Open letter to Daniel Levy
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 9:40AM Morning.
You'll have seen Daniel Levy on Sky Sports News (special) yesterday evening, and probably found yourself struggling with the apparent sudden transparency he was offering in terms of Stratford and N17. The Northumberland Development Project is no longer viable. And if we fail with our bid to win the Olympic Site then Levy will look at other options - outside of Tottenham meaning that we are leaving White Hart Lane no matter what.
I'm sort of hoping this is a bluff, one final monumental bluff although quite how you can force Haringey and an angry Lammy to react to this in a favourable way is beyond me. Mainly because the fragmentation between local council and the club has created a 'us and them' name calling culture of blame. We'll skip around the politics relating to monies and funds ('broke' local council) and instead concentrate on what Levy told us in his interview.
Not a lot when you start asking questions. It was fairly blunt, I'm sure you'd agree.
Woke up this morning with the intention of writing him an open letter only to find that someone else has done the job perfectly and for anyone wondering why many of us are still searching for that fabled transparency - then click on the below, read the letter then scratch your head a little more.
Last night was not transparent in terms of understanding why remaining in North London is suddenly impossible.
To read the open letter by Martin Cloake click here.
Considering Daniel loves his inbox, let's hope he takes the time to read and reply to one that isn't quite patting him on the back.
Reader Comments (129)
*Yawn*
Any threat of any articles on actual football or the team? Instead of drumming up support for a mass rally that is almost certain to disrupt the team's preparations for some of the biggest games in our recent history.
Sorry Spooks, I'm just not with you on this one.
"almost certain to disrupt the team's preparations for some of the biggest games in our recent history."
hahahahahahahahahaha on so many levels.
The questions in that letter need to be answered. All valid. Reason they won't be is because Levy is fibbing.
One of the main benefits of the interent is that it becomes a repository, going back many years. Unfortunately for some, it can be embarrassing, so this thread will be about me shaking a few skeletons out of the cupboard.
First up, Lord Coe:
23rd January 2011, Coe said: ‘It’s really serious we deliver on what we said we were going to deliver, unless we are prepared to trash our international reputation...I genuinely don’t recall a whole heap about bulldozing down a publicly-funded facility, replacing it with a Premiership football club...I find it inconceivable grandparents will take children back to a Premiership football ground'.
Quite conclusive, non?
However, on 20th April 2006, Coe said: "At this moment we have moved from the laboratory conditions of our bid document into a living, breathing creature and all these issues are currently being scoped out...We have never ruled out a Premiership club...We want to bring major events to this country and how we settle on a legacy for this stadium is under review at the moment."
I like the sound of this "living, breathing creature" - what was that about lying, Seb?
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Next, Jaques Rogge - IOC President...
On 13 January 2011, he said: "We would favour a solution with a track legacy – that goes without saying. But the decision is in the hands of the OPLC along with UK Athletics and Locog [the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games].
However, back on 30 October 2008, he said: "If the best solution is to transform the track into something else then we would be in favour of that...We don't have problems with that. I don't want to enter into specifics but we don't want to leave white elephants."
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David Sullivan likes a quote or two too. Here's some:
On 3rd February 2010, Sullivan said: "He (Lord Coe) can have an athletics track elsewhere. The bigger dream is for West Ham fans to have a football stadium. It may be cheaper to build a running track somewhere else. I don't think running tracks work, particularly behind the goal''.
Sullivan suggested they would consider covering the track for 10 months of the year but if that did not work they could build a new athletics stadium somewhere else, perhaps even at Upton Park.
Asked whether they would be happy to live with the track around the pitch, he said: "Ideally no, but there may be a way we could lay the running track for three months or something.
"I don't think running tracks work, particularly behind the goal. The customers are so far back it doesn't work."
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Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham and a member of the London 2012 and OPLC boards is on record as saying this: "We are concerned about it being a white elephant...London needs an athletics facility but there is no reason why it has to be at the Olympic Park. You could renovate Crystal Palace with the money you make from this deal," said Wales, an ardent Hammers fan.
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This story is interesting:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/london_2012/7601071.stm
It states that complete demolition was actually one of 10 possible fates for the stadium. So much for Karren and her primary schools ay?
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Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, John Armitt, is on record - back in 2008 - as saying: "The plan is to reduce it in scale to a 25,000-seat stadium; it's been designed for that to be taken back from 80,000 to 25,000 and that's how it is being designed, that's how it is being built. So, if you wanted to use it for a Premier League football club you would have to completely redesign it and I think we have gone past that point."
