THIS IS YOUR LIFE DANNY BLANCHFLOWER, "OH NO IT ISN'T!"

In 1954 Danny Blanchflower was playing for Aston Villa (148 games) but he was the type of person who trod on toes. he upset the management over team tactics and couldn't understand why a ball was not used more in practice, so he was put up for sale.

My source mentioned two "struggling" clubs who showed an interest in Danny and they were Arsenal and Spurs! The 28 year old Northern Ireland international (56 caps) was bid for and Spurs manager Arthur Rowe bid highest buying him for £30,000, doubling the amount Villa paid Barnsley FC (68 games) for him.

In 1956 a new manager at Tottenham, Jimmy Anderson, did not appreciate Blanchflower's interference on pitch when the Irishman tinkered with positions and tactics in a cup semi-final lost to Manchester City in 1956. When a new manager arrived at White Hart Lane in 1958, Bill Nicholson, who eventually saw the value of Danny, reinstated him as captain and at 32, he enjoyed an "Indian Summer".

By 1961 Spurs had won the "Double" with Blanchflower playing as a half back, marshalling his troops. They won the first 11 matches of the season and beat leicester City in the Cup Final. The following year they won the FA Cup again, beating Burnley FC and reached the semi-final of the European Cup and then continued success, reaching 3rd, 2nd and 4th in consecutive league campaigns. In 1962-3, he captained Spurs to the first European victory by and English club, when they won the European Cup Winners' Cup beating Athletico Madrid.
He played over 355 times for Spurs and moved on in 1964.

He hoped to take over as manager at Spurs but was overlooked for Terry Neil and then led Northern Ireland briefly and then Chelsea albiet even more briefly, finishing up in 1979.

He was targetted in 1961 for the "surprise TV show", "This is Your Life", a programme which does what the title says, hosted by fellow Irishman, Eamon Andrews. Blanchflower became the first person to refuse by saying "Oh no it isn't", just before the programme went on air.

He also worked in various TV and press jobs and for CBS TV in America in the mid 1960s when he upset audiences by rubbishing the quality of soccer. He said "The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".

There was a testimonial for him at White Hart Lane in 1990 by which time he was suffering from Alzheimer's and he died of pneumonia in 1993, aged 67.

Name other Spurs' players on show at the old Wembley!