UEFA Cup glory - 40 years on

Today marks the 40th anniversary of one of our greatest triumphs - the enthralling and dramatic UEFA Cup win over Anderlecht in May, 1984.

To commemorate the occasion, we take a look back at the two games which led to our success and hear from the key people involved in what turned out to be another special Glory, Glory Night.

A European campaign which started back in September, 1983, with a 14-0 aggregate win over Irish side Drogheda United, was to reach its conclusion on a night of high drama at White Hart Lane on May 23, 1984.

Having seen off Feyenoord, Bayern Munich and Austria Vienna, we edged past Hajduk Split on away goals in the semi-final to book a two-legged final showdown with Anderlecht.

The formidable Belgians were recognised as one of Europe's top sides at the time, unbeaten at home in 10 years of European football and having put three goals past Nottingham Forest in the home leg of their own semi-final.

We were looking to repeat our UEFA Cup success of 1972, but if we needed any extra incentive, it came with the news that manager Keith Burkinshaw was leaving the Club at the end of the season. He had assembled a team which remains one of the best in the Club's history and the players were determined to give him the success he deserved.

Despite being without Ossie Ardiles and Glenn Hoddle for the first leg at the Stadion Constant Vanden Stock in Brussels, we emerged with a highly creditable 1-1 draw with an all-important away goal in the bag and confidence high of finishing the job at the Lane.

Paul Miller had put us ahead in the 58th minute, silencing the majority of the crowd when he powered a header past goalkeeper Jacky Munaron from Micky Hazard's corner.

Paul Miller, on his goal in the first leg: "I got one of my rare goals in Brussels. I came up, met Micky Hazard's corner and it went in. It was a great moment for me. Not too many players get to score in a European final."

It was a goal which only served to inspire our hosts though and for the remainder of the game we were on the back foot, thankful for the stunning defensive performances of Graham Roberts and Miller in particular.

We were unable to hold out for victory though. Just five minutes remained when Frank Arnesen fired in a shot which Parks saved well but could only parry to Morten Olsen who slotted home.

Tony Galvin, on the first leg: "The Anderlecht game away was probably one of the best we played in the competition. We couldn't get a second goal but they were a very, very good team."

So the teams reconvened in north London two weeks later with honours even and everything to play for. We were slight favourites having scored the away goal, but with Hoddle still injured and Ardiles only fit for a place on the bench, we were dealt another blow as inspirational captain Steve Perryman was booked in the first leg and was therefore suspended for the crucial deciding game.

It was a pulsating game in front of 46,258 expectant fans, one which ebbed and flowed and produced high quality football from both sides. We dominated possession but our Belgian visitors were always a danger with their sharp, incisive football.

We exerted some early pressure to try to put the game to bed in the opening stages but couldn't find the breakthrough goal and in fact the best chance fell to Anderlecht, but our young goalkeeper Tony Parks rushed from his line to save Alex Czerniatinski's effort. It wouldn't be the last time Parks saved the day.

The second half started in a similar vein but on the hour mark, any advantage we had with the away goal was blown away when Czerniatinski beat Parks with a right-footed chip to put Anderlecht ahead on the night and overall.

We were stung into action and pounded the visitors defence for the next 15 minutes. Steve Archibald twice went close but on 77 minutes, Burkinshaw decided to go for broke, replacing Miller with Ardiles in search of a goal.

It worked. With seven minutes left, Munaron denied Archibald again at the expense of a corner, from the set-piece Ardiles hit the bar and the ball was cleared but only as far as Hazard, who sent it straight back into the danger area where Graham Roberts bustled through and crashed home the equaliser.

Graham Roberts, on his crucial equaliser in the second leg:"Micky Hazard normally liked to beat a player before crossing, but this time he crossed early and the ball cannoned off my chest. There were two Anderlecht defenders close by, but by taking the ball on the chest I went away from them.

"That I think was the hard part. I simply hit the ball then and hoped. It was an incredible feeling of ecstasy and pain. As soon as I ran to the crowd my legs went. The noise was terrific. I was in a total daze."

Extra-time came and went without a winner and so the game was to settled by penalties. Roberts, stand-in captain on the night and magnificent on the night, hammered home our first, Morten Olsen stepped up to level only for Parks to dive to his left and push his kick away.

Falco, Gary Stevens and Archibald then netted for us, with Michel de Groote, Franky Vercauteren and Enzo Scifo replying. Danny Thomas was next, able to win us the trophy if he scored, but his spot-kick was saved by Munaron.

Garth Crooks, on Danny Thomas' penalty miss in the shootout: "There was a feeling of desperation when Danny missed the penalty. He was very well liked and I think everyone felt desperately sorry for him. I remember hearing the fans chanting his name and thinking that that really is wonderful - that they don't hold him responsible."

But there was hardly time for everyone to digest the disappointment as Parks took centre-stage, blocking Arnor Gudjohnsen's penalty to win the UEFA Cup as White Hart Lane erupted into a cauldron of noise and for Burkinshaw's time as manager to end on a fitting, glorious note.

Tony Parks, on his heroics in the shootout: "With the first penalty, the Anderlecht player told where he was going to put it. I could see it in his eyes where it was going. With the next three I just guessed and got it wrong. On the last one, I changed my mind and went the other way and got it right. It's the sort of thing you read about in comics."

Keith Burkinshaw, on his emotional last-ever game in charge as manager: "You don't really want to leave on a night like this. You want it to go on for ever. It is a fairytale. But I'm a lucky so-and-so. I must admit it. Somebody up there must like me. When we went 1-0 down I thought we had blown it, but we persevered.

"The fighting spirit of the lads was tremendous. It was a very emotional moment when I picked up the trophy and I am not usually an emotional person. It was a nostalgic moment, a wonderful way to finish at White Hart Lane."