Daniel Levy prepares to celebrate 20 years as Tottenham's Chairman (hooray or no?)

Daniel Levy prepares to celebrate 20 years as Tottenham's Chairman (hooray or no?)

By Don Scully.

What has the Bank of England, Dolly Parton, Dolly the Sheep and the solo testicle of one man have to do with Spurs owners? Read on!

Over five decades ago, the Beatle sang, “It was twenty years ago today that Sgt Pepper's band began to play….” In the 2020s, the song is being reprised again, but this time by Tottenham supporters (with new lyrics)… “it was 20 years ago you came to our club…” Twenty years ago this year, Daniel Levy came to our club, saved us from Sir Alan Sugar’s two meagre trophies and promised us that he would revolutionise the club and bring it into the 21^st Century and restore our Glory’s.

Daniel Levy’s time as Tottenham Chairman

On 11 March 2001, two days after his appointment as Spurs chairman, a very rare interview with Daniel Levy was published in the Sunday Business magazine. As Levy prepares to celebrate 20 years in charge, I ask, has his revolutionary changes changed us for the better? Or are we worse of now than we were when he took over?

Daniel Levy contrasted old White Hart Lane with Glasgow Rangers' home, where he had been a non-executive director. He said you could "smell the history" at Ibrox, while some corridors at White Hart Lane "felt like a jail" because they were unpainted and bare.

When Levy took charge, he would not tell the then manager George Graham who to pick to play, instead, he would take an interest in how the club developed their youngsters. And, while, as a lifelong supporter and season-ticket holder, he knew oh-so-well what the fans wanted to see (us "at the top of the league" with trophies), he also warned that there had to be a balance between shareholders "who want profit" and fans "who want success on the pitch". "Sometimes," he said, "the two do not go together." And at the moment, they are a long way apart. I gather by that comment that his priority, above everything else, is to his shareholders and himself?

However, there have been two obvious achievements of Levy's tenure. They are our stunning new Stadium and a training ground that stands in comparison with the best in the world. Simultaneously, the issues he is most criticised for are investment on the playing side and a lack of trophies, the subject matter could not have been more contradictory.

According to people who know him well; they claim that he is passionate about the club, the fans and the area that the club is situated in. But that doesn’t negate the financial responsibility he has when running the club. In other words, he won’t put everything into winning trophies if it means un-stabling his financial obligations and the monies he gets personally from the club (i.e. payment as Chairman).

Though there have been times when he has backtracked. In February 2019, after three years of negotiating, Premier League clubs voted unanimously to cap away ticket prices at £30. Levy refused to accept this. He felt there was a better way of helping his club's travelling support - which would have cost the club more than the adopted policy. Nevertheless, reason and presumed embarrassment did force him to change his mind; that was when it was pointed out his reasoning would probably get lost amid the general outcry that he had opposed the cap; Levy relented and saved his skin. The same when he decided to “furlough” his non-playing staff at the start of the pandemic. Again he backtracked when the papers picked it up, and there was an outcry. There is nothing like a howling banshee in the night when it is cornered and potentially humiliated.

The outside world view our club as a Premier League cash-cow-arena that pays its players massive salaries and is owned by billionaire tax exile Joe Lewis. Levy was told the move would look terrible. After two weeks, the decision was reversed. In both cases, he argued that his motivation was to do the best for the club and not his pocket. Of course, Daniel, of course!

Daniel Levy making his mark!

Levy has a reputation concerning himself and his football managers, who don’t step up to the mark: such as replacing Juande Ramos with Harry Redknapp in October 2008. His comments were, "I decided on the Friday morning," he had revealed, to sack Ramos. "By Saturday night, it was all done." Similarly, Jose Mourinho was confirmed as boss a day after Mauricio Pochettino was pushed-out (he probably would say, kicked in the nuts). Levy has described the decision to dismiss Pochettino as the hardest he has ever had to make. The speed with which Levy acted has also helped his reputation as a formidable Director and negotiator. We mustn’t also forget all those other 14 managers who have come and gone under his watch.

First up was George Graham, followed by David Pleat, Glenn Hoddle, Jacques Santini, Martin Jol, Clive Allen & Alex Inglethorpe, Harry Redknapp, Andre Villa-Boas, Tim Sherwood and Mauricio Pochettino, all failures while at the club and now we have Jose Mourinho. Out of that bunch, only Juande Ramos managed to win us a trophy, and for his troubles, he was given the push.

Sir Alex Ferguson described dealing with Levy as "more painful than my hip replacement". Others talk warmly of the respect they have for him and that he is a formidable businessman. All this plays into his profile that he wishes to create. That is why – I presume - he has never resisted the hard-man image; in fact, he probably thrives upon it.

There has been a rumour or suggestion that a statue will be/should be erected at the front entrance of the Stadium in Levy’s honour for the achievements he has accomplished for the club and the money he has/ will make for the shareholders and himself... and the one trophy he has also won for the club. I would imagine that the club will allow collection points for the supporters to raise funds for an effigy? As it should be them honouring the “great man” and not taken out of the shareholders and directors pockets.

His stadium creation is described by club insiders as "a game-changer". Levy’s New Stadium is unique in having deals in place for the world's two most popular sporting leagues - the Premier League and NFL - to play matches in it. It is his status symbol. The most significant club ground in London, and of course, once we get back to normal, it will be his cash cow. It has already helped Tottenham generate the highest matchday income in the Premier League. Although COVID-19 short-term financial impact will cost the club around £150m this season. However, I am sure fans will put their hands in their pocket and help with any losses the shareholders and directors may lose because of the pandemic! Maybe a shared collection point with the sculpture funds that are collected? Just a thought!

