Frank Warren reveals he was ‘quite close’ to buying Premier League club despite being massive Arsenal fan
FRANK WARREN came “quite close” to buying Tottenham despite being a massive Arsenal fan.
The boxing promoter was once on the verge of getting into the business of football.
Warren, 72, is one of the sport’s most prominent figures, with his Queensbury Promotions representing the likes of Tyson Fury.
However, he almost added a Premier League club to his portfolio during the 1990s.
Despite supporting the Gunners since he was a child, Warren teamed up with Terry Venables to get involved with Spurs.
He has now lifted the lid on how close they were to a deal prior to Alan Sugar’s takeover in 1991.
When asked about ever getting into the business of football, Warren told That Peter Crouch Podcast: “I nearly did, I nearly did with Terry Venables years ago.
“I actually got the thing together for him to get involved with Spurs. We did that in my box at the old Arsenal Stadium.
“We sat down and we were going to do the deal with Irving Scholar and Tony Berry, who was a director there at the time.
“We were quite close and the person who was going to fund it literally disappeared and he went and done the deal with Alan Sugar.”
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Sugar bought the club in 1991 and remained owner for a decade before selling his majority stake in Spurs in 2001.
He also appointed Venables as chief executive, with the ex-England boss having previously had spells at White Hart Lane as a player and manager.
Venables first appeared as a player between 1966 and 1969 before returning to the dugout for four years in 1987.
Spurs enjoyed success during both periods, with Venables winning the FA Cup as both a player and manager.