Influence and Logic
The £5bn Question
Have you got £5bn? No? In that case you’re going to have to live with the current Spurs board and ownership.
That fact, albeit one that many don’t like, is inescapable. And it means that shouting ‘Levy Out’ or ‘ENIC Out’ is one of two things. It could be an expression of deep frustration. Which is entirely understandable. Or it could be grandstanding. Which is unhelpful and ultimately destructive.
What is unarguable is that THFC is in a state. So the only problem worth trying to solve is how to get it out of that state. There is a view that the only way to do this is for the board and/or the owners to go. But unless someone comes up with the £5bn they are asking – and even then maybe not – neither are going anywhere.
Accepting that doesn’t mean you support the way the Club is being run. Many of us have doubted for years whether, football wise, the current incumbents can take us any further. The last four years of mistake after mistake have not changed that view. But the painful fact is that, in the absence of any alternative, the only option is to keep putting the case for the current regime to change its ways.
I’ve heard it said that the answer is to “make it so toxic they leave”. Let’s be clear. That isn’t going to happen. Back in the 1970s, maybe the 1980s, significant unrest may well have been a major contributor to some owners thinking it wasn’t worth the hassle. But no one is going to walk away from a potential £5bn because people have been shouting nasty things at them.
Alan Sugar likes to say he sold to ENIC because of the hassle he got. It’s not true. He sold because ENIC paid him the price he wanted. Despite all his moaning, Sugar did very nicely indeed out of Spurs. Some like to think Newcastle United fan protests persuaded Mike Ashley to sell. It’s not true. Ashley sold because the Saudis paid him the price he wanted.
So where does that leave ‘making it toxic’? It leaves it as making the matchday experience as unpleasant as possible for many fans without it affecting the owners at all. Which is one reason the idea hasn’t got much traction outside of the social media echo chambers.
But is the call Levy Out or ENIC Out? The two are not the same. The ownership structure of the Club is set out in this analysis carried out by the Supporters’ Trust. Yes, it’s complicated and difficult to understand on first reading, and yes that’s one reason why we need an Independent Regulator for English Football to help clarify who owns our clubs and how they are run.
In theory, Lewis and family could remove the chairman and the current board. Because the Lewis family vehicle Tavistock Group holds the majority of shares. They might decide to do this if they felt their investment was best served by replacing those currently running the Club with other people. It would be a complex move, because of the complex structure. But it could be done.
However, Lewis and his family had the chance to do that when the current Club board put the Club at risk of serious damage by secretly plotting to join a breakaway European Super League. Make no mistake, punishments including big fines, transfer bans, points deductions and more were being actively considered by the football authorities after the plot failed. And that was a major reason behind the Trust asking its members to back a call for the resignation of the board. Putting distance between the plotters and the Club could have reduced the severity of the punishment.
In the event, the Premier League did not have the courage to enforce its own rules and set an example to deter any future plots. And the Lewis family stayed silent, despite the threat to its asset. The Trust, too often accused of being in the Club’s pocket by people who know nothing, was the body that spoke up for the best interests of the Club.
So, it would seem Levy Out is not going to happen, if that is what people want. That leaves ENIC Out, which is a much bigger thing. Replacing a board is easier than replacing an owner. Which brings us back to the £5bn. If you want to call for ENIC Out you need to answer the question of who is going to replace it. Because a football club with no owner is an ex-football club. Spurs would go out of business.
ENIC is less likely to walk away from its potential pot of money than the current board simply because people are ‘making it toxic’. Because the company is at greater distance from the Club. The current board, for all their faults, are Spurs fans – they just don’t understand that it is possible they have made mistakes.
For any campaign to succeed it needs clear objectives. Interchanging Levy Out and ENIC Out just demonstrates the lack of clarity. And neither call deals with the reality of where that £5bn is going to come from.
The hard, really hard, fact is that if things are going to get better, the people who currently run and own the Club are going to have to change. And that means they need to be sat down with and argued with and persuaded. However much sound and fury is generated for however long, the end result is going to be people sitting in a room and talking.
