BBC

Tottenham say "football success had not been driving our decisions" as non-executive chairman Peter Charrington admitted failings and vowed to rebuild in an open letter to the club's supporters.

Spurs narrowly avoided relegation with a 1-0 win against Everton on the final day of the Premier League season, finishing 17th for the second season in a row after a difficult campaign that Charrington said fell "well short" of expectations.

"Last September, we recognised that something seismic had to change at Spurs," wrote Charrington, who was appointed to the Spurs board in March 2025.

"The Lewis family stepped in and authorised a full reset. That decision was not taken lightly, and it came later than it should have."

That reset coincided with Daniel Levy stepping down after nearly 25 years as executive chairman, with sources indicating the decision was taken to improve sporting performance.

"As part of that process, we discovered some uncomfortable truths," Charrington added.

"The qualities that make Spurs distinct, our football, our ambition, the connection between the team and its supporters, had been allowed to fade. Football success had not been driving our decisions.

"We did not have the right expertise in key roles. We did not build squads good enough to compete in the most demanding league in the world."

Charrington was in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Sunday's season finale along with Vivienne Lewis, representing the family who own Spurs, her son-in-law Nick Beucher and the club's finance officer Matthew Collecott.

Now under manager Roberto de Zerbi, Spurs needed a point on the final day to avoid their first relegation from the top flight since 1977 - and only a third home league win of the season ensured they sent West Ham down instead.

Charrington added that Spurs have since restructured their football operations, with refreshed executive and football teams, as well further appointments expected in the coming weeks.

The chairman also backed De Zerbi, who signed a five-year contract when joining in March, "to build back to where we need to be", saying the Italian "represents the kind of football and ambition that Tottenham should stand for."

It comes after Spurs midfielders James Maddison and Conor Gallagher credited De Zerbi, who became the club's third manager this season after Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, with saving the club from relegation.

"Without that appointment, disaster could have maybe struck, but it didn't and he takes a lot of credit for that because of the work he's done behind the scenes and on the training pitch," Maddison said.

Gallagher added: "From the first day or two he had everyone under his wing. Everyone trusted him instantly and everything he was doing - it was like 'thank God he's come in' straight away."

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison says he is "really happy" for "passionate" head coach Roberto de Zerbi, without whom the season could have ended in "doom and gloom".

De Zerbi took charge at the end of March with Tottenham winless in the Premier League in 2026 and in the relegation zone before his first match.

However, despite injuries to key players, including Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons, he bought a renewed positivity to win three out of Spurs' final five games and stay up on the final day.

"He's so passionate," said Maddison, who has only recently returned from a long-term knee injury.

"He's been living at the training ground with the guys, with his team.

"He's there at 9pm with all his staff. They've got the tactics board up, there's six of them, they're just talking. It's 9pm and we've already had four or five meetings on each game. He's just obsessed with football.

"You feel the authenticity of someone who's passionate for Tottenham - because I am, I love this club and I want this club to be successful so badly.

"Without that appointment, disaster could have maybe struck, but it didn't and he takes a lot of credit for that because of the work he's done behind the scenes and on the training pitch.

"I'm excited under this manager."

Another player invigorated by De Zerbi's arrival was Conor Gallagher, who looked lost in his first few games after his January move from Atletico Madrid but has been a key performer in getting Spurs over the line in the final stretch.

"He completely turned around the start of my Spurs career," Gallagher reflected.

"From the first day or two, he had everyone under his wing. Everyone trusted him instantly.

"I can't speak highly enough of him."

Travelling across a sweltering London to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by Tube on the final day of the season, the emotional divide among football fans in the city was striking. Sitting opposite me in the carriage, a man in his 50s wearing a 90s original "Holsten" home shirt was wedged between two Arsenal supporters.

"I think you'll be all right today, mate," they offered.

Now I know you don't speak to strangers on the Tube if you're a Londoner, but this Spurs fan just stared straight ahead, entirely consumed by the dread and anxiety that they could be relegated on the same day that Arsenal were crowned champions. He didn't even acknowledge them.

There was a hush around the ground on arrival - very few smiles, very little noise. That was until the team bus turned up and the players were greeted as if it was them that had won the Premier League title and not their north London rivals.

Inside the ground, the wall of noise before kick-off was deafening. The relief at Joao Palhinha's goal palpable. The West Ham goals against Leeds filtered through to add some jeopardy, but Everton never really offered enough until late on to make it truly nerve-wracking inside the stadium.

Spurs' players collapsed with a mixture of exhaustion and relief at the final whistle, and the South Stand became a wall of noise once again.

The concourses, now doubling as bustling bars, were now buzzing - smiles, laughter, singing, drinking and general merriment.

The journey home saw the Victoria Line trains mixed with red and white shirts as triumphant Arsenal fans returned from south London to launch an impromptu street party around Emirates Stadium. Fans chanted at each other as they passed on the escalators, but what I saw was good humoured.

It was one city and three entirely different sets of emotions for the supporters of the teams involved on an afternoon in the capital not to be forgotten.

De Zerbi couldn't wait to see one journalist

De Zerbi couldn't wait to see one journalist

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto de Zerbi could not wait to see one journalist after confirming their place in the Premier League next season with a 1-0 win against Everton on the final day.

