Levy won the financial battles but what about the glory?

He diversified club's affairs and built a superb stadium but on-pitch performance left fans deeply frustrated

- Jonathan Wilson

If it hadn't been for the football, Daniel Levy would be regarded as one of the great club executives. He oversaw the construction of what is widely regarded as the best club stadium in England. Tottenham's training ground is one of the best in Europe. He kept costs low. He has diversified the business, so the club hosts NFL, rugby, boxing, monster trucks and major concerts. He even had the chutzpah to get Tottenham into Super League conversations, despite the fact they haven't won the league since 1961. Yet over the past year, Levy has faced constant fan protests.

The news he had stepped down yesterday came as a shock, although in retrospect there is perhaps a suggestion that he could feel the end approaching. In February he said "all options are open" in response to fan demands for his resignation. Last month, in a rare extended interview, given to Gary Neville, he remarked: "When I'm not here I'm sure I'll get the credit," a suggestion perhaps he was beginning to contemplate his legacy. He is 63 and missed the Uefa Super Cup final to help his daughter settle in at university in the US, perhaps an indication of somebody beginning to reassess their life priorities.

Tottenham, similarly, had begun to restructure. The former Arsenal executive Vinai Venkatesham was appointed as CEO in the summer, and it was announced in March that Peter Charrington, a director of Enic, which owns 86.91% of the club, would be joining the board. Charrington now becomes nonexecutive chair.