Daniel Levy - Chairman

[Crab.C.Nesbitt]

fudge the trust, I hope this ends up being the death of them, Levy has given them far more time and attention than they deserve over the years

the entitlement and the arrogance is, well, is completely in keeping with everything we've seen from them before, they are an embarrassment

What a embarrassment they are! Dear oh dea not only are they claiming to have stopped esl, rhey are also claiming to have stopped us moving to the Olympic stadium .walob! They haven't stopped jackbrick!

Pompous opinionated gasbags full of their own self importance. They are irrelevant and the board has strung them along as it always does, yet they expect to be taken seriously....so full of their own self importance...lololololol

 

[Glenda's Legs]

I've said before that I am broadly supportive of the Trust, at least conceptually. (I'm less keen on some (particularly one) of the current incumbents on the Trust board). I think it is important to have regular dialogue between club and fans in a structured way, and I believe they can add value in areas such as ticketing arrangements, safety group liaison, fan disciplinary matters and other practical issues. I'm not averse to having fan representation at board level either (it's never going to be a deciding vote).
But this Trust crew are several steps beyond all that. The tone they adopt is so sanctimonious, so full of self-importance, that they do actually believe they are the only ones with a valid opinion.

I thought it was worth posting their whole statement, as not everyone will be clicking on twitter links. There's a whole lot more jaw-dropping stuff in there than just the calls for the club Board to resign. It was also interesting to read that the club had invited the Trust to have a call with them after the debacle, but they refused. If I were a member of the Trust I would be furious at that. Yes, it's after the event, no, it's not consultation, but they should be taking such opportunities to engage when they arise.
It's a long statement (shirley not, I hear you say), so I'll split it across posts below.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust held a members’ meeting via Zoom tonight to agree the Trust’s position towards the Executive Board of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and to seek a mandate for our next steps.

We put a recommendation to the meeting based on our experience of working with the current Club Board, the events of the last week, the feedback we have already had from members and the wider community of Spurs supporters, and on our responsibilities as a Trust.

Twenty-four hours after the Club announced it was pulling out of the European Super League, we received an informal invitation from the Club’s Executive Board to meet for a conversation. We discussed the offer as a Board and decided to turn the invitation down. But we did offer the Club’s Board the opportunity to state its case in a written statement to the meeting.

They told us that given the current situation, and on legal advice, it wasn’t possible to put anything in writing and that they were disappointed we didn’t want to meet but did appreciate the difficulties.

Over the last two to three years, we have raised the issue of potential changes to European Club Competition and breakaway leagues with the Club’s Board. They have responded by saying they wouldn’t discuss hypothetical situations. We have told them that the position of most football fans is that, as a bare minimum, success in competition should be based on merit. They have “noted” our view.

In our last discussion in December 2020, we explicitly told the Club’s Board that we would expect them to consult fans before taking any significant decisions such as which leagues we should play in. We were told that as Daniel Levy was a fan and he had friends who were fans, he was aware of what fans thought; that many clever people were looking at the issue and that any wider consultation on such fundamental issues was not necessary nor practical.

What we now know is that, for much of the time they were refusing to discuss hypothetical situations and noting our views, they were engaged in very real conversations that not only ignored our views, but were based on an idea that was the polar opposite of the principle we had repeatedly told them fans most value.

They knew fans did not want these changes. But they believed they could make them and the fans would just accept it. They didn’t know how wrong they were.

The current incarnation of the European Super League is now dead. In the end the plotters could not distance themselves from it fast enough. So what does this mean for us, and for every fan group at the six clubs in England?

It means we cannot trust what our Boards say when we meet with them. It means we cannot convince people there is a value in trying to have a conversation. If they are not going to be honest with us, if they think consulting is telling us what’s been decided after it’s decided, we cannot tell you, our members and fellow Spurs fans, that it is worth having those meetings.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

But the actions of the current Club Board also have more important consequences than just the relationship with the Trust. The consequences of their decision to attempt to launch this breakaway league could now lead to substantial penalties against Spurs – points deductions, suspension from competition, financial penalties, other sanctions. They signed up to this plan knowing they risked all that, and knowing they risked their players being banned from international competition.

The responsibility of the Club’s Board is to always act in the best interests of THFC. The current Board clearly has not acted in the best interests of the football club. In fact, its action could still lead to outcomes that are in the worst interests of THFC.

