Fri 19 August 2022, 10:45
Tottenham HotspurWelcome to a new series for 2022/23 - 1 from 30 - as we mark 30 years of the Premier League.
English football's new dawn kicked-off on the weekend of 15/16 August, 1992 as the FA Premier League replaced Barclays League Division One, ending a structure of Division One-Four that had been in place since 1958. Thirty years on, the Premier League is amongst the most watched and most valuable sporting leagues in the world.
In this new series, 1 from 30, we'll feature a match from 30 years of the Premier League that corresponds with our next fixture. Next up, we turn the clock back almost 20 years and an afternoon to remember for our legendary former striker Robbie Keane against his former club, Wolves...
Spurs 5-2 Wolves - 6 December, 2003
In a tough 2003/04 campaign, this game had a bit of everything - including a couple of goals to remember, and a hat-trick for Robbie Keane, who didn't go for his famous cartwheel celebration at the time out of respect for his former club. Keano made his name as a teenager at Wolves after moving over from Dublin aged just 16 in 1996. He shone at Molineux, his performances earning a move to Coventry City, then to Inter and Leeds, before settling at Spurs.
This was his second season with us, and he was already a huge fans favourite. This was his second hat-trick in our colours as he spearheaded one of our best displays of the season, the only time we'd score five in the Premier League as we scrapped it out at the wrong end of the table. Indeed, this win was followed by four straight defeats as we slipped into the relegation zone. Thankfully, a run of five wins in six lifted us back into mid-table and although we fell back down to 16th in May after a run of six losses in seven, we always had our heads above water, eventually finishing 14th.
The first goal against Wolves was a beauty as Stephen Carr just kept the ball in on the right, exchanged passes with Darren Anderton, who then flicked into the path of Ledley King, who played most of this season in central midfield. Ledley spotted Keano's run through the centre and lifted the perfect pass into his path and Keano did the rest, leaving three defenders behind him as he drilled home first time with his left foot from 20 yards.
Paul Ince levelled, Fredi Kanoute headed us back into the lead from a wonderful Anderton cross at the start of the second half and Keano then took over, a volley at the far post followed by a goal on the counter putting us 4-1 up. Alex Rae pulled one back for Wolves before Stephane Dalmat had the spectacular final word - cutting in from the right before blasting into the roof of the net.
Spurs: Keller, Carr, Gardner, Richards, Taricco, Anderton, King, Poyet (Dalmat 76), Ricketts (Konchesky 66), Kanoute, Keane. Substitutes (not used): Burch, Mabizela, Postiga.