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Ken Livingstone, former mayor of London who in 2005 played a key role in bringing the 2012 Olympics to London, said back in 2006: "Sadly West Ham won't get the stadium. The deal we made is that it's an athletics stadium and we have a legally-binding contract which is more like an international treaty. If I and Seb Coe said to the IOC 'we know we promised you an athletics stadium but we'd rather have West Ham in there as they'd make more money out of it', they would say 'we have a contract and you can get lost'."
However, on 19 January 2011, he said: "If they decide to go for West Ham, then you have football and athletics there, that's fine."
Ken, a "legally-binding contract which is more like an international treaty" - are you sure?! You clown
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Karren Brady, it's your turn...
On January 14 2011, she asked in The Sun: "Is football only ever about money?" [answer: er, yes]
However, just over a year ago, she had this to say about West Ham, its ground and their finances: The target I find most bracing is to move the club away from the Boleyn which does no more than serve a purpose and take it to - where else? - the 2012 Olympic Stadium only a couple of miles away. Yes, I know all sorts of barriers have been erected against it but, as the old advert used to say, "You know it makes sense" I see West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium as a way of settling its future for decades...We must generate a lot more non-turnstile cash...Maybe our way is a short-cut to a new West Ham headquarters...I love the idea of calling the club West Ham Olympic." -->
She obviously has much time for athletics: "It is madness to tear down an 80,000-seater to make it a third the size and then use the place for two or three athletics meetings a year. "
Two or three, Karren? Wow, generous lady.
Go on then Winston, you warmonger - how is all this negativity NOT going to affect the team? I remember the 90s and 00s, it was a fuckin' miserable time to be a Spurs supporter. GARY DOHERTY FFS!
Now that we're riding high, the serial moaners are determined to find something else to whinge about and take the shine off what should be an amazing season. There's a time and a place - and the days leading up to a Champions League knockout stage game against AC Milan ain't it.
Yeah let's no ask the questions of our chairman because it's going to disrupt a game or two because the next 100 years are not half as important than 90 minutes of football. Get a bleeding grip. Levys interview was gut wrenching and yet another reason to trust him even less. He's not consulted us in any way. I'm waiting for the survey. Still waiting.
2P8G, the uncertain future of THFC must be a real inconvenience to you, but I'm sure you'll be able to discuss Lennon's final ball soon.
There are valid questions in that letter. Not settled on either side of the matter, but conversation is never wrong. (If kept civil.)
I think that you and the other 4.9999999% of THFC supporters who care more about N17 and less about the club itself are only damaging our chances of keeping up the present momentum.
When we most need total support for the club at the most crucial time in the last >70 yrs all you lot are doing is feeding the Brady,Coe, Sullivan & Gold monsters.
I would prefer NOT to leave N17 but realize that it may well NOT be an option if we wish to stay in the CL/top four
group and even ift hey did a Dodgers and relocated to bloody County Kerry I would still support the club and i held a ST for >35 yrs and i lived in that brothel N17 for 20 of those yrs.
Its like not marrying a woman because she has changed her name & address IMO...pathetic!!!
BTW I was flakked for years as an antiENIC loudmouth so NO Levy browntonge remarks
I love how dismissive pro-move fans are.
All this, it matters to people who want to be treated like the club belongs to them. Even though it doesn't in so many ways.
Far too much of all this sits with comments and statements made by the chairman that we are taking at face value. There has to be a clear and concise explanation of many things that contradict what Levy stated at the start.
Something that made me laugh was him describing the OS site as a potential 'world class' stadium for us. Did he not describe the NDP as the same thing?
That's a great open letter... the problem is will he ever get to read it let alone reply, it will I'm sure go straight to his junk mail.
The letter raises a lot of very valid points, like when did the NDP become unviable. so much work went into it, and then when the council turned down the original plans because of those prestigious buildings on the high road they went back to the drawing board to accommodate those beautiful buildings ha ha ! in a revamp of the scheme. I thought when the planing permission was granted that we would have the prospect of a stunning stadium right next door to our existing home, how things have changed in the space of a few months, It makes me sick in the stomach to think of my beloved team moving away from our spiritual home.
