Mark Falco urges Tottenham to rock Europe once again like Eighties Spurs stars | OneFootball

Tottenham’s 1984 UEFA Cup winner Mark Falco has told the current team the lows of this season will quickly be forgotten if they win a trophy.

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League after a dismal domestic campaign, which has increased the scrutiny on Ange Postecoglou, who struggled with an injury crisis throughout the winter months.

The only chance for Tottenham to salvage this campaign is Europa League success, with a quarter-final tie with Eintracht Frankfurt on the horizon for April after they produced a comeback victory to beat AZ Alkmaar earlier this month.

Falco was a key part of a Keith Burkinshaw side who went all the way in the UEFA Cup in a 1983-84 season which also provided challenges.

Tottenham eventually finished eighth in the old First Division after injuries to influential figures like Glenn Hoddle and Falco believes it can serve as a lesson for Postecoglou’s squad.

“No, you forget all the aches and pains, the testing times, that evaporates and drifts away because you have a big smile on your face and you can say you’ve done well. If they can do it this year, I would be so proud and pleased as punch,” Falco told the PA news agency.

“We’ve played some great football and we just need to get the team back together. It’s coming gradually and the injuries are being patched.

“Hopefully we can get the whole team and squad back together firing on all cylinders.”

Similarities can be drawn between the heroes of 1984 and modern-day Tottenham with both teams struggling throughout December and March of their respective seasons.

The two sides also exited the FA Cup at the start of February, but Falco recalled how it was all worth it after a successful penalty shootout win over Anderlecht in the second leg of the final at White Hart Lane clinched what has proved to be the club’s last European trophy to date.

Falco added: “It was quite a gruelling season but it all came good and to win the trophy at the end of it was a good reward for all the efforts the boys put in.

“To win the actual trophy in front of your own fans, on the last kick with a penalty save by Tony Parks, it is one you write down and say it can’t happen because it is Hollywood stuff, but to win a trophy and a European trophy at our own ground was magnificent.

“It was a great achievement for all the boys because there was nearly eight home-grown or not-big signings in the final team, so it was a quite a local and great thing for the club to put young talent in at the time.”

Sunday will give Falco the chance to return to his old stomping ground as a Spurs Legends XI face AC Milan Glorie at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Falco is excited to play at the 62,850-seater venue again after he featured against Inter Milan Legends in 2019, which serves as a good omen.

“Well, my knees are gone and my back is shot but other than that I am great,” Spurs’ 89-goal forward Falco joked.

“People know I am a lifelong Spurs fan and my family are so to put a Spurs shirt on and get out at the main stadium is unbelievable, especially at the rip old age of 64!

“We got to the (Champions League) final the last time we had a friendly against Inter Milan, so hopefully we can go one better and win this year after playing AC.”

:: Mark Falco will be playing for Spurs Legends vs. AC Milan Glorie on Sunday in aid of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. Tickets available at http://tottenhamhotspur.com/legendstickets