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The GRAHAM ROBERTS thread

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Aegina Expat
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Feb 1, 2005
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Graham Roberts: Where to begin? There was much more to "Robbo" than being the hard man, he could pass the ball both long and short, fearsome in the tackle, he wore his heart on his sleeve, led from the front and was both skilful and uncompromising and sometimes carried the team with his unflinching attiude and optimism. He also had a priceless knack of scoring both important and memorable goals.

Roberts arrived at White Hart Lane in 1980 for a then non-league record fee of £35,000 from Weymouth and made his first appearance on 4th October 1980 at Stoke City during a 3-2 win. He had to wait only a short while for his full debut which came on 6th December 1980 during a 2-1 reverse at Anfield. His first goal for Spurs came during a nervy FA Cup quarter final against Exeter City at WHL, I remember we won 2-0 but both goals came very late on in the game. He famously scored our goal in the home leg of the 1984 UEFA Cup Final (see photo) and many people also still remember his long range goal against Bruges the following season.

Robbo made 276 full appearance for Spurs with a further 11 as substitute and scored 35 goals. He was twice an FA Cup winner with Spurs 1980/81 and 1981/82 as well as a UEFA Cup winner in 1983/84 and he won 6 full England caps, a total many, including myself, believe should have been a lot more.

There are many "Robbo" stories, so over to you................
 

PT

North Stand behind Pat's goal.
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May 21, 2004
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One of our more successful captains of the Lane and the type of player often underestimated by the Spurs Faithfull because of his style of play - hard and uncompromising with a streak of flair.

A player I liken to him in all but the finishing was Steffen Freund. We still need someone like him if Zokora doesn't come to the party.

Oh, nearly forgot. Never forgave him for going to Chelsea....

Well, I did but only after he stopped playing.
 

TheChosenOne

A dislike or neg rep = fat fingers
Dec 13, 2005
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Worth his weekly wage - 100 per center .

Having said that I didn't recognize him straight away today in the Sky studio when the 'Gers game was on
 

Chuba

SC founder member gone bad, i love u all
Sep 21, 2003
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Great footballing skills with his Rhinosaurus Runs (no defender/midfielder stood in his way), saw the goal against Anderlect in UEFA cup final, but from the paxton end, no jumbotron thoses day so didn't see much, also agree he is of Spurs Legend status for all to adulate.
 
Nov 28, 2006
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I will never forget when he played against the Arse at the lane, Charlie Nicholas recieved a long ball and controlled it with his knee up onto his chest and the fans of the Arse cheered his amazing skill as he momentarilly waited for the ball to drop to his feet, then.......................bang Roberts through him like an express train from behind he hit the advertising hordings on his way into the stands over 20 years ago and I can still see it now COYS
 

mawspurs

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Jun 29, 2003
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Seem to remember him getting a hat trick in one game as well, you don't see that from CM much these days. A tough player and a good one too.
 

TheChosenOne

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Dec 13, 2005
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..and I forgot he was manager of the Hertford Town footy club about a mile down the road about 7-8 yrs ago !
 

mkkid

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Nov 9, 2004
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I will never forget when he played against the Arse at the lane, Charlie Nicholas recieved a long ball and controlled it with his knee up onto his chest and the fans of the Arse cheered his amazing skill as he momentarilly waited for the ball to drop to his feet, then.......................bang Roberts through him like an express train from behind he hit the advertising hordings on his way into the stands over 20 years ago and I can still see it now COYS

you sure that wasnt at Highbury but it still afanastic memory,
my favourite Robbo moment was when we won at Highbury and he gave the v to the north bank
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
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There’s only one moment for me. My first trip to the Lane, 1-0 to Spurs v Man City, Roberts scored a cracker! :bowdown:
 
Dec 8, 2006
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I was in the right place to witness the equalizer vs Anderlecht, having risked being crushed to death at that end of the Shelf. Also remember the winner vs Citeh. How about the 30 yarder in the 'Championship Decider' against Everton?

Anybody recall him being sent off on a stretcher after punching Lawrie Sanchez? Obviously the injury caused by Sanchez's tackle was not serious enough to save him from Robbo's retribution!

PS There is an interesting story in Bill Nick's book about how Robbo was recommended to him by a random bloke on a railway platform.
 

