Tottenham Chairman Levi stepped down and ended his 25-year helm career. According to BBC Sports, this decision was not what Levi himself wished.
Levi was appointed chairman in March 2001, and under his leadership, Tottenham won the UEFA Cup in May this year, ending a 17-year history of no championship. Levi, 63, is the longest-serving president in the Premier League, with an estimated income of more than £50 million during his tenure.
However, he has also been the target of fans' protests, especially last season. It is understood that the Tavistock Group, which actually owns Tottenham (owned by the Lewis family), agreed to let Levi leave his position, believing the move will help achieve greater and sustained competitive success. Levi will leave immediately and there is no notice period. It is intentional to choose to leave after the summer transfer window.
"I am extremely proud of the work I have done with the executive team and all the staff," Levi said. He is known in football as a shrewd operator and tough negotiator.
"We have built this club into a heavyweight team that competes at the highest level in the world. Not only that, we have built a community. I am lucky to be working with some of the best people in the industry, from the teams at Lily White House and Hotsper Road to all the players and coaches over the years. I want to thank all the fans who have supported me over the years. It's not an easy path, but we've made significant progress. I will continue to support this club enthusiastically."
Tottenham Hotspur was successful in the European arena last season but was underperforming in the Premier League and ended up being only 17th. Head coach Post Koglu was fired in the summer and replaced by Thomas Frank. Last season, fans expressed dissatisfaction with club president Levi, showing protest banners at home games many times, demanding him to leave the club.
Under Levi's leadership, Tottenham Hotspur moved from the White Hart Lane Stadium to the new £1 billion stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it was put into use in 2019. The team also entered the 2019 Champions League final under former head coach Pochettino, but eventually lost to Liverpool 0-2 and missed the championship.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire called Tottenham "the most profitable club in Premier League history", thanks to the income brought by the new stadium, the lower salary structure and cautious attitude towards transfer expenses. This summer, Tottenham spent about £181 million in the transfer market, bringing in a number of players including Xavi Simmons and Kudus.
Recently, Tottenham Hotspur has made several important appointments. Before Frank arrived, the club appointed Vinay Vincart Sam as the new CEO in April. Peter Charlington became non-executive chairman, a new role after he took office as ENIC director. Charlington said this is a new era of leadership and the club will focus on stability and development. When announcing Levi's resignation, the club said: "Torttenham Hotspur has undergone earth-shaking changes over the past 25 years. In the past 20 seasons, 18 have participated in European competitions, becoming one of the world's most well-known football clubs, continuing to invest in youth training, players and facilities, including a world-class new stadium and state-of-the-art training centre." The club also said that ownership and shareholder structure will not change.
Who is the driving force behind Levi’s resignation?
The Lewis family believes that during the 25 years Levi was in charge of the team, the team's success on the court was not stable enough. Tottenham won only two championships in this period.
The Lewis family has also noticed the dissatisfaction of fans with the club in recent years, and most of them pointed at Levi. It is understood that Joe Lewis (88), the leader of the Tavistock Group, played a marginal role in Levi's decision to leave.
And the younger generation of the Lewis family, Joe's children Vivian and Charlie, played a key role in this decision-making process. Vivian has been particularly active in Tottenham clubs in recent months. Joe Lewis's grandson-in-law Nick Becher also increased his participation.
According to BBC Sports, all the high-level changes over the past few months have ultimately led to today's announcement. The position of executive chairman will be cancelled in a bid to modernize the board structure.
The Lewis family has been pushing for these changes, including the decisions about Levi. Levi will continue to be a shareholder of ENIC but will no longer be directly involved in club affairs. ENIC's equity structure will remain unchanged.