Dubai and Liverpool FC

[drewy]

The good thing about this being in the Echo is that the nationals will pick up on it, and once the local and national support are on it, RBS will at least hear about it. As with all of these things though, it depends on:

 

1. Whether people will get off their arses and do anything about it - changing your bank account requires a bit of commitment and effort.

2. Whether people ensure that the message hits home.

 

I have cancelled my NatWest accounts and cards, and have been explicit in my letters to the bank that it is because I am unhappy with the group's association with the owners of LFC. I received a generic reply back, but I did this almost two months ago. If senior RBS officials know about the campaign they will at least monitor how many people are prepared to move their business away.

 

I closed my RBS account 2 months ago and cancelled my car insurance as well. I spent several hours on the phone to various RBS big wigs in London trying to hammer home my message.

 

Why would any Liverpool fan still have an RBS or Natwest account at this present moment in time?

 

Oh wait a minute..........

[redrosetints]

Liverpool FC fans: We'll boycott Royal Bank of Scotland over Tom Hicks and George Gillett

 

Sep 3 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL fans are threatening to boycott the Royal Bank of Scotland unless they stop providing financial support to club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

 

The Spirit of Shankly fans group wants RBS to deny Hicks and Gillett access to any further finance as they step up their campaign to remove the hugely unpopular duo from the club.

 

Last January, the Americans were able to secure a £350m refinancing package with RBS and US investment bank Wachovia, a move which saddled Liverpool with annual interest payments of £30m.

 

With that deal due to expire in January, Spirit of Shankly are calling on RBS to think of their responsibilities to the club and its fans before sanctioning any further borrowing by Hicks and Gillett, particularly if they come looking for money to finance their stalled new stadium plans.

 

Should RBS continue to finance Hicks and Gillett, then Spirit of Shankly say they are are ready to begin a campaign of disruption against the bank.

 

It could even go as far as urging all Liverpool supporters to close any accounts they have with them.

 

In a statement released to the ECHO, a spokesman for Spirit of Shankly said: “We would encourage Royal Bank of Scotland to withdraw any future financial support for Tom Hicks and George Gillett, in their attempt to burden Liverpool Football Club with more debt.

 

“Should the owners come back asking again for money to finance the stadium we ask them to refuse, as it goes against the wishes of the vast majority of Liverpool fans.

 

“We would also urge Royal Bank of Scotland to reconsider its position with regards to the current loan they have with George Gillett and Tom Hicks. This is due for re-financing in early 2009, and we know that Royal Bank of Scotland has the final say on the re-financing.

 

“We ask them to refuse the American owners’ request, on behalf of all Liverpool fans.”A meeting to discuss plans to target RBS is to be held at the Liverpool Supporters' Club on Lower Breck Road at 1pm on Saturday.

 

Meanwhile, Amanda Staveley, who is leading Dubai’s bid to buy Liverpool today said: “the Liverpool situation is ongoing”.

 

While I appluad SOS, isnt it ridiculous to say we'll boycott the bank when none of the SOS are prepared to boycott the club, ie not buy tickets, return their STs etc and starve the owners of their match day revenue ? The only way to really hit them in the pocket ?

[redrosetints]

Never ever happen. At best you'd get a few 100 empty seats.

 

A day's boycott, pick a game, tell everyone, the Beeb and ITV would lap it up as would the rest of the press, across web sites and raised its profile it could work. make sure everyone knows then picket the gates prior to the game. Then at elast they'd have tried to take direct action.

[Barrington Womble]

Nice gesture, but banks fund all sorts of shady shit, arms deals for one, if banks were arsed about popularity they wouldn't be very good at their job.

 

Shame hicks isn't with the Co-Op!

 

So we don't make it about popularity. We make it about interfering with their business. There is much more can be done than purely having people close their account. With very little thought and surprisingly little effort, we could hit the retaill bank quite easily.

[Carra_is_legend]

While I appluad SOS, isnt it ridiculous to say we'll boycott the bank when none of the SOS are prepared to boycott the club, ie not buy tickets, return their STs etc and starve the owners of their match day revenue ? The only way to really hit them in the pocket ?

 

The number of OOTs we have means, there is no point in refusing to buy a ticket. If 5000 locals refuse, 5000 OOTs will grab those tickets. To make it worse, the 5000 OOTs will visit the museum, the club shop and spend more money, making the cunts even more richer.

