SHERINGHAM, Edward Paul (1992-97 and 2001-03)
Position: Forward
Height: 6ft
Weight: 12st 8lbs
Born: Highams Park, 2 April,1966
Signed from Nottingham Forest August 1992
Transferred to Manchester United August 1997
Signed from Manchester United May 2001, free
Transferred to Portsmouth July 2003, released
Also played for: Millwall, Aldershot, Djurgarden (Sweden), Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Portsmouth, West Ham United, England
Spurs Record:
Debut: 30 August, 1992 v Ipswich Town (FL) (a) drew 1-1
Appearances: League 230 (6), FA Cup 20, FL Cup 20 (1)
Goals: League 97, FA Cup 14, FL Cup 13
A £2.1 million signing from Nottingham Forest, Teddy Sheringham was one of those players just born to wear the white shirt of Spurs. An artist of delicate talents he brought a new dimension in centre-forward play to N17, a goalscorer as recognised for his ability to create openings for others as he was for applying the finishing touch himself.
Sheringham started his career with Millwall, scoring 111 goals in eight seasons to make him their record scorer, before moving to Nottingham Forest in July, 1991. At Millwall he had learnt to take care of himself in the hard, physical world of long-ball football, with Forest he had to adapt to the passing style demanded of Brian Clough’s sides. He found the target regularly for Forest but when Terry Venables offered him the opportunity to sign for the club he had supported as a boy, Sheringham had no hesitation in agreeing the move.
Millwall and Forest had relied heavily on Sheringham’s scoring knack for the bulk of their goals. When he arrived at Spurs in August, 1992 those talents were desperately needed as we had only scored twice in our opening four League games. As he settled in the goals began to flow and by the end of the season he had netted 21 for us, with a single for Forest making him the Premiership’s top scorer, and won his first England cap against Poland.
When Jurgen Klinsmann was signed much of the goalscoring burden was lifted from Sheringham’s shoulders and he was given more freedom to show the full range of his talents. He struck up an immediate and highly-productive rapport with the German captain, dropping deep to utilise the space between midfield and attack that defenders hate to stray into and displaying a perceptive appreciation of how to unlock defences.
In all he did, Sheringham displayed class and a delicate touch, whether it was leaping high to flick the ball on, floating passes out to the wing or finishing with a perfect chip over the ‘keeper. Klinsmann prospered beside him and was later to acknowledge Sheringham as the best strike partner he ever had.
With England he formed a devastating partnership with Alan Shearer, his performances in Euro ’96 showing that even at the highest level, intelligence and skill were just as important as pace and power.
The brightest star at White Hart Lane, it was more than a shock when Sheringham announced in mid 1997 that he wanted to leave. Alex Ferguson recognised Sheringham’s unique abilities, but he did not have the best of first seasons at Old Trafford as United failed to collect any silverware. In 1998-99 though he played an outstanding part as they secured the ‘Treble’, scoring in the FA Cup Final then coming off the bench to grab a last minute equaliser and set up the injury time winner in the Champions League Final. Two more Premiership titles were won before Sheringham was released in May, 2001.
By then, Glenn Hoddle was in charge at White Hart Lane and wanted experienced, intelligent footballers to help in his quest for immediate success while young players were developed. Sheringham was one of the first he turned to.
At an age when most strikers have retired to nurse their bruises, Sheringham relished his position as the elder statesman of the team showing he still possessed the same sweet skills. In two years he took his appearances for us to 277 and his goal tally to 124.
After Spurs, he had a spell at Portsmouth before joining West Ham United and set a Premier League record as the oldest outfield player when he featured for the Hammers against Manchester City on 30 December, 2006, aged 40 years and 270 days. After a year with Colchester United in 2007-08, Sheringham announced his retirement having made over 900 senior club appearances – 755 of them in the league – and scored 361 goals.