Although Wayne Burnett’s young Tottenham side failed to etch their name onto the PL2 Cup a few weeks ago, losing to Fulham in the final, the team still had a golden opportunity to mark a memorable season with a double of both the Premier League 2 league & playoff trophy.
The Premier League board last year in fact saved Tottenham’s U21s from relegation due to the decision to introduce a new format for the division in the 2023/24 season. Fast forward a year and Tottenham have turned the table on its head, winning the league phase of the new format comfortably whilst reaching the final of the playoffs which saw the top sixteen PL2 teams battle it out to be crowned champions.
Spurs’ opponents for the final, Sunderland, had ended up seventh in PL2, twelve points adrift from table-topping Tottenham. However, it didn’t necessarily mean that Spurs could stroll to victory in the final as The Black Cats had displayed immense character in their playoff campaign to reach the last two, most notably taking their semi-final against Reading to extra time due to a 99th minute equaliser before sensationally booking their spot in the final in the 121st minute, making for a long, but jubilant late night journey home for the young Sunderland squad.
Tottenham reverted to their squad of players that had partaken in the majority of the playoffs after calling in Alfie Devine and Ashley Phillips in the semi final against Chelsea. The squad’s fitness and energy levels although were uncertain with players such as Jamie Donley, George Abbott, Yago Santiago and Tyrese Hall all only recently returning from a post-season friendly trip to Australia.
An impressive, fast-paced start to the game soon expelled any doubts that those players would in fact be affected by the controversial trip across the world on Wednesday. Yago Santiago was initially finding joy on his left wing as he came eye-to-eye against Sunderland captain, Ellis Taylor, who had extraordinarily scored a hat trick in the semi final from full-back, but wasn’t showing his best defensive performance in the first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however.
Recently crowned P2 Player of The Year, Will Lankshear, then started to grow into the game, having a shot that was easily saved by the keeper and very narrowly missing out on a very loose back pass to away goalkeeper, Adam Richardson. As a result of the contest over the poor pass, Lankshear was caught by Richardson, causing Spurs’ number 9 to go down clutching his foot.
The considerable number of Sunderland fans who had made the journey 240-mile journey to cheer on their side felt that Lankshear was trying to buy a penalty from the referee and subsequently made the 19-year-old striker aware of their disgust by booing and jeering him.
The visitors should have perhaps known that it was foolish to mock a striker who has netted 32 goals this season as Lankshear responded with a goal almost immediately after. Jude Soonsup-Bell slid a ball into the on-running George Abbott who drove the ball low and hard into the box, a hallmark of both Tottenham’s senior and youth team play, allowing Lankshear to steer home the ball and break the deadlock in the final after 38 minutes.
Lankshear quickly wheeled away to the white and red corner of the lower West Stand that was almost sold out for the game and pressed his finger against his lips, silencing the fans who had plenty to say to the striker only moments ago.
Tottenham’s lead came under serious threat moments before the half time whistle as Jaydon Jones thundered a long range shot against the bottom of the post, leaving Luca Gunter uncharacteristically rooted to the spot.
The woodwork continued to be the visiting side’s biggest enemy in the second half also as Timur Tuterov curled in a dangerous ball from the right wing for Sunderland, it somehow avoided striker, Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi, but met the feet of winger, Tom Watson, instead at the back post but the 18-year-old slammed the ball against the post.
Sunderland continued to chase an equaliser, often making their way in behind a Spurs defence that didn’t contain a single natural centre-back, but a mix of poor conviction and determined defending ensured the ball didn’t fly beyond Gunter in the Spurs net.
Upon the hour mark Tottenham then delivered a frustrated Sunderland side a sucker punch. Soonsup-Bell was once again the man at the heart of the move as he lent the ball to Jamie Donley who had drifted wider than Soonsup-Bell, allowing the former Chelsea man to lose his man as he went to stop Donley. The Spurs right winger received the ball from Donley on the right-hand side of the box before swiftly cutting it back to Will Lankshear who was on cue as always to slam the ball into the net.
Lankshear cut his personal celebrations short to go over to Soonsup-Bell, thanking the winger for his contribution to both his goals. The brace in this final meant that Lankshear’s goal tally had ticked over to 32 goals for the season, with 25 being in the PL2. The now astounding haul of goals is 12 more than Cheslea star Cole Palmer managed in the division in 2020/21.
As the final wore on, it started to appear as though both Sunderland players and fans were aware that the trophy was not going to be in their hands come the final whistle, with Luca Gunter making impressive saves to stop the few big opportunities that the Sunderland did manage to manufacture.
Spurs skipper, George Abbott, ensured that both trophies would be hung with navy and white ribbons as he capped off an impressive team move with a finish into the roof of the net. Donley fed in Yusuf Akhamrich who linked up with fellow substitute, Damola Ajayi, with the forward poking the ball goalwards, with Richardson being unable to hold the venomous effort, allowing George Abbott, whose all three goals this season have been against Sunday’s opponents, to pick up the remains and grab Tottenham’s third goal of the afternoon.
Timur Tuterov did provide the travelling fans with a moment to cheer in the game’s final minute as the Ukranian tapped home a rebound off of Luca Gunter, but it was nothing more than a constellation with the player’s timid celebrations reflecting as much.
The Tottenham U21s staff and players were shortly after the full time whistle crowned PL2 playoff and league champions. Appropriately marking a season that has seen Tottenham turn around their fortunes after being towards the bottom of the division last season. It’s also reflective of the impact that a new generation of players are having at Hotspur Way as many of the U21s squad enjoyed a double last season with the U18s, displaying that for Tottenham fans the future is certainly bright & lilywhite.