The 2007–08 season was the 126th season in the history of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, their 30th consecutive season in the top flight of English football and their 16th consecutive season in the FA Premier League. The club also participated in the FA Cup, Football League Cup and UEFA Cup.
Spurs had finished fifth in the previous season's Premier League, thereby qualifying for the UEFA Cup. They then progressed to the last 16 of the competition to face PSV. After the two rounds and one away goal each, Spurs were finally eliminated 6–5 on penalties.
In the FA Cup, Spurs were eliminated by Manchester United in the fourth round, losing 3–1. This was also the season where Tottenham won the League Cup, beating Chelsea 2–1 at Wembley Stadium. Their victory was the team's last official trophy until the 2025 UEFA Europa League Final.
Pre-season and friendlies During the 2007 summer transfer period Tottenham added centre-back Younès Kaboul from Auxerre for £8 million, followed by striker Darren Bent for a club record fee of £16.5 million. This was also the season that Spurs acquired Gareth Bale from Southampton for £5 million. Additional signings included Danny Rose from Leeds United and Kevin-Prince Boateng from Hertha BSC.
Departing the club was Egyptian footballer Mido. He initially arrived on an 18-month loan deal from Roma in January 2005 and in 2006 signed a permanent deal; on 16 August 2007, he was sold to Middlesbrough for £6 million. Also departing was Reto Ziegler, who was loaned out to Sampdoria in Italy for the second half of the 2006–07 season. Sampdoria subsequently signed him permanently from Spurs for an undisclosed fee.
Friendlies DateOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendance7 July 2007StevenageA1 – 3Keane 17′ (pen.), Bent 46′, Taarabt 62′Not reported12 July 2007St PatricksA0 – 1Keane 42′Not reported21 July 2007Kaizer ChiefsA1 – 2Keane 39′, Berbatov 62′Not reported24 July 2007Orlando PiratesA1 – 2Bent 12′, Routledge 69′30,00028 July 2007Orlando PiratesA0 – 3Bent 10′, 22′, Berbatov 18′30,0001 August 2007Leyton OrientA2 – 4Keane 18′, 56′, Defoe 60′, Bent 65′9,1264 August 2007TorinoH2 – 0Keane 15′, Berbatov 64′30,823
2007–08 season Tottenham started off their Premier League campaign away at promoted Sunderland with a 1–0 loss. Three days later they travelled to Everton, losing 3–1, then back at White Hart Lane recorded their first win, 4–0 against Derby County. After that Tottenham recorded four draws and three defeats in the Premier League, which included a 3–3 draw away to Fulham and a 4–4 draw against Aston Villa. In the UEFA Cup first round Spurs won 6–1 against Cypriot club Anorthosis, then followed up with a 1–1 draw away in Cyprus. Manager Martin Jol's final Premier League game was on 22 October, a 3–1 away loss at Newcastle United. On 25 October, in the UEFA Cup, Spurs hosted Getafe, losing 2–1. Following the match, it was announced that Jol had been sacked.
After one match with Clive Allen and Alex Inglethorpe in charge, Juande Ramos was hired as Jol's replacement, having previously managed Sevilla. Alongside Ramos, Gus Poyet was handed the assistant head coaching role. Marcos Álvarez, who worked alongside Ramos at Sevilla, also joined the backroom staff, as fitness coach. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was widely criticised for his treatment of Jol following revelations that Ramos was approached to replace Jol during the summer, which many thought undermined his leadership and ruined his credibility as an authoritative figure.
Ramos' reign began with a 2–0 win over Blackpool in the League Cup. Immediately following Ramos' appointment, it was made clear in the public forum that he was very unhappy with the fitness of the team and instigated a new diet and fitness regime. Tottenham's league form began to improve and their progress in the League Cup began with a 2–0 win over Manchester City, which ended City's unbeaten home record.
On 27 January 2008, Spurs went out of the FA Cup in the fourth round to a 3–1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford. Tottenham took the lead through Robbie Keane but eventually lost to United to a goal from Carlos Tevez and two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, one of which was a penalty where Michael Dawson was sent off for a deliberate handball.
Tottenham's run in the League Cup continued with a semi-final first leg 1–1 draw against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium; a 5–1 win over Arsenal at White Hart Lane followed, resulting in a 6–2 Spurs aggregate victory. This booked a place in the final against Chelsea. Tottenham went on to win the match 2–1 thanks to a Jonathan Woodgate header in extra time, securing Tottenham's first trophy since 1999. It also guaranteed them UEFA Cup qualification for the third season running.
