the San Siro together to face Inter Milan in the Champions League. How does that feel?

Ledley: “We weren’t thinking about playing at the San Siro all those years ago at the ballcourt. As I said, that was our Wembley. At that age, you just want to get a YTS and try to break into the first team.”

Crouchy: “It’s an unbelievable journey really. I remember playing youth team games together at Spurs Lodge and there would be 30 people watching. We’ve come a long way since and it’s so pleasing that two players who have come through the youth system at Spurs might get the chance to play together at the San Siro.”

Ledley: “It does show that anything is possible. At the time, my main focus was trying to improve my game and make it as a footballer. The strange thing is that I broke into the first team but it didn’t happen for Crouchy. He left, made a name for himself elsewhere and came back home, so to speak. It just shows, even at that age, if you don’t make it you can come back and still be a professional and England international, in Crouchy’s case. It can be done.”

And fast-forwarding 10 years!

Crouchy recently had a channel takeover - here are his memories of that night at the Etihad...

"Of all the goals I've scored in my whole career, I don't think I've ever seen an away end go as mental as that."

💬 @petercrouch #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/4WAQ85jyP7

— Tottenham Hotspur (at 🏡) (@SpursOfficial) May 5, 2020