We think their relationship with us is irreparably broken. And we think their continued presence risks punitive action being taken against the club.

We believe the immediate resignation of the current Executive Board is in the best long-term interests of the Club.

A football club needs a board to run it. So if this Executive Board resigns, it needs to be replaced by another one. Otherwise the Club’s best interests are not served. And the board is appointed by the owners. Who happen to be Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy.

If the board resigns, they will appoint new people with the same ideas. And they will still be in charge. So why aren’t we calling for them to resign?

Owners don’t resign. They sell up. And they sell to buyers. On their own terms. What we will not do is call for the Club to have no board and no owners.

So, in addition to calling for the immediate resignation of the Executive Board, we are calling for the owners to work with us to appoint a new board that has elected and accountable fan representation on it.

That cannot be token representation. Alongside other supporter groups and the FSA, we are calling for the Government’s review into football governance to give fans an effective golden share in their clubs, so that no decision on key issues can be taken without the express approval of fans.

To be clear, we are calling for effective, elected and accountable fan representation at Board level and not for members of the current THST Board to be that elected fan representative.

Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy will have a choice. Make those changes or refuse and risk the Club becoming unmanageable because the Owners and Board do not have the consent of the fans. We have shown the influence we can have in the past week, just as we did over furlough and over the proposed move to east London. If the Owners do not make the changes we demand, we will then have to consider how we practically encourage new buyers to take over and work with the fans in the best interests of the football club.

The Trust Board has never believed in sloganising or grandstanding. We think this recommendation is practical, workable and achievable. There is more that needs changing in this Club, and in football. But we start from where we are.

The actions of the current Board have shamed and humiliated the Club, and wilfully risked its competitive wellbeing. It’s a sad day for this great Club, but it is also a watershed moment. We can show that our Clubs can only be run with the consent of the fans.

Tonight’s meeting saw 90% of members vote in agreement with the following statement:

“We call for the immediate resignation of the Executive Board of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, and for the owners to work with us to appoint a new board that has elected and accountable fan representation on it. That representation must make key decisions about the running of the club dependent upon fan approval, and we would expect to see that made a legal requirement across the game.”

This has been adopted as the official THST position with immediate effect. We have informed the Board of THFC of this decision.

We await their response while continuing to work with the DCMS, Tracey Crouch MP and the Football Supporters’ Association on the fan-led review of football.

We’ll now be turning our immediate attention to Sunday’s League Cup Final, and we would like to wish manager Ryan Mason and the entire squad every success in bringing the trophy home to N17 for the fans.

COYS!

THST Board
23 April 2021

 

[scaramanga]

They really do have a high opinion of themselves, self important nobodys.

The Tottenham Hotspur Neighbourhood Watch.

 

[scaramanga]

How much would one of those plane banners saying "fudge off THST" cost?

 

[Finney Is Back]

“The consequences of their decision to attempt to launch this breakaway league could now lead to substantial pelanties against Spurs – points deductions, suspension from competition, financial pelanties, other sanctions. They signed up to this plan knowing they risked all that”

This part is actually quite pertinent. IMO any financial penalties should come from funds injected by ENIC and not out of club funds. Any lost income as a direct result of points deductions (though I doubt any will occur) should also come from ENIC.

 

[scaramanga]

“The consequences of their decision to attempt to launch this breakaway league could now lead to substantial pelanties against Spurs – points deductions, suspension from competition, financial pelanties, other sanctions. They signed up to this plan knowing they risked all that”

This part is actually quite pertinent. IMO any financial pelanties should come from funds injected by ENIC and not out of club funds. Any lost income as a direct result of points deductions (though I doubt any will occur) should also come from ENIC.

Had this come off, Spurs would have had the extra revenue. So it's entirely right that any costs come from Spurs funds.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

But the actions of the current Club Board also have more important consequences than just the relationship with the Trust. The consequences of their decision to attempt to launch this breakaway league could now lead to substantial pelanties against Spurs – points deductions, suspension from competition, financial pelanties, other sanctions. They signed up to this plan knowing they risked all that, and knowing they risked their players being banned from international competition.

The responsibility of the Club’s Board is to always act in the best interests of THFC. The current Board clearly has not acted in the best interests of the football club. In fact, its action could still lead to outcomes that are in the worst interests of THFC.

We think their relationship with us is irreparably broken. And we think their continued presence risks punitive action being taken against the club.

