1993–94 Tottenham Hotspur F.C. season
Encyclopedia
During the 1993–94 English football season, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. competed in the FA Premier League
, former player Ossie Ardiles returned to the club as manager. He quickly set about bringing the glory days back to White Hart Lane
by creating a new style of attacking football which regularly featured up to five players in the forward positions. Striker Teddy Sheringham
was prolific once again, scoring 14 goals despite being restricted to just 19 league games due to injuries.
But the new regime failed to deliver, and Tottenham finished 15th in the final table. This dismal showing was hardly helped by Sheringham's injury problems, but the rest of the side failed to come close to Sheringham when it came to scoring goals. Defeats were all too frequent, with a seven-match losing run in mid-season being the longest succession of defeats endured by any Premier League team during the season.
This was soon to be the least of Tottenham's worries, as the Football Association
announced that they were investigating financial irregularities which had occurred at the club during the 1980s under the chairmanship of Irving Scholar
. The hammer blow was delivered when Tottenham were found guilty on all the charges and received the heaviest punishment ever imposed on an English club; they were fined £600,000 as well as having 12 league points deducted for the 1994-95 season and being banned from that season's FA Cup. Chairman Alan Sugar
quickly appealed against the ruling, backing up his argument with the fact that the people responsible were no longer at the club.
A defiant Ardiles, fearful that the 12-point deduction might end up costing them their Premiership status, made a momentous transfer swoop for German
striker Jürgen Klinsmann
and Romania
n midfielders Ilie Dumitrescu
and Gheorghe Popescu
.
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
Season summary
Tottenham Hotspur were full of excitement in the close season when, after the controversial dismissal of chief executive and former manager Terry VenablesTerry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
, former player Ossie Ardiles returned to the club as manager. He quickly set about bringing the glory days back to White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
by creating a new style of attacking football which regularly featured up to five players in the forward positions. Striker Teddy Sheringham
Teddy Sheringham
Edward Paul "Teddy" Sheringham MBE is a retired English footballer, and the father of footballer Charlie Sheringham. Sheringham played as a striker, and had a successful career at the club level, winning almost every domestic honour available with his clubs, most notably the Treble with Manchester...
was prolific once again, scoring 14 goals despite being restricted to just 19 league games due to injuries.
But the new regime failed to deliver, and Tottenham finished 15th in the final table. This dismal showing was hardly helped by Sheringham's injury problems, but the rest of the side failed to come close to Sheringham when it came to scoring goals. Defeats were all too frequent, with a seven-match losing run in mid-season being the longest succession of defeats endured by any Premier League team during the season.
This was soon to be the least of Tottenham's worries, as the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
announced that they were investigating financial irregularities which had occurred at the club during the 1980s under the chairmanship of Irving Scholar
Irving Scholar
Irving Alan Scholar is a property tycoon and former investor in football clubs, most noted for his time as chairman of Tottenham Hotspur and as a director of Nottingham Forest.-Tottenham Hotspur:...
. The hammer blow was delivered when Tottenham were found guilty on all the charges and received the heaviest punishment ever imposed on an English club; they were fined £600,000 as well as having 12 league points deducted for the 1994-95 season and being banned from that season's FA Cup. Chairman Alan Sugar
Alan Sugar
Alan Michael Sugar, Baron Sugar is a British entrepreneur, media personality and political advisor. From humble origins in the East End of London, Sugar now has an estimated fortune of £770m , and was ranked 89th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2011...
quickly appealed against the ruling, backing up his argument with the fact that the people responsible were no longer at the club.
A defiant Ardiles, fearful that the 12-point deduction might end up costing them their Premiership status, made a momentous transfer swoop for German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
striker Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n midfielders Ilie Dumitrescu
Ilie Dumitrescu
Ilie Dumitrescu is a former Romanian football player and current coach, he last managed Steaua Bucureşti. A tricky forward, he shot to fame when his frontline partnership with Gheorghe Hagi and Florin Răducioiu led the Romania national football team to the 1994 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal,...
and Gheorghe Popescu
Gheorghe Popescu
Gheorghe Gică Popescu is a former Romanian footballer who played as a defender, and was a key part of the Romania national team in the 1990s. He played for a string of European clubs in an illustrious career that saw him amass many honours...
.