Spurs ban Standard

The club issued the ban after a series of articles from Spurs fan and sports columnist Matthew Norman which were highly critical of chairman Daniel Levy.

It follows a torrid week in which Spurs were caught going behind coach Martin Jol's back to speak to another manager, Juande Ramos of Sevilla.

Levy was barracked by travelling supporters who visited Old Trafford on Sunday and also showed their support, both vocally and with banners, for Jol.

England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, striker Darren Bent and captain Robbie Keane have all voiced their dismay at the way the situation had been handled.

Levy took five days to back his manager in public and there are still doubts about his future after more revelations this weekend.

Vice-chairman Paul Kemsley apologised for meeting Ramos but insisted that the nature of the rendezvous was a fact-finding mission aimed at picking up new ideas from the Spanish club.

However, Kemsley also said he was doing no more than cover Tottenham's back by putting in the groundwork to find a candidate for Jol's position should the Dutchman walk away from White Hart Lane.

Kemsley said: "I liken it to being married to a beautiful woman - it's wonderful to have a beautiful wife but it can make you insecure and worried that you might lose her."

Spurs director Sir Keith Mills also had his say. "For the club to expect to do only as well as last year is unacceptable," he said, contradicting Levy's insistence that a top-four finish (Spurs have ended fifth for the past two seasons) was not essential for Jol to remain in charge.

The News of the World described Levy as a "buffoon" for turning Spurs into a laughing stock.

Defeat by Manchester United at the weekend has put Jol under more pressure and with a trip to Fulham followed by the visit of arch rivals Arsenal, the odds must be on Spurs struggling near the foot of the table for a while yet.

The Evening Standard supports all London clubs with equal vigour. Success for them is good news for us and the signs before the season started were that Spurs would be pushing for a place at the top of the Premier League.

England manager Steve McClaren told this newspaper that he believed Jol's team, with so many homegrown players, would finish in the top four. The Evening Standard will continue to bring you, our readers, all the latest news from Spurs.

A Tottenham spokesperson said: "Evening Standard journalists will not be granted access to press conferences and matches.

"Please note that this decision has been taken by the club's management board, not in haste and at a time when quite simply 'enough is enough'.

"The timing of this is in no way related to comments generated as a result of the past few days' events - Matthew Norman's personal attacks continue regardless of what happens at the club."

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