Levy responds
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 1:02PM Update from anti-Stratford move movement We are N17 on their meeting with Daniel Levy. Key extracts below. All very diplomatic and olive branchy:
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04/02/2011 - Statement & Details of meeting with Daniel Levy (Chairman) and Donna Cullen (Director of Communications)
DL indicated that he believed the views of We Are N17 and our overall goal of ensuring the club will not move to Stratford was detrimental to future of the football club.
We Are N17 believe that a move to Stratford would be detrimental in a different way. Whilst the financial considerations relating to building a new stadium may favour a move, we suggested that this should not be ‘at any cost’. DL and DC agreed and said that they’d stay in Tottenham if it were possible but at this time it is not viable to do so. We suggested that staying in Tottenham would not ‘kill’ the club and that other clubs accept the circumstances of their locality. DC mentioned that THFC would remain a London club and we asked at what point within London do you draw the line and where is too far to move; it was said that we are Tottenham Hotspur, not London Hotspur.
It was agreed that neither party expects the club to have to change its name, regardless of a move.
DL said that he is not interested in selling the club following a move and that he does not believe AEG are interested in buying the club. He also said that he’d be more inclined to sell if the club does not move.
DL promised a full consultation would be conducted with the fans.
DL said that the Northumberland Development Project (NDP) is no longer viable.
It was raised that we believed the club’s communications with fans to be misleading.
The club did not really argue this point and DC said ‘it suited their purpose’ when asked about the content of the statements released thus far.
DL said (despite his recent interview) that there is no other site in mind nor available to move to other that Stratford.
The idea of We Are N17’s involvement in any future ‘breakaway’ club was also mentioned and dismissed.
Full statement can be read here.
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Olympic Stadium/site decision this week apparently. If it's not awarded to us, then what?
For all this talk of Levy being shrewd and a master negotiator you think placing all eggs in one basket is perhaps a tad risky considering he's playing with the future of our club, right? Because his stance is the NDP is not viable and that's that (and we'll be told afterwards why that's the case but confidentiality reasons remain paramount at this time) so we'd have to look elsewhere, outside of N17 no matter what. Which might be as non-viable in cost and effort and time as perhaps re-looking at the NDP whilst awaiting the council to help themselves by helping us. And it still remains cloudy in terms of the apparent urgency to move move move when there's a possibility Stratford might not happen, leaving us where exactly in the long term? Do people who support the move understand this element of the argument because it's the sticking point for me, always has been, and people seem to dismiss it with plenty of 'Levy knows best' types of comments.
So let's hope Levy does know best and is conjuring up a magic trick to make it look impossible to stay where the Hart is so that if the OS is not awarded to us, he then does what he knows he can do to claw back the NDP and be called a genius for doing it - whilst the anti-move crowd are told to calm down because the chairman always had our best intentions at heart, he just can't be displaying them out in the open. Because it's not like you'd show everyone your hand whilst playing a game of poker, no?
Yadda yadda yadda. I live in hope.
Also, Martin Cloake (who addressed a fine letter to the club via his blog) has received a response. Who would think after all these years of my good self addressing the club that if I stopped short of sending dead animal parts in parcels along with the correspondence that I too could have shared something similar. Shame the club failed to consider the efforts of hunting down said animals and...well, let's leave it there.
Martin's original open letter here.
The blog covering off the clubs response to him here.
ta,
Reader Comments (69)
Did you see the photos, ChrisYid? Exciting, eh? Perhaps a picnic in the park before KO and look at all those pretty colours - it looks smashing! Quick, let's all move to east London and be part of the ENIC/AEG theme park, I mean soccer club.
Anyone remember this?... http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/futureplans/gallery.html#/uploads/assets/gallery/futurePlans/NDP_-_Night_aerial_view.jpg
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/futureplans/news/club-releases-image-of-proposed-60000-capacity-stadium-in-olympic-park-070211.html
If you look closely, you can see Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po.
Welcome to the Tubbytronic Superdome, home of the world famous Teletubbies.
Spooky you trying to tell me you have never turned up at the Lane with some lino and taken it old school?
