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Spurs' Cult Heroes - Fans' Memories

Spurs’ Cult Heroes – Your Memories of Alan Gilzean…

Alan Gilzean is the latest player to be featured in forthcoming book Spurs’ Cult Heroes, detailing the glorious history of Tottenham Hotspur FC – by examining players who achieved legendary status amongst us fans for what they did at the club. AANP warmly invites you to leave any memories you may have of the man – favourite moments from his career, or personal meetings off the pitch. Feel free to leave your comments below. 

 

And as ever, all are most welcome to leave memories – and browse those of others – regarding some of the other players to be featured: Danny Blanchflower here, Dave Mackay here, Cliff Jones here, Martin Chivers here, Pat Jennings here, Cyril Knowles here, Glenn Hoddle here, Chris Waddle here, Ossie and Ricky here, Gary Mabbutt here, Graham Roberts here, Jimmy Greaves here, Clive Allen here, Jurgen Klinsmann here 

You can become a Facebook fan of Spurs’ Cult Heroes and AANP here, or follow on Twitter here

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24 replies on “Spurs’ Cult Heroes – Your Memories of Alan Gilzean…”

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Gilly never looked like a footballer, more like an Oxford Don. But by golly he could play. To fully appreciate how subtle he was with his head you needed to be halfway up the terraces looking down on the top of the players heads.
His partnership with Jimmy Greaves was a match made in Heaven and they were known as the “G MEN”. Probably one of the most popular Spurs players ever.

Couldn’t agree more. I think my favourite memories are of him standing on the edge of the box every time a corner was taken and just deflecting the flight of the ball, causing chaos in the penalty area ! He just seemed to get the ball to slip of the bald patch on the top of his head ! A wonderful player with great skills – not the hardest worker in the team but who cared. A joy to watch. Where is he now ?

Gilly could do things with his head that other players couldn’t do with their feet! Such was the renown of Alan Gilzean’s heading ability. Not just for ‘bulleting’ headers into the net from crosses from the likes of Cliff Jones and Jim Robertson, but for the many and varied deft flicks. Some past the keeper and many a time setting up Jimmy Greaves.
What a deadly duo.
I understand that he could also drink Jimmy under the table.

Great player and a very laid back guy I understand, nothing ever bothered Gilly too much. Very intelligent skillfull player who’s heading ability was a joy to behold, had a head like a threepenny bit, ball came off it at all weid and impossibe angles and made buckets of goals for both Greavsie and Big Chiv. Greavsie always said that along with Bobby Smith, Gilly was the player he enjoyed playing alongside most. Wonderful player and a true Tottenham ledgend.

I had the joy and privilege to see Gilzean in action in the 60’s at White Hart Lane many times during my student’s days in London. I was so impressed with his skills (particularly as a header) combining well with Jimmy Greaves,another great legend, and with the attractive and stylish game pattern of the team as a whole that I quickly became their supporter which I still am today. I am glad that ‘the old magic’ seems to be coming back after what I have seen in their recent match against Wigan. I hope they can continue with their sharp finishing and aggressive attack from a strong well organised midfield.

I loved Gilly. He and Greavsie were my Spurs Idols in my younger years. Looked so miserable most games, but the best header of a ball I have ever seen!!

I can well remember every time Gilly ran on to the pitch those hunched
shoulders and that thinning hairline more like a headmaster than a footballer. Gilzean and Greaves were a wonderful combination something I shall never forget. I have made many enquiries about Alan but nobody seems to know his exact wherebouts, it would be amazing if before the old place closes he could walk out in front of 36,000 and remind us all of what a fantastic player he was-so how about it Al.

Gilly at White Hart Lane might be arranged. He has already visited Dens Park Dundee this season and has been seen in Glasgow at the Scottish Hall of Fame dinner at which he and Steve Archibald were inducted.

Tottenham Hotspur have been told and have said that they will look into it. It only takes us – the fans – to get behind a campaign to once more see the King at White Hart Lane and it could get done.

Alan Gilzean was a wonderful footballer who played in an era when players of his kind were kicked week in, week out by thuggish mediocrities who wouldn’t last five minutes in today’s Premier League. To make matters worse, he played many of his games on truly terrible pitches. He stood out because of his amazing ability to control the ball and create chances for his striking partners. During his long tenure at the Lane he played up front alongside the great Jimmy Greaves for five years and then with Martin Chivers for a further four. Both would surely agree that Gilly was a terrific striking partner, rising on countless occasions to beat his marker in the air and flick the ball on to create a goalscoring opportunity. He was possibly the best header of a ball of his generation. Gilly – a great footballer in the finest traditions of THFC.

Great reading about Gillie.First thing i noticed was the way Spurs fans have spelled Gillie(Gilly).When Alan played for Dundee it was always “Gillie” in the papers.A “Gilly” is a gamekeeper.
I saw him from 1959 to 1964 in a Dundee team that won the Scottish title.
He was superb.A goal machine.Best headerer of a ball I have ever seen.
He still holds the record for most goals ever scored in one season.53 goals if my memory is in tact.
He once scored four goals against Rangers at Ibrox for Dundee as they won 1-5.
His family live in Carnoustie near Dundee and Ian his son was 40 just last week.
Alan is living in the area too.
A wonderful footballer and great to read the views of fellow Gillie fans.

Try putting this into Google

eh mind o gillie.

It is the unofficial fanzine of Dundee fans.

Takes it to another dimension

Gillie knew my parents from the pub (The Stag & Hounds in Bury Street I think). He turned up to watch me play in a junior schools cup match in 1970, and gave me and Mum a lift home. To this day I remember the dark blue Mark 2 Jag, with the passenger footwell littered with empty Rothmans packets. The man was a complete footballer and a complete legend at WHL. It would be fantastic to see him back again.

What a truly great player Alan Gilzean was. As everybody says what a fantastic header of the ball and if there was anybody better I haven’t heard of or seen him although Cliff Jones was no slouch in that area. One of my lasting memories at the Lane amongst all the wonderful things he could do with a ball was how he would drift out to the wing high up the pitch and the ball would be played out to him deliberately to his head and he would head the ball more accurately into the penalty area than most players could achieve with their feet.

I respect his wishes to remain anonymous these days but like everybody would love to see him again at the Lane and on the pitch where the warmth of feeling for a truly great Spurs legend would be huge.

Thanks for the memories.

A true legend and one of the greatest players I have ever seen at the Lane and thats saying something.

Gillie did not conform to most peoples ideas of a Centre Forward in fact he looked more like a Poet then a footballer,but what a footballer his deft skills awareness and unique heading ability were a pleasure to behold and in his last season or two I am told he was on short term contracts not that would have bothered him he was also that rare breed who played because he loved the game … no we will not see his like again surely.

when you see the G-men on saturday afternoon you paid,and got entertained.TOP CLASS

I loved this man along with greavsie,cyril,and all the spurs boys of the late 60`s and 70`s.

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