Gary Mabbutt's #One2Eleven on The Fantasy Football Club
Friday 1 April 2016 19:10, UK
Former Tottenham and England defender Gary Mabbutt has given us his #One2Eleven, and it is an absolute corker.
Mabbutt had a distinguished 19-year career at the very top of the game, playing for the likes of Bristol Rovers and Tottenham during that time.
The centre-back, who was also capped 16 times by England between 1982 and 1992, selected the best 11 players he has played with on The Fantasy Football Club...
Goalkeeper - Ray Clemence
I came to Spurs from Bristol Rovers and at the time Ray had spent 12 years basically alternating with the first-team place for England with Peter Shilton. I played with Shilton, David Seaman and Ray, and those three along with Gordon Banks are probably the best we have ever had in this country, so trying to choose one was really difficult.
I was swayed a bit in choosing Ray because when I first came up from Bristol Rovers, a young boy from the West Country, I was staying in a hotel and Ray Clemence, this Liverpool, Spurs and England legend, invited me to his house and then out for dinner with his wife. Ray realised the pressure youngsters are under and I was very appreciative of what he did, so he gets in my team.
Right side of defence - Richard Gough
We had one year together at Spurs. When he first arrived we hit it off immediately as friends and team-mates. We knew each other's game and we had a fantastic year when he was with us. He left us for Rangers and had a decade as captain up there, winning nine Scottish titles. I was disappointed the partnership only lasted for one year.
Central defence - Terry Butcher
I played against him a lot and also with him for England. He is a colossus, a man-mountain of a centre-half. Before every England game, in the five minutes before kick-off, he was liked a man possessed with passion and commitment. It was unbelievable. We would get into the tunnel before the game and you could see the other team freezing with the way he was trying to get the team motivated. I was scared as well! A fantastic player with great commitment.
Left side of defence - Stuart Pearce
He had a similar passion to Terry and I never saw him get over-run by a player. He had pace, he was strong, great left foot, great captain and a player you would always want in your side. It was difficult for me because I left out people like Des Walker, Tony Adams, Steve Perryman, Chris Hughton, Kenny Sansom and Viv Anderson, but I have gone with these three at the back.
Holding midfielder - Bryan Robson
We played against each other a lot. I was in midfield in my first couple of years at Spurs and he was in the centre of midfield at Manchester United. We had a lot of very competitive games against each other and also had a spell as room-mates with England. He was a fantastic player, he was committed, driven and covered every blade of grass.
Right side of midfield - Ossie Ardiles
When Ossie and Ricky Villa came to Tottenham in 1978 I think their success was the catalyst for all the top players in the world to want to come to England. They were outstanding. Ossie was very slight in appearance but on the pitch he could ride the strongest challenges, hold players off and the ease with which he went past defenders, and his vision, was fantastic.
Left side of midfield - Glenn Hoddle
I have never known another player with the range of passing that Glenn had. In training every day you would stand there and admire him and his abilities. In my first year at Spurs I got 12 goals and every time I made a run from midfield he would pick me out. I would say 10 of those 12 goals probably came from his passes. One thing that amazed me was that if I was England manager at that time I would have built my team around him.
Centre of midfield - Diego Maradona
At Ossie Ardilles' testimonial we played against Inter Milan at White Hart Lane and Maradona came over to play. I played alongside him in midfield and he showboated the whole game - tricks, flicking the ball around, he was outstanding. One of the greatest players ever, so he had to be in the team.
Attacking midfield - Paul Gascoigne
I was captain when Paul arrived at Spurs and he certainly kept me on my toes. One of the most intelligent players on the pitch, he could see things so quickly and make things happen. If you were playing in a game when the team was not playing well and didn't deserve to win, he could grab the game by the scruff of the neck and turn it your way. He could make it happen. He used to control games and he was a funny character to have around the dressing room. One of the best.
Striker - Jurgen Klinsmann
As a striker he did not have a fault. When you play against a team you look at your opponent and wonder where their weaknesses are; Jurgen didn't have any. When he first came to Tottenham we thought he was near the end of his career but his attitude was outstanding and his finishing inside and outside the box was incredible.
Striker - Pele
Seven years ago I was selected for a FIFA World XI to play in Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebration game in Cape Town. We had a fantastic team with Butragueno, Karembeu, Zubizarreta, Gullit and Pele. He's the greatest ever so he had to make it into my team.
