2,055 – a new Q&A with Perryman, Mabbutt and Jennings

Three giants of Tottenham Hotspur. 10 questions.

Welcome to a special Q&A with Steve Perryman, Gary Mabbutt and Pat Jennings, all-time Spurs greats and our top three appearance makers with 854, 611 and 590 matches respectively, a grand total of 2,055.

Over the course of the 10-part series we’ll talk about the day they signed, walking into the dressing room as youngsters, biggest influences and magic moments over their collective span of 34 years at the Club we all love – 1964-1998. What game would they love to play again? What made them proudest? Over 20 years since the last of the trio retired from playing – Mabbsy in 1998 - what does Spurs mean to them?

These are our heroes, legends whose names are and will be forever indelibly linked with Tottenham Hotspur.

2,055 - part one

What do you remember about the day you signed for Spurs?

Steve Perryman

Signed as an apprentice in 1967, professional in 1969

“When I first signed for Spurs it was just having left school at 15. I came to prominence in that season, my Under-15 season, I’d showed myself because I’d played for Ealing Schoolboys and Tottenham were the first club to knock at the door. They wanted me to sign a schoolboy form and, in many ways, it would have been a lot easier if I’d signed that form. By not signing, I left myself open to look at other options and, to be honest, I’m from west London and of course I knew about Bill Nicholson and the great Spurs team, the 60/16 team, the glamour of the Club, but it was about travel time and all this other stuff. Spurs were also known to buy their players rather than produce them, so, lots to think about. I went from Ealing, to Middlesex to London to England, lots of clubs were seeing me play and I had offers from 30-plus in the end. That clouded the issue and the fact I ended up signing for the first club that knocked on the door suggested I should have signed that schoolboy form! So to sign, relief, of course pride, when the great Bill Nicholson is coming to your house, and the chief scout, Charlie Faulkner, they treated my family really well, taking them to watch me in representative games - they even got my mum out of the house to fly to Belfast and watch me play against Northern Ireland. In a way I was relieved I repaid their faith and interest in me. I was just pleased to get it done. The biggest feeling was relief that I made the decision. Tottenham had doubts that I was going to sign with the other interest, and my only doubt about Tottenham was the two hours there and back on the train. In end, I thought ‘let’s go for it, if it’s the right place, it’s the right place’. So, relief, and pride that a club like Tottenham, and a man such as Bill Nicholson, was prepared to fight for my signature. That was great.”

Gary Mabbutt

Signed from Bristol Rovers in 1982

“I was living down in Bristol, playing for Bristol Rovers, and my biggest memory was getting a call one morning and the voice at the other end of the phone saying, ‘it’s Bill Nicholson here’. You knew all about Bill and how important he was in football. He said ‘Gary, I’ve seen you play a few times, I’ve seen you’re available, your contract is up, and I believe you have the ability to be a Spurs player - can you come and see me?’. I drove up the following morning and met Bill. I drove through those black iron gates at White Hart Lane, the West Stand had just been built, and as I drove through, I just felt that was where I had to be. I met Bill, he showed me around the stadium, he took me to the training ground, introduced me to Keith (Burkinshaw, manager) and Peter Shreeves (assistant). My main memory is that this was through Bill’s recommendation and Keith made that clear. I don’t think he knew too much about me. I remember standing there with Bill and Keith, and Keith said ‘look, we’ve a squad full of internationals, but under Bill’s recommendation, I’m very happy to give you a contract, we’ll work with you and it may take two or three years to get to the first team, but if you’re prepared to work at it, we’ll work together’. I was very happy to sign on those terms. Two weeks later, I got into the first team and stayed there for the next 16 years!”

Pat Jennings

Signed from Watford in 1964

“I didn’t sign the first time I met Bill! I got the call from Bill McGarry (manager) at Watford just to say he wanted me back for some extra training. He picked me up at the airport and asked me ‘do you know why you’re here?’ I turned out Bill was waiting for me at Vicarage Road. It wasn’t something I’d even dreamed of at that stage. I went down and met Bill. The first thing he said was ‘forget about Mr Nicholson, call me Bill’. I was on first name terms with the great man already! I actually went back home without signing. It all happened so quickly, and I wanted to have a chat with my family. I then got a letter within a week from Bill asking if I’d thought any more about signing, because otherwise he needed to make other arrangements. Within a couple of days, both Bill and Bill McGarry arrived in Belfast, I met them and more or less signed there and then - and Bill gave me a £100 signing on fee!”

Next: 2,055 - part two

"What was it like stepping into the dressing room for the first time with all those greats around you?"