We believe the immediate resignation of the current Executive Board is in the best long-term interests of the Club.

A football club needs a board to run it. So if this Executive Board resigns, it needs to be replaced by another one. Otherwise the Club’s best interests are not served. And the board is appointed by the owners. Who happen to be Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy.

If the board resigns, they will appoint new people with the same ideas. And they will still be in charge. So why aren’t we calling for them to resign?

Owners don’t resign. They sell up. And they sell to buyers. On their own terms. What we will not do is call for the Club to have no board and no owners.

So, in addition to calling for the immediate resignation of the Executive Board, we are calling for the owners to work with us to appoint a new board that has elected and accountable fan representation on it.

That cannot be token representation. Alongside other supporter groups and the FSA, we are calling for the Government’s review into football governance to give fans an effective golden share in their clubs, so that no decision on key issues can be taken without the express approval of fans.

To be clear, we are calling for effective, elected and accountable fan representation at Board level and not for members of the current THST Board to be that elected fan representative.

Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy will have a choice. Make those changes or refuse and risk the Club becoming unmanageable because the Owners and Board do not have the consent of the fans. We have shown the influence we can have in the past week, just as we did over furlough and over the proposed move to east London. If the Owners do not make the changes we demand, we will then have to consider how we practically encourage new buyers to take over and work with the fans in the best interests of the football club.

The Trust Board has never believed in sloganising or grandstanding. We think this recommendation is practical, workable and achievable. There is more that needs changing in this Club, and in football. But we start from where we are.

The actions of the current Board have shamed and humiliated the Club, and wilfully risked its competitive wellbeing. It’s a sad day for this great Club, but it is also a watershed moment. We can show that our Clubs can only be run with the consent of the fans.

Tonight’s meeting saw 90% of members vote in agreement with the following statement:

“We call for the immediate resignation of the Executive Board of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, and for the owners to work with us to appoint a new board that has elected and accountable fan representation on it. That representation must make key decisions about the running of the club dependent upon fan approval, and we would expect to see that made a legal requirement across the game.”

This has been adopted as the official THST position with immediate effect. We have informed the Board of THFC of this decision.

We await their response while continuing to work with the DCMS, Tracey Crouch MP and the Football Supporters’ Association on the fan-led review of football.

We’ll now be turning our immediate attention to Sunday’s League Cup Final, and we would like to wish manager Ryan Mason and the entire squad every success in bringing the trophy home to N17 for the fans.

COYS!

THST Board
23 April 2021

At that point Malcolm had to put some clothes on and go down and eat his tea as his mum wanted to Hoover his bedroom.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

“The consequences of their decision to attempt to launch this breakaway league could now lead to substantial pelanties against Spurs – points deductions, suspension from competition, financial pelanties, other sanctions. They signed up to this plan knowing they risked all that”

This part is actually quite pertinent. IMO any financial pelanties should come from funds injected by ENIC and not out of club funds. Any lost income as a direct result of points deductions (though I doubt any will occur) should also come from ENIC.

There is at least of touch of irony in that statement (the Trust's, not yours), insofar as those risks would not really be that big an issue if the Club hadn't been forced into beating a hasty retreat by groups such as the Trust.

 

[spurs' magna carter]

The Trust can be hard to take seriously sometimes, they remind me of Hans Blix in Team America. However, whilst I see their words and request falling deaf on Levy & Co.'s ears, I do agree with them. It is a a disgrace what they have done, wreckless arrogance.

To put it simply, the approach they took, along with the other protagonists, was like that of the Tory Government for the Poll Tax. They rolled their eyes when the screams of boogeyman were made in the build up to implementation thinking that it was another simpleton response to 'much needed change' which had happened many times before. Only to realise at the last minute that they had a made terrible mistake and got the shock of their lives when they saw the public response. No relegation? Which fanbase, even those of the participant clubs would be happy with that? Maybe some but then to have the cheek to effectively call loyal supporters dinosaurs. And that's before you get to the response of UEFA, Premier League regardless how hypocritical they (really) are. Let alone a family of five scraping by being happy with paying more rates than a wealthy retired couple.

This scene from Moneyball, ironically featuring Liverpool's own John Henry (albeit somewhat fictionally) sums up everything that has happened this week. What he says about money in how it helps you disregard what people want or the game (of baseball in this case) thinks is evidently how the owners aplroached this. But also what he says about those holding the reigns. It'sms astonishing that Levy and other owners thought that UEFA, the governing body of European football, would not be able to do enough to keep their hands on them without any consequences for them. UEFA went bat sh!t crazy, and they won.

