The beginning of the end ?

[Dougie Do'ins]

We had a so called 'die hard' Liverpool fan owning the club in David Moores and that didn't exactly go to plan did it.

Would depend if getting an extra £8m from the sale of the club was included in his plans Coop.

 

Thanks DM.

[RobbieOR]

What did he say?

 

He gave out fuck to Dougie' Doins for not using violence with Gillett last week.

[RolandRat]

We had a so called 'die hard' Liverpool fan owning the club in David Moores and that didn't exactly go to plan did it.

 

Who was out of his depth buying Kuyt.

[coop]

I know his word means shit but didn't Gillett once state that he would never leave Hicks to be majority owner of Liverpool.

 

Pretty certain it was around the time of Hicks fireside chat when Gillett stated he would only sell up if Hicks went with him.

 

Can't remember the exact wording of the interview but im sure he said something along those lines.

 

Unless something is drafted into the sale wouldn't whoever bought the 50% be able to dilute Hicks ownership by forcing to put money into the club.

 

No way would a person like Hicks allow this so im sure there will be a few twists to this story.

[SpeedyG]

I know his word means shit but didn't Gillett once state that he would never leave Hicks to be majority owner of Liverpool.

 

Pretty certain it was around the time of Hicks fireside chat when Gillett stated he would only sell up if Hicks went with him.

 

Can't remember the exact wording of the interview but im sure he said something along those lines.

 

Unless something is drafted into the sale wouldn't whoever bought the 50% be able to dilute Hicks ownership by forcing to put money into the club.

 

No way would a person like Hicks allow this so im sure there will be a few twists to this story.

 

Yeah, that was the Bascombe interview that had some on here calling for us to "take the heat off of Gillett".

[Mel Wood]

Lets hope so.

 

Liverpool owners Gillett and Hicks agree to split up - 'for the good of the club' | Mail Online

 

Liverpool's warring co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have agreed to split up for the good of the club.

 

In a significant change of policy' date=' Hicks has decided to no longer stand in the way of Gillett if he wants to sell his 50 per cent stake to Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia or another investor.

 

The shift in attitude from Hicks — who can veto any plans Gillett has to sell up — will be welcomed by Liverpool fans, who have seen the club placed in gridlock because of conflict between the owners. But Hicks who, unlike Gillett, remains a supporter of manager Rafa Benitez, has told Prince Faisal and other prospective owners he intends to retain his own 50 per cent stake.

 

A source close to Hicks said: ‘Tom would be open to considering someone interested in buying George Gillett’s shares, but is still committed himself longterm. Rafa also has Tom’s full support as manager.

 

‘He sees the early defeats this season as a wake-up call but believes the Premier League is more competitive in general this season.

‘Despite losing at Chelsea, he is consoling himself with the fact they still have to come to Anfield.’

 

Prince Faisal has been to Anfield this season as Gillett’s guest and is weighing up a £200million bid to buy his half of the club despite reservations over the levels of debt.

Ideally however, the Saudi billionaire would prefer to own the club outright.

 

Liverpool have lurched from one crisis to another since Hicks and Gillett bought the club in 2007. The promised new stadium at Stanley Park has been delayed and Hicks held Gillett responsible for setting up a meeting with Jurgen Klinsmann as a possible

replacement for Benitez.

[b']Hicks blocked Gillett’s attempts to sell his stake to a Dubai company in 2008 but now understands Liverpool[/b]

 

I'm sure he still doesn't!

 

I think this was cut off the end of that article....

...can no longer move forward while their partnership resembles a broken marriage.

 

Sounds like progress, anyway, though I won't get the party hats out till something's finalised and whatever new setup comes about is stable and looking better. Admittedly that shouldn't be difficult.

[TheBitch]

Ant your pissing in the wind if you think that a potential owner would wait on the fan's permission before proceeding with any deal, not that I think it's a paticularly good idea anyway

 

You would hope that they would engage SOS and take on board any advice they may have to offer

 

But the brutal reality is that aren't obliged to give us anything, and unless anyone knows any altruistic Scouse billionaires we are pretty much fucked in regards to having any kind of significant influence on how the club is run

 

Thanks DM

 

Correctamo, they really wouldn't entertain sitting down with the fans before they invested and even if they did I think it'd look like some kind of PR bullshit, if any new investors have anything about them they'll know what we want/expect and would say the right things. Then once they've invested they'll then implement said ideas.

 

 

 

You'd hope.

[23_Carra_Gold]

I think you've missed my point.

“In fairness to George that was the plan, but it was discovered two weeks later that the plans were seven years old and obsolete and when new designs and approval were completed. then came the credit meltdown.

That press conference was in Feb 2007

The Stadium plans weren't 3 years old at that time

 

I'm not defending the owners, not by a longshot. But they redesigned the stadium thus requiring new planning permission.

 

Say if you wanted a new shed out your back, you couldn't get planning permission for that and then decide you wanted a pool instead. You'd have to re-apply.

 

They had planning permission for the new design with a 60,000 attendance.

 

I don't think they had it at that time though, did they?

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

[YOUTUBE]GayASsb4G8k[/YOUTUBE]

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

The beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning.

