🏟 Greatest Game: Crouch sends Spurs to their first Champions League | OneFootball

May 5, 2010 has gone down in Tottenham history as one of the most significant dates in its history.

A sweeping statement perhaps, but you could very well say that without a win in this game, Spurs would not be where they are 10 years later.

The game in question is Tottenham’s historic 1-0 win away at Manchester City.

A win that took the north London club into the Premier League’s top four for the first ever time, and saw them qualify for the European Cup for the first time since 1961.

It seems almost quaint now, but there was a long stretch of time – five season in fact – where the Premier League had a Big Four, and that was that.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal were consistent qualifiers for Europe’s grandest competition and there seemed no way to breach their Champions League citadel.

But Liverpool’s terrible 2009/10 season opened the door for a new pretender and with just two games to go, it was between Spurs and City as to who would claim that priceless fourth spot.

Harry Redknapp, as he had done for most of that campaign, went with a 4-4-2 that, looking back on paper, was superb.

You had Ledley King marshalling the defence, Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale on either wing, Luka Modrić pulling the strings from midfield and England’s strike partnership of Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch up front.

And it was the latter who would be the hero of the day, as Crouch headed home a late, late winner to send Tottenham into raptures.

And speaking to FourFourTwo magazine eight years later, Crouch reflected on that magnificent night: “It had been a long time since Spurs had played in the European Cup, and that was the goal that got us back there.

“We’d had a brilliant season and deserved to get there as well.

“It was a great performance and, if I was being honest, that moment – scoring the goal and running behind to celebrate – was probably the best feeling I’ve ever had on a football pitch, seeing all the players celebrating and the fans’ faces.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen an away end erupt like that one did, and knowing my goal had done it was a really special feeling.”