Quick Facts
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Alan John Gilzean (born 22 October 1938) is a Scottish former professional football player, active in the 1960s and 1970s. Gilzean played most prominently for Dundee and Tottenham Hotspur, and also played in 22 international games for Scotland. He helped Dundee win the Scottish league championship in 1961–62 and Tottenham win the FA Cup in 1967, two League Cups (1971 and 1973) and the 1971–72 UEFA Cup.
Club career
Dundee
Gilzean began his career with local sides Coupar Angus Juveniles and Dundee Violet before joining Dundee in January 1956 as a 17-year-old amateur. He finally signed professional forms at the beginning of the 1957–58 campaign and scored more than 100 goals in the Scottish top flight as an important part of the successful Dens Park side, winning the Scottish league championship in 1961–62, reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup the following season and the final of the Scottish Cup in 1964, losing 3–1 to Rangers.
In April 2009, Gilzean was inducted into Dundee's Hall of Fame.
Tottenham Hotspur
Gilzean's performance in a match between an England XI and a Scotland XI in November 1964, which had been originally intended as a testimonial for John White, who had died in tragic circumstances in July that year, alerted the Spurs management who were still searching for a suitable replacement for 'Double' winner Bobby Smith. Gilzean joined the North London club in December 1964 for a fee of £72,500 despite Gilzean being offered better personal terms by Sunderland and the Italian club Torino were also interested in signing him. However, Gilzean was warned off playing in Italy by Denis Law after the difficulties Law had experienced playing there. Gilzean made his debut in a home fixture against Everton.
Gilzean enjoyed a glittering career as a Tottenham player, quickly changing his style of play from a prolific striker to an intelligent and creative forward, forming a famed partnership alongside crowd favourite Jimmy Greaves. A member of the 1967 FA Cup Final winning team, Gilzean continued to be a regular first-team player despite the arrival of Martin Chivers in early 1968 from Southampton.
After strike-partner Greaves moved to West Ham United in March 1970, Gilzean and Chivers formed a new and equally successful goalscoring partnership, contributing greatly to Tottenham's cup triumphs in the first half of the decade, winning the League Cup in 1971, an all-English UEFA Cup final in 1972 against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a second League Cup victory in 1973.
The 1973–74 season was Gilzean's last as a professional footballer as Spurs lost the UEFA Cup final to Dutch giants Feyenoord Rotterdam. Announcing his retirement during the club tour to Mauritius he was awarded a testimonial in November 1974 to recognise his ten years of service as a Tottenham player.
South Africa
Following his retirement Gilzean played in South Africa for three months.
International career
Gilzean made his debut for Scotland in November 1963, against Norway. He had previously represented his country at Under-23 level and the Scottish League XI. He received four more international caps in the following twelve months and scored twice at White Hart Lane for a Scotland Select XI against Spurs in a memorial match for fellow Scot John White, who died in tragic circumstances in July 1964.
Gilzean represented Scotland seventeen times during his Spurs career. In total he scored 12 goals in 22 full international appearances for Scotland between 1963 and 1971.
Management
Gilzean returned to England after a spell in South Africa, as manager of Stevenage Athletic.
Life after football
Gilzean stated, whilst playing, that he disliked football and had no intention of furthering his career after playing. He has since worked for a transport company in Enfield, only a short distance from White Hart Lane.
His son Ian was also a professional player.
Tottenham Hotspur statistics
- First Division: 343 matches, 93 goals
- FA Cup: 40 matches, 21 goals
- League Cup: 28 matches, 6 goals
- Europe: 28 matches, 13 goals
- TOTAL: 439 matches, 133 goals
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 April 1964 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  England | 1–0 | 1–0 | BHC |
| 2 | 12 May 1964 | Niedersachsen Stadion, Hannover |  West Germany | 1–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 12 May 1964 | Niedersachsen Stadion, Hannover | West Germany | 2–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 25 November 1964 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  Northern Ireland | 2–1 | 3–2 | BHC |
| 5 | 2 October 1965 | Windsor Park, Belfast | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 2–3 | BHC |
| 6 | 2 October 1965 | Windsor Park, Belfast | Northern Ireland | 2–2 | 2–3 | BHC |
| 7 | 22 November 1967 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  Wales | 1–0 | 3–2 | BHC / ECQG8 |
| 8 | 22 November 1967 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | Wales | 2–2 | 3–2 | BHC / ECQG8 |
| 9 | 17 December 1968 | Lefkosia, Nicosia |  Cyprus | 1–0 | 5–0 | WCQG7 |
| 10 | 17 December 1968 | Lefkosia, Nicosia | Cyprus | 3–0 | 5–0 | WCQG7 |
| 11 | 3 May 1969 | The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham | Wales | 3–2 | 5–3 | BHC |
| 12 | 22 October 1969 | Volksparkstadion, Hamburg | West Germany | 2–2 | 2–3 | WCQG7 |
Honours
- 1961–62 - Scottish League championship
- 1967 - FA Cup (2–1 Chelsea)
- 1971 - League Cup (2–0 Aston Villa)
- 1972 - UEFA Cup (2–1, 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers)
- 1973 - League Cup (1–0 Norwich City)
- Inducted to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame (2009)