• Manager says his players have proved their resilience
• Redknapp says team has character of 1961 Double side

Harry Redknapp believes this is the year in which Tottenham Hotspur will lose the “underachievers” tag that has dogged them for more than a generation. The manager says he is in charge of the most resilient Spurs side since the one that did the Double nearly 50 years ago and is confident they will hold their nerve to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.

Despite high hopes and hefty investment Tottenham have never finished higher than fifth in the Premier League. Redknapp, however, feels the club’s current players have the mental toughness other Spurs sides have lacked and will not slip from their perch in fourth place, despite being chased by Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool.

A defeat at Sunderland three weeks ago and a surprising loss to Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi‑final at Wembley spawned fears among supporters that another promising season was going to peter out. But Redknapp has been