16
TOTTENHAMHOTSPUR.COM
eighth goal of the tour (including our stop-off in
Athens) in our 3-0 victory on May 25. Robertson’s
impressive form in the Mediterranean also
continued, as he netted twice in a match that
saw 19-year-old John Pratt make his debut for
us as a second-half substitute for Jones.
Pearce also got his first taste of senior action
on the tour, playing in three of our four matches
in Cyprus. His competitive debut followed on
the opening day of the 1968-69 First Division
season against Arsenal at White Hart Lane.
The winger was part of an 18-man squad that
travelled to Greece and Cyprus in May 1968
with our full playing list reading:
Pat Jennings, Joe Kinnear, Tony Want, Peter
Collins, Mike England, Phil Beal, Alan Mullery,
Dennis Bond, Terry Venables, Dave Mackay,Jimmy Robertson, Jimmy Pearce, Alan Gilzean,
Cliff Jones, John Pratt, Neil Johnson, Martin
Chivers, Jimmy Greaves.
In addition to the players mentioned, our
touring party also consisted of vice-chairman
Sidney Wale and directors Charles Cox and
Arthur Richardson. In the absence of Bill
Nicholson, Eddie Baily was acting manager
for the tour and was assisted by trainer Cecil
Poynton. Of the players mentioned above,
Mullery, Chivers and Knowles all returned home
after the Panathinaikos match as they were
included in England’s squad for an international
friendly against Sweden here at Wembley
Stadium on May 22. Greaves also left Cyprus
after our second match there due to the illness
of one of his children.After our 3-0 over APOEL at the end of our
Cypriot tour in 1968, it was almost 40 years until
we faced opponents from the Mediterranean
island again. On September 9, 2007, we hosted
Anorthosis Famagusta in the UEFA Cup firstTottenham Tales
“Goals from Younes Kaboul,
Michael Dawson, Robbie Keane
and Darren Bent had put us
four up by the break”
Paul Stalteri in UEFA Cup action against
Anorthosis Famagusta in 2007Jimmy Pearce...on target against APOEL in 1968