On 13 March 2008, Tottenham were eliminated from the UEFA Cup in the last 16 round by PSV. The first leg played at White Hart Lane was a 1–0 defeat for Spurs following a mistake from Gilberto. Dimitar Berbatov scored in the second leg away at the Philips Stadion to take the game to extra time and subsequently penalties. Here, Tottenham lost 6–5 when Pascal Chimbonda missed his kick.
On 22 March 2008, Spurs played Portsmouth, winning 2–0. Darren Bent struck the 100th goal of the 2007–08 Premier League campaign. Jamie O'Hara followed two minutes later with the club's 101st. BBC sport writer Ian Hughes noted that Tottenham have "an average of 3.63 goals in every Spurs game this season".
After earning a point on 19 April in a 1–1 draw against Wigan Athletic, Tottenham secured their safety in the Premier League after reaching 42 points. Berbatov's sixth-minute strike was Tottenham's 100th in all competitions that season, 64 in the Premier League and 36 in cup competitions. The season ended on 11 May 2008 with a 2–0 home defeat to Liverpool.
Premier League table
Season honours League Cup: 2007–08
Team kit The team kit for the 2007–08 season was produced by Puma. The main shirt sponsor was Mansion, an Internet gambling establishment. A special 125th anniversary commemorative kit was produced for a match against Aston Villa.
Transfers
In
DatePlayerPrevious clubCost 25 May 2007 Gareth Bale Southampton£5.8 million 29 June 2007 Darren Bent Charlton Athletic£16.5 million 5 July 2007 Younès Kaboul Auxerre£8 million 25 July 2007 Danny Rose LeedsFree 31 July 2007 Kevin-Prince Boateng Hertha Berlin£5.4 million 1 January 2008 Chris Gunter Cardiff City£3 million 28 January 2008 Jonathan Woodgate Middlesbrough£8 million 30 January 2008 Alan Hutton Rangers£9 million 31 January 2008 Gilberto Hertha Berlin£1.9 million Total £57.5 million
Out
DatePlayerNew ClubCost 3 July 2007 Reto Ziegler SampdoriaUndisclosed. 3 July 2007 Mark Yeates Colchester United Undisclosed. 5 July 2007 Emil Hallfreðsson Lyn Oslo Undisclosed. 16 August 2007 Mido Middlesbrough£6 million. 10 January 2008 Philip Ifil Colchester United Undisclosed. 25 January 2008 Lee Barnard Southend United Undisclosed. 30 January 2008 Wayne Routledge Aston Villa£1.5 million. 30 January 2008 Jermain Defoe Portsmouth£7 million. Total £14.5 million
Loaned out
DatePlayerClubLoan Length 31 August 2007 Danny Murphy Fulham End of season15 January 2008 Andy Barcham Leyton OrientEnd of season 7 January 2008 Ben Alnwick Leicester CityEnd of season11 January 2008 Hossam Ghaly Derby CountyEnd of 2007–08 season 30 January 2008 Paul Stalteri FulhamEnd of 2007–08 season 31 January 2008 Anthony Gardner EvertonEnd of 2007–08 season 29 February 2008 Jake Livermore Milton Keynes Dons1 month
Squad list
Injury list
DatePlayerInjuryReturn date January 2007 Dorian Dervite Knee injury 4 December 2007 14 June 2007 Ledley King Knee Surgery 4 December 2007 5 October 2007 Ricardo Rocha Ankle injury 4 December 2007 30 November 2007 Benoît Assou-EkottoKnee SurgeryStart of 2008–09 season 10 December 2007 Gareth BaleAnkle Ligament damage.Start of 2008–09 season 3 April 2008 Ledley KingKnee RehabilitationStart of 2008–09 season. April 2008 Jonathan Woodgate April 2008 Pascal Chimbonda May 2008 Dimitar Berbatov Groin injury Start of 2008–09 season.
