Tensions between Spurs fans and chairman Daniel Levy and ENIC have increased over the last couple of seasons, and after last month’s European Super League fiasco, the damage now seems irreparable for some supporters.
However, various former players have leapt to the defence of Levy, including interim manager Ryan Mason and former winger Andy Reid, who joined the club from Nottingham Forest as a hot prospect a few seasons after the chairman took over.
In what seems like a sub ploy from the PR department of the club, Reid spoke of his admiration for Levy, who followed through on the promise he made when the Irishman joined alongside club legend Michael Dawson.
Spurs fans deserve Harry Kane. ENIC don’t.
— Noz Ahmed (@NozAhmed) May 18, 2021
“It was the only place that I wanted to go, and I had my heart set on it,” said Reid, talking to the official Spurs website.
“Frank Arnesen, who was sporting director at Spurs, had shown a real will to get me to Tottenham and that was something that stuck with me and I remember thinking, ‘I really want to go there, they’ve really shown their faith in me and they really want to push for me’. I also realised the potential of the Club.
“I remember speaking to Daniel Levy, me and Daws [Michael Dawson] together, and he showed us plans for a new training ground, told us about plans for a new stadium and I think at the time, we sort of thought ‘we’ve kind of heard this before from chairmen and owners’ and we weren’t too sure!
Tottenham supporters gathered in their numbers on Saturday to protest against the club's owners ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 15, 2021
“Now you look at Spurs with the training ground and the new stadium and I think the Club has a lot to thank Daniel Levy for. It’s fantastic to see where they are now – a firm kind of Champions League club and a real, real top club in Europe. It’s really nice to see it got there.”
While many fans will see right past the public displays of support for Levy from many former players, coaches and pundits, it’s interesting to see the divide on opinion of the Spurs chairman between fans and the likes of Reid, and this saga doesn’t seem like it’s ending soon.