Top 4 On Friday - Famous Fightbacks

Spurs used to be more prone to throwing away leads than clawing them back but this season we have more than made up for it with a few big comebacks - sadly, the four-goal deficit to Real Madrid proved too big a task.

Here, Taxi For Maicon looks back at the occasions when we have completed the turnaround in Top 4 On Friday - Famous Fightbacks.

4. Spurs 4-4 Aston Villa, October 1, 2007

Languishing in the bottom three, Martin Jol's tenure was grinding to a halt. We'd won just one of our first seven games and despite Dimitar Berbatov putting us 1-0 up, we found ourselves trailing 4-1after an hour.

Jermain Defoe coming off the bench seemed to spark us into life and, after he hit the post, Pascal Chimbonda netted the rebound. Robbie Keane added our third from the spot and we had eight minutes remaining to save Martin Jol's job.

When Villa hesitated over an injury-time corner, Younes Kaboul slammed the ball home to equalise and spark wild celebrations. Jol held on for another few weeks before being relieved of his duties during our dismal 2-1 home loss to Getafe in the UEFA Cup.


3. Spurs 3-2 Cardiff, September 2, 1961

One of the purposes of Top 4 On Friday is to do some delving into the annals and provide a bit of info on occasions that people may not be old enough to remember, and in the process, learn a bit myself.

Anyway, speaking to my dad, a lifelong Spurs fan, he remembers being at White Hart Lane for the visit of Cardiff City the season after we had won the Double.

With all eyes on us, Spurs had made a reasonable start to the season but prior to the Cardiff game, a derby win against Arsenal was sandwiched between a home draw and an away loss to West Ham and at 2-0 down, it looked like Cardiff were going to get the better of us as well.

However, a penalty from Danny Blanchflower and goals from Bobby Smith and Cliff Jones won the game for us and set us back on track for another memorable season that almost saw us clinch the double again, had the league title not eluded us by 4 points.


2. Spurs 6-2 Southampton (aet) March 1, 1995

FA Cup replay during a tumultuous season at White Hart Lane. Southampton were two goals in front at half time and it looked like our season would be over early.

Step forward Ronnie Rosenthal to bag a brace to take the game to extra time, converting his hat-trick soon after the restart. Goals from Teddy Sheringham, Darren Anderton and Nicky Barmby hammering home
our advantage.

Hugely significant not only for the fightback on the pitch but the fact that we had six Premier League points deducted and were thrown out of the FA Cup due to financial irregularities. Chairman Alan Sugar fought to have the decision overturned and we were reinstated in the Cup.

After this result, it looked like our name might be on the trophy, we went on to beat Liverpool 2-1 in the quarter-final (another comeback), eventually losing to Everton 4-1 in the semi-final.

1. Arsenal v Spurs

Take your pick really. Two of the Top 4 could have been recent games against Arsenal. In October 2008, as well all know we were stranded at the foot of the Premier League and Harry redknapp had just arrived.

4-2 down at The Emirates with minutes remaining, Jermaine Jenas strode forward and curled a beautiful third for us and, deep into injury time, a Modric volley came back off the post for Lennon to slide home and square a game we had no right to win. If you're looking up the game highlights then keep an eye out for David Bentley's magical opening goal.

Then, of course, there was November 22, 2010. We turned Arsenal over in their own back yard after 18 years of waiting. 2-0 down at half-time, Gareth Bale set us on our way with the firston 50 minutes. Fifteen minutes later, a Rafa Van Der Vaart free-kick was transformed into a penalty by a Cesc Fabregas handball. The Dutchman converted and with five minutes left, it was his crossed free-kick that Younes Kaboul clipped past Lukasz Fabianski for the sweetest three points of recent years.