On this day: Pat Jennings crosses North London divide

By Liam Apicella, Features EditorPublished: 06 August 2015 7:00 AM

Thirty-eight years ago today, Tottenham Hotspur allowed veteran goalkeeper Pat Jennings to sign for arch rivals Arsenal.

Players that leave a club for a rival tend to be loved and hated in equal measure.

That statement is no truer then when it comes to Sol Campbell, who to this day has not been forgiven by Tottenham Hotspur fans for his decision to join neighbours Arsenal on a free transfer in 2001.

Yet, unlike Campbell, the first footballer of note to cross the North London divide 38 years ago today - Pat Jennings - has bucked that trend to remain a revered figure at both clubs.

The goalkeeper had spent 13 years between the posts with Spurs, whom he had helped to win the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and League Cup on two occasions. During that time, Jennings was voted the PFA Player of the Year, becoming the first keeper to have received the accolade.

However, at the age of 32, it was reported that Spurs manager Keith Burkinshaw believed that the Northern Ireland international's best days were behind him. After all, this was an era in which veteran keepers were not necessarily the norm.

It meant that after 591 appearances for the White Hart Lane outfit, when Arsenal came calling with a bid of £45,000, Jennings made the short switch to Highbury, despite reported interest from Manchester United and Aston Villa.

"It was a big wrench to leave [Spurs]. The directors, every one of them walked past me in the car park and totally blanked me. From that minute on, I thought 'why am I going up the country if this is the thanks I get'," Jennings said of his Spurs departure a few years ago.

"So, there was only one place I was going after that and that was over the road to suit me and hopefully create a bit of embarrassment for Tottenham."

Jennings did indeed go on to cause much embarrassment for his former employers as he went on to play for another eight seasons, racking up 327 appearances for Arsenal in the process.

He was in goal for three successive FA Cup finals, although the red half of North London were victorious in just one of those showpiece encounters - the dramatic 3-2 victory over Man United at Wembley in 1979.