As the international break draws to a close, Premier League football fans have kept themselves entertained on social media by reminiscing on past seasons.
A trend called ‘Barclaysmen’ has been unfolding on X, which has gained so much traction even official club accounts have been getting involved. The trend involves naming quality, niche players from retro Premier League seasons.
Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed many elite players during the ‘Prime Barclays Premier League’ era but also had some niche stars.
The ‘Barclaysmen’ era for Spurs would have been players who played under the likes of Martin Jol, Juande Ramos and Harry Redknapp.
The North London club enjoyed great success during these periods securing European football for the first time in six years under Jol before Redknapp guided them back into the Champions League in 2010.
Ramos didn’t get much success for Tottenham in the Premier League, however, he did help the club win their only piece of silverware across the last 25 years. From these periods, here are Tottenham’s top five ‘Barclaysmen’.
Benoit Assou Ekotto
Always donning black gloves, Benoit Assou Ekotto emerged during an era when full-backs started to showcase they were capable of far more than being just defenders.
The Cameroonian was a player who was a great defender but also someone who had a wicked left foot on him. During his time in N17, the full-back only scored on four occasions, but he produced some absolute bangers.
Spurs fans will remember his thumping strike against Liverpool in 2009 where he rifled a deflected Tom Huddlestone free-kick from outside the box right into the top corner.
Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov is a quite controversial name on this list as he’s possibly too good, however, he was such a joyful player to watch.
His incredible talents earned him a move to Manchester United and a Premier League title, but his time at White Hart Lane felt special.
The Bulgarian forward was a rare breed of footballer – someone who could produce special moments out of instinct and he had one of the best touches in the game.
Berbatov scored 94 goals in 229 Premier League appearances for Spurs, United and Fulham, also playing a key role in helping the North London club win their only trophy in 25 years.
Roman Pavlyuchenko
Roman Pavlyuchenko is the quintessential definition of a ‘Barclaysmen’ – a player who didn’t quite make it to the top but a player who could produce special moments.
The Russian was quite inconsistent for Spurs but when he was at his best, he was one of the most lethal strikers in the league at the time.
His catalogue of goals is a joy to watch owing to his sensational range of finishing. He could act as both a poacher or a player to win you a game with a long-range effort.
Aaron Lennon
Similar to Berbatov, Aaron Lennon is quite possibly Spurs’ ultimate ‘Barclaysman’ but there is also a strong case for him being too good for this category.
As a Tottenham fan during the late 2000s to early 2010s, one of the best noises in the game was the sound of the seats flipping up as supporters rose to their feet when Lennon ran at defenders.
He was the ultimate winger, not one who would cut back and play the simple pass, but a player who would always look to use his pace and dribbling ability to beat his man. He was such an exciting player to watch and produced many big moments in N17.
Tom Huddlestone
Tottenham’s ultimate ‘Barclaysman’ goes to Tom Huddlestone. The midfielder quite possibly had the talent to be one of England’s best midfielders of his generation. It didn’t quite happen for him, but on so many occasions he demonstrated his unbelievable talents.
Players who had outrageous goal catalogues have been the focus of this list, but in the case of Huddlestone, this certainly applies.
His list of sensational strikes from outside the box is almost endless, from his half-volley against Man City to his bullet at home to Arsenal.
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