Hundreds of Tottenham fans took part in a protest showing their anger at the club’s board and owners on Sunday, and calling for chairman Daniel Levy “to get out of our club”.
The demonstration happened before Spurs’ Premier League match at home to Southampton, with Ange Postecoglou’s side 16th in the table after a disappointing campaign.
The protest was organised by the Change For Tottenham group, with fans able to buy flags and scarves, profits from the sales of which will be donated to The Tottenham Food Bank and Noah’s Children’s Hospice.
“Time for change,” was the message on the flags, while some scarves said ‘Enough is enough, Enic Out!”.
The Enic Group, a British investment company, took over Tottenham in 2001.
“Built a business, killed a football club,” was written on another flag.
The fans’ chants included “We want Levy out,” and “Daniel Levy, get out of our club.” A third chant included the lines: “We don’t care about Levy, he don’t care about me, all I care about is [Dejan] Kulusevski.”
The new stadium has hosted a number of NFL and rugby matches, as well as concerts, and fans believe Levy’s priority is hosting major events instead of building a successful football team.
“Can Beyonce play in defence?” was one chant from the supporters, while another was “Guns ‘n’ Roses, stick them up front.”
‘For years the team has lacked investment’
“Many lifelong Tottenham supporters feel alienated by the club’s ownership and direction,” said Change For Tottenham.
The fan-led group says its frustration is “primarily aimed” at owners Enic and Levy “whose tenure has been marked by financial growth but, in the eyes of many, sporting decline”.
Change For Tottenham added: “The New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a state of the art facility, but at what cost? Ticket prices are among the highest in the Premier League, forcing many fans, some of whom have supported Spurs for decades, to give up their season tickets or attend fewer games.
“For years the team has lacked investment in key areas, particularly in defence, while transfer windows have felt reactive instead of proactive. The result? Another trophy-less season looms, extending a drought that has lasted since 2008.”
Last week Levy called for the club’s spending in the transfer market to be “sustainable” and “smart” after their latest financial results showed a fall in revenue.
He acknowledged in notes accompanying the results that he “often read calls to spend more” as Spurs are “ranked as the ninth richest club in the world”.
“We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club,” Levy said.
“Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means. Our capacity to generate recurring revenues determines our spending power.”
Europa League the only chance to salvage the season
The Enic Group took over Tottenham in 2001, and the club have only won one trophy in that time, the Carling Cup in 2007-08, although Spurs did reach the Champions League final in 2019, losing 2-0 to Liverpool in the final.
Spurs reached the semi-finals of this season’s Carabao Cup, losing to Liverpool, but their only hope of qualifying for Europe next season comes via the Europa League.
On Thursday they entertain German side Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their quarter-final, before the away leg a week later.
If Tottenham were to win the competition, they would automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Spurs have struggled with injuries, but are in danger of their worst league season since the top flight was rebranded as the Premier League in 1992. They finished 15th in 1993-94 when it was a 22-team division, and 14th in 1997-98 and 2003-04.
Tottenham have not ended outside the top 15 in English football since one season in the former Second Division in 1977-78.
