Spurs fans frustrated by 13 years of hurt can count themselves lucky in comparison to Nuno Espirito Santo’s former club Wolves, whose last major trophy came in 1980 in Margaret Thatcher’s first year as Prime Minister.
John Barnwell, manager for that historic League Cup final win against Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest, is now 82 and lives next door to the beaten captain John McGovern on the banks of the River Trent.
McGovern often gives him a lift to games at the City Ground. ‘The final is one subject he doesn’t bring up,’ says Barnwell, whose career started with him playing for Arsenal and ended as chairman of the League Managers’ Association.