Spurs fan Gerry's call of a lifetime...

Northern Ireland, 1963, and a young Spurs fan from Belfast began to idolise a goalkeeper from just down the road in Newry, a goalkeeper starting to make a name for himself in England.

A year later, Pat Jennings joined Spurs from Watford, and the rest is history... 590 appearances between 1964-77, FA Cup, two League Cups, UEFA Cup, 119 caps, Pat played a huge part in the success of Bill Nicholson’s team of the early 1970s and then helped take Northern Ireland to successive World Cups in 1982 and 1986.

Gerry Friel was the young fan from Newtownabbey, just north of Belfast. A budding goalkeeper himself at the time, you can imagine his reaction when ‘Big Pat’ signed for his beloved Spurs.

Imagine then, 56 years later, Gerry’s reaction when he received a call on his 67th birthday - and the unmistakable tone of a certain Pat Jennings was on the other end of the phone.

Pat took time out to call Gerry, now living in Suffolk, on his birthday after a tip-off from Gerry’s son, Jimi, another Spurs fan. Gerry underwent replacement knee surgery in March and with the country on lockdown due to coronavirus, has been unable to see his family as well.

“I knew nothing about it,” said Gerry. “We were sitting out in the garden and thinking about going out for a walk, but my wife was quite insistent, ‘no, just sit down and relax’ and then the phone went.

“It was a private number, so you are always a little suspicious, but then I heard the voice... my wife is from Newry and I know a lot of people in and around there, and I recognised that voice straight away!

“I was absolutely over the moon. I’m quite laid back, but it certainly got me. It was just like talking to an old friend. Pat is such an easy-going man, a real gentleman. I was absolutely delighted.

“It was brilliant because we also had an extended family call on Zoom including one of my relations, Dave Kiley, who lives in San Diego and is another massive Spurs fan. He’s been a huge fan since the 1982 FA Cup Final and is always up at 4.30 in the morning for matches. It was his birthday the day before mine.”

Gerry explained how he became a Spurs fan. “We got our first TV in 1960 and in those days, the only football you saw was the FA Cup Final and internationals. That was before Match Of The Day (MOTD started in 1964). I watched the '61 final, then in '62 Spurs won again, so I decided I was going to be a glory hunter and support Spurs!

“I loved Jimmy Greaves at the time and then, aged 10 or 11 - and I was a goalkeeper as well - Pat came onto the scene. He became my hero.

“Back in those days, our only chance to see the big names was during the Home Internationals (a tournament with England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). My dad used to take me to Windsor Park. I was there in 1964 when Jimmy Greaves scored a hat-trick against Pat! Anyway, that’s how I became a Tottenham supporter and big fan of Pat, an absolute legend.

“I sent him fan mail and he actually sent me back a Christmas card! When we moved to England, he told me to introduce myself at a game, but I never did, I was too shy! This is a day I’ll always remember.”