Tottenham Hotspur Football Club holds a respected position in English soccer, celebrated for its committed supporters of the blue-collar area of North London.
Tottenham Hotspur has garnered a commendable total of 28 major honors and trophies in its history of the men’s first team, marking successes in domestic and European soccer.
This is from trophies won from each of these competitions:
- 2 First Division/Premier League Titles
- 2 Second Divison/Championship Titles
- 8 FA Cups
- 4 Football League Cups
- 7 FA Community/Charity Shields
- 1 Sheriff of London Charity Shield
- 2 UEFA Europa League Cups
- 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup
- 1 Anglo-Italian League Cup
But the Spurs have also had 17 honors coming from other historical competitive events, which included:
- 1 Southern League Cup
- 1 Western League Cup
- 1 London League Premier Division Champions
- 1 Football League South ‘C’ Division Champions
- 3 Southern Professional Charity Cups
- 2 Sheriff of London Charity Shields
- 8 London Challenge Cups
All in all, Tottenham has been awarded 45 honors or trophies in competitive soccer since 1899. Plenty more have also come from friendly tournaments, but I’m not including them here.
In this article, let’s venture further into the trophy history of Tottenham Hotspur’s major tournament victories and how they contribute to the club’s status in English soccer.
Domestic Cups
The Lilywhites have had a commendable number of competitive awards on English soil; let’s take a closer look at each victory.
First Division Premier League Titles
Tottenham Hotspur’s journey in the First Division/Premier League has been marked by two triumphs many years ago:
- 1950/51
- 1960/61
Spurs’ first step into the premier spotlight came in the 1950-51 season, remarkably after being newly promoted from the Second Divison the previous year.
They beat second-place Manchester United by just four points and catapulted the club into the big picture as an English club to take notice of.
In no small part, this success was thanks to the introduction of manager Arthur Rowe in 1949 as he led them through promotion and the First Division title.
A decade later, successes returned to White Hart Lane in the 1960-61 season, where the club achieved the ‘Double’ to win the First Divison title and FA Cup in the same season
The 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday secured an even more comfortable eight-point lead over The Owls to claim the title.
This time around, the Spurs fans had manager Bill Nicholson to thank and praise for the glory years, leading the club to their greatest achievements. He also brought in several legendary British players to the club, like Dave Mackay and Jimmy Greaves.
Second Division Championship Titles
Tottenham Hotspur has earned their promotion back to the First Division on two occasions, grabbing the Second Division title with it.
These are the years that the club won this competition:
- 1919/20
- 1949/50
The 1919/20 season displayed Tottenham’s necessary status in the top-tier English league, as they dominated the Second Division at this time, netting over 100 goals and ending the season on 70 points to secure promotion.
1949/50 highlighted yet another storming return to the premier First Division under Rowe’s management.
He introduced the “push-and-run” playstyle, similar to the modern tiki-taka, which advanced the squad’s abilities to dominate and end the season on 61 points with 9 points clear.
FA Cup
The FA Cup marks one of Tottenham Hotspur’s most successful competitions over the years, as they have raised it 8 times in their history.
Those years won and teams defeated to do it include:
- 1900/01—def. Sheffield United 3-1
- 1920/21—def. Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0
- 1960/61—def. Leicester City 2-0
- 1961/62—def. Burnley 3-1
- 1966/67—def. Chelsea 2-1
- 1980/81—def. Manchester City 3-2
- 1981/82—def. Queens Park Rangers 1-0
- 1990/91—def. Nottingham Forest 2-1 after extra time
Spurs’ journey in the FA Cup began as early as the 1900/01 season when they defeated Sheffield United in a replay, lifting it for the first time at the turn of the century.
It took another 20 years for the club to win the cup again in 1920/21, followed by another 40-year hiatus until a mighty effort brought both the League and FA Cup back to North London in the 1960/61 season as they achieved the ‘Double’—the first of the 20th century.
Thankfully, fans need only wait another season to see their team secure it again with a 3-1 victory over Burnley in the 1961/62 season.
Further consecutive wins of the cup, later in the 1980/81 and 1981/82 seasons, showcased the team’s togetherness as both finals required replays to decide on the winner after a first-round draw.
With the club’s track record of success in the cup, Spurs fans are hoping to see a resurgence in the modern game which may just happen.
League Cup
Tottenham Hotspur has displayed their mettle in the League Cup, or the Carabao Cup, by seizing the trophy four times in their history.
These are the years that the club won this competition, along with the teams they defeated in the final:
- 1970/71—def. Aston Villa 2-0
- 1972/73—def. Norwich City 1-0
- 1998/99—def. Leicester City 1-0
- 2007/08—def. Chelsea 2-1
The 1970/71 victory marked Tottenham’s first triumph in the League Cup, defeating Aston Villa in the final at Wembley Stadium.
Another cup win in the ‘72/73 season kept the fanbase thriving and growing for the Londoners.
A dramatic last-minute goal from Allen Nielsen secured the cup once again in the 1998/99 season, stealing it away from the hands of Leicester City.
Tottenham’s most recent cup to date came in the 2007/08 season, as they overcame a strong Chelsea team by another late goal, this time coming from Jonathan Woodgate. Proving the strength of the club even with the odds stacked against them.
These League Cup victories are another notch of confidence for fans that Tottenham Hotspur could return to cup-winning ways in the foreseeable future.
