{"id":10428,"date":"2021-12-19T15:30:53","date_gmt":"2021-12-19T15:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/?page_id=10428"},"modified":"2022-02-21T23:01:02","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T23:01:02","slug":"fact_gilzean_alan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/fact_gilzean_alan\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact File – Alan GILZEAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alan GILZEAN\"\"<\/strong>
\nForward\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 1964-1974<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Full name : – Alan John Gilzean<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Born on 22nd October 1938 in Perth, Scotland.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Height :\u00a0 \u00a01.85m\u00a0 (6′ 0″)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Weight :\u00a0 \u00a078kg\u00a0 (12st\u00a0 4lbs)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While in his later life, he shunned the limelight at Tottenham, the way Alan Gilzean played football while he was at the club lit up the White Hart Lane ground.\u00a0 A deft touch with foot or head, Gilly set up and scored goals for all the partners he had during his Tottenham career.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

While he is well known for his glistening pate gliding the ball on from long-throws or set-pieces, there was much more to Alan Gilzean’s game than that.\u00a0 Just to manage that he was a possessor of an awareness of where he team-mates were, so that he could put the ball in the right place for them, but he also had a fine range of passing and he developed a fine understanding with Cyril Knowles, who played at left back, but loved to over-lap down the line to put in crosses for Gilly’s head to do the rest.<\/span><\/p>\n

His early career began in junior football in Scotland with local team Coupar Angus Juveniles before progressing to the senior side and Dundee Violet, before he was spotted and signed up by Dundee in 1956 when Alan was just 17.\u00a0\u00a0He had been chased by Hibernian and Cowdenbeath as well as Dundee at the time.\u00a0 His status was soon upgraded to professional when he returned from National Service and he went on to become a cult idol at the Dens Park club, as he would to be at White Hart Lane too.\u00a0 There were over 100 goals in 134 games as the team won the Scottish League championship in 1961-62 and were beaten Scottish Cup finalists in 1964.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was following this season and in a game where Gilzean played for a Scotland XI v an England XI that he had come to the attention of Spurs and while he had the chance to sign for Arsenal, he opted for N17 instead of N5 and a Spurs Legend was born.\u00a0 He had also turned down better terms at Sunderland and was also being courted by Torino, but he was advised against joining the Serie A side by fellow Scot Denis Law, who had a bad time in Italy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Costing just \u00a372,500, Alan was an immediate hit.\u00a0 Brought in as a replacement for England striker Bobby Smith, Gilzean’s game was different, but no less effective.\u00a0 Playing alongside Jimmy Greaves they quickly became known as “the G Men” (with the name being taken from the 1935 James Cagney film), as they terrorised defences making goals for each other as they went.\u00a0 Gilzean had changed his game from out and out goal-scorer, to a more all-round forward’s role.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the side being re-built by manager Bill Nicholson following the break-up of the Double team, the FA Cup win in 1967 against Chelsea was little reward for the team’s play and they were quickly knocked out of the European Cup-Winners Cup the following season.\u00a0 When Greaves left in 1970, Gilzean’s partner was Martin Chivers, who had been at the club two years, but had not been able to establish himself in the first team.\u00a0 Slipping in alongside Gilly, Big Chiv was paired with the ideal partner.\u00a0 The two found a new understanding, with it just as effective as the previous pairing.\u00a0 While Chivers was mostly power and strength, Gilzean was all about skill and touch.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sight of Gilzean’s raised arm in celebration of a goal became a welcome and regular occurrence.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a new era of success and the League Cup twice came back to White Hart Lane, along with the UEFA Cup in 1972 although Spurs were beaten to the trophy in the 1974 final.\u00a0 In the league, the team were never consistent enough to mount a serious title challenge and that will always be the one disappointment of that side’s time together.<\/span><\/p>\n

