Tottenham have started the season in poor form and are yet to register a win away from home this season.
They will be hoping to put that stat right when they travel to JobServe Community Stadium to take on Colchester United in the third round of the Carabao Cup this evening.
Colchester have had a mixed start to the season but have some experienced professionals in their ranks including former Spurs academy product, Luke Prosser.
The 31-year-old, who came through the ranks at Spurs before moving to Port Vale in 2006, has opened up about the emotions he felt when his side were drawn against the Liywhites.
Speaking to the Guardian, Prosser said, “I couldn’t believe it (when the draw was made). My phone started going mad. My family are Spurs through and through and they were all going mad on our WhatsApp group.
“And then, straight away, you’re thinking: ‘I’ve got to mark Harry Kane.’ That was one of the first things that went through my head.”
The defender said that his father took him to his first Tottenham game when he was eight years old; a Boxing Day win over Southampton at White Hart Lane.
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He is also proud to count legendary winger Cliff Jones who was an integral part of Tottenham double-winning side, as a family friend as he was close to Jones’s grandson Scott.
Prosser added: “I’ve known Cliff all my life – he’s one of the nicest blokes. He met me in the tunnel at White Hart Lane before the Port Vale cup tie and we had a picture.
“He also wrote me a letter to say how proud he was, which he left in my place in the dressing room. I used to do Cliff’s soccer schools and I was best friends with Scott, growing up. Scott and his mum, Mandy, lived with Cliff.
“We used to love going into Cliff’s trophy room at the house. We were just in awe, although as a young kid you don’t realise the full extent of what he achieved.
“When you’re with other people, they say ‘the Wales legend’ and compare him to Gareth Bale. And you’re thinking: ‘Really? Cliff?!’ He’s 84 and is in unbelievable shape but he always has been. On his soccer schools, he’d join in and take everyone on.”
The Spurs academy graduate also recalled the two instances he has come up against the Lilywhites in the past when he was at Port Vale. Both were pre-season friendlies with Spurs winning 6-0 at Roots Hall in 2012 and 4-0 at the Tottenham training centre in 2015.
“Kane scored a hat-trick in the first game,” Prosser added. “I didn’t think it was my hardest game ever, like I was frightened to mark him, but he’s still come off with the match ball.
“They had Danny Rose, Ryan Mason, and Andros Townsend, while in 2015, it was Roberto Soldado, Rose and Townsend again, Nabil Bentaleb.”
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It certainly will be a special evening for Prosser as he walks out on the pitch to take on his boyhood club but let’s hope the result on the day is not one he will look back on fondly. Regarding the game, it is certainly a positive for Spurs that they have a chance to put things right immediately after the Leicester result instead of being forced to dwell on the defeat.
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