Stuart Lewis: Tottenham coach bids club emotional farewell as Ipswich move confirmed | OneFootball

Popular coach was tasked with helping academy talent find feet in first team

Tottenham coach Stuart Lewis has called time on his 11-year spell with the club to join Ipswich Town.

After getting the ball rolling on his playing career with the club, Lewis returned to Tottenham as academy transition coach in 2015 and was tasked with helping provide a pipeline for youth talents into the first team.

He is credited with helping the likes of Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun’ai Byfield make their debuts last season, with Mikey Moore, Will Lankshear and Callum Olusesi also counted among his proteges.

Lewis will take on a role in Ipswich’s first team as an assistant to newly appointed manager Gary O’Neil after they were promoted back to the Premier League last season.

A boyhood Tottenham fan, Lewis gave an emotional statement to the club’s website as his departure was announced.

“Returning to my boyhood club as a coach 11 years ago was a dream come true,” he began.

“Having supported Tottenham Hotspur since I was five years old and previously represented the Club as a young professional, it was a privilege to come back and help develop the next generation of players.

Lewis oversaw successful spells for Tottenham’s academy, winning a cup double in 2022/23 and adding the Under-17 Premier League Cup last year.

Highly-rated academy talents Luca Williams-Barnett and Callum Olusesi both made their first-team debuts during Stuart Lewis’ tenure as academy transition coach

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He went on: “While those trophies were incredibly special, I always knew that the primary objective was to develop players capable of progressing to the first team. I have no doubt it won't be long before more Academy graduates are gracing our brilliant stadium.

“I would like to thank everyone at the Club for their support and for allowing me to pursue this fantastic opportunity at Ipswich Town, which enables me to fulfil my ambition of coaching in the Premier League. I leave with immense pride, gratitude and lifelong memories, and I wish everyone connected with Tottenham Hotspur every success in the future.”

Lewis is now en route to join up with Ipswich’s pre-season training camp in Murcia, Spain, where the Tractor Boys will contest a friendly against Osasuna next week.

Of Lewis’ appointment, newly-signed Ipswich boss O’Neil said: “He is a young coach who already has a good range of experience and is highly-regarded, both at Tottenham and within the game, and is an important addition to our team. We are looking forward to him getting started with the group in Spain this week.”