relishing Spurs Tie

By Eye of the Tiger
February 23 2009

Defender Anthony Gardner is relishing playing against his former club when The Tiger take on Tottenham on Monday night. "This is one of the games I have been looking forward to all season," said Gardner. "It was the same with the game at White Hart Lane earlier in the season, although my injury situation meant I missed that one.

"That is the beauty of the return fixture, it gives you something else to look forward to.

"It's a very important game because we both need the points. It will be a good spectacle for the fans, and an even better game to play in.

"Hopefully I will be involved and we go out there and show the crowd what we can do.

"Obviously I was happy to get 90 minutes under my belt against Sheffield United and I felt good. In my mind, it's like having a new start. I cleared everything that has happened over the last five months out of my head and focussed on what is left this season."

Gardner is hoping his knowledge of his former team mates will be an advantage going into the game.

"It's pretty similar. They've got players that I know inside out and they have got a lot of quality. Harry Redknapp is a very good manager and he's starting to build the team that he wants there.

"It's not just in attack where they are dangerous. They've got international players all over the pitch.

"You could say it is an advantage for me because I trained with these players every day for a few years.

"Robbie Keane is probably one of the best strikers I've ever played against. Even when I was 14 or 15, he was one of the sharpest boys around.

"He's a natural goal-scorer, but I'll be passing on anything that I can to the rest of the boys because we want a result."