Spurs left backs over the years...

[Buster18]

I'm sat here watching the PSG v St Etienne and our very own BAE is playing.

I loved BAE when he played for us and it got me thinking that he's probably the best left back I can remember us having. He's by no means world class but it led me to think of how many remotely decent left backs we have had and I pretty much drew a blank. I can't think of another position where we have been so poorly stocked.

I started supporting Spurs in the early 80's so it was well after Cyril Knowles played for us.

The first one I can remember was Hughton. Very quick but he always used to piss me off with his constant cutting back on to his right foot which was another trend with our left backs.

Hughton was followed by Mitchell Thomas, then Pat Van Den Hauwe. The first actual left footer I remember was Justin Edinburgh who was of course bang average and our left back for nearly a decade seeing off the threat from talents like Paolo Tramezzani.

Mauricio Taricco, another right footer came along from Ipswich as his replacement and held down the left back spot for nearly 5 years holding of challenges from the horror show that was Ben Thatcher, the constantly injured Christian Ziege( great left foot, awful defender) and Erik Edman.

Then YPL came along, the most right footed left back in history. Then BAE joined, got injured and then we were presented with the glorious Gilberto!

 

[tony_parkes]

Gareth Bale?

 

[Spurger King]

Gareth Bale?

Who?

 

[Shadydan]

How could you forget Atouba

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Steo?

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

I'm sorry but Chris Hughton was infinitely better than BAE, a true Spurs legend and one of the nicest people you could meet as well, always had time for fans for autographs etc. Of the players I've seen the best was Mitchell Thomas for one season, the one where he scored at home against Manure.

 

[Buster18]

How could you forget Atouba

Oh god. How could I? ...and Reto Zeigler, who wasn't actually that bad

 

[Buster18]

I'm sorry but Chris Hughton was infinitely better than BAE, a true Spurs legend and one of the nicest people you could meet as well, always had time for fans for autographs etc. Of the players I've seen the best was Mitchell Thomas for one season, the one where he scored at home against Manure.

He scored 2 in that game iirc. He was horrific after that 1st season.

I always thought Hughton was a better RB.

 

[Gassin's finest]

Razor Ruddock

Edit: I can't find it anywhere on t'interweb, but if anyone finds the 40 yard freekick he scored for us, I'd be much obliged.

 

[tiger666]

BAE really wasn't that good.

 

[DaSpurs]

It's the most difficult position to find a decent player for. Very few kids come through the ranks entirely trained as defenders, and you're dealing with less than 10% of the population in the first place as ideally you want a lefty.

That's all obvious stuff I'm sure you all know, but it then leads to my question: would you older folks say that Spurs have a particularly poor history with left backs relative to other clubs?

 

[SlickMongoose]

 

[Third Kit '87]

Ziege was a very good player, playing in a dreadful team

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

Ziege was a very good player, playing in a dreadful team

More wing back than left back, awesome left peg but not the best defender.

 

[Third Kit '87]

More wing back than left back, awesome left peg but not the best defender.

Agree- but as the OP says, we have had so few decent left backs over the years, i would argue he is perhaps the best of recent times.... Much better than the likes of Edinburgh or Tarrico for definite!

 

[GosfordSpur]

Older supporters like me might also remember Don McAllister from the mid-70s Came from Bolton and a bit of a hard man. Have to say that Cyril was definitely the best I've seen. Hard, uncompromising but could also play great passing football.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Older supporters like me might also remember Don McAllister from the mid-70s Came from Bolton and a bit of a hard man. Have to say that Cyril was definitely the best I've seen. Hard, uncompromising but could also play great passing football.

I still remember the diving header he (McAllister) scored against Bolton, a great goal in (what at the time) was a massive game.

Danny Thomas was a fantastic defender and it was such a shame his career got cut short by injury.

 

[mckenz]

Did love the crazy world of BAE



I wonder if Danny Rose with a couple more seasons could become something special.....

 

[philip]

I actually really liked Edman. He was a defenders defender, not an attacking one, but he knew how to do his job efficiently and supported the midfield and attack when needed.

 

[easley91]

You lot forgetting YPLee?!