Moment in time | Double legends stretch record unbeaten start to 16 games against Fulham, 1960
Thu 19 October 2023, 16:05|
Tottenham Hotspur
It's apt that having posted our best start after eight games of a Premier League campaign by beating Luton Town last time out, we now face Fulham at home - this fixture, almost 63 years ago, was the 16th and final match of our all-time record unbeaten start to a season as Bill Nicholson's team famously clinched the double.
We'd started with 11 straight wins in the old First Division - still a record - finally dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at home, then reeled off another four wins before the unbeaten run came to an end at Sheffield Wednesday in game 17, a 2-1 loss at Hillsborough on 12 November.
We scored 48 goals in our first 15 matches and it was going to be fireworks again when Fulham came to the Lane on Saturday 5 November, 1960.
In fact, Fulham were in it until the 75th minute, when Cliff Jones made it 3-1 and we clicked into overdrive, adding another two goals for a final 5-1 scoreline. A report at the time stated, 'Jones and Les Allen wore the mantles of match winners with devastating effect. Indeed, the first three goals scored by Spurs - two from Jones, one from Allen - were masterpieces of quick thinking'. John White and Allen's second goal completed the scoring inside the final five minutes.
We clinched the title with a win against Sheffield Wednesday in April, 1961 - eventually eight points clear - and completed the double by winning the FA Cup Final against Leicester City on 6 May, 1961.
Our best starts...
16 matches unbeaten - 1960/61 - won 15, drew 1 (Division One)
12 matches unbeaten - 1919/20 - won 11, drew 1 (Division Two)
12 matches unbeaten - 1959/60 - won 6, drew 6 (Division One)
12 matches unbeaten - 2016/17 - won 6, drew 6 (Premier League)
10 matches unbeaten - 1990/91 - won 6 drew 4 (Division One)