WE ARE LEAVING WHITE HART LANE whatever happens, get used to it people. We will never play at a ground called that again. So does it matter if we move 5 yards or 5 miles?? I beleive most people view this subject as ' yeah we would like to move and can understand why but if we speak up in support we will be branded a traitor and will be accused of not being a real fan. Transport links alone make any stadium in tottenham impossible. Hoddle and Greaves can see the sense in this so why not you vocal minoritys? We wont lose our history by moving but this is make or break for us. Are the last couple of years as good as it will ever get for us or are we on the brink of something great ?? If we stay we can never get bigger. If we move, we can push on and cememnt ourselves as one of the top 4/5 in the land. So ask yourself, are you wanting us to stay for you or for the good of the club?? This article make Levy sound like the enemy, hes always wanted the best for our club, can you say the same??
Bobby, if it's sent to his correct email address he will probably read it.
I've had responses from him before, email and spoken.
I wonder how much money has been wasted with the R&D and land purchases in preparation for the now defunct NDP?
I must be one of the only Spurs fans i know that wants the move to Stratford.... Its the only opportunity for us as a club to move forward without leaving the club with massive debts. If we want to keep challenging the top 4 we need to keep spending our money on players and wages not 500m on a new stadium.
The fact that Tottenham is such a dive, putting a new stadium there isn't going to sort out all the current trouble in the area. Lets not get started on the transport link. Where as the Olympic site has had billions pumped into it and the whole surrounding area. So not only would we have a new stadium we would have everything that goes with. Excellent transport too!
No doubt the history of Spurs is at white hart lane, which will be a shame but maybe its time to start a new legacy elsewhere. The problem is if its not at stratford, Levy will look elsewhere. WHL in no longer really the route they want to go down.
Anyway if two businessmen in Sir Lord Sugar and Levythink its the best thing for the club then I back them all the way. Levy hasn't got much wrong so far has he.
The bigger stadium will really push us forward as a club. COYS!!!!
I like the way he put it that the purpose of the letter was to start uniting the fans. The way everything has been taken forward has been very divisive and it's time for everyone (Levy, Lammy, Pro and Anti's) to take a step back and think. Brinkmanship may end up forcing the wrong decision for the wrong reasons & a little bit of sensible conversation right now would do everyone a lot of good.
If the NDP is no longer viable and the OS is not an option for the support, is there maybe a third way that the club might have considered in the past but rejected in favour of the NDP - Possibly one within the Tottenham/North London area?
Hocks for President.
Really surprised THFC spent all that money planning the Northumberland Dev Project, including the re-worked model, for them to now say it's not viable. Cobblers.
The fact the "decision" has been delayed worries me. What's happening is they're waiting to see how many points the Spammers pick up over the next few games. If they move out of relegation then they'll get the nod. If not, the time delay also allows them to pick Spurs without the recent bell ringing of Seb Coe etc still hanging in the air.
This is no final bluff.
Levy’s performance on SKY yesterday was all about furthering his chances of winning the Stratford bid.
One of the factors that goes against Levy’s bid is what becomes of Tottenham (the area) once Levy is given the go ahead to knock THFC down and start a new club in Stratford.
It will completely kill the area.
The OPLC obviously don’t want to be responsible for the death of Tottenham.
Levy announcing that the NDP is a dead duck and that there won’t be a club in Tottenham whatever the decision, frees the OPLC of that responsibility.
Yeah The Club is not for sale. How much is it worth right now. Taking the value of Bale, Modric, VDV and Lennon into account at, say £90m plus £250m = £340m. That, minus the ENIC investment would not leave a great return on 10 years of developing the club up to todays status.
Moving to Stratford however, and all the extra income that would generate, just by winning the bid would up the attractness of the club and the value to double that figure, without even building a new stadium. Levy could have achieved that by Friday 28th January 2011 and the carpet has been pulled from under him. He's fucking desperate to elevate this club and sell it. His open letter and his interviews on Sky and the BBC do not stack up with all the publicity on the N17 scheme, only 4 months ago.
Levy is not being truthful about, either the viability of the N17 scheme or his intentions. He doesn't give a fuck about ANY Spurs supporters views. His and Joe Lewises are the only 2 views that matter to him.
I've just the 'We are N17' petition.