Dov67

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Jul 1, 2005
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you sure that wasnt at Highbury but it still afanastic memory,
my favourite Robbo moment was when we won at Highbury and he gave the v to the north bank

it was definately at the library......."who put Nicholas in the stand? Robbo! Robbo!" New years day 86 i think.

For such a fantastic captain, I thought Pleat was out of order slagging him off when he went to Rangers!!
 

bomberH

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Jun 4, 2005
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Big Robbo fan. Can't remember who it was against but a great Robbo moment was when he flicked a ball over a wall of players, they all stopped thinking he had passed to someone, but Roberts just ran through the wall and collected his own pass and scored.

Or did i dream that?

Nope, i'm pretty sure it happened.
 

DC_Boy

New Member
May 20, 2005
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I think it was a massive mistake to get rid of him when we did, I think we would have won at least one trophy in 87 with him still with us.

It was his run that won us the match winning pen in 82 final replay
 

Sally_G

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2005
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One of my earliest Spurs memories was his hat-trick against Southampton at The Lane.

As a kid when you see that sort of thing, you think it must happen all the time.

It doesn't.

He was just what Spurs needed to compliment Hoddle and Ardiles.
 

ST

Shat on a turtle!
Mar 17, 2006
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Big Robbo fan. Can't remember who it was against but a great Robbo moment was when he flicked a ball over a wall of players, they all stopped thinking he had passed to someone, but Roberts just ran through the wall and collected his own pass and scored.

Or did i dream that?

Nope, i'm pretty sure it happened.
I think I saw Hoddle trying that in the Anderlecht home leg. Or it may have been Robbo. But whoever it was chipped it through for himself to run onto, with the defence all coming forward looking for offside. In that instance one of the Spurs players (Ossie?) failed to see what he was doing, and got caught offside. Cloughie was doing the commentary and was raving about it. I think it was Hoddle...

Loved Robbo though. The '81 cup final, Hughton went to volley a ball clear just as he was going to head it and yeah, caught him smack in the mouth. That was the first game, and you can see the gap in the replay... "He's lost a tooth, but he's won the cup, Graham Roberts" - John Motson
 

RamboRoberts

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Aug 18, 2004
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What we've needed all along.

Graham 'Rambo' Roberts was the enforcer that gave Hoddle the support he needed to flourish. Without Roberts we would have been at a loss, however Paul Miller also gave a hard-arse tackle.

I always remember hearing the fat bloke in the family enclosure, during the 80's, singing to Ray Clemence: "Raymond! Give us a wave! Raymond Raymond give us a wave!" He and many others called roberts 'Rambo' to which I always felt a warm sense of pride. So many times we say Roberts crunch the opponents and sweep up the midfield, to form an attack.

To see him lift the UEFA cup was a telling tribute to a player that always gave 110% and bossed the game. What he lacked in skill and agility, he more han made up for in his presence on the pitch. I hope we get another player like him again. Seeing Waddle, Gascoigne and Lineker arrive at the Lane was a special time for a young fan such as me, but I hope we never forget the fact that we achieved greatness with a hard bast'd like 'Rambo' Roberts.

We will always have the skill and guile to unlock defences, since we as a club, have such a strong tradition of playing attractive football. It was no accident that when Fwank Asenen came to revolutionise our club as Sporting Director, he cited the need for a midfield hardman, like Graham Roberts, who was able to impose himself so readliy adn who was responsible for snatching the UEFA cup from Anderlect.

A true legend, and justifiably a well deserved chioce to be heralded immediately amoung the hall of fame on the site.

Well done Spurscommunity for getting it spot on.

:beer:
 

ST

Shat on a turtle!
Mar 17, 2006
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It was no accident that when Fwank Asenen came to revolutionise our club as Sporting Director, he cited the need for a midfield hardman, like Graham Roberts, who was able to impose himself so readliy adn who was responsible for snatching the UEFA cup from Anderlect.
Didn't Frank Arnesen play for Anderlecht that night?:grin:
 

sundancer

Member
Apr 4, 2006
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Robbo was another ex-spurs ( like Mabbut ) who would run through brick walls in the cause, against Anderlecht he was immense what we would not give for his type of player now.
 
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