 

The problem in giving away the STs is they know they won't get it back. Dubai may buy us next week but their ST will be gone for ever.

[chorlton]

It's not a bad idea at all.

 

For me though they should have spoken to another bank or someone who can provide financial advice, the SOS that is.

 

Get them on board and you'd be in a stronger position to offer alternatives for people. You have a mortgage and RBS? No problem here's a deal where you can get lower payments, or the same payments with cash back. It exists anyway so exploit it, any bank who joined up could have there little bit of press over it and get new customers. Plus if there's something in it for people to leave then not only LFC fans would be leaving the RBS. If that was the effect what bank would fund us against the fans wishes.

[redrosetints]

Typical of the lily-livered approach of fans these days. When the addictive and e-number laced soft drink Cresta went up by 5p, me and my mates boycotted it. Where is it now? Exactly. You can do it if you really want to.

 

LOL !

[Barrington Womble]

I should give a shit. I should be applauding SOS, Tony B and hoping the RBS does the right thing.

 

I should be hoping and praying 24/7 that DIC save us and make us one of the richest clubs in the world.

 

I am not. I don't really care anymore. I hope something happens that will rekindle my passion. Maybe when the international break is over seeing Carra slamming into Rooney or Dirk banging the winner in at Anfield will make me realise once again why i love this football club.

 

However, every day that passes makes me think that Istanbul will be the final truly great memory i will hold onto with regard to Liverpool Football Club. It's such a shitty time.

 

 

this is a serious question and not a dig - if you care so little why do you spend your free time on an LFC message board and not doing something else with your time? My guess is you care a whole lot more than you want to admit. Get off your arse and join the union and be a part of the fight.

[Dirk]

As if they're going to sell us. I lost faith in us being sold a long time ago. The banks won't listen to us. The only way I can conceive of ridding of them is to bring G&H tumbling to the ground, financially speaking, but that would require a complete boycott and it won't happen. They will asset strip us, rather than sell us because of the huge fanbase, they will be confident they can survive long term. That will probably include the selling of major assets like Torres and mugs like you and I will continue to pay our way, sustaining their tenure. That's what we do everytime we go into the ground, pay for them.

 

They don't care whether we display anger or not in response to their actions, we've already done that. Where did it get us? Nofuckingwhere, that's where. These two are greedy, self-serving, lying, scheming men, they are in this for their own gain and seem to be prepared to do anything to make that gain. Credit crunch? Fuck you, Torres goes. Interest payments? Fuck you, Gerrard goes. Overheads need clearing? Fuck you, wage bill gets trimmed, more players sold.

[JohnnyH]

this is a serious question and not a dig - if you care so little why do you spend your free time on an LFC message board and not doing something else with your time? My guess is you care a whole lot more than you want to admit. Get off your arse and join the union and be a part of the fight.

 

He's in work like the rest of us. Even debating Hicks and fucknuts in better then work.

[Barrington Womble]

While I appluad SOS, isnt it ridiculous to say we'll boycott the bank when none of the SOS are prepared to boycott the club, ie not buy tickets, return their STs etc and starve the owners of their match day revenue ? The only way to really hit them in the pocket ?

 

Not really - because for every member of SoS who did that, there'd be some muppet who would take his place. There are just 44,000 tickets in the stadium, they fill them with or without the help of the SoS members. However, RBS have no limits on how many people can bank with them (or Natwest). They have no limits on how many people will take out insurance, credit cards or mortgages. And every penny you take from RBS, in all probablility you will give to a competitor, so in effect they get a double hit.

 

I think RBS have a simple business decision - piss off LFC fans and potentially lose their business and take with it all the negative publicity that goes with it or the lose the profit they are making from G&H - which by all accounts they are questioning the risk of on pure financial terms at the moment anyway.

[Dirk]

We've been boycotting The S*n for years and I'm proud of that but our boycott, whilst hitting their business, hasn't made them unstable to the point where they have little or no option but to give us a proper apology. We are right to try to do things but I think we should be realistic and honest with ourselves about whether those actions are going to achieve their aims. RBS is a massive business, which is far more capable of sustaining this sort of pressure than The S*n.

[coop]

RBS will know its not only the Liverpool fans they would be pissing they would be pissing of Dubai Holding, who have a lot of financial clout around the world.

