Tottenham confirm Daniel Levy’s shock exit
Daniel Levy has stepped down as Tottenham chairman after almost 25 years.
The club said it was “part of the ambition to ensure that it is set up to deliver long-term sporting success” in a statement released on Thursday evening.
Levy said: “I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees.
“We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level. More than that, we have built a community. I was lucky enough to work with some of the greatest people in this sport, from the team at Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way to all the players and managers over the years.
“I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn’t always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately.”
Peter Charrington takes on a new role as Spurs’ non-executive chairman, while there will be other changes to the ownership of majority shareholders Enic and the shareholder structure of the club.
Why was Levy so controversial?
Levy oversaw one of the most momentous periods in Tottenham’s history after taking over from Alan Sugar in 2001.
The 63-year-old’s flagship project was the new stadium, which opened in 2019 after a series of delays. He also turned Spurs into the ninth richest club in the world and expanded their global brand beyond recognition.
Yet he was also the face of Enic’s tenure, which has so far yielded just two trophies – a League Cup in 2008 and the Europa League won earlier this year in Bilbao.
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Levy faced regular fan protests over his handling of transfers. In 2018, they became the first team in Premier League history to go an entire summer without signing a first-team player, a run that eventually stretched to 18 months.
Spurs also paid significantly lower wages than their Big Six rivals, which contributed to a string of targets moving elsewhere. However, Levy also played a role in returning the club to the elite table in the first place.
When he took over, they were regularly floundering in mid-table and below. Under Levy, they secured European football in 18 of the last 20 seasons, reaching the Champions League final for the first time in 2019.
He also oversaw a churn of 16 permanent and caretaker managers, most recently sacking Ange Postecoglou just weeks after ending a 17-year trophy drought.
