Leaping into action | Our leap year history

2024 is a leap year with today the extra day that appears in the calendar every four years - here's a look back at the rare occasions the Club has played matches on 29 February...

2020

Spurs 6-1 Southampton
Under-18 Premier League

The most recent game played by any of our teams on 29 February was a comfortable win for our Under-18s over Southampton four years ago. Three goals either side of half-time saw Matt Taylor’s troops return to winning ways at Hotspur Way, Kion Etete’s brace added to by a fine solo strike from J’Neil Bennett, Yago Santiago’s first goal for the Club, a well-placed drive from Nile John and a penalty from the returning Chay Cooper. Southampton’s only reply came via Lucas Defise in the second period, just after a sudden hailstorm had caused the game to be suspended for nearly a quarter of an hour! This proved to be the final game for this age group before the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to their season.

1992

Chelsea 0-3 Spurs
South East Counties League Division One

Our youth team enjoyed a good win against a strong Chelsea side on the final day of February in the leap year of 1992. Nick Barmby had a goal disallowed and struck the post before we opened the scoring on the counter, Darren Caskey and Barmby combining for Lee Hodges to score. The team, managed by Keith Waldon, continued to dominate in the second half with Hodges and Jeff Minton adding to our tally.

1992

Spurs 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
South East Counties League Division Two

At the same time as we were defeating Chelsea in 1992, the youth team beat Brighton in the second division of the South East Counties League. A game which saw goalkeeper Michael Heath make his first appearance of the campaign after breaking his leg in pre-season was decided by a fine individual goal from Steve Slade early in the second half. Brighton took control in the latter stages but couldn’t find a winner against Pat Holland’s side.

1964

Birmingham City 1-2 Spurs
Division One

We have to go back exactly 60 years to the last time our first team played on 29 February! A week after winning the north London derby with a 3-1 win over Arsenal at White Hart Lane, we edged past Birmingham thanks to goals from Cliff Jones and Jimmy Greaves. Laurie Brown was playing in just his second game for us after making his debut against the Gunners and the win maintained our four-point lead at the top of the First Division table, with a game in hand over nearest challengers Blackburn Rovers.

1964

Spurs Reserves 4-1 Crystal Palace Reserves
Football Combination

Our reserve team extended their lead at the top of the Football Combination to five points following this comfortable win over Crystal Palace, on the same day our first team were in Birmingham. The visitors took the lead through striker Ron Allen, but our own Allen – Les – netted a first-half hat-trick to put us in control at the interval before Derek Possee added a fourth in the second half.

1936

Sheffield United 3-1 Spurs
FA Cup

A disappointing FA Cup exit came on 29 February in 1936 as we crashed out at the quarter-final stage. Jack Tresadern’s side had overcome Southend United, Huddersfield Town and Bradford Park Avenue to reach the last eight, where we were drawn against fellow Second Division outfit Sheffield United. The team we beat to win the 1901 FA Cup Final got their revenge with a 3-1 win, Jock Dodds (2) and Bobby Barclay on target for the Blades while Johnny Morrison netted for us.

1908

Bradford 1-2 Spurs
Southern League

We played a game on 29 February during our last-ever season in the Southern League back in 1907/08, before we became a fully-fledged Football League side the following campaign. We travelled to west Yorkshire to take on Bradford, with goals from Max Seeburg and Bert Middlemiss giving us the victory.

1904

Spurs 5-1 Plymouth Argyle
Western League

A Western League fixture against Plymouth Argyle was played 120 years ago at White Hart Lane on 29 February as we enjoyed a comfortable victory. We won the league this season, only losing twice all year and secured this win thanks to goals from Joe Walton (2), Pat Gilhooley, a James Chalmers penalty and one from William Berry on his Spurs debut.