- May 14, 2007
- 14,455
- 18,975
Previous form tells us that ENIC do sell a business once they feel they have added as much value as they can, but, as @Spurger King wrote just above, that doesn't allow for the Lewis and Levy being supporters as well as owners.
There's no benefit in selling right now for businessmen who are running a business in which they have an emotional as well as a financial investment. It's a great asset on the balance sheet, as you said, and the fillip to their reputation, especially Levy's, from having achieved the celebrated stadium while reviving the club at a footballing level, is something that can't be valued in a sale.
Hence the ITK that they would only be tempted by a "ridiculous" offer is convincing. The money would have to be well in excess of market value, because the club signifies something to them beyond what it says on the balance sheet. Reviving the club is Levy's legacy.
I think this is lost on some supporters, and I don’t mean to be patronising when saying it but I know I am. I started supporting Spurs at the end of the Gazza/Lineker era and after that we were pretty shite. Over a decade of being a mid table team, with the possibility of relegation, we have grown organically to a top European team. We had no devine right and could have easily ended up like Villa (a massive club in its own right).