HITTING THE MAX

Born in Leipzig in 1884, centre-forward Max Seeburg may have played just one league game for us. But in doing so he created real history. John Fennelly reflects on another ‘first’ for Spurs.

At the time it wasn’t considered a memorable encounter. A single goal defeat at Hull City’s old Anlaby Road ground in Division Two at the start of our 1908/09 challenge.

The season as a whole would engender greater significance because it was the first since we had emerged from the Southern League at the conclusion of the previous campaign at a time when northern clubs dominated the status quo.

Critical eyes were on us; the usurpers from the south who had dared to win the FA Cup in 1901 as a non-league side.

With typical swagger we shocked a few by making an immediate transition to the top-flight with a second-placed finish in Division Two that saw us promoted at the first time of asking. Only champions Bolton Wanderers were better than us in the final analysis – and that was by a single point.

And we beat them home and away that season as our great amateur Vivian Woodward, a legendary figure at the time, banged in 18 league goals in 27 outings while Billy Minter hit 16 in 34. There were goals all the way in the run to Division One as Bert Middlemiss bagged 13 and Bobby Steel 12.

But, in that intense environment of attacking excellence and intent, Max Seeburg made his own mark. Because when our Leipzigborn front runner took to the field at Hull, he became the first-ever overseas player to represent us – and the first from mainland Europe to play professionally in this country.

Other Europeans had undoubtedly played as amateurs for professional clubs before him – but he was the first pro to do so.

And the fact that he didn’t appear in our first team again is probably understandable in the cauldron of attacking talent that we possessed at the time.