The club one-upped disaster after barely escaping its second straight near-miss with the drop. Chairman Peter Charrington stopped well short of festive in a letter to supporters published Monday.
"We will not dress it up as anything other than falling well short of what this club expects," Charrington wrote. That honesty landed after Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League table — perilously close to a first relegation since 1977.
Close call
Spurs headed into the final day two points above the relegation zone. A 1-0 win over Everton sealed survival after a ragged season that included three wins in the last five games under Roberto De Zerbi, hired in late March to steady a sinking ship.
"With out that appointment, disaster could have maybe struck," midfielder James Maddison said. "It was too close for comfort."
The Italian coach received a five-year deal after stepping in where another manager might have walked.
Boardroom reset
Charrington credited the narrow escape to a broader restructuring behind the scenes. Long-time chairman Daniel Levy departed in September, five months after Vinai Venkatesham arrived from rival Arsenal to serve as chief executive.
"As part of that process, we discovered some uncomfortable truths," Charrington wrote. "Football success had not been driving our decisions."
The chairman pledged five commitments to supporters, including investment across multiple transfer windows to rebuild the squad for De Zerbi. On ownership, he was blunt: "Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale. The Lewis family are wholly committed to this club and to this rebuild."
Still standing
Maddison kept faith with his new manager. "I am really happy for the manager who came in and steered the ship clear," he said. "Because I think with out him, it could have been doom and gloom, if I am honest."