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New takeover rumours

Did we outspend Man U or just break the transfer record more frequently than them during this period? I have not been able to find any reliable information on the cost of each team.

The important thing for me, if you are trying to draw parallels between the modern oligarchs and Spurs spending in the early sixties, is that we would have to have grossly outspent our rivals and spent far higher than our income for there to be any similarities. I do not see that you have been able to demonstrate this.

I believe I have already demonstrated that Man U broadly speaking matched our spending over the period but Arsenal were also big spenders, and this despite comparatively lower average attendances at Highbury over most of the period in question:

Stan Charlton & Vic Groves, £30,000 - 1955
John Henderson £30,000 - 1958
George Eastham £47,500 - 1960
John McLeod £40,000 - 1961
Joe baker £70,000 - 1961
Ian Ure £62,500 - 1963
Frank McLintock £80,000 - 1964
George Graham £75,000 - 1966
Alan Ball £220,000 (new British record) - 1971

Although United had spells when their average attendances were higher, it was Tottenham who were more often the better supported of the two. From the season we entered the Football League in 1908/09 until the mid-60s our average attendances were higher than theirs a total of 32 seasons out of the 44. It wasn't until the mid-60s that Man Utd's gates began regularly to exceed ours. It's worth noting however that by this time London clubs were able to charge higher admission than their northern counterparts, so to a certain extent what we lacked in numbers we would have compensated for in gate receipts.

It's worth noting also how much of a difference success in the various cup competitions made, especially the European. Between 1961-67 Tottenham won three FA Cups and a European Cup-winners cup as well as reaching the SF of the European Cup. Such exploits would have swelled our coffers considerably compared with most of our rivals. Of course others too had success in league and cup over the period but whilst the best supported did also spend fairly big in the transfer market (Wolves, Everton and later Liverpool), their successes undoubtedly derived more from a combination of outstanding managers (Cullis, Catterick, Shankly) and brilliant youth schemes than the cheque book..
 
I think if we were taken over by a city/chelsea/psg style billionaire it would change the fan experience, I'd probably no longer watch as many Spurs games as I can (I'd be less likely to tune into spurs on a cold monday night in stoke) but games against the likes of City/Chelsea/PSG/Real/Barca we'd have a real hope of winning.

I think I'd lose interest a bit, but if it wasn't for Chelsea and City winning the lottery I'd expect us to have finished top 4 a lot more in the last few seasons, so in a way it would be 'fair'. I feel hard done by by those clubs.

Hope is important to me as a fan. When I first started supporting spurs I had hopes of not getting relegated, then hopes of a Europa League place and finally hopes of a Champions League place. Winning the lottery will just change where my hope lies, instead of hoping we can pull off a top 4 finish and maybe win a cup I'd be hoping we win the league/champions league.

It wouldn't be the same though. It wouldn't be the same Spurs.
 
I think if we were taken over by a city/chelsea/psg style billionaire it would change the fan experience, I'd probably no longer watch as many Spurs games as I can (I'd be less likely to tune into spurs on a cold monday night in stoke) but games against the likes of City/Chelsea/PSG/Real/Barca we'd have a real hope of winning.

I think I'd lose interest a bit, but if it wasn't for Chelsea and City winning the lottery I'd expect us to have finished top 4 a lot more in the last few seasons, so in a way it would be 'fair'. I feel hard done by by those clubs.

Hope is important to me as a fan. When I first started supporting spurs I had hopes of not getting relegated, then hopes of a Europa League place and finally hopes of a Champions League place. Winning the lottery will just change where my hope lies, instead of hoping we can pull off a top 4 finish and maybe win a cup I'd be hoping we win the league/champions league.

It wouldn't be the same though. It wouldn't be the same Spurs.

But would it be the same Spurs if we challenge for the title / champions league legitimately? i find your post a tad confusing if i'm honest and i'm not sure why.
 
