Highlights from a First Division match between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves at White Hart Lane, 8th November 1980.

Wolves had made an underwhelming start to the 1980-81 season. Ahead of their visit to White Hart Lane, Wolves had accumulated just 12 points from their opening 14 matches to leave John Barnwell's team in 16th position in the league. Injuries notwithstanding, Barnwell had begun the season largely reliant upon the same group of experienced players that had won the League Cup in the previous season.

Against Spurs, however, more than half of the team that had beaten Nottingham Forest in the final were absent through injury and suspension. Left-back Mick Hollifield was a debutant at White Hart Lane replacing the injured Derek Parkin, while John Humphrey replaced the suspended Geoff Palmer at right-back. There was an unfamiliar look also to the Wolves centre-half pairing of Colin Brazier and Uruguayan Rafael Villazan as replacements for Emlyn Hughes and George Berry, while further into the season veteran defender John McAlle also featured regularly in Barnwell's team. Despite such changes, though, the Wolves defence proved to be somewhat efficient with a creditable total of 55 goals conceded for the season belying their final position of 18th.

The prime reason for such a lowly league position for Wolves was a chronic lack of goals throughout the season - their final total of 43 was the third worst in the First Division. Centre-forwards John Richards and Andy Gray scored a very moderate 22 league goals between them with negligible contributions from other Wolves players.

In complete contrast to Wolves, Keith Burkinshaw's Spurs team were particularly potent in attack. A total of 70 goals proved to be the fourth best in the league at the end of the season, with Steve Archibald sharing honours with Aston Villa's Peter Withe as the top scorer in the First Division with 20 goals. Only a profligate defence prevented Tottenham from improving upon their 10th placed finish at the end of the 1980-81 season.

Wolves and Spurs ultimately displayed greater form in the FA Cup. Both teams met at the semi-final stage, with Tottenham emerging victorious after a replay before defeating Manchester City in the final.

Originally broadcast on LWT's The Big Match with commentary by Brian Moore.