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Former Tottenham Hotspur manager David Pleat has defended outgoing chairman Daniel Levy and asked fans to think of the wonderful players they were able to witness in his era.
Levy took over as chairman in February 2001 after buying a 27 per cent stake from Alan Sugar, in a season in which Spurs finished 12th in the Premier League.
Under his stewardship, Spurs’ fans were treated to, from the signings of Robbie Keane in 2002, to Rafael van der Vaart, Dimitar Berbatov, Christian Eriksen, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Kyle Walker and Son Heung-min over the years, right up to the big money additions of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus this summer and without taking into account academy graduate Harry Kane.
Pleat cited the work done on the new stadium and training ground as the defining legacy of Levy’s tenure, appreciating the trapeze act of balancing sustainability and performance on the pitch which the chairman managed to pull off.
Having had three spell as caretaker manager in addition to his permanent role in the 1980s, Pleat requested fans remind themselves of the quality of players who have adorned the club’s kit in Levy’s era, before passing judgment on him.
Pleat told the BBC: “You have to judge a club on both its sustainability and results. It’s very difficult to marry the two.
“To achieve success in the modern game without mega mega money as has been proved is very difficult.
| Season | Position |
|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 17th |
| 2023–24 | 5th |
| 2022–23 | 8th |
| 2021–22 | 4th |
| 2020–21 | 7th |
“To do what Tottenham have done in the last two decades is quite incredible because the stadium is magnificent, the training ground is unrivalled, and the club is on a good footing.
“Levy has always been sensible. You have to run the club sensibly according to its turnover and he has run the club sensibly.
“Success has eluded us on the field but think of some of the wonderful players that have played for the club in that time.
“But, of course, many fans are thirsting for a bit more silverware which finally they had.
“He is no more tough than any other chairman who protects his club and looks after his club’s finances.
“He’s got a reputation but I can assure you I’ve known tougher chairman.”
Pleat knows the inner workings at Spurs well, having also served as consultant scout for 14 years and was the director of football at Tottenham when Levy arrived.
The longest-serving club chairman in the Premier League, Levy oversaw two trophy-lifts with the EFL Cup in 2008 and the Europa League last season.
The Champions League loss to Liverpool in 2019 might perfectly encapsulate Levy’s tenure at Tottenham, with the club unable to shake off the ‘nearly men’ tag.
That he has built the club up to a state where middling performances are no longer accepted is rich praise for the job Levy has done over the past 24 years.
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