We also mustn’t forget that in Levy’s 20 years as Chairmen, he has become one of the highest-paid Chairman in the football league (and justly so, I hear you shout!).

Money, money, money, in a rich man’s world

So, that is our director's image and what he has achieved for the Tottenham Hotspur name, so far. Turning us into a billionaire club. Also; after failing to record a single top-six finish in the decade before Levy's arrival, Tottenham have done so 13 times in the two decades since (and an outstanding achievement, I hear you also shout!). However, the glaring issue is a lack of silverware since the 2008 League Cup, the only trophy we have won during Levy's time at the helm.

We have now got one of the most successful managers globally and the most successful Spurs manager’s that has ever been (even though he has won no trophies yet for us) to, no doubt, help push the Tottenham brand further up the business league table. All this should help to get more money for the naming rights for the Stadium and then for…. You guessed it!

The club is now a status simple (and cash cow), and once we get up and running, the money should start rolling back in. The question is, will all that dosh be for building a super team, or will it give the owners and directors more cash to put in their pockets? To be fair, to make money (cumulate), they’ve got to speculate, a dead club won’t do anybody any favours. Maybe both will work together for the greater good? Who knows!

We haven’t got a proud history where trophies are concerned, or nothing as near as what Arsenal, United, City, Liverpool, Chelsea and a few others have achieved throughout their history. But will that now change?

A bit of history of our club's owners

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. became a limited company, the Tottenham Hotspur Football and Athletic Company Ltd, on 2 March 1898 to raise funds for the club and limit the personal liability of its members. A few families held significant shares; they included the Wale family, who had an association with the club since the 1930s, and the Richardson and the Bearman families. From 1943 to 1984, members of these families were chairmen after Charles Robert, who had been Chairman since 1898, died.

In the Wale’s, Richardson and Bearman times (between 1998 & 1982), we had won 19 trophies, including two League Titles. In the 60s, we were known as the bank of England. They were in charge of our club for 84 years.

In the early 1980s, cost overruns in constructing a new West Stand and the cost of rebuilding the team in previous years led to accumulating debts. In November 1982, a fan of the club Irving Scholar bought 25% of Tottenham for £600,000, and together with Paul Bobroff, gained control. To bring in funds, Scholar floated Tottenham Hotspur plc, which wholly owns the football club, on the London Stock Exchange in 1983, the first European sports club to be listed in a stock market. And became the first sports company to go public. However, ill-judged business decisions under Scholar led to financial difficulties.

Scholar and Bobroff were in charge between 1982 & 1991, 9 years. In all that time they had won 2 trophies (the F.A. Cup & UEFA Cup). They are known as the Dolly Parton’s (two enormous cups) because of only winning two trophies.

In June 1991, Terry Venables teamed up with businessman Alan Sugar to buy the club, initially as an equal partner, with investing £3.25 million. Sugar increased his stake to £8 million by December 1991 and became the dominant partner with effective control of the club. In May 1993, Venables was sacked from the board after a dispute.

In Sugar and Venables time in charge, they also had won two trophies, the League Cup and Charity Sheild. Known as the Dolly twins, they had lopsided and unequal cups (League Cup and Charity Shield). More Dolly the Sheep than Dolly Parton’s cups. If nobody knows who Dolly the Sheep was, well, she was a sheep that was genetically conceived for experimental purposes (just like Sugar & Venables were).

 By 2000, Sugar began to consider selling the club, and in February 2001, he sold the major part of his shareholding to ENIC International Ltd.

The majority shareholder, ENIC International Ltd, is an investment company established by the British billionaire Joe Lewis. Daniel Levy, Lewis's partner at ENIC, is Executive Chairman of the club and the rest is in the Marmite zone (some love him, while others hate him).

Daniel Levy has only won one trophy in twenty years as Chairman of the Board. That is why Levy is known as the solo-bollock-man. One trophy equals one bollock. If he does win more trophies, then the fans can sing the “The man with two bollocks, Song”.

#Levy had only got one ball

the other was pinched by others

but now he has won another to go with his 2008 one

he is now the two bollocks man#

 

…or maybe not (I know, don’t give up the day job!).

Will things change, and Levy get another testicle (trophy) to go with his solo bollock this season? Would this be a day of joy or sadness that we’ve lagged behind so many others, to get to this point in Levy’s lifetime as the owner?

Anyway, putting the Bank of England, Dolly Parton’s trophies, Dolly the Sheeps mutation and Levy’s testicle to one side, how do you see Levy’s and Lewis’s reign so far? Was our Stadium building just the beginning, and the rest will follow, or will our possible trophy hall – this season – be it until another owner takes over at N17?

Twenty years ago, Daniel Levy transformed our club from possibly winning many trophies to winning only one (so far), but in the process, creating a cash cow… It reminds me of that Abba song, # Money, money, money

Must be funny

In the rich man's world

Money, money, money

Always sunny

In the rich man's world#

 

What are your thoughts? Should we give him time, or has he had time enough? And if we do get rid of him, then what? There is an old saying, be careful what you wish for, it might come true. At least he made himself more richer than any other Spurs chairman has managed to do in our club's history, at least that is something! Eh? Nuff Said.

By Don Scully