WHITE, John Anderson (1959-64)
Position: Inside forward
Height: 5ft 8ins
Weight: 10st8lbs
Born: Musselburgh, Midlothian, 28 April, 1937
Died: Crews Hill, Middlesex, 21 July, 1964
Signed from Falkirk October 1959
Also played for: Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic, Alloa Athletic, Falkirk, Scotland
Spurs Record:
Debut: 17 October, 1959 v Sheffield Wednesday (FL) (a) lost 1-2
Appearances: League 183, FA Cup 19, Europe 17
Goals: League 40, FA Cup 1, Europe 6
For those football fans fortunate enough to have seen him play, hearing of John White’s tragic death, struck by lightning while sheltering under a tree from a thunderstorm on an Enfield golf course, was one of those moments when the world stands still. For several minutes, as the awful news sank in, misty pictures of a master craftsman at work flooded forth from the memory.
At only 27 and still far from the peak of his career, White was one of those truly outstanding footballers for whom no accolade can be too high, too well-merited.
One of the most crucial elements of the ‘Double’ winning team, White was the man who made the team tick, the conduit through which the grace and style of Danny Blanchflower and Cliff Jones was allied to the power and strength of Dave Mackay and Bobby Smith to produce a football team the likes of which had never been seen before.
White joined us for £20,000 in October, 1959 from Falkirk, an inside-forward just beginning to establish himself in the Scotland team. Several English clubs had looked at him but hesitated because of his apparently frail appearance and concerns about his stamina. With both Mackay and Blanchflower recommending White, Bill Nicholson contacted his army sports office - White was doing his National Service at the time - and received confirmation White was a cross country runner of some ability. That was enough for Bill.
At first White played at inside-left but while he chipped in his share of goals, he was not a regular scorer. With the arrival of Les Allen, White moved out to the right wing where he partnered the magical Tommy Harmer. The two of them were similar, both gifted with immaculate ball control and pin-point accuracy in their passing but while Harmer possessed and displayed a range of tricks that thrilled the crowds, White, with just as many tricks, preferred to play the game simply.
Initially, our fans did not see the best of White in his early outings. Completing his National Service in Berwick, he was not training with his team-mates and faced a 700-mile round trip for home games. When he was able to move down to London the improvement was plain for all to see.
White and Harmer worked well together but, while Nicholson wanted entertainment, he knew results were just as important. White had the edge over Harmer in terms of effectiveness, being faster and more direct, happiest moving the ball on with quick passing.
White was given the number eight shirt and as the ‘Double’ season unfolded, the wisdom of Nicholson’s decision was never in doubt. With his perfect balance, incisive passing and ceaseless promptings White made the whole team operate smoothly. He was not an eye-catching player or one for the spectacular but as the ball hit the back of the net a quick analysis of the move that had led to the goal would invariably show White had been involved somewhere along the line.
Short or long, his passes were inch-perfect. He could run with the ball at pace, shielding it from an opponent until the precise second came to release it. When he wanted to he could catch a defender’s attention with a decoy run, opening up space for a team-mate, but when he did not want to be seen he had the uncanny ability to slip into space unnoticed that earnt him the nickname of ‘The Ghost’. Perhaps best remembered for the chances he created for others, when he had a sight of goal his shooting was unerringly accurate.
Ever-present in the Double-winning team, White helped us retain the FA Cup in 1962 and collect the European Cup Winner’s Cup in 1963. He took his talents onto the international stage winning a total of 18 caps as a Spurs player and being one of the few non-Englishmen to represent the Football League.
As Nicholson’s great side began to break up, White remained destined to be an integral part of the new team Bill was building until White’s tragic death. We can never know what might have been but we do know that for five years, White Hart Lane was graced by one of the finest inside-forwards British football ever produced.