The UEFA Cup defeat to Feyenoord, involving the crowd trouble in the second leg, dismayed Gilzean and with him probably feeling the pace of the game catching up with him, decided to call it a day, announcing he was going to retire on the club’s post-season tour of Mauritius.\u00a0 Gilly had scored Tottenham’s last league goal of the season in the team’s last league game of the season at Newcastle, played in the UEFA Cup final second leg in Rotterdam against Feyenoord (although unfortunately, Spurs lost) and fittingly, scored three goals in the last tour game in Mauritius in June.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

He went to play in South Africa for Highlands Park for three months, returning to White Hart Lane for one more game, which was his testimonial after 10 years service – a game against Red Star Belgrade, who he memorably scored a goal against in the UEFA Cup – sliding in on the wet turf to hitting the ball high into the roof of the net.\u00a0 But then there so many memorable goals the big Scot scored and many more he created.<\/span><\/p>\n

After leaving football, he managed a few haulage firms in Enfield and then took charge of the now defunct Stevenage Athletic in 1975 for a short while, but retired to Weston-Super-Mare, where he lived out of the media spotlight.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

On 3rd April 2009, Gilzean was inducted into the Dundee Hall of Fame and on 15th November 2009 into the Scottish FA Hall of Fame.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is highly unlikely that we will ever see the like of an Alan Gilzean back at Spurs (although Dimitar Berbatov came close) and when Alan Gilzean did return to the Lane on 25.11.2012, he got a great reception and seemed genuinely pleased to be back where he had great success.\u00a0 His subsequent appearances at both the Lane (working in the Legends suites) and Wembley saw him greeted with the warmth and affection that he had been afforded when he was in his playing days.\u00a0 A massive talent, much under-rated. <\/span><\/p>\n

Alan Gilzean died on 8th July 2018 in Enfield, Middlesex, England of a brain tumour, which had been diagnosed only a few weeks previously.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NICKNAME : –\u00a0 Gilly (or ‘Gillie’ in Scotland); King<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Career Record<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Club<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nSigned<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nFee<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0Debut<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nApps<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nGoals<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Coupar Angus Juniors<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n??<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a3-<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0 ???<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n1<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n??<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dundee Violet<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n1955<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a3-<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0 ???<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n1<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n??<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dundee (amateur)<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nJanuary 1956<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a3-<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0 ???<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dundee (professional)<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nAugust 1957<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a3-<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0 ???<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n190<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n169<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Aldershot<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n1959<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nLoan<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0 ???<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n0<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n0<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n18th December 1964<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a372,500<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n 19th December 1964\u00a0 v Everton<\/span> (Division 1) (home)\u00a0 drew\u00a0 2-2<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n429 (+ 10 as a sub)<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n138<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Highlands Park (South Africa)<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n1974<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a3-<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0 ??? <\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tottenham Hotspur career
\n<\/span><\/u><\/b>335 (+ 8 as a sub) League appearances; 98 goals
\n<\/b><\/u>40 FA Cup appearances; 21 goals
\n<\/b><\/u>27 (+ 1 as a sub) League Cup appearances; 6 goals
\n<\/u><\/b> 27 (+ 1 as a sub) European appearances; 13 goals<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Honours<\/strong><\/span>
\nScotland international
\n22 full caps; 12 goals<\/span><\/span>
\n3 Under-23 caps; 0 goals<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

FA Cup winner\u00a0 1966-1967\u00a0 (THFC)<\/span>
\n<\/span>League Cup winner\u00a0 1970-1971, 1972-1973\u00a0 (THFC)
\nUEFA Cup winner\u00a0 1971-1972\u00a0 (THFC)<\/span><\/span>
\nFA Charity Shield winner\u00a0 1967\u00a0 (THFC – shared with Manchester United)
\nScottish Division Champion\u00a0 \u00a01961-1962\u00a0 (Dundee)
\nScottish FA Cup runner-up\u00a0 \u00a01963-1964\u00a0 (Dundee)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AIan Gilzean and his wife Irene had a son Ian Roger in December 1969 to add to two year old Kevin John.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1970<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Alan lived with his wife Rena and sons Kevin John (3) and Ian Roger (1) in Enfield.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1974<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Alan was awarded a Testimonial on 27.11.1974 v Red Star Belgrade a White Hart Lane.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stand seats \u00a31.00 and \u00a31.50
\nGround admission – \u00a30.50 (Adults) \u00a30.25 (juveniles).<\/span><\/p>\n