Some will tell you, as they boost their blogs and vlogs and pods, that this is ‘weak’, ‘sellout’, ‘being up the club’s arse’ or – that perennial favourite – ‘being paid by the club’. The people pushing those lines are not interested in solutions, just the controversy that boosts their side hussles. They divide and demoralise, and ultimately help maintain the status quo.
Many people want change and, as this disaster of a season draws to a sorry end, it is entirely understandable that so many are so frustrated. But while venting makes you feel instantly better, the effects soon wear off and we’re left in the same mess. So, we have to get serious.
During the time I co-chaired the Trust, we always maintained the position that we had to be the organisation that would be able to deal directly with the Club board. It was our job to stay in the room as long as possible in order to communicate fan sentiment directly to the Club. So, we had to conduct ourselves appropriately. We were accused of being arrogant, condescending, lofty – and of course corrupt. But we always focused on maintaining a dialogue the Club initially had to be dragged into having, and that was continued informally even after the Club smashed the formal structures by plotting the breakaway in secret.
We also maintained contact with a number of groups and individuals, and tried to make sure we had a reasonable idea of what a reasonably broad cross section of fan opinion was. We didn’t, as some are currently trying to do, pretend we could unite everyone or represent every view. We argued our case, we sought a mandate, and we did so through transparent structures without pulling childish stunts that would make people less, not more, likely to take us seriously. Because we had a responsibility to do so.
Because we were honest about when and where we disagreed, the people who like to shout did more shouting. Because they were only interested in their own views. Good luck with that.
So what does getting serious mean? It’s increasingly likely to mean that fans spend less or nothing inside the ground or on anything over and above a match ticket. That’s a legitimate way to express frustration, but let’s recognise other people may have other ideas and that doesn’t make them ‘up the club’s arse’.
There are any number of things that could be done to keep the fact that fans aren’t happy in the spotlight. No one has ever told anyone not to protest, but two factors need to be kept in mind. The first is that most people want to come to Spurs to support their team and meet their mates, to have a good time. The second is that you need to focus on solutions.
If someone with £5bn emerges, I’d like to hear what they have to say. And to check out who they are. I’ll be up front – I don’t want my club owned by a country with dubious policies. If someone doesn’t emerge, I’d like the current mob to listen more and better, and to change their ways. In either case, I think a positive move would be to put forward an Owners’ Charter that sets out what we want from our club, what we want it to be.
That Owners’ Charter could set out how we want our club to be run, what we see as the measures needed to regain and nurture our unique identity, how the football performance is central to the business brand. It’s an idea that has been used by the Trust at Manchester United as way of campaigning for change from the current regime and for encouraging potential buyers to meet the standards fans demand.
This would be a positive campaign that could genuinely bring those interested in practical solutions together, and ramp up the pressure on those running the club to change their ways.
That doesn’t provide the adrenalin rush that shouting through a closed door does, but it might actually get us somewhere. Alternatively, find that £5bn.
All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.
20 Comments
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27/04/2023 @ 10:42 am
never heard so much utter rubbish in my life your article is just a load of garbage by i love levy enic you followlike sheep demonstrations will eventually work there are billionares out there who will invest peoplelike you who do nothing watch spurs go into mediocrity by the way the board and levy are not true supporters of this once great club i give up with supporters like you you are happy to go along with whatever them parasites tell you enic levy out thursday night hopefully will be toxic if you want change open your mouth demonstrate
27/04/2023 @ 1:47 pm
Leaving aside the obvious point that you either didn’t read or couldn’t understand the post you’re replying to, do you honestly believe that making the atmosphere so toxic that the owners want to leave is the best possible way to persuade someone else to invest 5 billion to become the new owners so you can make the atmosphere toxic for them in the future? Or would you just be happy for a human rights abusing regime or Russian gangster to use us to launder their blood money as long as we win a trophy? Offer solutions. Who, exactly do you want to see as our new owners?
27/04/2023 @ 5:11 pm
I would take any owner to win some trophies!
