Spirit Of Shankly and ShareLiverpoolFC - Formal Agreement

[SpiritOfShankly]

Please see the link below for news of a formal agreement that has been reached between Spirit of Shankly and ShareLiverpoolFC

 

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/Spirit-Of-Shankly-and-ShareLiverpoolFC-_-Formal-Agreement.html

[esoteric]

Only my opinion, but supporter ownership is the least likely of all scenarios following the ousting of Tom and Jerry and any endeavour in that direction is a detour from what I believe, should be the ONLY objective. If the focus of SOS is now to buy out the Yanks, I'm afraid they wont be getting my support any time soon.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Spirit Of Shankly and ShareLiverpoolFC - Formal Agreement

Friday 23rd July 2010

 

Spirit Of Shankly and ShareLiverpoolFC - Formal Agreement

 

Spirit Of Shankly, the Liverpool Supporters Union, and ShareLiverpoolFC are pleased to announce that we have reached a formal agreement that allows us to push forward as one unified force for supporter ownership of our club. We have already been working closely together for some time but recognise the need for a unified organisation to successfully pursue this goal.

 

Recent discussions have led to an agreement about how we can work together for the benefit of all supporters. This will see ShareLiverpoolFC re-branded as Spirit Of Shankly – ShareLiverpoolFC (SOS-SL), bringing together the combined resources of both organisations to work on the issue of supporter ownership. By working as one we will be much more effective in achieving that goal.

 

Using the strengths and attributes of both Spirit Of Shankly and ShareLiverpoolFC, along with the supporters who back them, we will:

 

· Continue to develop the model of supporter ownership

· Work to secure the funds necessary to acquire supporter ownership of the club, through direct share purchases and the Spirit Of Shankly Credit Union

· Oversee the launch of the share issue to raise these funds

· Promote the issue of supporter ownership through high quality, consistent communications.

· Represent 50,000 (and rising) Liverpool fans on this issue, providing a unified voice that cannot be disregarded

 

SOS-SL will retain ShareLiverpoolFC’s constitutional status as an investment vehicle through which shares can be purchased to take a stake in LFC and will, like the soon to be launched Credit Union, have its own Management Committee. This will comprise members from the current Board of ShareLiverpoolFC and representatives from Spirit Of Shankly. In order to bring greater unity to the supporter ownership campaign SOS-SL will be represented, alongside the Credit Union, on the Spirit Of Shankly Management Committee, enabling us to build one unified campaign.

 

Working together is clearly the best result for all of us. By combining forces on this issue we are creating a massive organisation of LFC supporters in pursuit of a shared aim. Every single one of us, speaking with one voice, letting everyone know that this is our Club, not only emotionally but financially too. We have to build on the momentum we have now, grow and become stronger, to become truly representative of the entire fan base.

 

Then as one, working together, speaking together, let's become proper custodians. Let's take back our football club.

 

Spirit Of Shankly Management Committee & ShareLiverpoolFC Board

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Seems to me like something that's going to involve a lot of time, money and effort to pursue with little chance of success.

[Antynwa]

Oh Goody

[cochcaer]

What does ShareLiverpool bring to the party except some David Icke fantasy?

 

I'll start ReimburseSupportersforShitePerformances, ace idea (unless your name is Ryan) but it'll never fly.

[Graham Smith]

Share Liverpool offer an alternative place to lodge your pledge if you don't like the idea of the Union (although that'll not apply to anyone on here :-) ).

 

To stress once again - neither The Union or Share Liverpool have an intention to own the Club. Both organisations will merely facilitate and organise the grouping of supporters who will then agree the structure of any investment.

 

For instance at Bayern the football side of the Club is run by ex-football people while the business and commercial side has specialists in that running it. Not a fan in sight.

[longtimered]

Good to see and not before time.It will be interesting to see the composition of the management committee and what skills they have.Hopefully a model for minority stakeholding is also being developed.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

What role does Rogan Taylor have in the revamped organisation?

[WaltonRed]

Too big for its boots.

[Horus]

Vernon: We asked 100 Liverpool supporters what is the most useful thing that SOS need to be doing in order to fulfill their main aim of ousting the owners.

 

Darren from Dagenham: Set up an agreement with the already discredited Share Liverpool to work together to try and buy the club?

 

Vernon: If it's up there, I'll give you the money myself

 

[Graham Smith]

What role does Rogan Taylor have in the revamped organisation?

 

He retains his role on the Share Liverpool board.

 

Those that want in have a choice - you can go with the SOS credit union or you can go with Share Liverpool's share issue (result is the same in that you have a lump of money that awaits investment in the Club).

[WaltonRed]

SOS/Share Liverpool played right in to the Yanks hand with all this.

 

Eye off the ball and all that.

[T0RRES]

Graham,

 

Could you please explain the SOS business model?

[Graham Smith]

Graham,

 

Could you please explain the SOS business model?

 

I assume you are talking post investment?

 

Simple answer is that those deciding to put their money up will decide that.