 

I wonder if Dubai Holding will mention to RBS of some potential investment that could come their way if they refused the extension on the loan.

[Unrighteous]

While I appluad SOS, isnt it ridiculous to say we'll boycott the bank when none of the SOS are prepared to boycott the club, ie not buy tickets, return their STs etc and starve the owners of their match day revenue ? The only way to really hit them in the pocket ?

 

 

Tickets shouldn't be even considered since Anfield will always sell the tickets.

 

The only way to hit them is by not buying crap at Anfield, not buying the merchandise, and yes.. Boycotting their financial backers(the bank).

[Carra_is_legend]

We've been boycotting The S*n for years and I'm proud of that but our boycott, whilst hitting their business, hasn't made them unstable to the point where they have little or no option but to give us a proper apology. We are right to try to do things but I think we should be realistic and honest with ourselves about whether those actions are going to achieve their aims. RBS is a massive business, which is far more capable of sustaining this sort of pressure than The S*n.

 

Sure, but we have to start somewhere. The demonstration in Stanley Park hit the news. Next step may be to do a demonstration against RBS, which may hit the news again. Thing is mate, the comparison between The S*n and RBS is not really a valid one. The S*n is a rag which is read by people with IQ less than 20, RBS is a top notch bank in Europe that lends billions to companies all over the world. A bank that won't prefer any negative publicity. Especially in the current climate.

 

Today it could be RBS, tomorrow it could be a boycott of a game. If we don't support the team enough or if the support is divided, will the team achieve a top 4 finish next year? And if the team doesn't achieve a top 4 finish, will RBS get their money back? Lots of questions without answers I know but the aim is put these questions into RBS's minds.

[Royal Family]

The problem is that we made these noises when the refinancing was due in early 2008, and the RBS paid no notice. They'll be more scared of losing the business of Hicks and Co - and even if they do withdraw the cash, the cowboys will simply refinance at higher rates with a dodgier bank in the States.

 

Of course I don't expect people to boycott Anfield and return their season tickets. That would be counterproductive. BUT - what about a well-organised, mass walkout at halftime during a televised game? It will get publicity, get people talking, and force the embarrassed club to respond. This is more about PR than anything we can fundamentally do to force them out, but PR is one of the only languages that Hicks understands.

 

I fully accept SOS saying they don't want to do anything to harm the team - but FFS, Hicks and Gillett are harming the team more profoundly and fundamentally than a halftime walkout in one match can ever do.

[Moschops II]

RBS will know its not only the Liverpool fans they would be pissing they would be pissing of Dubai Holding, who have a lot of financial clout around the world.

 

Didn't do much to scare RBS away last time around.

[stringvest]

The problem is that we made these noises when the refinancing was due in early 2008, and the RBS paid no notice. They'll be more scared of losing the business of Hicks and Co - and even if they do withdraw the cash, the cowboys will simply refinance at higher rates with a dodgier bank in the States.

 

Of course I don't expect people to boycott Anfield and return their season tickets. That would be counterproductive. BUT - what about a well-organised, mass walkout at halftime during a televised game? It will get publicity, get people talking, and force the embarrassed club to respond. This is more about PR than anything we can fundamentally do to force them out, but PR is one of the only languages that Hicks understands.

 

I fully accept SOS saying they don't want to do anything to harm the team - but FFS, Hicks and Gillett are harming the team more profoundly and fundamentally than a halftime walkout in one match can ever do.

 

The half-time walkout would be spectacular. Headline-grabbing. It's a great idea - the best one I've heard.

 

There'd be a mass scramble to those hostelries that 'might' be showing the game though.

[Carra_is_legend]

The problem is that we made these noises when the refinancing was due in early 2008, and the RBS paid no notice. They'll be more scared of losing the business of Hicks and Co - and even if they do withdraw the cash, the cowboys will simply refinance at higher rates with a dodgier bank in the States.

 

Of course I don't expect people to boycott Anfield and return their season tickets. That would be counterproductive. BUT - what about a well-organised, mass walkout at halftime during a televised game? It will get publicity, get people talking, and force the embarrassed club to respond. This is more about PR than anything we can fundamentally do to force them out, but PR is one of the only languages that Hicks understands.

 

I fully accept SOS saying they don't want to do anything to harm the team - but FFS, Hicks and Gillett are harming the team more profoundly and fundamentally than a halftime walkout in one match can ever do.

