As Archie Gray becomes the latest Tottenham Hotspur player to take the number 14 shirt, we look at the top five Spurs players to have worn the number.
Many have donned the 14 shirt for Tottenham Hotspur over the years that have not made the list. The shirt has had a spotty history and has been less successful in certain times.
Joe Rodon, Clinton N’jie, Lewis Holtby and Georges-Kevin N’Koudou are just some of the names to have worn the number in recent years.
With this in mind, and wanting to show that there have also been some exceptional players to wear the number, here are the top five players to have worn the number 14 for Tottenham as Archie Gray takes over the mantle.
5 – Nayim
Nayim joined Tottenham from Barcelona in 1988 where he had come through the famous ‘La Masia’ academy. A slow starter, Nayim struggled to begin with, suffering 18 months of injuries at Spurs.
The Spaniard spent five years at Tottenham where Terry Venables had brought him across after his move from the Catalan club to Tottenham.
The now 57-year-old is known for scoring a hattrick in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City and scoring an audacious volley against Liverpool.
Ironically though, Nayim is perhaps best known at Spurs for something he did for his next club, scoring from the halfway line against bitter rivals, Arsenal, for Real Zaragoza.
24 years later, fans were still heard chanting “Nayim from the halfway line” as the former midfielder returned to N17 for a legends match in 2019.
4 – Ivan Perisic
Yes, Ivan Perisic was only at Tottenham for two years, however, his ability to still provide service for a stuttering Spurs side, at his age, is a testament to his ability.
The winger was signed by Antonio Conte in the Summer of 2022 from Inter Milan. The pair had previously worked together in Italy, winning the Serie A title in the 2020/21 season.
The Croatian had nine goal contributions in 34 Premier League games in his full season for Tottenham and notched an eye-catching three assists in seven Champions League appearances that season.
The now 35-year-old also managed a further two assists in just five appearances for Tottenham last season before departing for Hadjuck Split.
3 – Gus Poyet
The Uruguayan has always been a player who wore his heart on his sleeve on and off the pitch. He signed for Tottenham in May 2001 from rivals Chelsea for £2.2m where he had made over 100 appearances.
Poyet managed 14 goals and six assists in his debut season, making 43 appearances in all competitions. He didn’t quite manage as many appearances in his second season in North London, being blighted by a cruciate ligament injury he sustained in August 2002.
This injury limited his output to just six goals and one assist the following season but Gus showed his ability clearly in Lilywhite before his injury.
2 – David Ginola
On paper, just thirteen goals in 100 appearances does not seem worthy of placing Ginola at the number two spot.
It tells you everything you need to know, then, that he was inducted into Tottenham’s Hall of Fame just eight years after leaving the club.
The Frenchman was capable of the spectacular, including an infamous goal against Barnsley in the FA Cup where he weaved past several players before scoring.
The winger was awarded PFA Payer of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 1999 off the back of winning his only domestic trophy in England as Tottenham beat Leicester City to the FA Cup.
1 – Luka Modric
It could only be him. The fact that Luka Modric is still playing at the very top level of the sport, shows just how good he is.
Modric spent four years at the club between 2008 and 2012. In his first season at the club, he notched five goals and ten assists in 44 appearances in all competitions which also happened to be the most goal contributions he achieved in one season at Spurs.
However, you do not need to read into the statistics to know just how good this man was at Tottenham. The little Croatian was capable of creating moments of magic during his time at Spurs.
It is no wonder that the now 38-year-old, who still may be offered a new contract at Real Madrid, was part of a midfield that won the Champions League three years consecutively.
So, these are the players that Tottenham’s latest signing will be keeping company with during his time at the club.
If he’s anything like Modric, Tottenham are getting an incredible deal. No pressure young man.
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