FA Charity Shield / FA Community Shield
Tottenham Hotspur has had a respectable run in the FA Charity Shield/FA Community Shield, clinching the trophy seven times over the years.
Tottenham won the shield in these years, and here’s also who they beat for it each time:
- 1921—def. Burnley 2-0
- 1951—def. Newcastle United 2-1
- 1961—def. FA XI 3-2
- 1962—def. Ipswich Town 5-1
- 1967—shared with Manchester United after a 3-3 draw
- 1981—shared with Aston Villa after a 2-2 draw
- 1991—shared with Arsenal after a 0-0 draw
Tottenham’s 1921 FA Charity Shield win saw them defeat Burnley with a solid 2-0 score, marking an early display of the club’s early potential.
Looking ahead to 1961, Spurs’ won the Shield against the FA’s XI with a 3-2 victory at White Hart Lane. This trophy came during a victory-laden period when the club had already secured the Double in the 1960/61 season.
The following year saw Tottenham demolish Ipswich Town with a four-goal lead in 1962.
A few years later, another final for the Community Shield against Manchester United saw another huge goal tally with both teams scoring to a 3-3 draw and both teams shared the Shield.
While it has been a considerable amount of time since Spurs won the Shield, they’re still a competitive team at this pre-season tournament that helps them to dust off the cobwebs.
Sheriff of London Charity Shield
Tottenham Hotspur was also victorious in one of English soccer’s early prestigious competitions, where the leading professional and amateur clubs in England faced off in an annual match—Spurs won it once:
- 1902—def. Corinthians 5-2
The competition helped to generate funds and interest in the sport which was, at the time, mostly considered a hobby.
Spurs defeated Corinthians considerably in 1902, but the amateur side did go on to win the competition once more to win it a record 3 times before it was abolished in 1907.
The Shield has had several attempts at a revival with fundraising tournaments that could allow for top-tier English clubs to bring attention to amateur clubs that would benefit from funding.
Continental Cups
Expanding across the continent to the eyes of the prizes in Europe, Tottenham have had their share of success on foreign shores as well.
UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League Cups
Tottenham Hotspur has had its share of success in the Europa League lifting the trophy twice.
They were victorious in these years:
- 1971/72—def. Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 on aggregate
- 1983/84—def. Anderlecht on 4-3 penalties after 2-2 on aggregate
The 1971/72 victory was particularly sweet as it was also the first year of the UEFA Cup, and Spurs triumphed over Wolverhampton Wanderers with a score of 3-2 on aggregate.
It’s yet another trophy during the glory years of the club that defined them as a team to be reckoned with, not only in England but now in Europe.
Tottenham entered yet another two-legged final in the 1983/84 season, this time facing Anderlecht and after a 2-2 draw on aggregate, pushed to penalties. With grit, they pulled out the 4-3 shootout victory to lift the UEFA Cup for a second time.
The UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League has been a prolific tournament for Spurs, holding the record for the British club with the most matches played in it.
UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
Tottenham Hotspur were victorious in winning the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup once:
- 1962/63—def. Atlético Madrid 5-1
The UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup was a tournament setup to involve domestic cup winners from across Europe in one knockout competitive format, where England still leads as winning the most titles with 8.
The 1962-63 season saw Tottenham Hotspur displaying a football masterclass that culminated in a resounding victory in the finals.
A final match was held at Feijenoord Stadion in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where Spurs faced the defending champions, Atlético Madrid.
Spurs thrashed ‘Madrid with a 5-1 scoreline, adding once more to the growing trophy cabinet for Tottenham during the ’60s and ‘70s, both domestically and on the continent of Europe.
Tottenham Hotspur’s journey to the final was impressive with the ‘Battle of Britain’ against Glasgow Rangers in the first round, emerging 8-4 on aggregate.
They’d go on to have similarly massive scorelines over Slovan Bratislava (6-2) and OFK Beograd (5-2) on their road to the cup.
They had already won the FA Cup just a few months earlier and brought their squad spirit into this tournament, riding a state of vibrance and clinical finishing that secured the Winners’ Cup in the end.
Interesting Facts About Tottenham Hotspur
Delving into the illustrious history of Tottenham Hotspur reveals a trove of intriguing facts that underline the club’s legacy.
Six-Decade Trophy Streak
Tottenham Hotspur’s trophy cabinet boasts a unique distinction, with winning one major trophy in every decade between the 1950s and the 2000s.
It displays the club’s strength throughout history, likely down to the commitment of fans across North London supporting their players through several generations to greatness.
It’s a record that is shared with only one other club, Manchester United.
Third Time’s a Charm in FA Cup Dominance
With 8 FA Cups, Tottenham Hotspur stands as the third most successful club in the competition’s history, behind Arsenal and Manchester United.
This achievement comes alongside 9 appearances in FA Cup finals since 1901. Many of their journeys to these finals are full of iconic moments that are etched in the folklore of English soccer.
Pioneering Victory in Europe
Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-1 win over Atlético Madrid in the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963 wasn’t just a significant moment of glory but a pioneering one as they were the first English club to win a UEFA European competition.
It was an accomplishment helped by Terry Dyson’s 40-yard goal which blasted the Tottenham Hotspur club into the minds of an entire generation of soccer fans across Europe for the first time.
Not only that, but Spurs were also the first club to win the UEFA Cup (now named Europa League) in 1972, further adding to their European successes.
