May 14 – Ricky Villa Becomes Immortal

TOTTENHAM Hotspur manager Keith Burkinshaw stunned British football when he signed Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa in 1978. Spurs had just been promoted back to Division One and Burkinshaw brought in the two Argentine World Cup stars to boost his side – they were the first high profile foreign stars to be brought to an English club.

Some claimed it would be a disaster, that they would never keep up with the pace of the English game, and even that they would not be able to adapt to the colder climate.

But the two proved all their doubters wrong and became two of the most celebrated players in Spurs’ history.

Today in 1981 Ricky Villa cemented his place in Tottenham legend when he scored the best goal ever seen in an FA Cup Final.

The first time Tottenham lined up to face final opponents Manchester City, Tommy Hutchison was both hero and villain for City when he scored for them, before also scoring an own goal, meaning the tie was level at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes.

In those days the Cup Final went to a replay and it was in that second match that Villa got his shooting boots on. He scored his first in the eighth minute before Steve MacKenzie got one back just three minutes later. A Kevin Reeves penalty followed by a Garth Crooks goal meant the teams were again level, this time at 2-2.

The Villa stepped up to the plate. He picked up a pass from Tony Galvin on the edge of the area and then weaved his way past Tony Caton, Ray Ranson then, almost humiliatingly, Caton again before sliding a shot beyond the advancing Joe Corrigan.

Tottenham had won the Cup and Villa was an instant hero, and his goal was later chosen as the best goal ever scored at Wembley. He said: “That goal immortalized me, I even received a prize for it. It was a goal in the Argentine way: cunning and imaginative.”

And he knows the place his goal has in English football, adding: “I recognise that I am a little part of the history of English football.”

His pal Ossie Ardiles says Ricky has a script when asked about the goal. “People ask the question and it’s like he’s turned a tape recorder on,” he said. “I know exactly what he’s going to say. Seriously, he only talks about it when he’s been asked and it deserves the attention. It was a wonderful, wonderful goal and I am so pleased that it has been chosen as one of the best FA Cup goals ever.”

Have a look at the goal here, and come on back tomorrow for more football history from us. Also, you may remember this happening a few years back. Apparently it was something of a shock…