Local Hero

Looking back on players spotted by Spurs playing locally in schools’ football – and who went on to play in our first team. John Fennelly details the career of Wally Alsford.

- John Fennelly

Wally Alsford made his Spurs debut against today’s visitors Chelsea in a London FA Charity Cup tie in October 1930. The game was played at Stamford Bridge where we won 2-1 as we headed to the final where we lost by the same score to Arsenal at White Hart Lane.

We were in the Second Division at the time and half-back Alsford had just celebrated his 19th birthday when the Christmas demands of playing three games in three days gave him the opportunity to step up for his first outing in league football.

Percy Smith’s side started that sequence with a 3-1 home defeat by Southampton at the Lane on Christmas Day watched by 36,652 – our biggest home crowd of the season. We then followed the Saints back to the Dell on Boxing Day where we won 3-0.

Les Howe made his Spurs debut there as our squad strength was tested and it was Wally’s turn when we traveled to Reading the next day and won 2-1 against a side heading for relegation. We finished third in the league at the end of that season but won promotion in 1933.

Back in the top flight for that 1933/34 campaign, we beat Chelsea home and away on our way to a third-place finish. But we went down again the following season as Alsford worked hard to establish himself in an inconsistent side.

Born locally, Wally had shown great potential in schools’ football, representing Edmonton and London Boys and signing for us as an amateur at the age of 17 in May 1929.