On Sunday 17.11.1974, a Testimonial Banquet was held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane W1 \u2013 dinner\/dance cabaret \u00a310.00 ticket.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alan’s son Ian started his career, working through the Spurs youth system, but never made it to the first team, having been hit by injury, but he did go on to play for Dundee and then on to Ireland to play, where he started coaching and managing, returning to Scotland to manage there too.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What they said about Alan Gilzean<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gordon Banks (England and Stoke City goalkeeper) …\u00a0 23.10.1971 (THFC programme).<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>Gordon Banks said in an article entitled \u201cThe Forward I Fear Most\u201d \u2026 \u201cGilzean is superb in the air, and extremely strong for someone of his build. He’s one of those cunning lads, who can always be relied on to find good positions. Even when he’s not scoring himself, he lays on chances for others with those deft flicks of his.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What Alan Gilzean said about\u00a0 …
\n<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
…\u00a0 to team-mates on winning a particular match .<\/span>..\u00a0 (“In Search of Alan Gilzean”)<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>You’d better win this one lads.\u00a0 I need the bonus.\u00a0 I’ve got a wife, two kids and a budgie to keep.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
…\u00a0 being inducted into the Scottish Football Association Hall of Fame\u00a0 …\u00a0 16.12.2009 (THFC Programme)<\/span><\/p>\n

“To join such legendary figures like Dave Mackay, Denis Law, Jock Stein and John White in the Hall of Fame is an honour I never in my wildest dreams thought would come to me.\u00a0 I learned my trade in a very good Dundee side and followed that with wonderful years at Tottenham Hotspur.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
..\u00a0 …\u00a0 .. (-)<\/span><\/p>\n

“.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Appearances<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Season<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\nLeague<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\nFA Cup<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\nLeague Cup<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\nEuropean Cup-Winners’ Cup<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\nUEFA Cup<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1964 – 1965<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n20 (11 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n4 (5 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1965 – 1966<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n40 (12 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n3 (3 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1966 – 1967<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n40 (17 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n8 (4 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n1 (0 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1967 – 1968<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n32 + 2 as a sub (8 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n5 (0 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n4 (2 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1968 – 1969<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n37 (7 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n4 (0 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n6 (0 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1969 – 1970<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n34 + 2 as a sub (10 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n4 (0 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1970 – 1971<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n38 (9 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n3 (4 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n7 (4 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1971 – 1972<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n38 (11 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n5 (4 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n4 (0 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n11 (6 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1972 – 1973<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n35 (5 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n3 (1 goal)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n8 + 1 as a sub (2 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n–<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n9 (3 goals)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other articles on Alan Gilzean<\/span><\/span> …<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nBy –<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nBooks on Alan Gilzean<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“In Search of Alan Gilzean” by James Morgan\u00a0 (Backpage publishers)\u00a0 \u00a39.99\u00a0 [ISBN : 9781909430266]\u00a0 \u00a0Printed 2010 – updated version 2019<\/span><\/p>\n

“The King of White Hart Lane – The Authorised Biography of Alan Gilzean” by Mike Donovan\u00a0 (Pitch Publishing)\u00a0 \u00a314.91\u00a0 [ISBN : 978-1785315510]\u00a0 Printed 2019<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alan GILZEAN Forward\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 1964-1974   Full name : – Alan John Gilzean Born on 22nd October 1938 in Perth, Scotland. Height :\u00a0 \u00a01.85m\u00a0 (6′ 0″) Weight :\u00a0 \u00a078kg\u00a0 (12st\u00a0 4lbs)   While in his later life, he shunned the limelight at Tottenham, the way Alan Gilzean played football […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-fullwidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10428","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10428"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11118,"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10428\/revisions\/11118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mehstg.co.uk\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}