History of Daniel Levy (businessman) in Timeline

Daniel Levy is an English businessman best known as the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, a Premier League football club. He assumed the role in 2001 and is currently the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League. Levy is primarily responsible for the business operations of the club, including player transfers, stadium development, and financial performance. He's known for his tough negotiating style and focus on financial sustainability, leading to criticism from fans regarding player acquisitions and club spending, but also praise for overseeing the construction of Tottenham's new stadium.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1962: Highest League Position Since 1962-63 Season

In the 2016-17 season, Tottenham finished 2nd in the league, making it their highest league position since the 1962-63 season.

1985: Graduation from Cambridge

In 1985, Daniel Levy graduated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, with a First Class Honours Degree in Economics and Land Economy.

1995: Managing Director of ENIC International Ltd

In 1995, Daniel Levy became the managing director of ENIC International Ltd, an investment trust, and transformed it into a sports, entertainment, and media company.

July 1998: Failed Attempt to Buy Tottenham Hotspur

In July 1998, Daniel Levy made his first attempt to buy Tottenham Hotspur from Alan Sugar, but it was unsuccessful.

1998: ENIC Attempted to Buy Stake

In 1998, Tottenham was valued at around £80 million when ENIC first attempted to buy a stake in the club.

July 2000: Second Failed Attempt to Buy Tottenham Hotspur

In July 2000, Levy made another attempt to purchase Tottenham Hotspur, which was again rejected by Alan Sugar.

December 2000: Appointment to Tottenham Hotspur Board

On December 20, 2000, Daniel Levy was appointed to the board of Tottenham Hotspur after ENIC initiated the purchase of a 27% stake in the club.

February 2001: Appointment as Tottenham Hotspur Chairman

In February 2001, Daniel Levy became the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, replacing Alan Sugar.

October 2001: Took over the day-to-day running of Tottenham Hotspur

In October 2001, Daniel Levy took over the day-to-day running of Tottenham Hotspur.

2001: Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur

In 2001, Daniel Levy became the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur after ENIC bought a stake in the club.

2001: Appointment as Tottenham Hotspur Chairman

In 2001, Daniel Levy became the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, a Premier League football club, marking the beginning of his long tenure in this role.

2001: Appointed Glenn Hoddle as manager

In 2001, Glenn Hoddle was appointed as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur with Daniel Levy at the helm.

September 2003: Sacking of Glenn Hoddle

In September 2003, Glenn Hoddle was sacked as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur following a poor start to the 2003-04 season.

2004: Director of Rangers Football Club until 2004

Until 2004, Daniel Levy served as a director of the Scottish football club Rangers, as ENIC held a significant stake in the club.

2007: Lobbied for Seven Players on Substitute Bench

In 2007, Daniel Levy successfully lobbied for clubs to be allowed to name seven players on the substitute bench, to encourage the inclusion of youngsters.

2007: ENIC Acquires Remaining Shares of Tottenham Hotspur

In 2007, ENIC acquired the remaining shares of Tottenham Hotspur from Alan Sugar and other shareholders, eventually owning 85.55% of the club.

2007: Dismissal of Martin Jol

In the 2007-08 season, Martin Jol was dismissed as manager of Tottenham Hotspur after the team's poor performance.

February 2008: Ratification of Seven Players on Substitute Bench

In February 2008, the change to allow clubs to name seven players on the substitute bench was ratified, following successful lobbying by Daniel Levy in 2007.

October 2008: Appointment of Harry Redknapp

On October 25, 2008, Daniel Levy replaced Juande Ramos with Harry Redknapp as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur.

2008: Announcement of Northumberland Development Project

In 2008, the Northumberland Development Project was announced, with the building of a new club stadium at its centerpiece.

2009: Redknapp Guiding Spurs to Top-Four

In the 2009-10 season, Harry Redknapp guided Tottenham Hotspur to a top-four finish.

2010: Multiple Shirt Sponsorships

In 2010, Daniel Levy negotiated multiple shirt sponsorships, including a deal with Autonomy for Premier League matches and Investec for Champions League and domestic cup competitions.

2010: Champions League Qualification

In the 2010-11 season, Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

June 2012: Sacking of Harry Redknapp

On June 13, 2012, Harry Redknapp was sacked as manager of Tottenham Hotspur after failing to agree to a new deal.