Match results
Premier League
Results summary
Results per matchday
DateOpponentsH / AResultSpurs scorersAttendance11 August 2007SunderlandA1 – 043,96714 August 2007EvertonH1 – 3Gardner 26′35,71618 August 2007Derby CountyH4 – 0Malbranque 1′, 6′, Jenas 14′, Bent 80′35,60026 August 2007Manchester UnitedA1 – 075,6961 September 2007FulhamA3 – 3Kaboul 10′, Berbatov 28′, Bale 61′24,00715 September 2007ArsenalH1 – 3Bale 14′36,05323 September 2007Bolton WanderersA1 – 1Keane 34′20,3081 October 2007Aston VillaH4 – 4Berbatov 19′, Chimbonda 68′, Keane 80′ (pen.), Kaboul 90+3′,36,0947 October 2007LiverpoolA2 – 2Keane 44′, 46′43,98622 October 2007Newcastle UnitedA3 – 1Keane 56′51,41128 October 2007Blackburn RoversH1 – 2Keane 47′ (pen.)36,0863 November 2007MiddlesbroughA1 – 1Bent 35′25,62511 November 2007Wigan AthleticH4 – 0Jenas 13′, 26′, Lennon 34′, Bent 72′35,50425 November 2007West HamA1 – 1Dawson 67′34,9662 December 2007Birmingham CityH2 – 3Keane 50′ (pen.), 53′35,6359 December 2007Manchester CityH2 – 1Chimbonda 45′, Defoe 82′35,64615 December 2007PortsmouthA0 – 1Berbatov 81′20,52022 December 2007ArsenalA2 – 1Berbatov 66′60,08726 December 2007FulhamH5 – 1Keane 27′, 62′, Huddlestone 45′ 71′, Defoe 90′36,07729 December 2007ReadingH6 – 4Berbatov 7′, 63′, 73′, 83′, Malbranque 76′, Defoe 79′36,1781 January 2008Aston VillaA2 – 1Defoe 79′41,60912 January 2008ChelseaA2 – 041,77719 January 2008SunderlandH2 – 0Lennon 2′, Keane 90′36,07030 January 2008EvertonA0 – 035,8402 February 2008Manchester UnitedH1 – 1Berbatov 21′36,0759 February 2008Derby CountyA0 – 3Keane 68′, Kaboul 81′, Berbatov 90′ (pen.)33,0581 March 2008Birmingham CityA4 – 1Jenas 89′26,0559 March 2008West HamH4 – 0Berbatov 8′, 11′, Gilberto 85′, Bent 90′36,06216 March 2008Manchester CityA2 – 1Keane 32′40,18819 March 2008ChelseaH4 – 4Woodgate 12′, Berbatov 61′, Huddlestone 75′, Keane 88′36,17822 March 2008PortsmouthH2 – 0Bent 80′, O'Hara 82′35,99830 March 2008NewcastleH1 – 4Bent 26′36,0675 April 2008BlackburnA1 – 1Berbatov 7′24,59212 April 2008MiddlesbroughH1 – 1Grounds 27′ (o.g.)36,09219 April 2008Wigan AthleticA1 – 1Berbatov 6′18,67326 April 2008Bolton WanderersH1 – 1Malbranque 52′36,1763 May 2008ReadingA0 – 1Keane 16′24,12511 May 2008LiverpoolH0 – 236,063 H/A = Home/Away Final updated: 11 May 2008
FA Cup RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendance35 January 2008ReadingH2 - 2Berbatov 28′, 48′ (pen.)35,2433R15 January 2008ReadingA0 - 1Keane 15′22,130427 January 2008Manchester UnitedA3 - 1Keane 24′75,369
Eliminated
H/A = Home/Away
Final update: 27 February 2008
Tottenham v Chelsea League Cup Final line-up.
League Cup RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendance326 September 2007MiddlesbroughH2 - 0Bale 71′, Huddlestone 74′30,084431 October 2007BlackpoolH2 - 0Keane 17′, Chimbonda 55′32,196QF18 December 2007Manchester CityA0 - 2Defoe 4′, Malbranque 82′38,564SF L19 January 2008ArsenalA1 - 1Jenas 37′53,163SF L222 January 2008ArsenalH5 - 1Jenas 3′, Bendtner 27′ (o.g.), Keane 48′, Lennon 60′, Malbranque 90+4′35,979F24 February 2008ChelseaN1 - 2 (a.e.t)Berbatov 70′ (pen.), Woodgate 94′87,660
Champions
H/A = Home/Away
Final update: 27 February 2008
UEFA Cup
First round and group stage RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultScorersAttendanceFR20 September 2007AnorthosisH6 - 1Kaboul 5′, Dawson 40′, Keane 42′, Bent 43′, Defoe 65′, 90′35,780FR4 October 2007AnorthosisA1 - 1Keane 78′8,000G25 October 2007GetafeH1 - 2Defoe 19′36,240G8 November 2007Hapoel Tel AvivA0 - 2Keane 26′, Berbatov 31′8,000G29 November 2007Aalborg BKH3 - 2Berbatov 45′, Malbranque 51′, Bent 66′29,758G6 December 2007AnderlechtA1 - 1Berbatov 71′ (pen.)22,500
Group G final standings
Knockout rounds