Catching up with... Richard Gough

It’s rare for a footballer to be held in such high esteem after spending a little over a year at a club. Richard Gough is one of those footballers.

A commanding, ‘footballing’ central defender, Richard joined us from Dundee United in August, 1986 and departed for Glasgow Rangers in October, 1987.

He made 65 appearances in those 14 months and played 55 of our 57 matches in a memorable 1986-87 campaign where his 25 clean sheets alongside Gary Mabbutt provided the base for a campaign lit up with sparkling football - 109 goals in all competitions - but a season that was 'so near, so far' as we finished third in the old Division One, FA Cup runners-up and League Cup semi-finalists. Such was his influence, Richard was named captain by manager David Pleat in January, 1987.

Return to the Lane...

If ‘Goughie’ had any doubts as to his standing at Spurs, they were dispelled when he returned to White Hart Lane in August, 1999, then aged 37, as part of Walter Smith’s Everton squad.

Speaking to us from his base in San Diego during our US Tour, Richard, now 56, explained: “I did wonder what sort of reception I would get because I was captain of the club and although I had made Tottenham a lot of money (in terms of his transfer fee), I had left.

“The fans were great, good as gold. They gave me a terrific reception and I can remember playing well that season, so I’m glad they saw me still being able to perform well.

“I hold Tottenham very close to my heart and always look for their results. I have great respect for the club.”

86-87...

Clive Allen's 49 goals - still a Club record haul for a season - spearheaded the team to the brink of glory, but it wasn't to be.

Everything sparked in November, when David Pleat introduced a five-man midfield supporting Clive as a lone striker. From there, we won 13 of 22 matches to climb into the league's top three and continued progressing in both domestic cups.

Richard was happy to recall a season he describes as playing ‘the best football of my career’.

“My league debut was against Aston Villa, away from home, Clive Allen must have touched the ball four times and scored a hat-trick!” he said.

“That was a sign of things to come. Clive went on to score 49 goals. He was incredible. I still say to this day, I played with some good strikers but, as just an out and out finisher, he was the best, the best I’d seen.

“We started the season relatively well... and then I remember we went to play Oxford United away.

“It was November ’86. The manager brought Ossie Ardiles into the midfield, Tony Galvin was playing, Paul Allen, (Glenn) Hoddle, (Chris) Waddle, the four of us at the back and just Clive (Allen) up front.

“We were all wondering ‘how’s this going to work?’ but it was a genius of an idea.

“It just clicked for us. Other teams didn’t really know what to do and that was part of the magic for why it worked so well. Teams had four at the back marking Clive Allen and he still scored for fun. I think Glenn must have made about 40 of those goals!

“It was a wonderful season. I tell people, that season - and I played in a few good teams - was the best football I played in my career. We finished third, we got to the semi-finals of the League Cup, reached the FA Cup Final. It was a magnificent season without actually winning anything!”

Mabbsy...

Richard formed a formidable partnership with fellow centre-back Gary Mabbutt that season.

‘Mabbsy’ took over the captain’s armband in October, 1987 and wore it until his retirement in May, 1998.

“Gary was outstanding... his leap! He wasn’t the biggest centre-back but in the air he was unbelievable. We just gelled, we really gelled. It was just one of those partnerships,” said Richard.

“I don’t think we passed the ball more than 10 yards, which was unbelievable. I know the game has changed now and centre-backs now pass (a lot more) but Gary and I could use the ball, so we just used to get it and pass it.

“When I went to Rangers, I played with Terry Butcher, who was a fantastic player and a warrior. Mabbsy was a more clinical defender, a bit like myself. Okay, maybe I also had a wee bit of warrior about me as well but he was a clever, clever defender, Gary.”

Mabbsy echoed Richard’s views. “I had my best partnership with Goughie, we were both footballing centre-halves and played out from the back. We hit it off immediately.

“We played some incredible football. We had the five-man midfield, Clive Allen up front on his own and were tearing teams apart playing free-flowing, attacking football. We created so many chances.”

San Diego, and Spurs today...

Richard ended his playing career in the MLS and has been in the sunshine State of California for the last 20 years. “I was always meaning to come back to the UK, but maybe the sun got in the way,” he smiled, but he will be back at some stage to visit our new stadium.

“I’m looking forward to to that,” he added. “I was going to come over when you had the (White Hart Lane) Finale but I just thought with having the one year and then leaving, it wasn’t right for me to be part of that.

“I always remember walking around the lounges and seeing all the international players on the wall (the international Roll of Honour at the Lane) and I was so happy to see my name on there from when I played for Scotland as a Tottenham player. I love that tradition. I’ve only happy memories of Spurs.

“I’m so glad to see that the club’s got a solid base now and a really good manager. I spoke to Walter Smith the other day, he had been down to a Premier League Managers Association event and he had met Mauricio Pochettino and he was so impressed with him.”