27/04/2023 @ 2:41 pm
Punctuation is a marvellous thing Gary. Please use it.
27/04/2023 @ 4:55 pm
Could you please put some syntax and punctuation into your ridiculous rant? Thanks.
You’ve just shown exactly why your raving and shouting puts supporters off. Calling other Spurs supporters rude names is really going to help support your cause.
27/04/2023 @ 11:05 am
Great article, and I completely agree with you points!
27/04/2023 @ 11:11 am
Thank you Martinfor writing this article it took slightly longer than 8 minutes to read due to the tears in my eyes.Completely agree with you
27/04/2023 @ 11:25 am
I’m not as unhappy with this article as the previous poster, but the idea that the current board (and its chairman Levy) are Spurs fans is absolutely ludicrous – they saw a golden goose unrecognised by Sugar, and pounced, making an as-yet unrealised profit of literally billions on their original modest investment. The author is obviously correct in saying that no amount of shouting will get ENIC/Levy to sling their corporate hook, but to pretend that they’re not as contemptible and incompetent as their actions in building a property empire at the expense of a once-proud and successful football club clearly prove them to be is nothing short of pathetic.
27/04/2023 @ 12:28 pm
Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to just offer a £1m bonus to every member of the squad if they just win each of the remaining 6 fixtures this season, manager included ? Then, if we get CL for next season, the outlay would pay for itself !
27/04/2023 @ 12:30 pm
I’m serious……..estimated cost approx £26m.
27/04/2023 @ 12:33 pm
Brilliant article Martin, well written with intelligence, passion and honesty from someone who has done more to try to create a partnership between the club, the board and the fans than pretty much any other fan. It is heart warming to read and so true that there is a huge disconnect I believe between the vast majority of match going fans and the Twitter enabled Enic and Levy out brigade who do not understand the real situation and have probably never run such a high profile and large business. The truth is that since 2003 we have seen our average League position improve from 10th to 5th. We have seen our average points improve from 51 to 70 and we have been back in Europe 90% of the last 10 years. We have built a magnificent new stadium and training facilities, we have created a business model that virtually guarantees financial security for the next 100 years and we can now look forward to an exciting future. Conte and Jose were mistakes as they did not understand our heritage and style of play. I don’t care about winning trophies but I do want as a Season Ticket holder a d match going fan of more than 50 years to watch exciting, entertaining football. I believe that the club is now listening and that appointments will be made to help us make watching Spurs the highlight of our week again, to watch a team we are proud of and whom we look forward to watching with family and mates. We are one good Management appointment from take off, my glass remains half full and I am positive about the future. Thank you Martin and Come on you Spurs
27/04/2023 @ 12:41 pm
There is a way for fans to express their unhappiness and distrust of the current owners. They just simply stop going to the club and stop spending their own hard earned money at the club. Enic have invested vast amounts of money none of which was their own money. The debt one of the highest in europe if not in the world is against the club not the owners. So if fans walk away hard as it may be it will speak louder than any chant from a stand. Its your money that makes them strong so remove that sit back and wait to see how they deal with a empty stadium for what is left of another trophy less enic year. You decide.
27/04/2023 @ 1:47 pm
That rather defeats the purpose of being a supporter of a club. Support means exactly that’. Some fans actually think that these are bad times. The football has been poor at times but the club still remains strong and the future bright.I believe that the vast majority of match going fans who are actually spending their hard owned money understand that and will support the team on the pitch. We have many good and some great players who need better coaching, better systems and better confidence to express their talents. We are one good managerial appointment away from things turning very quickly.COYS
27/04/2023 @ 1:36 pm
I’ll chant what I want. It’s not abusive and may lead to nothing. I pay my money and will not be told by holier than thou blog writers what to to think and say. Enjoy the game tonight.
27/04/2023 @ 3:54 pm
Joe. No one has told you what to think or say. I explicitly say in the article that it is understandable that people want to show frustration. Stop looking for offence.
27/04/2023 @ 6:00 pm
Thank you for the article, Martin. Thought provoking.
