MORE than 50 years after Frank Saul played a vital role in Spurs’ famous 1961 double winning season, he has been honoured with an official league winners’ medal.

Born on Canvey, Frank, now 75, made his first team debut just weeks after his 18th birthday in the historic 1960/61 season.

The teenage forward went on to feature six times in the first division that year, as Tottenham Hotspur won the league and cup double.

Because he fell short of the 14 appearances required to collect a medal at the time, Frank never received formal recognition for the role he played in our success from the Football League – until now.

Following a change to the rules, the club has been able to secure an authentic league winners’ medal for Frank which was presented to him at his home in Stock, by former double-winning team-mate Terry Dyson.

Frank said: “It’s very nice to receive this medal today.

“It’s been a long time coming, but I’ll treasure it that’s for sure.

“It’s lovely to see Terry and receive the medal from him – he used to be a little bit taller.

“As a young lad in 1960/61, I was on the outside looking in really and I looked up to all of the great players that we had.

“I was five or six years younger than most of them, but I used to get in the side every now and again and it was a pleasure to have been part of such a great team.”

It follows a similar presentation of a medal secured by the club for Tony Marchi, who also played six games for the club in 1960/61, earlier this year.

Club chairman Daniel Levy said: “Winning the Double in 1961 represents an outstanding achievement and we remain immensely proud of all those who contributed to our success.

“I am delighted that Frank – following Tony earlier this year – has now received the medal he deserves.”

Frank went on to score the winning goal in the club’s 1967 FA Cup Final victory over Chelsea before joining Southampton that summer.

Former winger and team mate Terry added: “It’s brilliant to see Frank and give him his medal.

“I haven’t seen him for a long time.

“There were a lot of good players around at the time when we won the Double and Frank was one of them.

“It was a good relationship that we had among the players – Frank has always been a great lad and he fully deserves this recognition.”