Tottenham have seldom been the dominant club in English football but they have always been the one of the most glamorous. They’ve enjoyed a catalogue of superb individual talent over the years as they always seem to opt for talent over efficacy. So many flair players have come and gone but it’s really difficult to decide who is the best Tottenham player of all time.
So TFF picked five of the top echelon of Spurs stars and then tried to elect the very best at the end of the list.
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle made football look easy. He floated across the turf and was so light on his feet that he almost levitated at times. He always played on the half turn and knew everything that was going on around him which is why it was so difficult to take the ball off him.
Never particularly keen on the defending part of the game Hoddle was a beautiful creative midfielder who was so far ahead of the opposition that the rest of them seemed to be playing in slow motion. He could spot a pass long and short and score amazing goals with that featherlight touch of his. A true Tottenham great. Played over 500 games for Spurs and scored 113 goals.
Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale could well be seen as Tottenham’s greatest player of all time. In terms of pure talent there are few players that can compete with him. He ticked all the boxes for Tottenham and then Real Madrid. Incredibly powerful and athletic he had a fantastic touch and could score long range goals from either foot.
This is a player who could change games all on his own and it’s the rarest ability. If he’d stayed at the club for five more years then perhaps there would be no competition for the mantle of the best player of all time at Tottenham. As it was he left after six seasons and scored 55 goals in 203 games.
Paul Gascoigne
Another who many will believe was the greatest Tottenham player of all time. His impact at Spurs was sensational and he was adored by everyone who watched him including most of the opposition. Gascoigne had that same ability to change games as Glenn Hoddle but he was also able to run the players and dribble past a man which made him such an exciting player to watch. We truly wish that he had extended his career at White Hart Lane but he will forever be remembered as a great at Tottenham.
Gary Lineker
If Tottenham were known through their history for their flair players then Lineker was all about efficacy and, as such, was a different player from many on this list. He stayed at Tottenham for three seasons and scored goals 80 goals in just 138 appearances. Was rarely injured and you could always expect him to provide a goal threat. He was a defender’s nightmare because he was a fox in the box who was always was able to find space and get the ball in the onion bag.
Jimmy Greaves
Tottenham have had so many great players over the last 10 to 15 years in a glamorous period for the club. But we can’t help but look beyond the brilliant Jimmy Greaves as their best player of all time. He was a goalscoring phenom and simply couldn’t stop hitting the back of the net. He would usually play with a smile on his face and made the game look easy.
Greaves spearheaded the Tottenham attack through one of the most successful periods in their history and, as such, has to be remembered as the greatest Spurs player of all time.
Jimmy Greaves
Tottenham Appearances: 381
Goals: 266