 

We recognise that we have to lead on this issue and with that in mind we will be publishing detailed information about how other Club's operate under a supporter investment/ownership model and kick the ball off by suggesting a couple of alternatives.

 

This will allow a debate about what would work for us and ultimately a structure agreed democratically - then everyone falls behind it, or not as the case maybe. No doubt we will lose a proportion at this point.

 

The basic model that seems to work in some places is that the investors get a vote on the director who will sit on the board representing them. Other than that there is no influence over the Club's affairs.

 

The larger the investment the more positions can be secured on the board. No one envisages supporters getting a vote on the manager, player purchases etc but there's no reason why anyone wanting to be the director doesn't set out what they will be seeking to achieve.

 

The main issue is to get a foothold in the Club with the ability to block any future sale if necessary and with the ability to be allowed to raise the stake over a period of time.

[reder]

Good to see and not before time.It will be interesting to see the composition of the management committee and what skills they have.Hopefully a model for minority stakeholding is also being developed.

 

Yes, they will need to be very clever to get what they want. People saying they will give £5k of their savings and people actually giving it, are 2 completely different things.

[T0RRES]

Yes post investment, the initial concept is simple enough to understand however it would appear then that your saying the investment group still maintains its initial objectives?

 

Its the last part which is interesting , it suggests that their is a further goal to be achieved, forgive me if i am incorrect however it appears that the ultimate goal may be for 51% ownership, am i right?

[Graham Smith]

Yes, they will need to be very clever to get what they want. People saying they will give £5k of their savings and people actually giving it, are 2 completely different things.

 

Few misconceptions in the original post you responded to and your own.

 

Firstly, a minority shareholding is all that is being considered at the moment and planned for.

 

Secondly, the management committee issue is irrelevant as neither the Union or Share Liverpool will hols any share in the Club.

 

Finally, £5000 went out of the window over a year ago - the minimum entry level is £500 though either the Credit Union or share issue.

[Graham Smith]

Yes post investment, the initial concept is simple enough to understand however it would appear then that your saying the investment group still maintains its initial objectives?

 

Its the last part which is interesting , it suggests that their is a further goal to be achieved, forgive me if i am incorrect however it appears that the ultimate goal may be for 51% ownership, am i right?

 

Not quite following your first paragraph but - the aim will be for the investors, prior to investment, approving what structure gets majority approval. Hopefully those that are in the minority (hopefully a small number) will fall behind the majority's view.

 

Once investment takes place the investors stay as a defined group managing their investment through whatever structure they agree.

 

It would not stop (in fact they would be encouraged) fresh investors coming on board but they will come in with a defined structure in place (having missed the chance of being consulted about it). Also existing investors can continue to pay in gaining more shares but not sufficient to control the stake. Both the new investors and existing investors will slowly have their funds used to purchase more and more of the club.

 

Ultimately control is the objective.

[Barrington Womble]

He retains his role on the Share Liverpool board.

 

Those that want in have a choice - you can go with the SOS credit union or you can go with Share Liverpool's share issue (result is the same in that you have a lump of money that awaits investment in the Club).

 

so we put our money into the credit union and ultimately rogan will still end up running the club?

[Graham Smith]

so we put our money into the credit union and ultimately rogan will still end up running the club?

 

Don't know about that.

 

I suppose if a. he wanted to put himself up and b. enough people wanted him then he'd get in.

 

Mind you, if you put some dosh in, so could you.

[reder]

Firstly, a minority shareholding is all that is being considered at the moment and planned for.

 

Finally, £5000 went out of the window over a year ago - the minimum entry level is £500 though either the Credit Union or share issue.

 

Yes but I would assume that your end goal is to become the majority shareholder. The fact that the miminum investment amount decreased to 10% of what originally was says an awful lot to me. Dont get me wrong Graham, I wish you all the best with it but it just doesnt add up.

[Graham Smith]

Yes but I would assume that your end goal is to become the majority shareholder. The fact that the miminum investment amount decreased to 10% of what originally was says an awful lot to me. Dont get me wrong Graham, I wish you all the best with it but it just doesnt add up.

 

The end game is a majority share but realistically that is not immediately achievable.

 

A minority share of 10% is probably the initial aim but the percentage will all depend upon the valuation of the Club.

 

And that's where the real fun starts.

 

There's Tommy Hick's humourous £800m down to the view that the Club isn't worth anything as it is completely insolvent and any vlaue arises from what would be left after an administration. I'd stress that I don't think that either position are currently a realistic starting point.

[Barrington Womble]

Don't know about that.

 

I suppose if a. he wanted to put himself up and b. enough people wanted him then he'd get in.

 

Mind you, if you put some dosh in, so could you.

 

i wouldn't want to. be he would.

[Graham Smith]

i wouldn't want to. be he would.

 

At the end of the day if Tom Hicks got enough votes he'd get in.

 

That's the trouble with democracy.

 

No problem in the investors deciding that the election of a board representative is done before the investment itself - everyone knows where they stand then and can divvy up or bale out accordingly.