Spurs fan group blasts 'destructive' criticism from club as war of words intensifies

Tottenham Hotspur’s war of words with their most influential fan group has taken a fresh twist after the supporters’ trust said the club’s latest criticism of them was "destructive".

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) has expressed scepticism over the club’s plans to appoint a fan representative to the board, saying the move would not give supporters "any real power".

Tottenham had said this week that they would be creating a "Club Advisory Panel", comprised of elected representatives from their fanbase, as they apologised for their involvement in the failed Super League. The club also said it was "disappointed" the THST had so far refused to meet with the board.

In a statement on Wednesday, the THST insisted they do want to meet for talks and hit back at the club for "misrepresenting" and "attacking" their volunteer organisation.

"We have said we are willing to meet, we have made it clear to the club directly and to the mediator that we are willing to meet, and we have made clear what the basis for that meeting should be," said the THST. "We will take the results of any discussions back to our members.

"What cannot go unquestioned is the club’s decision to publish a statement that misrepresents the position and attacks a volunteer fan organisation at a time when the club is facing sustained criticism over its relationship with the fanbase and for its decision making.

"It is simply destructive. To do so while we were pursuing a mediation process via the Football Supporters’ Association in good faith is regrettable in the extreme."

Tottenham announced on Tuesday the chair of the new advisory panel would serve as a full non-executive of the board. But the THST said it was" not a promising start" that the move was announced without consultation.

"The dogged stance of the Trust and the wider supporter base has forced the club to concede the principle that fans must be represented at board level, and to adopt some of our specific suggestions" the THST said.

"But announcing this without consultation on detail is not a promising start. And the measures set out in the club’s statement do not give fan representatives any real power. It is vital the Club Advisory Panel has the support of the fans, including the Trust, if it is to be a credible vehicle for fan representation."

Analysis: This relationship breakdown is fast becoming an embarrassment

By Sam Dean

Many of the executives of the ‘Big Six’ clubs would have hoped that the storm over the botched Super League would die down after a few weeks. Let the news cycle run its course, accept the inevitable criticism for a few days, and then move on.

To think this way, though, would be to severely misunderstand the strength of feeling within their respective fanbases (again). This uproar will not be brushed under the carpet after a few days, as happens so often in sport and in other walks of life, especially in politics.

The anger over the Super League proposals is now evolving and twisting into something new at some of the involved clubs. At Manchester United, the anti-Glazer protests resulted in the postponement of a match. At Arsenal, fans have gathered outside the Emirates for the past few games, and will continue to do so in the coming weeks.

It has been slightly different at Tottenham Hotspur, where the fan protests have not been quite so vociferous, but the total breakdown in the club’s relationship with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) is fast becoming an embarrassment.

This war of words, which is now descending into something of a he-said-she-said situation, is hardly going to help Tottenham in their attempts to reunite with their fanbase. One imagines it will not be particularly helpful in their pursuit of a new manager, either.

An unseemly clash between fans and club will clearly not be a determining factor in the minds of potential new coaches, but equally it underlines the scale of the task facing any new recruit.

Most troubling of all, perhaps, is the THST’s dismissal of the club’s plans to appoint a fan representative to the board. Clubs across the land are calling for such moves, but the THST say the suggested measures "do not give fan representatives any real power". If this is to be done, then it needs to be done properly.

For how long will these disagreements, which are not limited to Tottenham, continue to rumble on? How long will it take to repair the relationships that have been shattered by a Super League that never even came into being? And, as the fallout continues, how many clubs will be willing to make genuine, meaningful change as a result? Tottenham’s uneasy relationship with their supporters’ trust shows how far there is to go before peace is restored.