I think it would be the 'same Spurs' if we were doing it legitimately. *IF* we did challenge at the very highest level without massive investment I think it's highly unlikely we'd be up there for more than a season or two before our best players are poached by the richest clubs or well-timed lasagne puts paid to our success. It would be a flash in the pan. Winning the lottery would mean we'd be challenging at the top indefinitely, until the billionaire playboys get bored.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I used think I'd lose interest if we were bought out but at the same time competing on an 'equal' playing field with city and chelsea etc could be exhilarating. We could fail on a whole new level, instead of missing out on 4th by a point we'd miss out on the premier league by a point, and get knocked out of the CL in the semi finals by an offside Bale away goal.

Though if we could compete at top level for even a season or two off our own backs I would love it and take it over a winning the lottery any day. Our Champion's league run is my favourite Spurs memory ever and I would love to experience it again.

I'm rambling because I'm sleep deprived and should be in bed. I love Spurs. I'd rather we were a success off our own backs but as it looks more and more likely some sugar daddy will eventually purchase us I'll still love Spurs. I'll just enjoy it in a different way and try not to be an arrogant **** about whatever we win.
 
I am convinced we will never win the league title or finish in top 2 as long as Levy is the chairman. Any true Spurs fan will want to see us win the league title atleast once in their lifetime. Anyone who say otherwise will be lying to themselves. The only way we can even fight for the league title now is if a rich man take over Spurs.
 
I think if we were taken over by a city/chelsea/psg style billionaire it would change the fan experience, I'd probably no longer watch as many Spurs games as I can (I'd be less likely to tune into spurs on a cold monday night in stoke) but games against the likes of City/Chelsea/PSG/Real/Barca we'd have a real hope of winning.

I think I'd lose interest a bit, but if it wasn't for Chelsea and City winning the lottery I'd expect us to have finished top 4 a lot more in the last few seasons, so in a way it would be 'fair'. I feel hard done by by those clubs.

Hope is important to me as a fan. When I first started supporting spurs I had hopes of not getting relegated, then hopes of a Europa League place and finally hopes of a Champions League place. Winning the lottery will just change where my hope lies, instead of hoping we can pull off a top 4 finish and maybe win a cup I'd be hoping we win the league/champions league.

It wouldn't be the same though. It wouldn't be the same Spurs.

Most pre-Abramovich Chelsea fans I know go and watch lower or non-league instead now. They found being doped very hollow and quickly became disillusioned. The current fans are all tourists and ex-Man U followers.
 
I am convinced we will never win the league title or finish in top 2 as long as Levy is the chairman. Any true Spurs fan will want to see us win the league title atleast once in their lifetime. Anyone who say otherwise will be lying to themselves. The only way we can even fight for the league title now is if a rich man take over Spurs.

Isn't that what everyone in 00s cycling did to try and compete with Lance Armstrong?

British cycling proved that if you play the long game, you can beat the dopers with integrity.
 
I am convinced we will never win the league title or finish in top 2 as long as Levy is the chairman. Any true Spurs fan will want to see us win the league title atleast once in their lifetime. Anyone who say otherwise will be lying to themselves. The only way we can even fight for the league title now is if a rich man take over Spurs.

I'm glad someone's said it, those Spurs fans who don't want us to win the premier league have been getting a free ride recently

*******s, yellow browed buntings, the lot of them.
 
Most pre-Abramovich Chelsea fans I know go and watch lower or non-league instead now. They found being doped very hollow and quickly became disillusioned. The current fans are all tourists and ex-Man U followers.

Yes, but RA does not care "how" Cheat$ki wins .. hence the love affair with Mourinho .. dire little club, with likely the worst team every to win a CL.

Are people saying if we were bought by a sugar daddy and played the swashbuckling stuff to win trophies/titles, you would get bored? don't believe you ..
 
Isn't that what everyone in 00s cycling did to try and compete with Lance Armstrong?

British cycling proved that if you play the long game, you can beat the dopers with integrity.

Not sure its a good argument, how many of Lance's peers were part of the new British cycling, how many never achieved personal success because the game was rigged?

