Tottenham Hotspur supporters' trust release statement following club's transfer inactivity

Tottenham Hotspur never woke up from their hibernation. The Premier League transfer window ended yesterday and Spurs will go into the next season having not added even one new player to their squad.

While Manchester United are getting a lot of stick for not signing a centre-back despite being linked with several, they still have 4 decent players in their squad who can play at the centre of defence.

So you can imagine the frustration of Tottenham fans when their team clearly lacks squad depth.

As a result, the Tottenham Hotspur fans are livid and the supporters' trust released a statement demanding a 'full and credible explanation' on the lack of transfer activity.

The statement reads as follows,

THFC’s inability to make any improvements during the summer transfer window to a squad that is so close to achieving great things has dismayed many fans.

As a Supporters’ Trust, it is not our job to involve ourselves in on-field matters. But we have a responsibility to voice the concerns of our fans about the Club’s ambition and strategy on the pitch. And to ask for a full and believable explanation of how this transfer window has played out.

While the trust recognizes the club's transfer policy, they do not see the rationale behind not making even one signing.

We do not believe in spending money or signing players for the sake of it. We recognise the achievement in keeping our squad together, for now at least, and in getting key players to agree new contracts. And we commend manager Mauricio Pochettino’s professionalism in his deadline day press conference. He has shown once again his ability to make the most of what he is given.

The criticism has been levelled only against the board and the supporters back gaffer Mauricio Pochettino vehemently.

We have much to be proud of at Spurs. Nine of our players featured in the World Cup semi-finals. Over the last few years, a manager we revere has forged an exciting team that has challenged for top honours. And more fans than the Club cares to acknowledge recognise the challenges and achievements of running a sustainable business and building a top class stadium.

They laid out exactly why they are frustrated with the lack of summer transfer activity especially when there are no backups to several first-team players.

But fans come to watch the team. A team that will start the season with many of its key members still tired after the World Cup. And a squad that most rational observers would agree could benefit from more depth. It is not unreasonable to question if it was really the case that, alone among Europe’s top clubs, Spurs could find no player who would improve their squad while our rivals strengthened theirs.

Earlier this year, the Club objected to THST’s criticism of steep ticket price rises. It told us we could not expect players to be signed or wages to be competitive while we opposed those ticket price rises. Fans have paid the prices asked. And yet no signings have been made.

The fans are also disgruntled by the fact that the rise in ticket prices has not yielded any results.

We know that gate receipts are no longer as fundamental as they once were for financing transfer fees or wages. But ticketing income at Spurs is now higher than it has ever been. We are curious as to what that money has been used for. We have been told the stadium build will not affect transfer spending.

The supporters have also voiced their concerns regarding youth development.

We are told that we don’t have to sign players because we develop our youth. Yet four of our most promising prospects left the Club this summer. Of the current first team squad, just two regulars have come up through the ranks.

And of course, the lack of trophies had to be touched upon.

We love what has been developed, but for all the great football we’ve seen over the last few seasons, there are no trophies to show.

Ultimately, they demand a full and credible explanation.

We have the highest paid Chairman in the Premier League. Our fans pay some of the highest prices in world football. Our support for our team and our admiration for what has been achieved remains strong. However, we believe fans are entitled to a full and credible explanation of what has happened this summer.