For those of you not old enough to remember him, Danny Blanchflower was not only the greatest Spurs captain, he was also one of the best ever players to wear the family’s white shirt. A class footballer with a great wit and very articulate.
The quotes below are Blanchflower to a tee, and still ring as true now as they did nearly 60 years ago
15. “Ideas are very funny things. They never work unless you do."
14. “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is."
13. “Everything in our favour was against us."
12. Spurs Director: “The trouble with you is that you think you know all the answers."
Blanchflower: “Ah, God love you, you don’t even know the questions."
11. “If we don’t know what we’re going to do, how can the other side?"
10. “We aim to equalise before the other team score. We should get our retaliation in first."
9. Interviewer: “Well Danny, what is the secret to the Spurs winning every match so far this season?"
Danny: “Most probably because in each match we have scored more goals than our opponents."
8. “He is a self-made man who worships his creator."
7. “Football is a simple game made complicated by people who should know better."
6. Duchess of Kent (at 1961 FA Cup Final): “Why do the other team have their names on their tracksuits and yours’ don’t?"
Blanchflower: “Ah well, ma’am, you see we all know each other."
5. “Hoddle? No, it’s the bad players who are a luxury."
4. “Whether you’re a player, manager, trainer, director, supporter, reporter, kit man or tea lady, football possesses the power to make the week ahead sparkle with a sense of joyous well-being."
3. A young Nobby Stiles: “Blanchflower, you’re finished!"
Blanchflower: “Excuse me son, I haven’t read the programme yet. What’s your name?"
2. “We’ve got a good side here. We will win the double this season (a successful prediction in 1960)."
1. “The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom."
Great Blanchflower Quotes
posted on 30/3/18
Morespurs, until we actually achieve something and win a few trophies, you can't really say that mate. Yes, it's an excellent Spurs side and certainly the best in my life time as I have only known Spurs since the start of the prem era, but we haven't achieved f*** all at the moment. The more longer we go without winning anything, the more we are going to be labelled "The best side that won nothing " ... let's get a few trophies inthebbag before saying this current Spurs side is better than the 60s team
posted on 30/3/18
comment by morespurs (U15748)
posted 1 hour, 36 minutes ago
Personally, I have watched Hoddle, Waddle, Klinsmann, of course Bale and the current squad.
We always had classy individuals, but never a class side.
This current squad is the best imo, Spurs side ever.
No disrespect to the title winning side, but for Spurs to be statistically the best side in the PL for the last few seasons, in the current climate of clubs buying glory, it says something very proud!
COYS
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I don't think the money thing is applicable. You still have to find a way of being better than anyone else in your era. I think Spurs were the first side to use the "push and run" style under Arthur Rowe so it's about being pioneers. Doing everything better than the opposition. Money helps but you can only put 11 men out there. That team of the early 60s were considered one of the best in the world. The current crop can't say that yet.
posted on 30/3/18
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 30/3/18
Fantastic article GG. Great read.
MoreSpurs I'm surprised at your implied age! Thought you were late teens early 20s.
posted on 30/3/18
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 30/3/18
Is this the guy who once refused to go on stage for the famous "This is your life show" in the 1960's?
posted on 30/3/18
comment by Globaled (U7198)
posted 31 minutes ago
Is this the guy who once refused to go on stage for the famous "This is your life show" in the 1960's?
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Yes, he turned and literally ran away from Eamon Andrews📕
posted on 31/3/18
You missed his famous one "if a player isn't interfering with play, what's he doing on the pitch" . Was later repeated by Cloughie and many attributed it to him.
Passed over for manager in favour of Terry Neil !!! WTF was that all about ?
posted on 31/3/18
Great article Genius. Danny Blanchflower one of my favourite ever players. A true gentleman. Always remember Danny leading the team out, for my first match in 1959, against Blackpool. I was stood in the corner of Park Lane with the old fella, next to the Old West Stand, you will remember the players used to come onto the pitch in the right hand corner of the West Stand back in the day, before they moved it to the centre of the stand. My eyes lit up when I say Danny so close up for the very first time, followed by Bill Brown.
I have a lovely paperback book written by him, which I have had for half a century now, called the `Double and Before`. Fascinating read on life at WHL in the 1950s, as the Double Team was gradually being assembled.
posted on 31/3/18
comment by morespurs (U15748)
posted 13 hours, 57 minutes ago
Personally, I have watched Hoddle, Waddle, Klinsmann, of course Bale and the current squad.
We always had classy individuals, but never a class side.
This current squad is the best imo, Spurs side ever.
No disrespect to the title winning side, but for Spurs to be statistically the best side in the PL for the last few seasons, in the current climate of clubs buying glory, it says something very proud!
COYS
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I like the current side/squad Morespurs, and I myself think this is the best side Spurs have had since the Double side, the late 70s early 80s side was a good cup side, but not a very consistent league team, although they did go close for one season in the mid 80s to winning the title.
But the Double side is hands down the best ever Spurs side, I knew it at the time, I would never see a team at WHL, as good again, and I haven`t, and I doubt I ever will. In truth, even the Double side underachieved, they should have won more than one title, 1959/1960 they should certainly have won the title, but for losing two crucial home games over the Easter period, and in 1961/62, they were perhaps hampered by chasing to many trophies, in the end the won just the FA Cup, and bowed out in the semi-final of the European Cup, and finished 3rd in the league. The subsequent years the team started to break up, Danny retiring, Dave Mackay breaking his leg twice, and the tragic death of John White, and finally Maurice Norman ending his career with a leg break. It seemed everything conspired to go wrong after the early to mid 1960s.
A lot of records that Spurs 60/61 team are still standing, and may never be broken.
11 straight wins to start a season
31 wins in a season
115 goals scored in the league (not been bettered since)
16 away wins
Until the modern day team starts winning trophies, it cannot even be in any way be considered on the same level of the 61 side.