 

 

Repped mate. Half time walkout is a fucking superb idea.

[snez1]

this is a serious question and not a dig - if you care so little why do you spend your free time on an LFC message board and not doing something else with your time? My guess is you care a whole lot more than you want to admit. Get off your arse and join the union and be a part of the fight.

 

Of course i still care deep down mate. I love the club and it's a huge part of my life (as you say, i wouldn't be here if it wasn't), but i'm just so worn out with it all and so apathetic to it at the moment. The last few days have really taken the edge off for me.

[Guest davelfc]

A half time walkout would be spectacular but it wouldn't get enough support.

 

I think a walking out with 15 minutes to go would get more support, the day trippers are usually off then anyway.

 

You'd have to leaflet everyone that walked into the ground, everyone! There's nothing that can be done to stop it and all of our games are televised around the world live.

 

There would be nothing to stop organised support around the ground for the players on the pitch, provided it was done in a way that didn't breach health and safety. I'm sure we can make enough support outside to reach the players for 15 minutes.

 

A game like Stoke would be a perfect time to do it, it would not take much planning.

[Dr.Filth]

Didn't do much to scare RBS away last time around.

 

To be fair SOS was in it's infancy last time.

What we need now, IMO, is an orchestrated campaign against RBS and all the companies it owns (Natwest, Direct Line, Lombard Direct off the top of my head alone). If SOS could contact every single LFC supporters club in the world explaining how such a campaign could put pressure on the yanks to sell up then that's one hell of a lot of reds being reached just at the click of a mouse. They could even draw up template letters explaining to these companies that you'd seriously consider moving account or cancelling your insurance renewal if they continue to back G+H.

Think about it, if we spread the word to enough people and even just a fraction of them send a letter threatening to withdraw custom then they'll have to take notice. I know it's a hassle changing bank accounts etc. but if we act now then hopefully it won't even come to that.

[stringvest]

the other thing is, the gates aren't open until at least three quarter time. You'd have to get that sorted with the club, otherwise there'd be chaos. Halftime walkout would certainly have the biggest impact though.

[Slimmy]

RBS will know its not only the Liverpool fans they would be pissing they would be pissing of Dubai Holding, who have a lot of financial clout around the world.

 

I wonder if Dubai Holding will mention to RBS of some potential investment that could come their way if they refused the extension on the loan.

 

Coop, I've long since thought Dubai would not be this patient regarding taking us over unless they knew what the potential outcome of any refinance was otherwise surely they would be aggressive in getting things done. If RBS dont play ball with yanks or atleast demand gaurantees that are next to impossible for them to meet they will basically be up shit creek

 

They may still have Gillet in their pocket to boot

[Skidfingers McGonical]

this is a serious question and not a dig - if you care so little why do you spend your free time on an LFC message board and not doing something else with your time? My guess is you care a whole lot more than you want to admit. Get off your arse and join the union and be a part of the fight.

 

I have watched the club I have adored for 30 years be dragged through the mud, had it's dirty washing aired in public, scenes of undermining the manager, lies, lies and even more lies., false promises and a campaign form the inside to get the manager out because he is the only out of 4 that actually truly cares about the club. I am seeing more support go in the way of the board than I am of the manager, and that for me is why people like snez1 and myself are falling out love with the club and the game itself. People still harp on that it is not the Liverpool Way to do this or to do that, but the Liverpool Way died on Tuesday, 6 February 2007 in a PR exercise of bullshit and false friendships.

 

I have nothing but adulation in people believing they can make a difference, but realistically, but the question is what change can be made?

 

What are the Union doing to make people like myself believe that they can make a difference, I have read the website and nothing has convinced me this is as an great idea any more.

 

There are many unanswered questions about SoS I have.

 

What happened the protests and such like?

 

What impact do you really think Liverpool fans boycotting RBS will have?

 

What do I get for my subscription into the Union?

 

What happens when they don't start doing things they say they do or I start to realise that i am not getting what i paid for?

 

What impact have SoS had at match days, in terms of getting their point across to the fans at the game?

 

How are SoS educating people about Hicks and Gillete?

 

How come the aggressive stance towards the owners changed?

 

What prompted them to have the meeting with Parry (one of the main culprits of our current situation), and how what was the overall feeling from the union members?

 

This not a pop at Sos or yourself Barry, this is just to try and understand why I should still feel the same way about my club as i used to.