Spurs admit 'football success was not driving decisions'

Tottenham say "football success had not been driving our decisions" as non-executive chairman Peter Charrington admitted failings and vowed to rebuild in an open letter to the club's supporters.

Spurs narrowly avoided relegation with a 1-0 win against Everton on the final day of the Premier League season, finishing 17th for the second season in a row after a difficult campaign that Charrington said fell "well short" of expectations.

"Last September, we recognised that something seismic had to change at Spurs," wrote Charrington, who was appointed to the Spurs board in March 2025.

"The Lewis family stepped in and authorised a full reset. That decision was not taken lightly, and it came later than it should have."

That reset coincided with Daniel Levy stepping down after nearly 25 years as executive chairman, with sources indicating the decision was taken to improve sporting performance.

"As part of that process, we discovered some uncomfortable truths," Charrington added.

"The qualities that make Spurs distinct, our football, our ambition, the connection between the team and its supporters, had been allowed to fade. Football success had not been driving our decisions.

"We did not have the right expertise in key roles. We did not build squads good enough to compete in the most demanding league in the world."

Charrington was in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Sunday's season finale along with Vivienne Lewis, representing the family who own Spurs, her son-in-law Nick Beucher and the club's finance officer Matthew Collecott.

Now under manager Roberto de Zerbi, Spurs needed a point on the final day to avoid their first relegation from the top flight since 1977 - and only a third home league win of the season ensured they sent West Ham down instead.

Charrington added that Spurs have since restructured their football operations, with refreshed executive and football teams, as well further appointments expected in the coming weeks.

The chairman also backed De Zerbi, who signed a five-year contract when joining in March, "to build back to where we need to be", saying the Italian "represents the kind of football and ambition that Tottenham should stand for."

It comes after Spurs midfielders James Maddison and Conor Gallagher credited De Zerbi, who became the club's third manager this season after Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, with saving the club from relegation.

"Without that appointment, disaster could have maybe struck, but it didn't and he takes a lot of credit for that because of the work he's done behind the scenes and on the training pitch," Maddison said.

Gallagher added: "From the first day or two he had everyone under his wing. Everyone trusted him instantly and everything he was doing - it was like 'thank God he's come in' straight away."