two new bids to buy the club..

[Durango]

So it comes down to who can deposit $450m in an RBS bank account by next friday, Broughton appears to have two people willing to stump up that money. Unlikely but if Hicks can find a sucker we're sunk, but board surely would have not broken cover 10 days early if they thought this was a realistic possibility unless they need that time period to close the deal and took the risk with confidence.

 

 

Realistically who the fuck would lend Hicks $5, let alone $450m!!

[Faustus]

Off to bed now. Hope I'll be waking up to some good news in the morning.

[Fugitive]

The next week or so is going to be a right head fuck. This is just the start of all the fucking games and I can see a load more twists yet. I can see this dragging for a while yet and I dont think the RBS deadline date will be the end of the saga... it may be the beginning.

[RobbieOR]

Jules, you dont half know about the MLS do you?

[Cij]

It just struck me that Gillet must be completely out of the picture as Hicks was the one trying to install two of his own stooges to the Board. This would have given Hick at least three votes out of six and, with the assistance of Gillet, he could then defeat Broughton. However, Hicks would also have been in a position to lord it over Gillet and this makes little sense if they do both own 50% of the Club's shares.

[RedKnight]

Jules, you dont half know about the MLS do you?

 

I know nothing about MLS, I know a little bit about MLB and I've followed the Sox since 2000.

[KirkdaleRick]

any article by Barrett and Oliver Kay from the times?

[RobbieOR]

I know nothing about MLS, I know a little bit about MLB and I've followed the Sox since 2000.

 

I meant MLB.

[mypost]

LFC board at war as multi-millionaire John W Henry bids for the club

 

But hours before an Anfield board meeting was called to discuss them yesterday, American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett sensationally tried to sack managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre.

 

All three key parties – Hicks, Gillett and the three remaining board members – have consulted lawyers to try to break the stalemate.

 

The ECHO understands meetings continued all night at Anfield.

 

The hugely dramatic development clearly pitches at least two of Anfield’s non-owner directors – Purslow and Ayre – publicly against the American co-owners.

 

Hicks and Gillett are, it seems, furious that a coup attempt is now being made to drive them out of Anfield, without them getting the huge profits they had hoped for from a sale of the crisis-hit club.

 

It all means the battle for the future of Britain’s most successful ever football club may well now be fought out in the courts, who must decide who holds sway going forward – Hicks and Gillett or Purslow, Ayre and Broughton.

 

James McKenna, spokesman for SoS, said: "Liverpool is engulfed in a board room war.

 

 

If RBS come in at the end of the bloodbath, and look to sell us on, it may represent SOS best chance of making a bid for the club.

 

Until they (or other fan group) are running the place, we can never rest easy regarding the club's future wellbeing. Fans care about the club because it's their life, business heads want it until something else comes along, and have no regard who suffers from the fallout once they're gone.

[J B]

"The official website is refusing to post Hicks and Gillett's 'statement'. Open warfare"

 

From Rushian's twitter.

[RedKnight]

I meant MLB.

 

I know, I was being facetious.

[WrongIslander]

Yeah there is, its called the second biggest luxury tax in the league - strike one

 

Go into downtown Philly, or Pittsburgh, or Chicago and say that. They don't call them the New England Patriots for nothing. Props to the Celtics for the last few years, Red Sox just got beat to the wire by a team that pays less in payroll than they do in tax. Bruins - please.

 

The Red Sox cap is never cool, Chuck D wore a Pirates hat for a reason.

 

Luxury tax isn't a hard cap though is it?

 

Philly are certainly more aggressive but I don't see them as more passionate.

 

Pittsburgh, really? The Penguins before they won the Stanley Cup got in how many fans? The Pirates attendances regardless of the best new ball park around is hardly epic is it?

 

So what if the Sox got beat? This isn't about success, the whole passion of the Sox is regardless of how shite they are they turn out in force and believe, much like us. They play in the best old stadium next to Wrigley, much like us. They have a real miracle story akin to ... Istanbul wouldn't you say?

 

Bruins are hardly a massive side but then Ice Hockey is the smallest of the big sports in the U.S. and yet the Bruins still maintain a place as one of the bigger teams in the states within the NHL.

 

Chicago's Bulls regardless of Jordan will never have the passion the Knicks and Celtics have either separately or in their rivalry.

 

It's swings and roundabouts but the Celtics and Red Sox take it for me.

[Juan Galonso]

Sorry, i cannot ignore his previous relations with Hicks nor the fact he tried to undermine the supporters union nor the lies he's spun whilst acting MD of this club. I'm still bemused by the lack of clarity around his role at the club and why it took so long to know who actually hired him, that being Hicks and Gillett themselves.

 

Absolutely nothing to do with Benitez, i couldn't give one single solitary shite about Benitez to be bluntly honest with you.

 

Just like Broughton being mates with Klein who is mates with Hicks and has a vested interest in Hicks Acquisition Comapny II, the company where Hicks will more than likely find his funds to refinance, has absolutely nothing to do with Benitez.

 

I remain cynical until the end.

 

What does any of that matter now Coro? Personally at this moment in time I couldn't care less about the lack of clarity about his role at the club. It isn't really important, it never really was in hindsight. The whole anti-Purslow thing was way overstated and muddied the waters from day one.

