Former Tottenham and England star reveals why he couldn’t support Spurs despite Glen Hoddle love

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Former Tottenham Hotspur youth player Des Walker has admitted he chose not to support Spurs – and Arsenal are partly to blame.

Walker was released by the north London club as a teenager and was later spotted playing in London by Nottingham Forest before being signed in 1980.

Brian Clough handed him his debut at the age of 18 and Walker went on to play 379 games for the club, representing England 59 times too.

But despite being born in London and playing as part of Spurs’ youth system, Walker never picked a team to support – now he’s explained why.

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Des Walker admits love for Arsenal star stopped him supporting Tottenham

Walker joined Premier League legends Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Women’s Super League and Lionesses icon Jill Scott on this week’s edition of The Overlap.

Asked who his inspiration was as a youngster, he said: “I was at Tottenham. I didn’t really support a team. I was at Tottenham, Glen Hoddle was one of my favourite players, but so was Liam Brady.

“You can’t be playing at Tottenham and supporting Tottenham, but your favourite player is an Arsenal player!

“I look back on it, and especially now, I just pick out players. I like watching good players and I like watching good teams.”

Brady came through the ranks at Arsenal before making his debut in 1973 before playing for their first team for seven years. Fellow midfielder Glen Hoddle was shining for Spurs at a similar time – hence Walker feeling conflicted.

Despite leaving the club as a kid, it’s likely Walker is frequently reminded of Tottenham.

Des Walker helped Tottenham’s Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker win the 1991 FA Cup

The centre-back famously scored Spurs’ winning goal in the 1991 FA Cup final – but he wasn’t playing for them.

Walker, starring for Nottingham Forest, accidentally fired the ball into his own net at Wembley in the fourth minute of added time in the second half.

That put Spurs 2-1 up, sparking wild celebrations from Gary Lineker and the other icons on the team sheet and sealing the latest of the club’s eight FA Cup trophies.

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Walker did earn his own silverware throughout his career, though, lifting the League Cup twice with Forest in 1989 and again in 1990.