Tottenham's European adventures began in 1961 and Standard Sport has been with them all the way on that journey.
That first campaign provided one of the club’s most memorable European nights at White Hart Lane — although it ended in heartbreak.
‘Spurs lose control,’ read our headline as Bill Nicholson’s men beat Benfica 2-1 in the second leg of their European Cup semi-final but went out 4-3 on aggregate.
Standard Sport’s Bernard Joy praised Spurs’ relentless spirit but argued had they played with their head, rather than their heart, they would have knocked out the holders.
“Inexperience cost Britain’s most sophisticated and skilful team since the war a place in the final,” wrote Joy. “Spurs gave us soccer’s version of the Charge of the Light Brigade.
It was magnificent but it was not football. How I longed for somebody to put their foot on the ball, say ‘steady down’ and bring some composure to their game.”
A decade later Joy was reporting on another breathless night at White Hart Lane but this time Spurs lifted the UEFA Cup thanks to a 3-2 aggregate victory over Wolves.
Under the headline, ‘Glory, glory! Spurs are Cup Kings’ Joy described the “gripping entertainment which had fans on the edge of their seats” as Spurs drew the second leg 1-1.
Alan Mullery told the Standard he had been pushed out by the players for a one-man lap of honour. “It was terrible, I was lynched, dragged, pushed and the cup weighed a ton,” said the skipper and goalscorer.
In Pictures | White Hart Lane | 1899-2017
“Final gift from Keith” was the headline in 1984 when Keith Burkinshaw’s last game as Spurs manager ended in glory with another UEFA Cup success.
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Spurs beat Anderlecht on penalties and Burkinshaw told the Standard: “There’s a great opportunity for whoever takes over. European football is a thinking man’s game — and that has always suited us.”
