Tottenham fan protests could be just the start but one key question remains | OneFootball

Spurs supporters vented their anger at Daniel Levy and the club’s board before, during and after the win over Manchester United

Sunday's protest by thousands of Tottenham supporters against chairman Daniel Levy and the club's board is unlikely to change anything in the short-term, but it may prove the start of something for frustrated fans.

At least two thousand fans - by conservative estimate - congregated on Tottenham High Road ahead of the home game against Manchester United to vent at Levy and his company ENIC, before marching some 400 metres to the ground, where the protest continued outside the South Stand.

The event was organised by Change for Tottenham (CFT), a group of around 10 season-ticket holders who claim to want to “protect our club from greed-driven failure" while continuing "to show unwavering support for the team".

The protestors aired familiar chants against Levy and held up placards, banners and adapted flags with messages criticising the chairman and board. “24 years, 16 managers, one trophy, time for change,” read one of CFT's own banners.

After the match - a scrappy and much-needed 1-0 win for Ange Postecoglou's side - fans staged a sit-in in the South Stand, although this was less well-attended, as the die-hards competed against the cold weather, the logistical challenge of navigating the stadium and the blaring sound system, which continued for some 20 minutes after full-time.

There have been other protests at Levy in the recent past, including this season, and mass revolts against specific issues, such as the club's proposed move to Stratford and the decision to join the aborted European Super League, but this was by far the most significant anti-Levy and anti-ENIC demonstration ever.

It was a canny move to begin the protest on the High Road, meaning it organically picked up some of the thousands of fans who routinely walk to games from Seven Sisters station, while there was also an inclusive feel to the event, with CFT urging fans to "be respectful throughout" and "avoid abusive chanting".

Perhaps it also helped that there was no defined objective for the protest beyond highlighting "our current dissatisfaction with the club's current direction on footballing matters", which enabled fans with different frustrations to come together.

While some protestors want Levy to stand down immediately, others simply want to him to stay put but change the way he runs the club. The question is whether the protest can gather momentum and affect any real change at the club?

Undoubtedly it was a success, garnering plenty of media attention, with Sky Sports' drone capturing the footage of the end of the march to the ground, which helped to give a full picture of the scale of the protest. Levy and the board will have, at least, have taken note of the numbers.

Some of the present frustration, though, has plainly been fuelled by the club's winter of discontent. Spurs went into Sunday's game 15th in the league table, cut adrift from the top six, and on the back of defeats to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-finals and Aston Villa in the FA Cup - leaving their season dependent on the Europa League.

It has been a grim few months for the club but there is reason to think the United game marked the start of a new phase of the season for Postecoglou's side, who welcomed back five players to the squad after injury and could have a full roster (aside from Radu Dragusin, who is out for the season) by mid-March.

If Spurs go deep in the Europa League and put together a streak in the league, the widespread anger at Levy may dissipate somewhat.

After 24 years of ENIC's ownership, however, a good run of results will not transform the mood entirely, and there is likely to be lingering and widespread frustration at the board until Spurs establish themselves as a club regularly challenging for and winning the biggest honours. Based on this season, that aim is still some way off.

CFT now want to maintain the momentum and will meet on Tuesday to thrash out their plans for another event in the near future.