The man who convinced Tottenham to sign Dele Alli was David Pleat - the clubs longest-running servant who has been enjoying a consultancy and scouting role since 2011. Cheap Old Skool Australia Free Shipping . His affinity with Spurs stretches back over four decades to 1986 and includes spells as manager and director of football, and he was so determined regarding Allis ability, and his expertise so highly regarded, that the club was persuaded to spend £5m on a 19-year-old from League One MK Dons.Allis subsequent season needs no reminders, and Pleat says he has been pleasantly surprised by the youngsters rise to England star, but it is the rise of the club itself, citing manager Mauricio Pochettinos methods and the Argentines great relationship with chairman Daniel Levy as a key factor, that Pleat is even more encouraged by. Pleat believes Tottenham have had the best season for many, many years and the future looks good - and, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, he insists Alli was never close to signing for Liverpool, as reports have suggested. They met him and had talks but Milton Keynes werent selling him at the time. he said. There was nothing agreed with the clubs and they said he wasnt for sale at that point.When the chairman at MK Dons was ready to sell him I was informed by their manager, because he knew wed be interested, and we did the deal. The rest is history. It was David Pleat who persuaded Tottenham to sign Dele Alli from MK Dons Alli is a great lad and Im pleasantly surprised with how well he has done. I was fortunate to watch him and Im fortunate to look over a broad spectrum for Spurs, from youth football to the highest level.Ive enjoyed my attachment with Tottenham whatever Ive done. I enjoy watching young players and good players in all teams, and that can continue. The club is on a great footing. Despite a gloomy end, that does not mask what I consider to be one the best seasons the club has had for many, many years.The team have broken all sorts of records and are a truism of those great sides of the past. All the greats - the Linekers, Hoddles, Perrymans, Jennings - I think they have all said this is one of the best teams for many years.The chairman has recognised the qualities of the Argentinian manager, knows the type of football he plays, and that its the type that Tottenham fans appreciate. I dont think there is any doubt about it; Daniel has an excellent relationship with his manager. He lets him get on with the football and has provided funds for players. Alli waiting to wake up from Spurs dream Dele Alli says he is still waiting to wake up after his stunning rise at Spurs Those players have been identified and brought in by Tottenhams revamped recruitment department, of which Pleat is an integral part, which is now widely considered among the best in Europe. Pleats expertise is regarded as crucial, having watched scouting methods evolve over four decades both at Spurs and across world football, and he believes Tottenham are building both this and the rest of the club in the right way.Where they have done brilliantly, everyone at Tottenham, is giving the youngsters the opportunity to play, Pleat said. They cant just go out and buy £50m-£60m players.It isnt easy but Tottenham have been building slowly and the signs are good. Its a better way of doing things if you feel youve got longevity with certain players, and young players, and if staff are making the commitment for a long time. Pleat has had four spells as Tottenham manager including three as caretaker In the past you look maybe four or five times at a player and certainly the manager himself will have had a look himself, unless he is really inept. Now its more modern, tracking players.I went to Kiev many years ago and saw their unbelievable scouting system, where three guys, almost 24 hours a day, were watching almost every game going on around the world. That was in Ukraine and now this country is getting along the same lines. The scouting is getting more sophisticated.But its very difficult to compare Tottenhams with other clubs, unless youre inside those four walls. People say, Oh this clubs all over the place, that club is bad at this. All I can say is that Tottenhams is being run very smoothly and theyre happy with it. Allis key moments Key moments in Dele Allis memorable first season at Tottenham So what will Tottenham do in the transfer market this summer? Are they still in a position to take gambles on lower-league players like Alli after competing for the Premier League title and returning to Europes top club competition?Next year they will continue to improve, and theyll add a couple of players to it, he said.Its a balance. If they feel they can get the right player to do a certain job they will look at all sorts of things. They wont say, Well because hes this age, we cant possibly sign him, but they will still look for young, hungry players with a good attitude because that is what the manager likes. They can take a gamble. They did because they backed me with Dele Alli. So they will do if they can find one thats very good value. But, generally speaking, theyve got to find players that have got some pedigree and already