STAN Ternent's success as both a coach and a manager comes as no surprise to Spurs assistant boss John Gorman.

But he is determined to help plot Burnley's downfall at Turf Moor tomorrow night as mighty Spurs come into town.

Glenn Hoddle's right hand man played alongside Ternent for four seasons at Carlisle 30 years ago and Gorman explained: "He worked with Bob Stokoe and was always keen to talk about the game.

"He was just like I was, very dedicated and when we have met up on holiday since we sit down and talk football.

"He was an excellent player, a sweeper who liked to come out of defence with the ball. I used to give him stick because he was always going forward and wanting the ball. We had some very good players at the time at Carlisle and Stan was one of them."

Gorman is looking forward to renewing the friendship tomorrow night as they have rarely crossed swords during long careers as coaches and managers.

"There have been a couple of games like when Stan was Chelsea and I was with Swindon," said Gorman who has been Hoddle's loyal lieutenant at Swindon, Southampton, England and now Spurs.

Signs this season have suggested that the London giants are moving in the right direction and Gorman admitted that while other top flight clubs might look on the Worthington Cup with disdain, his club is desperate to win it.

"This is a very important competition for us and having lost last season's final to Blackburn we really want to win it," he said. "We are determined to try and go a step further.

"But we know how hard it will be, going to a place like Burnley and they have looked a good side in the games we have seen them."

Gorman is aware that Ternent's team has been wounded by the recent run of three defeats but he knows there is quality in the side in the shape of Robbie Blake and Glen Little.

While Gorman knows that Spurs will have a battle on their hands, he is confident they have the necessary quality to make the gap between the first division and the Premiership tell.

"We are doing well and we were very disappointed not to got something at Liverpool recently when we were worth at least a point," he said.

"We have got players coming back from injury and that is important because at the start of the season we had so many out we had to put young boys on the bench.

"But we have got some really good young players coming through. Simon Davies is doing really well for us and for Wales, Robbie Keane has come in and took no time to settle and we have got the likes of Anthony Gardner and Matty Etherington who have been more regular this year."

That promise of youth, combined with the experience offered by the likes of Teddy Sheringham and Gustavo Poyet, has offered hope for the future but Hoddle knows they need to start winning silverware and get back into Europe.

That dual goal guarantees they will be going for it at Turf Moor and Gorman reiterated: "This is a very big game for us. We know it is a big game for Burnley but it is so important for us.

"We will have to be right on the night, it is not an easy game, we will have to be committed and organised."

So while some Premiership sides will trust in their fringe players, the Clarets will be dealing with the big name stars that have taken Spurs to fifth in the Premiership.

And after the game two men of football, friends and former team mates, will be able to sit down and say where it all went right - or wrong!