40 years on from Tottenham's 1984 UEFA Cup success

After narrowly missing out on UEFA Champions League football last season, Ange Postecoglou finds his first European challenge emerge in the form of the UEFA Europa League in 2023/24.

While Postecoglou's Tottenham certainly aspire to compete in the UEFA Champions League, Spurs undoubtedly have more chance of silverware in Europe's secondary club competition this year.

We take a look back upon Tottenham's most famous European conquest in 1984 as Spurs reacquaint themselves with the UEFA Europa League four decades on.

Tottenham route to the final

	1st leg	2nd leg
First round v Drogheda United (14-0 win)	6-0 (A)	8-0 (H)
Second round v Feyenoord (6-2 win)	4-2 (H)	0-2 (A)
Third round v Bayern Munich (2-1 win)	1-0 (A)	2-0 (H)
Quarter final v Austria Wien (4-2 win)	2-0 (H)	2-2 (A)
Semi-final v Hajduk Split (2-2) - away goals win	2-1 (A)	1-0 (H)
Final v Anderlecht (2-2) - penalties win	1-1 (A)	1-1 (H) - 4-3 win on penalties

1984 UEFA Cup Final

Tottenham v Anderlecht

First leg: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels (9th May 1984).

A close encounter in Brussels saw the first-leg of the 1984 UEFA Cup final between Anderlecht and Tottenham end in a 1-1 draw.

Spurs were heading back to London having avoided defeat, yet may have felt as if they could have come away with more.

It was the tale of the central defenders, with Spurs' number five Paul Miller putting the English outfit in front on the 57th minute.

It wasn't until the 85th minute that Anderlecht captain Morten Olsen levelled things up, giving the Belgians something to work with ahead of the second leg in North London.

Second leg: White Hart Lane, London (23rd May 1984).

In what turned out to be Keith Burkinshaw's last game as Tottenham manager, the Englishman had a job on his hands to present Spurs fans a much craved parting gift - European silverware.

There was only one change to the Spurs starting XI from the first leg, with Gary Mabbutt replacing. Steve Perryman.

Like the first leg, a late goal proved crucial. However this time, it was Spurs who found it - with Graham Roberts equalising in the 84th minute to take the tie to extra time.

Penalties were all that could separate the two sides. Olsen, the goalscorer in the first leg, was denied by Tony Parks, giving Spurs an early advantage.

Arnor Gudjohnsen stepped up to take the conclusive penalty of the game, as hero Parks' dive to the right awarded Tottenham victory and sent the white side of White Hart Lane into pandemonium.

Tony Parks: A Tottenham hero

After not featuring until the first leg of the quarter-finals, backup goalkeeper Tony Parks certainly had his say on the destination of the UEFA Cup in 1984.

Parks kept two clean sheets in his five-game UEFA Cup campaign, conceding just three goals in this time.

After such a strong competition, it was almost inevitable Parks would be the decisive man in determining Tottenham's European fate.

Two saves in the penalty shootout meant Tony Parks had cemented himself in the Tottenham history books and remains one of the club's most memorable figures to this day.

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