Got REAL vids to drool about? Eh? No? Here’s one for you
http://www.london2012.com/videos/2010/all-change-at-stratford-station.php
I'm not necessarily opposed to a lil' pre-match robot "pop and lock" a la Crouchaldinho...
but you'll never catch me doing the moon walk.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6737674,00.html
"I know exactly the feelings of the fans. If they have a choice between re-developing Tottenham, which is not an option, or going to Stratford, they will back this board. I'm determined to what ever it takes to move to Stratford."
"The NDP is absolutely dead in the water,"
Thanks for all the choices Levy.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/5114/5/exclusive-levy-i-will-do-whatever-it-takes-get-us-stratford
I would like to know what this rent figure is? both in yearly payment and how long it would be due for.
Levy will sell if we lose out on OS bid and force to stay in Haringey as he knows we'll not survive for long while we are there. When the local council is raising the ransom each and everytime THFC agrees to their ealier terms, how far before any one of us will deem it unviable? For Levy, it seems they have reached the limit unless Haringey lowers their expectations on the NDP. Right now, Haringey is using 'local' fans support to milk as much money from Levy and ENIC but that will cripple Spurs' ability to sign on better players for more years to come (example the Arses).
TMWNN,
If we do end up moving to the OS, will you stop supporting Spurs?
Do you mean will I start supporting a new club in Stratford, as there will no longer be a THFC to support? No, never.
it will be a shame to lose any spurs fan if we move to stratford but we do need a larger stadium. It's not fair to the fans on the waiting list and the next generation of fans who want their chance to have season tickets.
TMWNN,
At least it wont all be bad, you can go back to the emirates
For the last time, it is possible to build a BIGGER stadium in TOTTENHAM.
LEVY IS LYING!
sfreundwasaleg your comment is spot on about the next generation.
I was able to go as a young teenager and stand at the Paxton end as a Junior Spur every week. And I think without that ability to see Spurs week in, week out, my passion and support for the club would probably not be what it us today.
For the next generation of supporters, and the ones after that, the location of Stratford will not be an issue. That's what Levy is banking on. And I don't believe for one second that if we move Spurs will not be touted around to the next rich benefactor. Who's to say we won't be in a Glazer situation 5 years from now, wishing for a return to WHL?
TMWNN has his views which I can 100% understand and I think that there is a vocal minority (in relation to overall numbers of members etc), who think and ultimately will act the same way. And that's a shame because a lot of them will be Season Ticket holders who have put time, energy and money into the football club. They may yet be proved right in their thoughts and actions. I would not judge them yet.
ENIC is a publically listed company. We are not privately owned. ENIC raise money by selling shares which is very different from having private ownership like Roman, who puts his hand in his own pocket to the tune of about £500m since he arrived.
THFC are not a charity. Levy is not Santa Claus or Robin Hood. Spurs are a business, run by business men....you are displaying gorss ignorance if you think Spurs are badly run by mercenary businessmen
Followers of football fall into two categories, 1..The Fan (Fanatic) or 2.. The Supporter. A Fan will tell you they are "Born to the Club" which they follow. The history...tradition...location...etc means everything. A "Supporter " will attach themselves to a club for all the same reasons as a "Fan" , the difference lies within their passion for the club. The passion for a club from a "Supporter" doesn't run as deep as the passion of a "Fan".
A Fan is bonded to their club,they are one, any attempt to interfere with, or remove ,any part of that bond is sacrilege . To a Supporter, although they love their club,that bond is not as strong. All football clubs require a fan base, diehards , win or lose they will always be there. When a club is succesful, many Supporters will attach themselves to that club, but if that same club has a spell of mediocrity, it is a lot easier for a Supporter to look for an alternative., whereas the Fan cannot/will not.
We are now in a sad situation of Spurs Fans v Spurs Supporters. I am a diehard spurs fan, the love i have for my club is priceless and cannot be bought. My bond is to a club called Tottenham, from WHL, N17...North London. Yes, we all want a bigger stadium, but, only at The LANE. To move spurs out of the area-North London means the death of THFC. Whatever Mr Levy & co do in Stratford, it will never be Spurs .