May 25 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur avoided relegation on the Premier League's final day after a second successive season of suffering, leaving non-executive chairman Peter Charrington to declare that the club was committed to rebuilding after previously allowing footballing success to take a back seat in decision-making.
Spurs beat Everton 1-0 on Sunday and ended the campaign 17th in the standings, the same as last year. The club were on the brink of a first relegation since 1977 before manager Roberto de Zerbi took charge and steered them to safety.
The Spurs fans were out in force, but after supporting their side for the full 90 minutes and once the initial celebrations subsided, there were chants and banners against the club hierarchy.
Charrington took up the role in September following the departure of long-serving executive chairman Daniel Levy after nearly 25 years, as owners ENIC, led by British businessman Joe Lewis and his family, approved a comprehensive reset at the club.
"As part of that process, we discovered some uncomfortable truths," Charrington wrote in a letter to Spurs fans on the club's website.
"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 went on to list the club's commitments to their fans, which includes building a squad with the right blend of experience, youth and leadership to compete at the highest level.
He added Spurs would 'invest across multiple transfer windows to rebuild, balance and strengthen, with this summer representing an important first step in that work'. The club will also continue to modernise its football operation.
"There has been speculation about ownership and the future direction of the club," he added.
"Let us be direct. Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale. The Lewis family are wholly committed to this club and to this rebuild.
"This season fell well short of what Tottenham Hotspur demands. We must be in the fight with the best teams in this league, every season, and we are rebuilding this club with that standard in mind."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
