When was the last time Spurs won a trophy?

Simon Young |

19/01/24
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You may have heard the colloquial and rather harsh term ‘Spursy’ being thrown around by rival fans recently, while it even had the distinction of entering the Urban Dictionary in May 2014.

Of course, this refers to Spurs’ recent penchant for failing to achieve anything of note despite often boasting world-class players, allegedly due to a lack of psychological strength or collective will. Even former Manchester United skipper and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane has used the term while revealing that his former side used to try to exploit Spurs’ perceived mental fragility.

But just how successful have Spurs been during their history, and when was the last time they won a major trophy? Let’s find out!

So, When Did the Spurs Last Win Some Silverware?

In simple terms, the answer to the question “when was the last time Spurs won a trophy?” is 2008. Back then, Juande Ramos’ men lifted the Football League Cup, defeating Chelsea 2-1 after extra-time at Wembley despite falling behind to a first-half Didier Drogba goal.

Strikes from the brilliant Dimitar Berbatov and former Real Madrid centre back Jonathan Woodgate secured the comeback win, while also ensuring Spurs’ first major piece of silverware since their previous League Cup triumph under George Graham in 1999.

Interestingly, the 2007/08 season had begun with a run of just one win in 10 Premier League games, which saw Spurs mired in the bottom three and Dutch manager Martin Jol eventually sacked. Fortunately, the appointment of Spaniard Juande Ramos saw Spurs become a more disciplined and consistent side, as they ultimately finished 11th in the top flight and enjoyed cup success.

The League Cup final win over Chelsea was also preceded by a stunning two-legged semi-final victory over bitter North London rivals Arsenal. This tie ended in a 6-2 aggregate win for the ‘Lilywhites’, who thrashed the Gunners 5-1 at White Hart Lane in the second leg to secure a famous triumph and end a nine-year winless run against their rivals.

Spurs Through History – How Successful Have They Been?

Since their formation in September 1882, Spurs have won 26 major honours, including seven Charity (or Community) Shields and the unheralded Anglo-Italian League Cup in 1971.

While this may seem like a relatively small haul for one of the Premier League’s so-called “big six” sides, they remain the sixth most successful side in English football history (behind Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea). This is a worthy accolade that arguably counters the idea of Spurs as a losing side.

However, the club’s tally of just two league titles is dwarfed by their big six rivals, while the last of these trophies was won way back in the 1960/61 campaign. Since this season (which actually saw Spurs complete the coveted double of league title and FA Cup), Manchester

United have won a staggering 15 league titles. At the same time, their rivals, City, have claimed eight and seven since 2011.

North London rivals Arsenal have lifted the top flight title on six occasions since Spurs last got their hands on the trophy, while Liverpool have been successful on 14 occasions. Incredibly, the Reds’ haul has been built despite the club going 30 years without either a First Division or EPL title, with Jurgen Klopp ending this drought in the 2019/20 campaign.

Of this group, Spurs are by far the least successful side of the 21st century too. Since 2000, their 2008 League Cup win remains their sole triumph. However, they were defeated in the 2018/19 Champions League final by EPL rivals Liverpool after a see-saw campaign that also saw them beat Manchester City in the quarterfinals.

Do Spurs Have Any Bragging Rights When it Comes to Titles?

These statistics make for damning reading, while there’s no doubt that Spurs have become a side that’s synonymous with not contending for titles since the turn of the century. While this lends some credence to the ‘Spursy’ moniker, it’s fair to ask whether Spurs have any bragging rights over their rivals.

Interestingly, they have more European titles than Arsenal, having won the UEFA Cup in 1972 and 1984 and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963. Even if you exclude the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup from Spurs’ list of major continental honours, this still dwarves Arsenal’s tally of just two (the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994).

The side’s tally of 12 domestic cups (eight FA Cups and four League Cups) is also competitive, only narrowly behind Chelsea (15), Manchester City (15) and even Arsenal (17). This is quite an achievement, especially given the club’s relative lack of success at home or abroad since 2000.

In summary

Ultimately, the lack of league title success was the biggest contributor to the ‘Spursy’ slur, with Everton, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Newcastle, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn, Wolves, and Leeds United having all won the English top flight on more occasions. Blackburn and Leicester City have also won the Premier League since its inception in 1992, while the Foxes also beat Chelsea to win the FA Cup in 2021.

At the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign, Spurs were unsurprisingly ranked outsiders to end their top-flight and Premier League title hoodoo, while the subsequent League Cup exit to Fulham on penalties also made them far less likely to win a trophy of any description during the campaign.

Still, it’s unthinkable that a club with the stature and heritage of Spurs will continue to go trophyless for too long, especially given their individual quality and passionate support. This means that they always offer value in competitions such as the FA Cup, while they can beat any side on their day.

Whether you back Spurs to win individual matches, leagues or cup competitions, just always bet responsibly. This means setting an amount you can comfortably afford to lose while identifying markets that offer optimal value.