<P> Spurs went into a period of decline after the successes of the early 70s, and Nicholson decided to resigned after a poor poor start to the 1974--75 season . The team was then relegated at the end of the 1976--77 season with Burkinshaw as manager . Burkinshaw however quickly returned the club to the top flight, built a team that included Glenn Hoddle as well as two Argentinians Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa (their signings were very uncommon in British football as foreign players in British football were rare at that time). The team that Burkinshaw rebuilt would win the FA Cup in 1981 and 1982, and the UEFA Cup in 1984 . </P> <P> The 1980s was a period of change that began with a new phase of redevelopment at White Hart Lane as well as a change of directors . Irving Scholar took over the club and moved it in a more commercial direction, the beginning of the transformation of English football clubs into commercial enterprises . Debt at the club, however, would again lead to a change in the boardroom, and Terry Venables teamed up with businessman Alan Sugar in June 1991 to take control of Tottenham Hotspur PLC . Venables, who became manager in 1987, signed players such as Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker . In 1991, Spurs again won the 1990--91 FA Cup, making them the first club to win eight FA Cups . </P> <P> Spurs was one of the five clubs that pushed for the founding of Premier League, created with the approval of The Football Association as replacement for the Football League First Division as the highest division of English football . Despite a succession of managers and players such as Teddy Sheringham, Jürgen Klinsmann and David Ginola, for a long period in the Premier League until the late 2000s, Spurs finished mid-table most seasons with few trophies won . They won the League Cup in 1999 under George Graham, and in 2008 under Juande Ramos . From the late 2000s onwards, Spurs have finished in the top 6 . </P> <P> In February 2001, Sugar sold his share holding in Spurs to ENIC Sports PLC, run by Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy, and stepped down as chairman . Lewis and Levy would eventually own 85% of the club, with Levy responsible for the running of the club . The current manager is Mauricio Pochettino who was appointed in May 2014 . </P>

When were spurs last top of the premiership