The Trophy Years

While We've Won A Whole Host Of Cups Down The Years, Only Four Major Trophies Were Secured Here At White Hart Lane. Throughout Today'S Match Programme, We'll Take A Closer Look At The Games That Clinched Silverware, Starting With Our First Ever League Championship Title In 1951

Across London on April 1, 1950, goals from Les Medley and Eddie Baily gave us a 2-0 win at Loftus Road against Queens Park Rangers in a Division Two clash. As games go, it wasn’t particularly memorable, but the two points collected were highly significant as they secured our promotion back to the top flight of English football for the first time since 1935.

Manager Arthur Rowe’s side won 27 matches in 1949-50, eight more than anyone else in the division, and we won Division Two by 11 points to Sheffield Wednesday, who were promoted with us. More on the Owls later...

Rowe – born close to White Hart Lane and with over 200 appearances as a centre-half for us between 1930-38 – developed his renowned ‘push and run’ style of football which won many plaudits across the country.

His team of mostly home-grown players, including the likes of Bill Nicholson, Alf Ramsey, Les Bennett, Baily, Medley and Welsh international Ron Burgess, was expected to do well in the top flight in season 1950-51.

But an opening day 4-1 home defeat to a Blackpool side featuring Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen, immediately raised doubts as to whether we could cut it against better opposition. We were soon on track though, beating Bolton Wanderers by the same scoreline away from home and then drawing 2-2 in the first North London derby of the campaign at Highbury.