2012: Tottenham Hotspur Moves to Private Ownership

In 2012, ENIC moved Tottenham Hotspur into private ownership.

2012: New Training Base

In 2012, Tottenham Hotspur moved to its new training base set in 80 acres of greenbelt land.

December 2013: Sacking of Andre Villas-Boas

On December 16, 2013, Daniel Levy sacked Andre Villas-Boas as head coach of Tottenham Hotspur following poor results, including a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool.

2013: Negotiation of Gareth Bale Transfer

In 2013, Daniel Levy negotiated a then-world record fee of £86 million for the transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.

May 2014: Appointment of Mauricio Pochettino

On May 27, 2014, Daniel Levy appointed Mauricio Pochettino as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur.

2015: Start of New Stadium Construction

In 2015, construction of the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium began.

2015: Qualified for Europe

In the 2014-15 season, Tottenham qualified for Europe with a fifth-place finish under Mauricio Pochettino.

2016: Challenging for the Premier League Title

In the 2015-16 season, Tottenham Hotspur challenged for the Premier League title with Mauricio Pochettino.

2016: Highest-Paid Premier League Chief Executive

In the 2016-17 season, Daniel Levy became the highest-paid Premier League chief executive, with an annual remuneration of over £6 million.

November 2017: CEO of the Year Award

In November 2017, Daniel Levy was named CEO of the Year at the Football Business Awards.

2017: Move to Wembley Stadium

For the 2017-18 season, Daniel Levy negotiated the club's move to Wembley Stadium for one year to allow demolition of the old venue and the completion of a new stadium on the same site as the White Hart Lane.

2017: World Record Profit for a Football Club

In the 2017-18 season, Tottenham made a profit of £113 million (£138.9m pre-tax), setting a world record for a football club.

2018: Deal to host NFL Matches

From 2018 onwards, the stadium design allowed Tottenham to agree a ten-year deal to host NFL matches at their new home.

2018: No Signings During Summer Transfer Window

In 2018, Tottenham became the first Premier League club to make no signings during a summer transfer window.

2018: Brazil National Team Stayed at Lodge

In 2018, the Brazil national team stayed at the Tottenham Hotspur lodge to prepare for the World Cup.

2018: Tottenham Reached European Cup Final

In the 2018-19 season, Tottenham reached the European Cup final for the first time, losing to Liverpool.

2018: Lowest Wage Spending Among Top 6

In the 2018-19 season, Tottenham spent the least on wages among the top 6 clubs in the Premier League.

April 2019: Official Opening of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

On April 3, 2019, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium officially opened, featuring a dividing retractable pitch.

November 2019: Sacking of Mauricio Pochettino

On November 19, 2019, Mauricio Pochettino was sacked as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur.

2019: Increased Club Valuation

By 2019, Tottenham's valuation had increased to £1.3-1.8 billion.

2020: Disappointing Second Half of the Season

In the second half of the 2020-21 season, Tottenham Hotspur had a disappointing performance, contributing to Mourinho's sacking.

February 2021: Stadium Debt

A financial analysis in February 2021 indicated that construction of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is largely responsible for burdening the club with a £1.177 billion debt.

April 2021: Sacking of José Mourinho

On April 19, 2021, José Mourinho was sacked as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur after 17 months in charge.

June 2021: Appointment of Nuno Espírito Santo

On June 30, 2021, Daniel Levy appointed Nuno Espírito Santo as the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur.

November 2021: Appointment of Antonio Conte

On November 2, 2021, Daniel Levy appointed Antonio Conte as the new head coach of Tottenham Hotspur.

March 2023: Sacking of Antonio Conte

In March 2023, Antonio Conte was sacked following a run of poor results and Champions League elimination.

June 2023: Appointment of Ange Postecoglou

On June 6, 2023, Ange Postecoglou was appointed the new head coach of Tottenham.

2023: Record Yearly Revenue for Tottenham

By 2023, the yearly revenue for Tottenham Hotspur had reached a record £549.6 million.

June 2025: Ange Postecoglou was sacked

On June 6, 2025, Ange Postecoglou was sacked.

2025: Mitchell & Butler Controversy

In 2025, Mitchell & Butler, where Daniel Levy's son Josh Levy is a non-executive director, faced backlash for cutting down a 500-year-old oak tree on the proposed site of the Tottenham Hotspur training ground.