I've just signed the 'We are N17' petition.
read the letter and some of it is what has been on my mind for a while. but hey how would you feel about putting on your best spurs shirt..scarf n all and running up and down the streets around upton park? That's basically what'll happen if we are forced to stratford! There's a rumour the royal family of Qtar or some other arab nation (my itk sn't great) is looking for a perm club? What's the number to ring or email address? We should start sending SOS's to these guys before someone takes our club and dumps it into the east end! The only people who could possibly be behind the move would be shareholders! they have an interest in Tottenham Hotspur and it's got nothing to do with football. Spurs made a lot of money reaching the Champs knock out stages and we bought Pienaar for 3 million quid! That's it in a nutshell fromLevy and the current board. the last time spurs had a chance to consolidate the team for a better season Levy sold Berba and keane from under ramos! Again we are on the brink of something great and there's no back up from Levy..just more rhetoric. Remember the last time? We were going to sign Eto, Villa blah blah we signed none of the big names. It amazes me how many spurs fans fall for the BS that Levy spouts! I've been hounded as negative for berating Levy in the past..he has the best interests of the club in mind..yeah right! The people who should matter the most are the local spurs fans! Sadly that's not the case either or we would not be one of the most expensive prem clubs to watch. Someone please post the details of these prospective buyers so we can ask them to become overnight hero's and save our club. LEVY OUT!!!!
I really really hope we get the OS, We will lose a few ᬬfans" but we will gain far more than we lose, we will have a state of the bart stadium in the most perfect position in Europe and the main whingers will be the "fans" that can no longer walk out of their front doors and sit they backsides down on a seat at WHL within 5 minutes.
I agree about keeping the heritage and the history going but believe me in 5 years no one will give a toss......just my opinion....
'Levy could have achieved that by Friday 28th January 2011 and the carpet has been pulled from under him.'
THFC is being pulled from under our feet and some people are either following the carrot of promised glory or, staggeringly, actually for it!
The open letter is a fair option and not badly put together, although very much reads as having a negative outlook rather than being open-minded.
Some of the questions let it down somewhat
The last question about selling the club seems to ask for confirmation that Enic will never seel the club forever.
Likewise the stuff about not moving to the OS until 2016 is an odd one. It seems to be a made up date based on the notion that planning permission can only start after the olympics - when in fact planning permission will begin, with most permission already in place, when the winning bid is announced this year.
What would also have been interesting to ask though, is where we might find our new home if not Stratford. It would be interesting to see what alternative sites our architect was refering to in his press briefing a coupld of weeks ago.
You can probably guarantee that the other sites are near the next, preferred, generation of Spurs fans in the City and Canary Wharf.
The open letter raises excellent questions that need to be answered... apart from the last one, in regard to selling the club, Levy said he and the board have no intention to sell the club and I have to admit, if he does secure the OS, why on god's earth would he sell the club? You don't sell anything that appreciates in value.
Reading between the lines, the opportunity that the OS brings makes the NDP unviable... an economic crisis of epic scale reared it's ugly head and proceeded to tie a noose around the head of the NDP. From the shadowy gallows a glow shone from the east, most followed the light but some didn't believe instead choosing to stay in the dark...
I am not ready to dismiss EITHER 'option'. Began going to Spurs at 6; on my own from 11 on the old 233 bus from Hornsey. I used to love the ground, the area, the atmosphere. Even in its present state, it is still a great thrill, so leaving would be a great wrench. I now live in E17, similarly gritty ....... but, despite being closer to Stratford I can still get to WHL more easily than the new stadium would be.
I am aware that the 'project' of moving would be huge, and very disruptive, and my heart says no often. But my head says that the rebuild at Stratford could come up with the same kind of inspirational stadium with proximity to the pitch the same also. As for location, most of us no longer live in N17 - I was there yesterday and passed more people wearing Arse colours than Spurs!! We all moved out, in various directions and where I lived is an upwardly mobile starter area full of newby Arse fans ..... The journey in from Essex and Herts can be made easily to Stratford. The North London Line brings traffic from the old Hoxton surrounds which were a Heartland, not to mention the Central Line from Bethnal Green. LOTS of original Spurs supporters will have a better journey, and we will open up a whole new area of support too, in the way that the red filth did, but with BETTER transport.
After that, we can inhabit WHL till the DAY the ground is ready for the move. We then go, sadly and looking back often, and redevelopment of the old ground - tastefully done for the benefit of the local community - proceeds and grows into an income source. Gates virtually double overnight and things go on getting better. This may be a dream, but it would be a good dream if it came true ...... like Arse but BETTER.
