The abuse began as George Graham stepped off the team coach, grew in volume as
he entered the stadium and reached a crescendo as he strode to the dug-out at
the start of the second half flanked by a six-strong police escort.
But Graham calmly took it all in his stride on his first return to Elland Road
since quitting Leeds amid considerable rancour last October to join Tottenham.
He even had the satisfaction of emerging not only unruffled but with the
prospect of an FA Cup fifth-round replay back at White Hart Lane as his side
continue to chase Wembley on two fronts.
However, after £4million signing Tim Sherwood had given the visitors the lead
on 52 minutes with a completely mishit shot, he was only denied victory through
a strike by full-back Ian Harte 17 minutes from time.
The equaliser, from a player ironically brought into the first team by Graham
last season, was deserved by Leeds as they held their own with Tottenham,
despite an assured defensive display by the visitors.
So it was honours even in a largely disappointing match, which had been billed
as a contest between master and apprentice as Graham came face to face with his
former assistant at Leeds, David O'Leary.
The Scot can proudly point to the huge strides which Leeds made during his two
years in charge, achieving a place in Europe and bringing through the youngsters
developed under Howard Wilkinson.
But huge resentment clearly remains at Elland Road, though, over the manner of
his departure, disappearing as soon as the chance to return to the capital
arose.
A group of almost 400 Leeds supporters even greeted Graham off the coach just
before 2pm, chanting 'Judas' and throwing coins, although not enough to amount
to 30 pieces of silver.
Of course Graham has seen it all before. Only last November the former Arsenal
boss took his Spurs side to Highbury of all places to secure a hard-earned 0-0
draw.
At Elland Road his side were characteristically fired up straight from the
whistle, almost taking the lead within 85 seconds as Les Ferdinand rolled a
left-foot shot past Nigel Martyn only for Harte to recover and clear off the
line.
Spurs threatened again just after the half-hour mark as a Ferdinand flick left
Steffen Iversen unmarked only eight yards out but his mishit shot was driven
straight into the ground and over the bar.
But although the visitors had carved out those two chances, the best of the
first half, it was Leeds who had dominated the intervening 30 minutes.
O'Leary had clearly learned something from his years of tutelage under Graham,
alongside whom he won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 1993.
Despite the attacking invention of their promising youngsters, this is not a
Leeds side that will be pushed out of their stride without a fight as they
hustled Tottenham in midfield and broke dangerously through the skilful Lee
Bowyer.
It was the final ball that they were lacking, however, and after the boos
which greeted Graham's appearance on the touchline at the start of the second
half had died away, the visitors took charge.
On 50 minutes Ferdinand pounced on a loose ball down the right after Lucas
Radebe had tackled Sherwood and flashed a shot across the face of goal and just
past the far post.
Just two minutes later they were ahead even though Sherwood completely mishit
his shot after Darren Anderton had whipped in a low cross from the right
following a creative build-up involving Ferdinand and Iversen.
As if in slow motion the ball looped up into the air and as the entire Leeds
defence stood frozen to the spot it cleared Martyn and dipped just in front of
the goal before dribbling into the unguarded net.
As hard as Leeds tried to get back into the game they were breaking far too
slowly and predictably, allowing Spurs to regroup, and Ian Walker was able to
tip over a drive from David Wetherall after Hopkin had delayed his pass.
So it took an individual effort out of nowhere to equalise, with Harte picking
the ball up 30 yards out on the left, drifting inside as he held off two
challenges and guiding a right-foot shot just inside the post from the edge of
the penalty area.
In the final stages it was Leeds who drove forward in an increasingly
desperate search for the winner, with Hasselbaink's cross stretching Walker as
he deflected the ball with his fingertips with Smith threatening behind him.
But Tottenham regrouped and the Dutch striker was left to attempt an ambitious
35-yard effort on goal from a free-kick which was easily gathered by Walker.
At the end Graham warmly shook hands with O'Leary and headed off for
post-match interviews and a drink with Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale.
A replay now beckons with Leeds fans making the trip down the M1 to London. It
is a journey which Graham knows all too well.
Teams:
Leeds: Martyn, Wetherall, Radebe, Woodgate, Haaland (Korsten 84),
Hopkin, Bowyer, Kewell, Harte, Hasselbaink, Smith.
Subs Not Used: Granville, Halle, Jones, Robinson.
Booked: Woodgate, Bowyer.
Goals: Harte 73.
Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Young, Campbell, Edinburgh, Freund,
Sherwood, Anderton (Nielsen 82), Ginola (Sinton 85), Iversen,Ferdinand.
Subs Not Used: Armstrong, Vega, Baardsen.
Booked: Iversen, Ferdinand, Carr, Sherwood.
Goals: Sherwood 53.
Att: 39,696
Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).
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