'The Cockney Cup Final' - When Tottenham and Chelsea's fierce rivalry began

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Matt Davies20 May 2020

The London rivalry between Tottenham and Chelsea is one of the fiercest in Premier League history, but you have to look back to 1967 to see where it truly began.

Whereas Chelsea have certainly been the more successful of the two in recent history, the 1960s was somewhat of a golden era for Tottenham, with the north London club winning the FA Cup twice in 1961 and 1962 and also claiming the league title as part of a memorable '61 Double.

Tottenham also enjoyed success in Europe, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1963.

In 1967, they came up against Chelsea in a scintillating FA Cup Final that was dubbed the 'Cockney Cup Final'.

Over 100,000 spectators crammed into Wembley Stadium to see the pair go head-to-head in the first ever all-London FA Cup showpiece.

In a closely contested game it was Tottenham who emerged as the winners, with goals from Jimmy Robertson and Frank Saul sealing a 2-1 victory. Bobby Tambling scored a late consolation goal for Chelsea.

It is fair to say that the disdain between the London clubs has not subsided since. Chelsea ended Tottenham's title chances with a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge back in 2016 in what is remembered as one of the most brutal fixtures in recent memory.

Following the game, Spurs full-back Danny Rose was quoted as saying: “That’s now the first fixture we’re looking at next season - Chelsea at home and Chelsea away.

“To feel the hatred from the Chelsea fans and players before that game, it was amazing.”

Another current player in Dele Alli has also revealed that Tottenham players consider Chelsea bigger rivals than Arsenal.

Speaking during a Copa90-hosted FIFA 20 game last month, he said: "The rivalry with Chelsea is bigger than the one with Arsenal, purely because of what they have done to us in recent years.

"Maybe for fans it’s different, obviously the north London derby is massive and I always think that rivalry will be there, but as players at this moment in time I think Chelsea is bigger."

Scroll through the gallery above to take a look at pictures from the 1967 FA Cup Final, where the rivalry was born....

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