It may do, and it may not; we may get the site and we may not. Whatever happens we have to grow or gradually go down again, selling the big players and teetering on the edge courageously. As I say, I am undecided, but I will support MY team whatever, wherever, and go with my chairman's judgement because, though I mistrusted him greatly in the past, I no longer do. This will be much more successful, a much happier experience if we stick together, trying to see both sides and avoiding tearing one another apart, whatever happens. Need I say it? - COYS!!!!
It seems as though the decision delay by the Legacy Gang has more to do with Barry Hearn than either THFC or WHU. He's put it to them that they will be in breach of FA rules to allow either Club move into the OS. He is prepared to bring legal proceedings to the table and is now saying they might bid for the 'Hockey' venue.
He might yet be the fly in the ointment.
I think the one mistake we as fans can make is turn this into a 'Them & Us' argument with the club & Levy as some kind of enemy. If we've learned one thing over the years about Levy it's that he doesn't react well to people trying to browbeat him. We (and especially groups like N17), need to engage with the club and become part of the process. Otherwise, we'll just end up singing defiant songs outside an empty ground while construction trucks trundle past to East London.
Do you think Levy will lose sleep over 500 burned season tickets if he gets access to 35,000 more? Do you think he'll worry about a legal challenge to the name if he has a brand he can sell around the world called 'Spurs'? His duty is to the commercial entity that is the Plc and he is doing the right thing by it. It is our duty as fans to use our brains and engage the 'Company' to do the right thing for both the business entity AND the heritage of the club (of which WE are the guardians).
We need to get a bit more clever in the way we are looking at this to do our duty to the future generations of Spurs fans and the area that has been our home.
NOW THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY leaving Tottenham, any chance that the N17 group can get over themselves and stop trying to hold the club back? Just a thought.
N17 is full of Gooners, glad we are moving.
Never thought I would say this but if you are not bluffing (which seems he is not)....Levy Out.
I suppose there will be a "N17 even if the club is sh*t for years" group turn up even if we moved to Enfield?
Mes, you're making the mistake that Levy gives a shit about what any of us think, hence there being absolutely no consultation (unless you believe in his "secret surveys").
LEVY is a right git, isnt he - bringing Champions League football to Tottenham, trying to move into a 60,000 stadium and compete with the best in Europe. What a t*sser. You stupid tw*ts!
I love White Hart Lane as much as anyone and the legacy of the club is ingrained in me from watching great players there down the years.
Times however move on and reality bites.
Levy is putting all his eggs in the basket of getting the Olympic site.
I think the decision makers are frigged either way they go.
No country has ever built a stadium for the Olmpics and just tore it down afterwards.
Football is all about mony now. If the Tottenham MP is correct and they can stop the club using the name then you are starting to see Clubs turning into Franchises just like the NFL.
The New York Giants and New York Jets share a stadium in......Florham Park, New Jersey.
Hotspur F.C. will be playing at The Olympic Site in 2016.
What has LEVY ever done for us?!
Its funny that people think that if we get a new stadium that all 35000 on the waiting list will be able to afford 1k. Im on the list after giving up my season ticket and I wouldnt be able to afford it at the moment.
Sorry, SPURS FC.
The future Sir Daniel Levy is a Spurs fan, he's one of us.
Has always acted in the best interests of the club. I dont need to note any examples.
End of.
:)
As much as it would hurt to leave the Lane, the intention is of a brighter and more successful future. 99% of us will still be going to games, buying the shirts etc.
And on top of all this (i know it might not mean much) but when England FINALLY DO host another World Cup, we would pip ARSEnal to host some of the matches together with Wembley.
As I remember the Olympic Stadium option was originally presented as a plan B and a way of exercising Leverage on Haringey council to be more cooperative...
However, if we were to win the bid then it's a virtual certainty we will go to the Olympic Stadium as this will be the cheaper option & solves all the issues over transport etc.
All the legacy argument is just staight tittle-tattle by those who have delusions that athletics plays a more prominent role in society than is really the case and straight forward economics mean that if the Olympic stadium is to avoid becoming a white elephant like those in Athens and Beijing then a football stadium it has to be whether us or West Ham ( if they get the nod how long will it be before the West Ham faithful get fed up of the athletics track & rip it up...)
This said, I would rather Spurs stayed in Tottenham but for this to happen the Council and the government need to be a bit more forthcoming with aid for infastructure etc. - I believe both Arsenal & Man City got considerable dollops of public funding to help them redevelop though in the current climate this looks unlikely for Spurs but prehaps the authorities should look at the effect of Spurs moving from Haringey...& be more supportive by stumping up some cash and easing planning regulations etc...