proven themselves at a decent level. Also See: Tottenham season review Pochettinos five-year plan? Dele Alli: Key moments Son dismisses exit rumours Cheap Vans Australia . TSN 1290s coverage begins with Hustler & Lawless at 3pm. Rick Ralph hosts the Official Jets Pre-game Show at 5pm. Old Skool Australia Cheap . -- The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Brandon Lyon that includes an invitation to their big league camp for spring training. http://www.cheapoldskoolaustralia.com/ . Mesoraco hurt his hamstring while scoring from second in Friday nights 5-4 loss at Atlanta. Chapman was hit by a line drive during an exhibition game on March 19, breaking his nose and a bone above his left eye. The left-hander looked strong while throwing 43 pitches in batting practice before Saturday nights game against the Braves.Baltimore, MD (SportsNetwork.com) - Make it 13 in a row for Navy. And the momentum in the 115th edition of the Army-Navy Game shifted with a last-second timeout. Keenan Reynolds ran for 100 yards and a touchdown and threw for another as the Midshipmen defeated the Black Knights 17-10 on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. Up 7-0 during the latter stages of the second quarter, Army was faced with a 4th-and-1 at the Navy 30. Black Knights quarterback Angel Santiago kept the ball on a quarterback sneak and appeared to pick up a first down, but Midshipmen coach Ken Niumatalolo signaled for a timeout right before the ball was snapped and the play was whistled dead. After the stoppage, Santiago had trouble with the exchange and was stopped shy of the marker on another sneak attempt. The Midshipmen (7-5), whose offense failed to move the chains on each of their first three possessions, found the end zone on their ensuing touch when Reynolds rolled right and found Jamir Tillman for a 9-yard touchdown in the front part of the end zone to tie the score. Navy carried that momentum into the second half, where it pulled away. Once we stopped shooting ourselves in the foot, we were able to be successful on the offensive side of the ball, Reynolds said. Reynolds was 6-of-8 for 77 yards and picked up his 100 yards on the ground on 26 carries for the Midshipmen, who will face San Diego State in 10 days in the Poinsettia Bowl. Chris Swain posted 47 yards on nine totes and Noah Copeland added 30 on 12 rushes in the triumph. Navy, which has outscored Army 417-142 during the winning streak, ran for 205 yards as a team. Larry Dixon ran the ball 14 times for 90 yards to lead the Black Knights (4-8), who havent beaten the Midshipmen since Dec. 1, 2001 when they recorded a 26-17 victory. It stings and its going to hurt for a long time, Army coach Jeff Monken said. Itll pain us until we have an opportunity to play again and do something about it next year. Navy held a 17-7 advantage with 3:47 remaining before Reynolds fumbled an exchange and Joe Drummond pounced on the ball for Army. The miscue led to a 52-yard Daniel Grochowski field goal, making it a one- score game, but the ensuing onnside kick with 1:51 to play was recovered by the Midshipmen. Wholesale Vans Shoes. The Black Knights opened the scoring following Navys initial offensive sequence when Josh Jenkins blocked a punt and Xavier Moss returned it for a touchdown. Navy was unable to sustain a drive until the early stages of the second. It moved the chains for the first time following a 10-yard Reynolds run on a 3rd- and-2.The Midshipmen went on to pick up two more first downs prior to punting. Dixon broke several tackles on a 3rd-and-6 sprint draw play for an 8-yard pickup and Joe Walker gained 18 along the left sideline off an option pitch to take the ball to the Navy 39. The failed Santiago sneak came four snaps later. The Midshipmen capitalized quickly on the turnover on downs when Reynolds fired a 39-yard strike to Tillman over the middle on a post pattern. The game- tying score came five plays later, knotting the score at 7-7. Ryan Williams-Jenkins returned the second-half kickoff 41 yards to midfield. Andrew King sacked Reynolds for a 6-yard loss on a 3rd-and-8 at the Army 22 to push a field-goal attempt further back, but Austin Grebe made it anyway, connecting from 45 yards out to give Navy the lead. Grochowski hooked a 49-yard field goal wide left on Armys next touch and Navy went up by double figures with an elongated 15-play trek. Reynolds picked up a pair of 3rd-and-shorts with 4-yard runs sandwiched around Copelands 4-yard carry to convert a 3rd-and-3 and Reynolds capped the 69-yard march with a 1-yd quarterback sneak for a 17-7 margin. Paul Quessenberry forced an A.J. Schurr fumble on Armys next drive and Will Anthony pounced on the loose ball to give the ball back to the Midshipmen midway through the fourth. Game Notes Three of the last four meetings between the teams have been decided by a touchdown or fewer, although Navy tallied a 34-7 victory a year ago ... Niumatalolo became Navys all-time winningest coach with the victory, passing George Welsh. Niumatalolo is also the first Midshipmen coach to win his first seven games against Army ... Navy wound up picking up 16 first downs, outgained Army 282-235, and was 9-of-15 on third down. ' ' '