On this day in 2013: Andre Villas-Boas sacked as Tottenham manager

Tottenham sacked Andre Villas-Boas after only 18 months in charge on this day in 2013.

Spurs reacted after heavy defeats to top-four rivals Manchester City and Liverpool during a difficult start to the new campaign.

Villas-Boas still departed the club with the highest percentage of league wins of any Tottenham boss in the Premier League era.

The Portuguese coach had been appointed in the summer of 2012, only three months after being dismissed by fellow London outfit Chelsea.

The former Porto manager presided over a relatively successful first season at White Hart Lane, with a Gareth Bale-inspired team finishing in fifth position but achieving Spurs’ best ever points total in the Premier League with 72.

It was not enough to secure Champions League football and Bale departed for Real Madrid during the off-season in a world record £85.3million deal.

While Tottenham signed eight new players, including Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela, Villas-Boas’ side struggled for consistency and a 6-0 thrashing at Man City was followed by a 5-0 home loss to Liverpool which resulted in his sacking.

Villas-Boas would go to win trophies in Russia with Zt Saint Petersburg before spells with Shanghai SIPG and Marseille.

He has also taken breaks from management to follow his passion of motorsport by competing in the 2018 Dakar Rally and appeared in the World Rally Championship in 2021.