On 28th April 1951, Spurs clinched the league title for the first time in their history, with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at White Hart Lane. Coincidentally, Wednesday would be the opponents in 1961 when Spurs clinched the title again.
Spurs had started the season slowly, being their first season back in the top division for 16 years, having won the Second Division title the previous season. They only won 3 out of the first 9 matches as they found their feet at this higher level – however, Arthur Rowe’s Push and Run team started to click and they then went on a run of 8 straight victories rose them rapidly towards the top of the league. A further 4 victories and 1 draw in December 1950 saw them end the year top of the league, a position they then never surrendered for the rest of the season.
However, they didn’t run away with the league with Man Utd and Blackpool always on their tails and it wasn’t until the penultimate match of the season against Sheff Weds that they secured the League Title. A single Len Duquemin goal in front of the 46,645 ecstatic White Hart Lane crowd secured the league crown, one year after winning the Second Division title. They finished 4 points ahead of Manchester United.
Spurs final league record was:
Pld 42 W 25 D10 L7 F82 A44 Points 60
The 60 points total was under 2 points for a win – would have equated to 85 points under current 3pts for a win.