 

 

Sorry, I've always wanted to say that.

[Soup]

I don't like the idea of two owners again. Can someone explain to me why Hicks isn't desperate to sell and make his profit? Why is he determined to hang on? Would the Saudi's want the club as a whole?

 

Could be Hicks is posturing looking to get the best price for all or some of his shares?

[Delmar]

Could be Hicks is posturing looking to get the best price for all or some of his shares?

 

Either that or that he has accepted in Saudis partners that can provide added value to his other businesses (the ability to choose the new partners was the whole point of the veto arrangement). Texas - oil, Saudi Arabia - oil, connections to the Saudi Royal family, Bush - Saudi, Bush - Hicks, possible access to more capital (a dream for someone doing LBOs). In fact, lots of upsides for Hicks that I can see. And if he can keep 50%, his position has not weakened at all.

 

What does Gillett provide? Car dealership, Nascar, ski resort. I'd know which partner I'd pick for the potential...

[Paul]

Regardless of whether this is true or not, I'm not sure why it's automatically seen as being a good thing. Once bitten twice shy, anyone? I'll only be happy about our ownership situation when I see a decent (although not necessarily spectacular) transfer budget, a spade in the ground and downward movement on the debt. It'd also be nice to go more than a fortnight without hearing our owners mouthing off in the press, not to mention lying through their back teeth. I remain highly dubious about all aspects of this situation - including Prince Whatsisface.

[TommyW]

I have no expectations that this plastic prince will be any better than Gillet, I just hope he isn't seen as some sort of messiah before he even gets his feet under the table

 

Anyone wearing a tea towel on their head to the game in some kind of tribute should be given bad aids too

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Well yeah but those other topics don't pretend to have a nice happy ending!

 

It's been so long I have forgotten what a happy ending is.

 

Other than the Mirror has there been any other press on this possibility.

 

I can't help but think Gillete will be spiteful to us fans, he will sell to any fucker and won't care about the future of the club as long as he gets his nice profit. And that scares me personally.

[Ginny]

Hopefully the prince will get his feet under the table and will eventually pressure the yank out. In fact, i cant see it going any other way. Theres no way a partnership between a saudi prince and some knob ead yank is gonna last!

[Red Hot]

The maths just don't add up for me. LFC valued at £500M. Gillett to sell 50% for £350M, can't work that one out?

[goatboy59]

Aren't Bernstein and Mullock Hicks' boys?

[Durango]

The maths just don't add up for me. LFC valued at £500M. Gillett to sell 50% for £350M, can't work that one out?

Can't see any Potential Investor paying more than £175m (max) for a 50% stake in the Club.

There's another £125-150m to shell out for a New Stadium,but then again I think the Club will pick up the tab for the New Ground.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Can't see any Potential Investor paying more than £175m (max) for a 50% stake in the Club.

There's another £125-150m to shell out for a New Stadium,but then again I think the Club will pick up the tab for the New Ground.

 

As well it should.

 

The way I see it is that the funds for the purchase of the club should fall on the owners shoulders. The profit from the club should be used to buy the club things it needs. Like players and a stadium. Any left over should go to into the owners pocket.

 

They, however, are playing the short game. Using money to pay for their ownership. The club has given itself to them.

[coop]

I don't think this Prince Faisal has the wealth to buy half the club, get the stadium built and back the manager in the transfer market.

 

If by any chance he did manage to raise the cash then questions would need answering as to where he managed to loan it from and would we just be in the same position as with Gillett with having another owner without the funds to take us forward.

 

The problem with Prince Faisal is he is far more likely to want to be in the papers then Gillett.

 

Now Hicks has made this statement we might see some serious investors come back to the club instead of people courting the publicity.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I don't think this Prince Faisal has the wealth to buy half the club, get the stadium built and back the manager in the transfer market.

 

If by any chance he did manage to raise the cash then questions would need answering as to where he managed to loan it from and would we just be in the same position as with Gillett with having another owner without the funds to take us forward.

 

The problem with Prince Faisal is he is far more likely to want to be in the papers then Gillett.

 

Now Hicks has made this statement we might see some serious investors come back to the club instead of people courting the publicity.

 

I just hope DIC come back in for us. I believe things would have been very, very different had things gone right with them.

[Dougie Do'ins]

I just hope DIC come back in for us. I believe things would have been very, very different had things gone right with them.

For a start David Moores would have been £8m lighter in his bank accounts.

[goatboy59]

The major stumbling block is any new investor saying "go - and take your debts with you".

 

That surely is never going to happen? I'm not even sure compromise is possible; the more they have to give the Yank(s), the less they have to give the manager and towards the stadium.

 

DIC will be watching the City 'project' intently. If someone can make that club a success, then they'll avoid us like the plague and look elsewhere.

 

Everton?

 

Gulp.

[coop]

I just hope DIC come back in for us. I believe things would have been very, very different had things gone right with them.

 

Sheikh Maktoum and Tom Hicks would need to have a complete change of heart for that to happen.

 

Neither rumoured to be prepared to do business with one another after the last saga we had with them.