Spurs No 9 shirt

[paxtonwolf]

Shirt #9 has been a bit of a graveyard for us...certainly since squad numbers were introduced in 1993. When I first started watching Spurs in 1988 Chris Waddle always wore the #9 - I think he was ever present that season; after he left Gazza (8) and Lineker (10) were the most high profile players - if we played with a second striker it was either Stewart, Walsh or Durie who tended to wear #8. Nayim and Samways wore #9 most frequently between 89 - 92 - Samways was our #9 in the FA Cup Final 1991.

Darren Anderton, another midfielder rather than a striker, wore the #9 shirt in the latter period of the 1992/2 season with squad numbers introduced at the start of the following season. Anderton was our #9 until 1999 when there was a reshuffle of numbers - Anderton took on the more traditional right winger #7 shirt allowing Les Ferdinand to switch from #10 to #9 - the most befitting 'traditional number' based on his playing style.

We had Les in the twighlight of his career and whether as a #9 or #10 he was unable to recreate the form of his QPR and Saudi Sportswashing Machine days. When he moved on in January 2003 the #9 was unused for the remainder of the season,

Fredi Kanoute joined from West Ham in Summer 2003 and was a natural fit for the #9; despite a promising start and some stunning goals against Leeds (on debut) and Everton Kanoute's relationship with the fans and performances flat lined and he was phased out by Martin Jol midway through the 2004/5 season.

The less said about our next #9 - Grezgor Raziak the better. The giant pole, signed from Derby on tfr deadline day 2005 is quite simply the worst player I have ever seen in a Spurs shirt. Things may have worked out differently had his headed goal counted against Liverpool on debut - alas the linesman (correctly) spotted that the corner he converted had drifted out for a goal kick before swinging back into play. Raziak was quickly moved on playing his last game for Spurs in January 2006.

From the ridiculous to the sublime....Dimitar Berbatov was everything Spurs players should be about...style, elegance and beauty....he was breathtaking for much of his 2 years at the Lane although he was perhaps more of a traditional 10 than a #9. Sadly his departure left a bitter taste.

Tottenham's next #9 had the incredible ability to look as elegant as Berbatov one minute and then in the next attack show the composure of Raziak. Roman 'super Pav' Pavlyuchenko will go down as a cult hero but divided opinion throughout his 3.5 years in North London.

Gareth Bale once wore the #9 in pre-season 2012 but instead chose the vacant #11 shirt to create 'Brand Bale' in 2012/13 and so #9 was left vacant for the season.

Becoming the club's record signing (for the period of 6 weeks) Roberto Soldado had a track record to suggest he would join the likes of Les Allen and Martin Chivers as Spurs' next classic goalscoring #9. A combination of bad luck, unsuited tactics and an inane ability to find the crossbar or the Paxton Lower from inside the 6-yard box meant that the spaniard was packed off back to his homeland with his tail well and truly between his legs.

Great read and some good memories

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Was Micky Hazard our smallest No5? That picture of Ardiles was from 1978 World Cup, Argentina numbered their squad alphabetically.

 

[Coys300]

What has actually been a succesful number for us in terms of people who had it on the back of their shirt? 10 obviously, any other?

 

[mjc23]

I'm waiting for the day that number 1 is assigned to an outfield player. It can't be far off.

I remember a player (Zamarano?) having 9+1 on the back of his shirt because 10 was taken.

1+8 I believe as he wanted 9, but Ronaldo also wanted 9, so Ronaldo wins that one!

 

[Spurs7891]

Don't think we've had a good one since Berbatov have we?

How can you forget the legendary Pavly ? His goals helped us to the CL qualifications stage, then the CL proper and also single handedly took us to a League Cup final. He has almost a similiar record to Berbatov as well. Pavly had 21 goals in 78 matches for us, while Berbatov had 27 goals in 70 matches. IMO, Pavly is one of the most clinical goal scorer we have ever had during the PL era !

 

[alekaras]

Our next #9 will probably be someone we haven't heard of. Or it could be Clinton.

 

[Earz]

1+8 I believe as he wanted 9, but Ronaldo also wanted 9, so Ronaldo wins that one!

I stand corrected. I'm surprised they allowed it tbh

 

[SUIYHA]

How can you forget the legendary Pavly ? His goals helped us to the CL qualifications stage, then the CL proper and also single handedly took us to a League Cup final. He has almost a similiar record to Berbatov as well. Pavly had 21 goals in 78 matches for us, while Berbatov had 27 goals in 70 matches. IMO, Pavly is one of the most clinical goal scorer we have ever had during the PL era !

Think you might have been sarcastic, but just in case...Berbatov was A LOT more than just a goalscorer whereas that was all Pav was. Oh, and Berbatov still did actually score more than Pav, despite playing in a team that relied upon Jenas, Zokora and O'Hara for creativity instead of Modric, Van Der Vaart and Bale.