I believe you have overlooked apathy as a transformative factor.
Firstly, protest is important. Ashley had Newcastle up for sale long before Saudi interest, because he had had enough. I disagree that collective hatred is not a motivating factor, that it does not affect and impact rich owners. Nonsense. Ashley stopped attending games. Yes, organised protest is better, and the ENIC vs Levy out point is valid.
You have overlooked apathy as a transformative factor. It seems that, as the assistant to the assistant to the manager has now been employed (the cheapest possible option), fan apathy is going to come and quickly. I myself am not renewing next season. I will not continue to blindly put myself through Levy’s two decade long experiment of incompetent football decision making.
My seat for United tonight is empty. My seat for Palace is empty. My seat for Brentford is empty. I will not be watching on TV. I am deciding to consciously care less and less with intent to give them up. I love my father deeply, and my love for Spurs comes from that relationship, but dad never signed me up to this.
Returning to apathy, indeed, Wenger was removed from Arsenal once apathy kicked in and 20,000 cave dwellers stopped attending the Ashburton Grove Recycling centre. The Kronke hand was forced and serious investment and footballing strategy was put in place, culminating in them sitting top of the league all season, plus a number of FA cup wins.
Tottenham’s purported value will recede when fans stop attending, and the brand will tumble down. They can establish as many karting tracks, cinemas and Michelin inspired restaurants they like. In the long run, polishing the decision making turds of Daniel Levy these portfolio developments will not do.
With Mason in place, we are heading for 7th or 8th place, and I imagine that will be our level for quite some time (until ENIC are OUT)
28/04/2023 @ 1:03 am
Well said
29/04/2023 @ 12:05 am
Agree that it’s ridiculous to think ENIC are going to walk away unless someone comes up with the billions required to buy the club. It makes zero difference how much people shout about it. Sure, protests annoys an owner but taking Ashley at Newcastle as an example – they sell when the price is right. He made a fortune from Newcastle and only sold when the price was met.
Clearly if a majority of fans boycott games en masse it will have an immediate, shock like effect on the club and ownership. It may well mean bankruptcy and subsequent relegation/points deduction – at which point ENIC still won’t sell.
People need to grow up, get together and work out how to exert REAL pressure on the ownership that doesn’t involve mutual annihilation. But that involves recognising that they are fellow humans with skin in the game, and then working out how to influence them.
Shouting and screaming into the echo chamber/void of social media and your own tortured delusions won’t change a single thing. Ever.
01/05/2023 @ 10:58 pm
Spot on
01/05/2023 @ 11:30 pm
Sorry Martin… your do nothing whilst pretending to do something attitude is why the club is in such a mess and probably the reason most fans view the Trust suspiciously. Lets face it… they are totally ineffective and count getting a couple of quid off coach travel for away fans going to Norwich as one of their greatest achievement. All the time, the stewardship of our club goes from bad to worse. Portsmouth, Wigan, Leicester, Swansea and Birmingham have all won a trophy since we last won something. Let that sink in and tell me we don’t need new owners. Right now, I couldn’t give a monkeys who comes in and how dodgy they are so long as we win a trophy. Granted, new owners don’t guarantee success but at least paying 50m plus for an Ndombele won’t set us back 3 years. Not going to games doesn’t work as there are hundred thousand tourists ready to take your seat and spend money. The only option left is to make the ground completely toxic for Levy because no multi national company will want to hand over 200m to sponsor the ground. Nobody wants their brand associated with that kind of toxicity and it dies considerable harm to the THFC brand devaluing the club by millions. Hurting him in the one place he does care about might force him to look for a sale. And stop with this 5 billion nonsense. Franchises like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees and LA Lakers are worth 5 billion. Spurs are probably 3 billion at most and far less when you take the insane debt leveraged against the club. In summary, you continue to take the abuse… maybe Contes rant can be pinned to fans like you… they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important, they don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress. It is easy in this way… I for one have had enough and if it takes a complete dumpster fire and dodgy billionaire to get ENIC out then so be it. It can’t be any worse!!!