Terry Dyson, only Spurs player to score north London derby hat-trick, dies at 91

Tottenham salute ‘key part’ of 1960-61 Double side

Former winger also won Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963

Tottenham’s 1961 Double-winner Terry Dyson has died at the age of 91.

The Premier League club confirmed Dyson’s death on Thursday and paid tribute to their former winger, who made 209 appearances and scored 55 goals for Spurs across a 10-year spell.

Dyson was a key figure in Bill Nicholson’s 1960-61 side who were the first English team in the 20th century to achieve a First Division and FA Cup Double, but one of his finest moments occurred two years later when he scored a brace in a 5-1 victory over Atlético Madrid to secure European Cup Winners’ Cup success.

“The club is extremely saddened to learn of the passing of our former player Terry Dyson at the age of 91,” a Tottenham statement read. “Terry was a key part of our Double-winning side in 1961, scoring in the FA Cup Final. He also scored twice in the 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final. Our deepest condolences are with Terry’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.”

Dyson played for Fulham, Colchester and Guildford after a distinguished spell at Spurs.

Yorkshire-born Dyson remains the only Tottenham player to score a hat-trick against fierce rivals Arsenal, which he achieved at the start of the 1961-62 campaign.

In 2020, Dyson admitted: “One of them hit my hand. It bounced up, hit my hand and I lashed it in and the Arsenal players went mad.

“They ran after the referee but he never saw it. I didn’t do it deliberately but it hit my hand and I just lashed it in.

“To get a hat-trick was brilliant and nobody has done it since. There was a header, a left foot and a right foot. It was perfect!”

Dyson celebrated with “a few drinks” and also received small praise from perfectionist Nicholson. “His praise wasn’t brilliant, he didn’t throw it out willy-nilly, but he said ‘well done’ and I was like: ‘Oh thanks Bill!’ We went out that night and had a few drinks, so it was good.

“It is amazing, you don’t think of it at the time but it has gone down in history.”