DYSON, Terence Kent (1954-65)
Position: Winger
Height: 5ft 3ins
Weight: 10st 5lbs
Born: Malton, Yorkshire, 29 November, 1934
Died: 20 August, 2026.
Signed: December, 1954.
Also played for: Fulham, Colchester United, Guildford City, Kings Lynn, Wealdstone (player-coach and player-asst manager).
Spurs Record:
Debut: 19 March, 1955 v Sheffield United (FL) (h) won 5-0
Appearances: League 184, FA Cup 16, Europe 9
Goals: League 41, FA Cup 6, Europe 8
At 5ft 3ins, Terry Dyson was the perfect height to follow his well-known jockey father, ‘Ginger’ Dyson, into a career in horse racing. But, for the younger Dyson, football was always the sport of his choice and despite his height he became the man for the big occasions.
Spotted by our scouts playing for Scarborough, Dyson signed amateur forms whilst doing his National Service and had already made his League debut by the time he joined the ranks of the professionals on his discharge from the army.
As an out and out winger, his early years with us were spent as understudy to George Robb and Terry Medwin. This limited Dyson’s senior appearances and his best chance of a regular first team place - on Robb's retirement - seemed to disappear when Cliff Jones arrived early in 1958. Several clubs were keen to give Dyson regular League football but Bill Nicholson refused to let him leave and was richly rewarded for his faith in the little man.
Dyson contested the outside-left position with Medwin and won the battle in 1960-61, being almost ever present in the ‘Double’ winning team of 1960 61, when he headed the crucial second goal of the FA Cup Final against Leicester City. He also became the first Spur to score a hat-trick against Arsenal – in a 4-3 win at White Hart Lane in August 1961.
A fast, lively, gritty competitor, tenacious Terry was not content to hug the touchline. He wanted to be involved all the time and was likely to pop up anywhere at any time with a shot on goal. Dyson loved every minute of his football and our fans in return loved his trickery and whole-hearted endeavour as well as his enthusiasm and zest for the game.
After the ‘Double’ triumph Dyson went back to battling it out with Medwin and Jones for a place in the team and lost out to Medwin in the 1962 FA Cup Final but his greatest match was still to come. In the 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, it was Dyson's exciting thrusts down the wing that set up goals for John White and Jimmy Greaves but it was his two magnificent goals that most helped destroy Atletico Madrid 5-1 to make us Britain's first winners of a European trophy.
Medwin's enforced retirement saw Dyson a regular once again until he eventually moved on, his loyalty recognised with a cut price transfer to Fulham. He stayed for three years at Craven Cottage before going to Colchester United and then moved into non league football helping Guildford City win the Southern League in 1971 and Wealdstone do the same three years later. Managerial stints followed at Kingsbury, Wingate, Dagenham - where he won the FA Trophy in 1980 - Boreham Wood, Ruislip and Kingsbury Town.
He was then a referee's observer for the Premier Academy League for a spell from 1999, when he was a regular visitor to matches at our former training ground, Spurs Lodge.