Hi all, Don Scully has written another article for you. This time he looks at Daniel Levy’s 20 years in charge at Tottenham Hotspur and all the good things (?) he has done for the fans. A bit tongue-in-cheek article (or then, again, maybe not… depending on one’s perspective). Daniel Levy is a bit of a marmite character (some love him, some hate him). Also, Don Scully asked: “What has the Bank of England, Dolly Parton, Dolly the Sheep and the solo testicle of one man have to do with the Spurs owners?” Read on!
Extracts from Don Scully’s article:
Daniel Levy celebrates 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 21st 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. To read more click on the link below:
Click “here” to read more.
I have been following Spurs since the sixties and work in London. My current job is as a professional writer (working in the media), and I have work connections to the club and had previously worked for them. Including working at the old White Hart Lane stadium.
I also have my own blog and have written for the SpursWeb app & its website.