And the Trust raise a good point here, this could be 1994 (booted out of the Cup before paying then HUGE sums to get back in it) all over again which during these times really could be disastrous.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Had this come off, Spurs would have had the extra revenue. So it's entirely right that any costs come from Spurs funds.

Had this come off then ENICs paper profit on their Spurs investment would’ve risen from about £1.5 billion to £2 billion plus. It’s effectively a no lose gamble for them with the clubs money.

 

[Finney Is Back]

There is at least of touch of irony in that statement (the Trust's, not yours), insofar as those risks would not really be that big an issue if the Club hadn't been forced into beating a hasty retreat by groups such as the Trust.

I don’t think they give a flying fcuk about the trust or our fans in general.... City and Chelsea stuffed them and I’d imagine their owners will pay any fines themselves by injecting further income.

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

On what basis should the be a fine or points deduction?

We signed up for an invitational competition.

Do we now have to ask permission before we arrange pre season friendlies because we get more money then other clubs as we are more popular.

Did not agree with the project and if it had gone ahead then the Premier league would have been within their rights to chuck us out. But it did not go ahead.

I want to fcuk Pritti and Priya off of babestation but the wife can't divorce me for cheating till I do it. For that we have to wait for ripple to rise in price.

 

[scaramanga]

Had this come off then ENICs paper profit on their Spurs investment would’ve risen from about £1.5 billion to £2 billion plus. It’s effectively a no lose gamble for them with the clubs money.

It is a loss. Their investment (should we be subject to penalties) will have reduced in value.

That's how investment works.

 

[Baleforce]

Had this come off then ENICs paper profit on their Spurs investment would’ve risen from about £1.5 billion to £2 billion plus. It’s effectively a no lose gamble for them with the clubs money.

They own the club, the clubs money is their money.

 

[Baleforce]

“The consequences of their decision to attempt to launch this breakaway league could now lead to substantial pelanties against Spurs – points deductions, suspension from competition, financial pelanties, other sanctions. They signed up to this plan knowing they risked all that”

This part is actually quite pertinent. IMO any financial pelanties should come from funds injected by ENIC and not out of club funds. Any lost income as a direct result of points deductions (though I doubt any will occur) should also come from ENIC.

I don’t think any sanctions would stand up to legal scrutiny and I’m sure we’d fight them and win.

Its FUD from the trust to underline their argument.

This was a business decision made by those in charge of the business, nobody else to gets to have a say.

 

[Baleforce]

I've said before that I am broadly supportive of the Trust, at least conceptually. (I'm less keen on some (particularly one) of the current incumbents on the Trust board). I think it is important to have regular dialogue between club and fans in a structured way, and I believe they can add value in areas such as ticketing arrangements, safety group liaison, fan disciplinary matters and other practical issues. I'm not averse to having fan representation at board level either (it's never going to be a deciding vote).
But this Trust crew are several steps beyond all that. The tone they adopt is so sanctimonious, so full of self-importance, that they do actually believe they are the only ones with a valid opinion.

I thought it was worth posting their whole statement, as not everyone will be clicking on twitter links. There's a whole lot more jaw-dropping stuff in there than just the calls for the club Board to resign. It was also interesting to read that the club had invited the Trust to have a call with them after the debacle, but they refused. If I were a member of the Trust I would be furious at that. Yes, it's after the event, no, it's not consultation, but they should be taking such opportunities to engage when they arise.
It's a long statement (shirley not, I hear you say), so I'll split it across posts below.

Absolutely, I’m not completely against the idea, but this lot massively overstepped the mark years ago*. From the clubs point of view it shouldn’t be anything more than customer services.

*Remember when they demanded a full report into our transfer strategy.

 

[glasgowspur]

Stopped reading at "break away league*. And that was giving it way more attention than it was due.
It wasn't a break away league, it wasn't even a league.
And they weren't breaking away.
The masses have been swayed by the media.
Fools.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Well, I am damn proud of the Trust, and I'm glad they spoke out as strongly as they did.

At least on this, they represent me - and it's a reminder that the heart of the game belongs to the fans - not to the predictably useless ENIC, not to the gluttnous cretins in the boardroom.

Well done, THST.