Mike ENGLAND | 1966-1967 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)

ENGLAND PES STATS | 1966-1967

electric_trigger Mike ENGLAND | 1966-1967 Club: Tottenham Number: 5 Position: *CB, Nationality: Welsh, Foot: L Side: B Height: 187 Weight: 83 Attack: 65 Defence: 90 Balance: 86 Stamina: 81 Top Speed: 79 Acceleration: 80 Response: 86 Agility: 77 Dribble Accuracy: 77 Dribble Speed: 70 Short Pass Accuracy: 78 Short Pass Speed: 78 Long Pass Acc.: 77 Long Pass Speed: 75 Shot Accuracy: 68 Shot Power: 82 Shot Technique: 68 Free Kick Accuracy: 64 Curling: 66 Header: 92 Jump: 86 Technique: 80 Aggression: 65 Mentality: 77 Keeper Skills: 50 Team Work: 83 Injury Tolerance: B Condition/Fitness: 6 Weak Foot Accuracy: 5 Weak Foot frequency: 5 Marking* Covering* D-Line Control* Positioning* Tottenham supporters used to say ''When are we going to get a decent centre-half as we have never adequately replaced Mike England.'' The closest in recent times that the club had come to this was Richard Gough, who would have been the cornerstone of a successful Spurs side if he (and David Pleat) had stayed, but his return to Scotland left a void unfilled until the emergence of the man who would be God - Sol Campbell. In Mike England's his first season for Tottenham, he was a Wembley winner in the FA Cup victory over Chelsea in 1967, turning in an imperious display. He missed out on the League Cup win in 1971 after breaking an ankle in the semi-final against Bristol City, but returned for the trip to Wembley in 1973 ending up on the winning side. He was also the possessor of one winners and one runners-up medal in the UEFA Cup finals of 1972 and 1974 Mike England's ability for a centre-half was quite unusual. He could control the ball well, pass accurately and bring the ball out of defence in the days when all that was usually required of the position was to head or hoof it out of danger. His aerial ability was second to none and at that time there were some excellent, hard central defenders around. Jackie Charlton at Leeds, Arsenal’s Frank McLintock, Charlie Hurley of Sunderland and the Merseysiders Brian Labone (Everton) and Ron Yeats (Liverpool). Mike stood on a level with these and his fee of £95,000, when Spurs bought him from Blackburn Rovers, was a record for a defender at the time. His captaincy of his country was a great honour to him and he served them well, making Wales a half-decent side in those days. It is an old cliché that he was skilful for a big man, but he also had the speed to recover should a player get away from him. His strength in the tackle was obviously another asset that put fear into the forwards he had to face, but his dominance in the air could not be doubted. That is why he remains so highly thought of amongst Spurs fans to this day. His service to the game at all levels was rewarded with the MBE in 1984 and he went on from being captain of his country, to take over as manager when he finished playing, presiding over a fairly successful time for the Welsh national team. However, there was a side to the man that did not make him popular to all parties. When he wanted to leave Ewood Park and his club tried to stop him, he threatened to quit the game. At that stage, it appeared that he would be on his way to Manchester United, who were keen to keep him in the North-West, but he perhaps decided that he would have more opportunity to develop at Tottenham where the need for a centre-half was urgent following Maurice Norman’s retirement through injury. His departure from White Hart Lane was tinged with a little bitterness too. Having taken many knocks during his career, his ankles finally started to give him problems and a shock announcement of his retirement came in the middle of the 1974-75 season. This had been a tough time for the club and it looked like they might be relegated. The apparent baling out of Mike England was a blow to all concerned with Tottenham. The side managed to finish in 19th position and just stay up, but the cornerstone of their defence had gone. Not to be replaced for many a year. Mike ENGLAND | 1966-1967 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)