10 Players Who Played For Both Chelsea And Tottenham
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are two of the biggest clubs in England. The London derby that is played between them is a fierce affair. Fans of both clubs have an immense dislike towards each other. It’s hard to imagine a player playing for both of these rival clubs. Still, there are several players who played for both Chelsea and Tottenham, let us have a look at a few such players.
Here is the list of 10 players who played for both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
=10. Carlo Cudicini
After first signing for the Blues on loan in 1999, the Italian goalkeeper finally broke into the English football scene. The arrangement quickly turned into a long-term one, and Cudicini spent ten years with Chelsea before moving on to Spurs in 2009.
He made 216 appearances for Chelsea but only 36 games for Spurs. He was often utilised as the second or third-choice goalkeeper and left the club for LA Galaxy in 2012.
=10. Colin Lee
Colin Lee left Torquay United to join Tottenham Hotspur in 1977 for £60,000. By scoring four goals on his debut in a 9-0 victory over Bristol Rovers in the Football League Second Division, Colin Lee made an immediate impact and helped Tottenham Hotspur achieve promotion at the end of that season.
He played at Spurs for 3 seasons before transferring to Chelsea, where he spent 7 seasons. At Spurs, Colin Lee was a free-scoring forward, but at Chelsea, he developed into more of a versatile player who could play either as a full-back or in the centre of the attack.
9. Scott Parker
Despite being part of the Chelsea squad that won the Premier League in 2004/05, Parker did not pick up a medal as he had made only four appearances. He left Chelsea in 2005 and after having fairly successful spells at Newcastle United and West Ham United, he joined Spurs in 2011 for a fee believed to be £5.5 million.
He was voted the club’s Player of the Year in 2012. Parker made 63 appearances for the club before leaving Spurs for Fulham in 2013.
8. William Gallas
Gallas played for all 3 big London clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. The Frenchman joined Chelsea in 2001, Gallas and John Terry’s defensive partnership enabled the team to win its first league championship in fifty years.
However, in a highly controversial contract dispute with Chelsea in 2006, Gallas was sold to Arsenal. After the transfer, Chelsea issued a statement that Gallas threatened to deliberately score own goals if he was not allowed to leave Chelsea.
After spending 4 seasons at Emirates, Gallas joined Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham, becoming one of the most hated players on the planet in the process. He played 61 league games for Spurs and was released from the club in 2013.
7. Graham Roberts
Roberts played for Spurs for 6 seasons between 1980-1986, making 209 league appearances as a defender. He was a member of the successful Tottenham Hotspur side of the early 1980s, winning two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup in 1984, scoring in the second leg of the final against Anderlecht, and then scoring his penalty as Spurs won the final on a shootout.
He left Spurs for Rangers in 1986 and after spending two seasons with them, he joined Chelsea. He helped the side emphatically win the Second Division championship in 1988–89. He later moved to West Bromwich Albion, where he played out the remainder of his professional career.
6. Michael Hazard
Hazard, a very skilled player with exceptional passing skills and the potential to score important goals, signed his first professional contract with Spurs and made his League debut on April 19, 1980. He was a member of the team that won the 1982 FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 1984, where his crosses led to goals in both legs of the final of the UEFA Cup against Anderlecht.
In 1985 he joined Chelsea, where he stayed for 5 seasons, but he returned to Spurs towards the end of his career when Ossie Ardiles was manager. Sadly, he`ll go down as somebody who was never really given the chance to flourish wherever he went.
5. Terry Venables
A classy midfielder, Terry Venables started his professional football career with Chelsea, signing for the Blues as an apprentice before becoming professional in 1960. During his time at Stamford Bridge, Venables became captain and led Chelsea to their 1965 League Cup victory – scoring in the final against Leicester. He played 237 games for Chelsea scoring 31 times.
He joined Spurs in 1966 and was a member of the 1967 FA Cup-winning team. Terry Venables played 142 games for the Spurs scoring nine goals. He left in 1969 to join QPR but returned to Tottenham as manager and led them to the 1991 FA Cup success.
4. Glen Hoddle
The only one who has played for both Chelsea and Tottenham and also managed both clubs. Glenn Hoddle developed through the Spurs youth system to become a ‘Legend’ at the club. His skill, vision and goals were a delight to behold and he was a member of the successful team of the 1980s, winning FA Cup medals in 1981 and 1982, scoring the goals in the Final and replay win over QPR.
He moved to France after leaving Spurs in 1987. He played for Chelsea on his return to English football and managed them before returning to White Hart Lane as manager. He only played 39
3. Bobby Smith
Bobby Smith was an outstanding “traditional” English centre-forward who used to terrorise goalies and defenders. While playing for Redcar Boys’ Club, Chelsea noticed Smith and he got a professional contract in 1950. In 86 League games, he scored 30 goals for the Blues. He never really established himself as a regular for Chelsea, but Tottenham Hotspur nonetheless paid £18,000 to sign him in December 1955.
He went on to leave an everlasting impression on the history of Tottenham Hotspur. Smith was a crucial member of Bill Nicholson’s illustrious, double–winning side of 1960–1961, in which he scored in the final of the FA Cup, a feat he repeated a year later, with Spurs retaining the FA Cup in 1962. He also won the 1963 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Overall, Bobby Smith scored 208 goals in 317 senior matches for Spurs, including 12 hat-tricks.
2. Gus Poyet
Gus Poyet joined Chelsea in 1997 on a free transfer. He had a successful spell playing for Chelsea, winning the FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup in his four years at the Bridge. The Uruguayan played a key role in Chelsea’s transformation into a football powerhouse in Europe.
However, Poyet left Chelsea for rival Tottenham in 2001, and in their 2002 League Cup semifinal matchup, he buried any remaining fondness in the hearts of the Chelsea supporters. Poyet kissed the club’s symbol in front of the Chelsea supporters who – not long before – were singing his name. Poyet spent three seasons with Spurs before retiring, as injuries ruined his final period with the club.
1. Jimmy Greaves
Jimmy Greaves is regarded as a legend at both clubs. He is undoubtedly the best among the players who played for both Chelsea and Tottenham. He was a great striker with a tremendous goal-scoring instinct. He also had great acceleration and pace, as well as great positional skills that led him to score many goals at both clubs.
Greaves began his professional career at Chelsea and scored in his first game against Spurs. A further 131 goals followed as Greaves became Chelsea’s highest hat-trick scorer – with an impressive tally of 16. Chelsea’s poor financial position led the club to sell Greaves to AC Milan. He found it difficult to settle in Italy despite still scoring goals freely and decided to move back to England, joining Spurs in 1961.
He marked his Tottenham debut with a hat-trick against Blackpool at White Hart Lane. In the same season, he played in every round of Spurs’ 1962 FA Cup win and scored the opening goal in the final against Burnley. Greaves went on to become the Spurs’ all-time top scorer with 266 goals. He also played for West Ham, later in his career.