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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry once said Tottenham cult hero was the only defender who could get the ball off him fairly
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur boast one of the fiercest rivalries in the English game, with both sides regularly vying for bragging rights in North London.
Although the Gunners have been the better side in terms of ove🌜rall status and silverware, the form book tends to go out of 🐻the window in North London derbies.
In terms of red cards, Arsenal v Tottenham is the fourth fiercest derby in English football, with 16 red cards handed out in Premier Lea🐼gue encounters since 1992.
However, there was one particular Spurs defender who was known for being world-class without being dirty, so much so that Thierry Henry once sung his praises.
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Arsenal icon Thierry Henry said Tottenham legend Ledley King gave him a tough time without being dirty
The player in question is Ledley King, who shone for Tottenham between 1999 and 2012.
King made 323 competitive appearances fo🐷r Spurs, along with winning 21 England caps, and received just nine yellow cards throughout his enti𓃲re career.
Henry, speaking to in 2006, admitted tha🌱t King gave him a tough time without even needing to be rough.
Considering Henry was in his prime around then, many defe𒉰nders sought to nullify his threat by hook or by crook – but King didn’t need to do this.
“I don’t likeꦓ defenders who hold the shirts of other players,” He🌊nry said.
“The only defen🙈der here who doesn’t do that and sometimes▨ still gets the ball off my feet easily is Ledley King.
“He is the only guy who doesn’t🍒 hold players. He will get the ball off you without꧑ you even noticing. For me, that is a good defender.
“He plays wi♛thout any contact y🌊et is somehow still strong and gets the ball without doing any fouls.”
Ledley King’s Tottenham career
King w𓆏as born in Bow in 1980 and played for Senrab FC – the famous youth team which also gave the world the likes of Jermain Defoe, John Terry and Ezri Konsa – 🦩as a youngster.
The defend💟er joined Tottenham as a trainee in Ju🀅ly 1996 and progressed through the youth system before making his first-team debut in May 1999.
King made 323 competitive appearances for Spurs, registering 14 goals and eight assists, and lifted the 2008 League Cup, the last major trophy won by the Lilywhi🧜tes.
Sadly, King was plagued by chronic knee problems later on in his career, with Harry Redknapp admitting in 2008 th👍at the player didn’t have any cartilage in his left knee.
“There’s no cure,” quoted Redknapp as saying. “There’s no cartilage, nothing to operate on. It’s just bone on b🍌one. So it’s just a question of managing it.
“It swells up after games and it normally takes seven days to recover but hav𒊎ing played on Monday night he’s had less time than usual.
“He rarely trains, he mostly just goesꩲ to t𒐪he gym to keep himself ticking over. But not running or anything like that.
“But even if he only plays 20 games a🦂 season, he’s worth having♛ because he’s so good we have a much better chance of winning.”
Harry Redknapp wa♉s recently asked to build a combined XI of his former players and tod🌜ay’s current crop of Spurs stars, and was asked to pick between King and Micky van de Ven.