St Totteringham's Day
   


A St Totteringham's Day Diary.

More Info

  • List of every St Totteringham's since the first on 22nd April 1911.
  • Old home page, including detail on 2003/4 to 2010/11
  • The story of St T's day and some acknowledgements
  • Some analysis of the history of St Totteringham's
  • home page

    Recent Seasons

  • 2024/5
  • 2023/4
  • 2022/3
  • 2020/21
  • 2019/20
  • 2018/9
  • 2017/8
  • 2016/7
  • 2015/6
  • 2014/5
  • 2013/4
  • 2012/3
  • 2011/2
  • 2010/11
  • 2009/10
  • 2008/9
  • 2007/8
  • 2006/7
  • 2005/6
  • 2004/5
  • 2003/4

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    I should probably add some.

    An RSS feed...
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    The blame
    Mostly written by Mike Pitt. You can contact me by email on mike-stt@einval.com. Nice comments only please.
    Original material © Mike Pitt 2004, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024, 2025


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    St Totteringham's Day was the day when Arsenal fans celebrate the fact that Tottenham can no longer catch Arsenal in the League. It is a movable feast, but usually falls in March, April or May. It was the day to collect on bets made by over-optimistic Spurs fans in the close season who think that "this is the year".

    See the links on the left for more information.

    Wed, 08 Mar 2017

    Unlucky on the night?

    Yes. Unlucky on the night. The Kos decision shows what happens when you make referees officiate games they aren't experienced enough for. It is also another example for the argument on video technology. (Having said that, and being brutal, Kos does have a habit of putting his arms across attackers and it does get us into trouble.)

    However three times in a row we've played Bayern. The same result every time. That means something has to change at Arsenal or Bayern if we want to win.

    So I thought I'd change the subject. My twitter picture (I'm at @sttottsday) subtly points out that we have finished above Spurs 21 years in a row, of which 19 were fully under Wenger (one was under Rioch, and the final one was pretty much Wenger as he started in October). That is an amazing record, and I thought by way of distraction I'd compare it with our other great (and not so great managers) since the first St T's back in 1911. I'm only looking at full seasons here.
    ManagerFull seasonsPossible St Totteringham's Actual St Totteringham's St T's %Comment
    George Morrell5 (1909-1914)5240%Two part seasons, one with Spurs in D2, and the other he was relegated.
    Leslie Knighton5 (1920-1925)5120%
    Herbert Chapman8 (1925-1933)33100%Other five seasons Spurs were in D2. Also died halfway through the title winning 1933-34 season.
    George Allison10 (1934-1947)11100%Other nine seasons Spurs in D2. Also no football 1939-1946.
    Tom Whittaker9 (1947-1956)6466.6%Also officially manager in 1956-7, but was ill and Jack Crayston was in effective control. No St Ts that season. If you count that his %ge falls to 57.1%. Given he died in October that season it would be harsh to do so. 2 seasons with Spurs in D2, 1948-50.
    Jack Crayston1 (1957-8)100%See comment about Tom Whittaker. Either way he scores 0!
    George Swindin4 (1958-1962)4125%
    Billy Wright4 (1962-66)400%
    Bertie Mee10 (1966-1976)10660%After 1971 St T's every season save his final one.
    Terry Neill7 (1976-1983)6466.7%Sacked halfway through 83/84. If counted improves his %ge. Also 1 season Spurs in D2.
    Don Howe1 (1984-5)100%Figures look better if his two part seasons are counted. Both had a St Ts.
    George Graham8 (1986-94)8562.5%Also no St T's in the part season he was sacked, which would lower his %ge to 55.6%
    Bruce Rioch1 (1995-6)11100%
    Arsene Wenger19 (1997-2016)1919100%Note: not counted St T's in part season 96/97, or this season.

    So what do we learn? That the Wenger era isn't unprecedented: Chapman, Allison and Whittaker put together 21 consecutive seasons above Spurs (1925/6 to 1949/50), and that is despite one of them dying halfway through one season. We also see that Arsenal have a habit of hanging on to managers, successful or not. Excepting Rioch and Crayston.

    I'll just repeat that first one, this time with emphasis: Arsenal have had long periods of dominance over our neighbours, during which we won trophies, before Wenger came along. He is without doubt our most successful individual manager, and the invincibles season is probably our finest ever, but between 1925-26 and 1949-50 we won 6 league titles (Wenger has 3) and 3 FA Cups (Wenger has 6).

    Which is more successful: 6 league titles and 3 Cups or the other way round?

    Some say the modern game is about European football. If that is the case then Graham and Mee are our best two Managers. For a club of our ambition we are dreadful in Europe.

    A final sobering thought: of our title winning managers...

    • Chapman died in the job
    • Allison stepped down after finishing 13th in 1947
    • Whittaker died in the job
    • Mee stepped down after finishing 17th in 1976
    • Graham got sacked over the bung scandals
    • Wenger is in post
    Even historically the board is not known for sacking our successful managers even when they are well after the best days. More died in post than were sacked. Admittedly the two who went may have been told to resign or get sacked, but it shows that the club cares about appearance. In public, at least, the call is Wenger's. I fear Wenger will not go, short of a relegation season so expect part 4 of the 5-1 soon.

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