Not trying to take the moral low ground, but I could see quite a few traditional clubs in the no longer relevant space by time football gets through the money doping phase.
 
Most pre-Abramovich Chelsea fans I know go and watch lower or non-league instead now. They found being doped very hollow and quickly became disillusioned. The current fans are all tourists and ex-Man U followers.

you wouldn't get me doing that, i can't stand non league football
 
Yes, but RA does not care "how" Cheat$ki wins .. hence the love affair with Mourinho .. dire little club, with likely the worst team every to win a CL.

Are people saying if we were bought by a sugar daddy and played the swashbuckling stuff to win trophies/titles, you would get bored? don't believe you ..

Not bored, disillusioned. It would feel hollow, cheap. Anything less than a convincing win in every match would be a disappointment. It would be like playing computer games in cheat mode.

City have generally done thing with a lot more dignity and style, but they are still doped and they'll never be remembered as greats.

The only type of sugar daddy I'd want is one who'd build us a massive stadium and lower the ticket prices. I'd still want to see a team of at least half academy graduates and zero net transfer spend, no matter how much was in our owner's bank account.


Not sure its a good argument, how many of Lance's peers were part of the new British cycling, how many never achieved personal success because the game was rigged?

Not trying to take the moral low ground, but I could see quite a few traditional clubs in the no longer relevant space by time football gets through the money doping phase.

Generally British cyclists didn't compete. They focused on track rather than road, which they knew was cleaner and a level playing field. Then when the dopers were disgraced, they switched to track with a vengeance.

Our parallel would be to keep moving towards a Dortmund/Porto/Ajax sustainable model, and be there ready to pounce when the bubble bursts
 
Most pre-Abramovich Chelsea fans I know go and watch lower or non-league instead now. They found being doped very hollow and quickly became disillusioned. The current fans are all tourists and ex-Man U followers.

Funny enough Gutter Boy your right because I know two who gave up from the days of the dog track. One watches worthing and the other has sort of given up on football altogether.
 
How would you all feel if Joe Lewis bunged in £1bn in a totally unsustainable way? I.e. no concerns over 'dirty' money, but it'd still be doing things the abramovich way really......
 
How would you all feel if Joe Lewis bunged in £1bn in a totally unsustainable way? I.e. no concerns over 'dirty' money, but it'd still be doing things the abramovich way really......

I think the issue is more to do with doping, than the ethics of laundering mafia money.

If you are going to buy silverware, why not just go and get it from the trophy shop? There will be no worth attached to it.
 
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How would you all feel if Joe Lewis bunged in £1bn in a totally unsustainable way? I.e. no concerns over 'dirty' money, but it'd still be doing things the abramovich way really......

I'd probably still feel the same way, that is to say dirty. Then again in a league of financially doped clubs, it would still be an achievement.
 
I am convinced we will never win the league title or finish in top 2 as long as Levy is the chairman. Any true Spurs fan will want to see us win the league title atleast once in their lifetime. Anyone who say otherwise will be lying to themselves. The only way we can even fight for the league title now is if a rich man take over Spurs.

Well you would be wrong, I am not lying when I say the day we get taken over by a bored billionaire ( such as those at City and Chelsea) is the day my life long love affair ( 5O years)of traveling and watching Spurs will end.
 
I am convinced we will never win the league title or finish in top 2 as long as Levy is the chairman. Any true Spurs fan will want to see us win the league title atleast once in their lifetime. Anyone who say otherwise will be lying to themselves. The only way we can even fight for the league title now is if a rich man take over Spurs.

I'm sure this bit is true. What Spur fan would not want to win the title. However this is not the same as wanting to win the title at all costs which is what you are implying. If this board is indicative of the general feeling among spurs fans then there are obviously a set of fans who would loose interest in Spurs if we were purchased as a vanity project for some rich prick. I would count myself in this group. There are also another set of fans who believe football is about winning and nothing else. And once we buy Reus, Bale and Suarez I'm sure they will be joined by a million other plastic fans who delight at winning things irrespective of how it is achieved.
 
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