 

If he wasn't here over the last 12 months who is responsible for the day to day running of the club? We would have been an even more rudderless ship than we have been.

 

The fact now is it isn't really important who hired him over a year ago. If it was Hicks and Gillett who hired him I certainly bet they regret it now don't they?

 

I think the main thing Purslow has been guilty of overall is not coming from a footballing background.

[The Special One]

WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!

[WrongIslander]

Oh and as for the Sox being beaten out by that brilliant Rays team (better than the Yankees for me) their own players are disgusted by their stadium and turn out, so not the best example.

[Cij]

Here is the Yanks' statement for anyone who can't get Sky Sports News:-

 

"In April, we confirmed our agreement to sell Liverpool, and appointed a new Chairman and advisers to oversee the process.

 

At that time we and Martin Broughton stated our commitment to finding the right buyer for LFC, one that could support and sustain

the Club in the future.

 

We remain committed to that goal.

 

The owners have invested more than $270 million in cash into the club, and during their tenure revenues have nearly doubled investment in players has increased and the Club is one of the most profitable in the EPL.

 

As such, the Board has been presented with offers that we believe dramatically undervalue the Club.

 

To be clear, there is no change in our commitment to finding a buyer for Liverpool Football Club at a fair price that reflects the very significant investment we've made...

 

We will however resist any attempt to sell the Club without due process or agreement by the owners." THE END

 

Looks like it was released for the sake of "optics" in preparation for a legal challenge to the bids received. The Yanks' argument will be that the bids do not represent a "fair price" and, as the owners are committed to a sale at the right price, the Board is not acting in the interest of members. That is an incredibly weak argument given that the RBS loans fall due in a few days and the Yanks do not appear to be in a position to meet their obligations.

[thompsonsnose]

Coro, Purslow is not the devil that is painted, lets not beat about the bush, Purslow is hated because of the sos statement and the fact he was instrumental in sacking Rafa. And with that decision came the end of the cosy little Rafa chats.

 

He has worked his plums off making sure he blocks those deals. And if he does walk off with a million pound and the club is in safe hands, then I would not blink an eyelid at it.

 

I think i agree with this......

Watch what they do, not what they say.. always.

[RedKnight]

Oh and as for the Sox being beaten out by that brilliant Rays team (better than the Yankees for me) their own players are disgusted by their stadium and turn out, so not the best example.

 

One of the best records in the AL despite having their preferred line up for only 8 games out of 162 this year. Hung in until September.

[stringvest]

Can we take the baseball / American football / hockey / wrestling or whatever the fuck it is you're blabbering on about to the gf please - it's clogging up the news here

[RedKnight]

No.

[Coro]

 

The fact now is it isn't really important who hired him over a year ago. If it was Hicks and Gillett who hired him I certainly bet they regret it now don't they?

 

I think the main thing Purslow has been guilty of overall is not coming from a footballing background.

 

Of course it's important as it gives us a good idea of who's interests he's working in and that is purely the interests of Hicks and Gillett.

 

He's guilty of associating himself with people like Hicks and lying to the supporters.

[aladdinsane]

Just seen this posted on rawk

 

 

New England Sports Ventures, the holding company for the baseball team, tabled an offer to cover the £280m of debt owed by Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia. The offer on the table is believed to be £300m.

 

Another offer – from the Far East – believed to be of the same magnitude was also discussed by the board.

 

According to people with knowledge of the protracted and bitter sale process, the independent directors had planned to discuss the offers with the owners on a conference call, and hoped to move the discussion onto details about which of the two to accept.

 

It is understood the meeting began with the US owners stating they intended to oust the independent directors and change the board’s constitution. Mr Broughton adjourned the meeting to take advice and returned to tell them that they could not impose the moves.

 

But the owners, who have placed a much higher valuation on the club, were said to have told the board that they were not interested in the offers on the table, a response that was said by one person to have been expected. They then withdrew from the meeting.

[WrongIslander]

One of the best records in the AL despite having their preferred line up for only 8 games out of 162 this year. Hung in until September.

 

Boston owned franchises have always been the best run in my eyes.

 

I don't like the Pats but that's because I'm a Jets fan but I'd kill for the Kraft's as our NFL owners. Incredible what they did there.

 

Henry has turned the Sox around 360 and as someone above who was quoting a fan said he's a solid owner who believes in building from the bottom but will go out and get the big signing if he thinks it will be the missing piece.

 

Not well up on the Bruins owners or management so can't comment there.

 

The Celtics ownership is probably the greatest of all time. I still think the Knicks are bigger but when you talk about being well run,,,, well. .....

[Brownie]

I think we also need to be careful with this, 'no more Yanks' stance as well. It's totally understandable and whoever comes in, I will be extremely sceptical about.

 

You can't judge an entire population on the actions of just two though. The nationality of our next owners isn't important, their actions are.

[Brownie]

Of course it's important as it gives us a good idea of who's interests he's working in and that is purely the interests of Hicks and Gillett.

 

He's guilty of associating himself with people like Hicks and lying to the supporters.

 

He's doing the right thing in this situation though isn't he? Just to balance it out a bit.