Arsenal and Tottenham are the biggest of rivals, with both fan bases constantly throwing banter and hatred at each other since the beginning of their rivalry. The fact that a player can end up playing for both clubs and yet be considered as a legend for Arsenal and Tottenham is a testament to the excellence of that player.
The above mentioned player is none other than Pat Jennings, who is considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers to have come from Northern Ireland.
Let us have a look at his legendary football career, and how he conquered the hearts of both Spurs and Arsenal fans.
Before Tottenham
Pat Jennings initially played football for a local under-18 side in Newry at the age of 11, but his concentration shifted to Gaelic football ( Irish based) till age 16. It was after this period that he returned to playing football with his hometown side Newry Town.
His impressive display at Newry resulted in a transfer to English Third Division side Watford in May 1963. Jennings had a commendable debut season at the English club, playing every league game and even making two international appearances that season.
The Irishman continued his rise as a goalkeeper, which eventually led to his signing by Tottenham Hotspur for £27,000 in June 1964.
Tottenham's greatest goalkeeper
Jennings had a legendary stint at Tottenham, which saw him spend 13 years at White Hart Lane and make a total of 591 appearances in all competitions. He enjoyed silverware success as well with Spurs, having won the FA Cup in 1967, the League Cup twice in 1971 and 1973, and the UEFA Cup in 1972.
The Irishman has shockingly scored a goal as well for Spurs, that too from open play. The incident took place in the 1967 Charity Shield, as he kicked the ball from his own area and Manchester United goalie Alex Stepney ended up conceding the goal.
1973 was a special year for Jennings in terms of individual success, as in 1973 the Football Writers' Association named him as its footballer of the year. Just three years later, he won PFA's version of the same award. Thus he became the first goalkeeper to receive this accolade, and to this date remains only one of two alongside Peter Shilton.
An Arsenal legend
It was on the 6th August of 1977 that Spurs made the decision to sell Jennings to arch rivals Arsenal. Tottenham were of the belief that Jennings was towards the end of his career, thus facilitating the controversial move.
The decision turned out to be a blunder by Spurs, as Jennings established himself as Arsenal's top goalkeeper for the next 7 years. He helped the club reach 3 successive FA Cup finals ( 1978, 1979, and 1980), although they only managed to win the cup during the 79-80 campaign. That victory was quite memorable as well, which saw Arsenal beat rivals Manchester United 3-2 to lift the title.
Jennings made a total of 327 appearances for the Gunners between 1977 and 1985. On 26th February 1983, he became the first player in English football to make 1000 senior appearances, celebrating the milestone with a clean sheet in a draw against West Bromwich Albion.
The Irish goalie made his final Arsenal appearance against Sheffield Wednesday on 5th November 1984. He was eventually replaced by John Lukic as the first choice keeper. Arsenal paid tribute to their legendary goalkeeper with a farewell match that was played against his former club Tottenham on 8th May 1985 at Highbury.
After his retirement, Jennings surprisingly returned to Tottenham to play in the reserve side. This was done to maintain his fitness for Northern Ireland's 1986 World Cup campaign.
His final appearance for Tottenham was in the Football League Super Cup against Liverpool in January 1986. He was also a part of Everton on a temporary contract, having been signed as goalkeeping cover for the 1986 FA Cup Final against Liverpool. This was due to Everton goalie Neville Southall having been injured playing for Wales.
That was officially the end of his football career, as one of England's finest goalkeepers called it a time on an illustrious career.
Also Read |
