Pat Jennings was a goalkeeper who could make the extraordinary look routine.
Tall and commanding, yet blessed with astonishing agility, he combined safe hands with reflexes that seemed to defy his frame.
For Tottenham supporters, Jennings represented reassurance: the sense that even when a defence had been breached, the last line could still save the day.
Jennings arrived from Watford in 1964 and quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the country.
He spent 13 years at White Hart Lane before leaving for Arsenal in 1977, making 590 appearances for Tottenham in all competitions.
His record comprised 472 league appearances, 43 in the FA Cup, 39 in the League Cup and 36 in European competitions.
His distribution was unusually assured for his era, and he was capable of launching attacks as well as stopping them.
A famous goal for Northern Ireland against Tottenham in a pre-season match had already made him a talking point before he became a Spurs favourite.
A key figure in the trophy years
Jennings helped Tottenham win the League Cup in 1971 and 1973 and the UEFA Cup in 1972.
His consistency mattered in a team that could be adventurous going forward: he gave defenders confidence to play and offered a decisive intervention when opponents found a way through.
He also became an international great, winning 119 caps for Northern Ireland.
When Tottenham released Jennings in 1977, Arsenal signed him — a move that made him an unusual and enduring figure in north London football.
He later returned to Spurs in 1985-86 for a brief spell, making one senior appearance, before continuing his association with the club in a coaching capacity from 1993. His career stretched across an era of changing goalkeeping demands, yet his core strengths never went out of fashion.
Jennings’ legacy is built on far more than spectacular saves. He was durable, technically gifted and fiercely competitive, and he made elite goalkeeping look composed rather than chaotic.
The Northern Irish great is arguably Tottenham’s greatest-ever goalkeeper and goes down as a club legend for the ages.