Tottenham Hotspur have announced the departure of chairman Daniel Levy after nearly 25 years.
The Spurs director – and the Premier League’s longest-serving chairman – has stepped down from his role at the North London club after taking over in 2001 and building the club into a global power.
A statement from Levy said: “I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees.
“We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level. More than that, we have built a community.
“I was lucky enough to work with some of the greatest people in this sport, from the team at Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way to all the players and managers over the years.
“I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn’t always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately.”
Levy has helped oversee Tottenham’s rise in recent years, building one of the best stadiums in the world and finally ending their 17-year trophy drought.
Charington takes over
Peter Charington has stepped into a non-executive chairman role as a result of the change.
He added: “I am very honoured to become Non-Executive Chairman of this extraordinary Club and, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Daniel and his family for their commitment and loyalty to the Club over so many years.
“This is a new era of leadership for the club, on and off the pitch. I do recognise there has been a lot of change in recent months as we put in place new foundations for the future.
“We are now fully focused on stability and empowering our talented people across the Club, led by Vinai and his executive team.”
Tottenham have made a number of changes to the hierarchy in the last few months, adding Vinai Venkatesham as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Thomas Frank as the new men’s head coach and Martin Ho as women’s head coach.
Tottenham’s tribute
Spurs paid homage to the departing Levy on their website. They said: “Tottenham Hotspur has been transformed over the last quarter of a century.
“It has played in European competitions in the last 18 of 20 seasons, becoming one of the world’s most recognised football clubs, consistently investing in its academy, players and facilities, including a new, world-class stadium and state-of-the-art training centre.
“The club has also competed regularly at the highest level, enjoying a number of fantastic on-field successes, including the recent Europa League cup win.”
The move comes with continued rumours that Tottenham are set for a takeover bid in the coming months. Investors from Saudi Arabia and America have been tipped to be interested. There is also set to be a breakthrough in the stadium’s naming rights.