In the short term perhaps a decent centre forward... is a miniumum requirement for keeping up a challenge on the top 4?
i think the north london part is what's important to me. I don't want to be associated with east london. what about the north london derby? what about being north london's true original club? what all about all the songs that feature the term 'north london' in them?! these things are important, its our identity. I can accept white hart lane may be a no-goer, but surely there must be a site in enfield, picketts lock or wherever that we can go?!
Levy is the best thing that happened to SPURS, please Levyhaters cop on.
TMWNN, of course he doesn't give a damn about us as anything other than a revenue stream (We're even given 'Client' numbers for gods sake rather than 'fan' or 'member' numbers). It's US that's making the mistake of trying to make it personal, that's what I'm saying... Look at my post.
He won't give a damn about losing 500 or 2,000 season ticket holders in protest if he can gain 35,000. What I'm saying is that unless WE find a way to engage him WE are going to lose this argument - And calling him names and blathering about heritage is not going to engage him. The onus is on US to find a way to communicate. WE are failing at the moment, not him.
Sorry for the use of caps. Just this is very important that we all get together to try and put forward a sensible argument, like Martin is doing, without trying to accuse Levy of something. He is doing the best for the people he represents, the shareholders (Of which they hold the majority), so if we are going to cost him a packet of money, we had better come up with some solutions and PDQ.
Please don't turn this into a 'you business people' type argument again. This is too important, and you have to realise that this is the way he thinks... Not me. The world is a different place from when we started going to Spurs and it was 50p on the turnstile. We have to accept that or potentially go the way of our old ground.
'Que sera, sera' chaps and chapesses.
I'm resigned to leaving one way or another, why?
Nothing to do with political persuation, just pure incompetence and an inability (matched by a lack of desire) to assist the club (financially or otherwise) of th council.
Levy's clearly had enough, so which ever the nearest local authority with the land, the access and the cheque book (like Newham's "loan") to match, that's where we will end up.
If it's not the OS, which I imagine secretly even Newham council will support when they realise the commercial long term benefit, it'll be somewhere else. Maybe North of the circular, somewhere along the improving thameslink line? wouldn't suprise me at all.
WHL is dead, long live WHL.
ha ha
i like this from Sidders:
"we will have a state of the bart stadium in the most perfect position in Europe "
that is priceless in so many ways.
I was the biggest Levy fan before he decided to sell out. Its funny that we have all loved his brinkmanship and hailed him as the best chairman and all that.
I guess we should have seen it coming, if you are that cut-throat in business your not going to give a shit about joe-public. Its all about selling us for maxium profit.
He can sugar coat it all he likes but it comes down to the bottom line. You anti-tottenham people (PR,Goons,Spammers,10% so called Tottenham fans) should be ashamed. When Tottenham needed you in the face of greed, you sold out.
You forgot what Football was all about. We had the chance to do something special as VDV would put it a Traditional club. You lot would rather see us win as a Franchise Superpower in an alien environment, surrounded by a souless car park and transport links.
Forget our biggest game of the season the NLD, fuck the locals and their shit hole of an area, fuck the majority of Tottenham fans who want to stay, fuck the hardcore fans who give us the atmosphere, fuck everyone who doesnt want anything other than top 4 anc CL football - we have suffered to long.
Just read on the SSN website, Brady's comment about the spurs bid being the same as building 100 schools and then knocking them all down again 4 weeks later. Brilliant! She forgot to add at the end, 'knocking them all down again 4 weeks later and moving them to a place where they'd actually get used...' She'll kick herself when she realises she missed that bit off I'm sure.
Should have asked Levy if every Spurs fan in the world threw £100 into a pot would that make NDP financially viable?
Levy is too aloof. TMWNN is absolutely right, he doesn't consult with the fans. He tells them. The problem is he tells them one thing 6 months ago and now he tells us something else. We are expected to believe both stories. The truth is that Levy knows that ''to get the OS and develope it for a managable sum that is fully visable (no hidden problems) is a no brainer against developing a scheme where there have been many CPO's and all the problems of not knowing what you might unearth excavating thet huge area.
The problem Levy has is that if he shows his hand to the fans, he shows his hand to the Olympic legacy board and I don't think (as an astute businessman) he can do that. He's in a position right now where he cannot divulge his hand and he cannot shout 'trust me' because the other side will have the information also.
So the option is whether we trust him or not. Except for the Martin Jol saga he has delivered and delivered well.