1994–95 Tottenham Hotspur F.C. season
Encyclopedia
During the 1994–95 English football season, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. competed in the FA Premier League
challenged his club's sanctions in court. The fine was later increased to £1.5 million, but the points deduction and FA Cup ban were eventually revoked.
On the field, the new ultra-attacking style of football was not bringing as much success as Ardiles might have liked, and in November he paid for these shortcomings with his job, following a 3-0 defeat in the League Cup
to Notts County. QPR
manager Gerry Francis
was named as his successor, and guided Spurs to seventh in the final table - their highest finish for five years. He also took them to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where their Wembley
dream was crushed by Everton
, who ran out 4-1 winners.
The close season saw 30-goal striker and FWA Player of the Year Jürgen Klinsmann
return to his homeland in a £1.5million move to Bayern Munich, and in came Chris Armstrong
from Crystal Palace
as his replacement. At a club record fee of £4.5million, 24-year-old Armstrong was slammed as a "waste of money" by many supporters, who were sceptical of such a large sum of money being spent on a player who had scored just nine league goals (although his tally for 1994-95 reached 19 thanks to Palace's cup exploits), seen his old club relegated and failed a drugs test.
Gheorghe Popescu
and Nick Barmby
also moved on at the end of the season, leaving Francis to re-organise in midfield.
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 began the season coming to terms with the heaviest punishment ever handed out to an English club. As punishment for financial irregularities committed under the club's previous owners during the 1980s, they were fined £600 000, deducted 12 league points and banned from the 1994-95 FA Cup. Manager Ossie Ardiles reacted defiantly by adopting an impressive new attacking formation, while chairman Alan SugarAlan 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...
challenged his club's sanctions in court. The fine was later increased to £1.5 million, but the points deduction and FA Cup ban were eventually revoked.
On the field, the new ultra-attacking style of football was not bringing as much success as Ardiles might have liked, and in November he paid for these shortcomings with his job, following a 3-0 defeat in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
to Notts County. QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
manager Gerry Francis
Gerry Francis
Gerald Charles James Francis is an English former footballer and manager, now working as First Team coach at Stoke City.-Playing career:Francis made his debut for Queens Park Rangers v Liverpool in March 1969...
was named as his successor, and guided Spurs to seventh in the final table - their highest finish for five years. He also took them to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where their Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
dream was crushed by Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, who ran out 4-1 winners.
The close season saw 30-goal striker and FWA Player of the Year 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...
return to his homeland in a £1.5million move to Bayern Munich, and in came Chris Armstrong
Chris Armstrong (footballer born 1971)
Christopher Peter "Chris" Armstrong is an English former England B international footballer who has played as a striker for Wrexham , Millwall, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Bolton Wanderers between 1989 and 2005.-Crystal Palace:After short spells with Wrexham and Millwall, Armstrong found...
from Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
as his replacement. At a club record fee of £4.5million, 24-year-old Armstrong was slammed as a "waste of money" by many supporters, who were sceptical of such a large sum of money being spent on a player who had scored just nine league goals (although his tally for 1994-95 reached 19 thanks to Palace's cup exploits), seen his old club relegated and failed a drugs test.
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...
and Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby
Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001...
also moved on at the end of the season, leaving Francis to re-organise in midfield.