Former captain Gary Mabbutt hopes Ben Davies will have a future at Tottenham Hotspur after the club avoided relegation to the Championship.

Wales skipper Davies, who turned 33 last month, sees his Tottenham contract expire next month.

The defender has not played since suffering a serious ankle injury in January, but Mabbutt believes he should be offered the chance to stay at a club he has represented for 12 years.

"Ben's a great lad," said Spurs great Mabbutt.

"What he has given to the club so far… it was just so unfortunate the injury he received. It was devastating for him and or us because Ben's a player you can always rely on.

Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, speaking about Roberto de Zerbi keeping Tottenham up on Match of the Day: "I think the Igor Tudor appointment was a strange one and everyone felt that but De Zerbi has come in and it feels right. It feels right for Tottenham. There seems to be a really good connection with the players and supporters as well.

"He's done his job, he's kept them in the Premier League, and I think going into next season with a few additions to that squad - he could get them back to where you'd expect Tottenham to be.

"I think Tottenham are an interesting club and if they get the recruitment right, they have some good players in there there's no denying that. If they get the recruitment right with this manager I think they can be driving up the table."

Strains of the old 'Glory, Glory' anthem echoed inside the giant stadium as Tottenham stepped back from the precipice of the most humiliating relegation in Premier League history.

The players and supporters were in unison at last, as they could finally look forward to next season as a top-flight club.

Slowly, a note of dissent was introduced as a giant banner was unfurled by supporters, reading: 'Promised Success. Delivering Failure. ENIC out.'

The fans who have suffered so much mediocrity were entitled to their outpouring. After all, this was only the third home league win they have witnessed this season, albeit in arguably the club's biggest game in recent history.

The instant exuberance from the players was understandable, but embarrassment should have quickly descended on them as they listened to their supporters chanting: 'We are staying up'.

The very sound of those words - the preserve of strugglers - should reverberate through the whole club.

Once Tottenham High Road empties of its revellers, the inquest from top to bottom must begin.

The club's top brass were in attendance for the conclusion, with chief executive Vinai Venkatesham front of house and sporting director Johan Lange sitting just behind.

Their part in all of this will come under scrutiny, not least for their remarkable decision to trust ill-suited Igor Tudor as successor to Thomas Frank.

The season finale was also watched by Vivienne Lewis, representing the family who own Spurs, along with her son-in-law Nick Beucher, a key contact with the London-based management.

Non-executive chairman Peter Charrington and chief operating and finance officer Matthew Collecott were also in attendance, presumably poised to work out how and why the club found themselves in such reduced circumstances and how it can be avoided next season.

For now, thanks to Roberto de Zerbi's inspiration and the failings of other clubs, Spurs are spared a day of reckoning.

Not for long, however, because the temporary elation of fans will soon turn to anger.

How can a club that plays in such a magnificent stadium, has such passionate support, and has received around £74m by qualifying for the Champions League via that Europa League triumph, end up on the brink of the Championship?

Answer: bad decisions on and off the pitch, poor appointments and players playing poorly.

Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur? Not this season, no glory here.

Tottenham have moved their attention away from 32-year-old Roma striker Paulo Dybala, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022. (Football Insider), external

Fenerbahce are monitoring the situation of France international Randal Kolo Muani, 27, with the forward on loan this season at Tottenham from Paris St-Germain. (Fanatik), external

Tottenham club captain Cristian Romero, 28, would be interested in linking up with fellow Argentinian Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. (Teamtalk), external

Tottenham are considering a move for Benfica's Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, 24, in the summer. (A Bola - in Portuguese), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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We asked for your thoughts and feelings as Tottenham avoided relegation to the Championship on the final day of the season.

Here are some of your comments:

Ricky: There's a time for post-mortems, analysis and frustration with the board, but it's not today. The boys did us proud. COYS!

Robert: A mixture of exhilaration and relief. We were by far the better team in the first half, and fully deserved the one-goal lead. Second half, we got deeper and deeper and the nerves were plain for all to see. But we got over the line, and that's all that matters. Now, the real work starts to make sure this situation never happens again.

Jeff: A diabolical season. Being 17th for the second year running is just unacceptable and speaks to years of utter incompetence in leadership, ownership, management and recruitment. To borrow a phrase, it's time to "drain the swamp". There needs to be a cull of senior management and we need to get rid of all the dross and malcontents in the playing squad. Simple as that.

Michele: They truly do not deserve to have been saved. Lifelong Spurs fan, but this season has pushed me to the edge. An embarrassment and can now only hope someone somewhere has learned a massive lesson. Have a clearout. Do what is necessary and spend, spend, spend or we will surely be in the same position next year.

Chris: Now is the time to look at the coaching and medical staff. The injuries the team has suffered both this season and last can't be all down to bad luck. Something is seriously wrong on the fitness side of the team.

Brian: Relief that we will have a chance to reset and we already have a top coach in place to oversee it. A pair of outsiders deserve maximum credit for our survival. Joao Palhinha scored the two most important goals of the season. Antonin Kinsky's rebirth continued with another fine save. Some changes needed, but who cares right now?