The club is sold

[Kennys_spell]

Already the stadium is on the back foot. I don't like the look of this bid at all.

 

But the re-development of Anfield is now on the front foot!!!!!

 

Which is alright with me.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

I wonder how this will affect the teams form? Surely this will lift heads, regardless of the uncertainty. It CAN'T be worse than the current situation.

[dave]

I'm just glad H&G seem to be finished here without a penny profit. Doubt the new fella could be any worse. I just don't think we'll be a "superpower" like before.

[Randy Marsh]

Although we'd obviously be foolish to lay out the red carpet for the new owners, all in all This a fuckin great day for this club. To see those bastards hopefully leave without their fat profit and out of pocket, and also totally humiliated, is the perfect outcome for us all.

 

We have to go in to this with an open mind. I must admit that on first hearing the news, my reaction was "fuck off not more yanks". But I suppose that's like saying that all Germans are cunts because of Adolf Hitler, or all scousers are cunts because of David Moores. They'll have to earn our trust, and I'm sure they know that, but we need to give them the chance to do so.

 

What we all need to remember is that the 1 decent thing those bastards actually did do is to turn us in to the commercial business that we should have been. Profits have grown, sponsors have increased dramatically and with that so to has the revenue. We don't need a sugardaddy to be successful. If the purchase debt on the club is wiped out with this payment, as we are being told it will be, then that will free up a hell of a lot of cash which has previously been siphoned off to pay these bank fees. And providing they don't do the exact thing as the other two and load the debt on again at the first opportunity, we'll be ok. There will always be a certain level of debt on a football club, that is fine aslong as it is manageable. Likewise with stadium development. We shouldn't get angry because a new owner won't come along and build us a nice new ground out of his own pocket because that doesn't happen. Aslong as it's manageable, then there's no problem. Future revenues and a naming rights deal will pay for that in no time.

 

Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have clearly done their homework on this lot. For it to get this far, they have to have done. Broughton said their would be no running commentary on day 1, and as frustrating as it's been, he's conducted his business in the right way and I have to commend him on that. He's on a different level to Parry and Moores. I have faith that the potential new owners will have been scrutinised right down to the last detail. It's not in anyone's interest for this to rear it's head again in 2 years time.

 

I've had my doubts on them in the past but I'll hold my hands up now and thank them for the work they've done in ousting those two bastards. They've stayed true to their word, and when it's come down to the crunch as it has today, they've landed the knock out blow on those fuckers hopefully once and for all. As Broughton's just said on .tv, he would not have lead the board in to the events of last night and today without confidence that legally he was making a sound decision. The yanks are squirming now, they're like a fly that you've swatted with a newspaper that is wriggling around on the window ledge. They're dying, they're going under, they know it, but they'll keep squirming until the very end. That's what these two cunts are like as we've learnt to our detriment, but it's very nearly over now.

 

I just take great joy and happiness in the fact that Hicks and Gillett have ultimately proven themselves to be the inept pair of twats that we knew they where. They could have sold us 2 years ago and walked away with a couple of hundred million each. They hung on for more, and look at the fuckers now. They're about to crawl away out of pocket, without their bumper pay off, and with their pathetic reputations absolutely destroyed. Broughton has fuckin humiliated them today. The men they brought in are about to pull the trigger. Their "own" club website is openly mocking them. They're being ran out of town and I'm loving every fuckin minute of it. I hope the rest of their pathetic existence is an absolute missery as they've made our lives these past few years. I hope they croke it soon in a puddle of their own piss, haunted by the day they took on Liverpool Football Club.

[Kennys_spell]

That doesn't say they aren't buying the club by LBO.

 

Doesn't say they're buying it with "Green Shield" Stamps either.

 

*One for the oldies there.

[Randy Marsh]

Although we'd obviously be foolish to lay out the red carpet for the new owners, all in all This a fuckin great day for this club. To see those bastards hopefully leave without their fat profit and out of pocket, and also totally humiliated, is the perfect outcome for us all.

 

We have to go in to this with an open mind. I must admit that on first hearing the news, my reaction was "fuck off not more yanks". But I suppose that's like saying that all Germans are cunts because of Adolf Hitler, or all scousers are cunts because of David Moores. They'll have to earn our trust, and I'm sure they know that, but we need to give them the chance to do so.

 

What we all need to remember is that the 1 decent thing those bastards actually did do is to turn us in to the commercial business that we should have been. Profits have grown, sponsors have increased dramatically and with that so to has the revenue. We don't need a sugardaddy to be successful. If the purchase debt on the club is wiped out with this payment, as we are being told it will be, then that will free up a hell of a lot of cash which has previously been siphoned off to pay these bank fees. And providing they don't do the exact thing as the other two and load the debt on again at the first opportunity, we'll be ok. There will always be a certain level of debt on a football club, that is fine aslong as it is manageable. Likewise with stadium development. We shouldn't get angry because a new owner won't come along and build us a nice new ground out of his own pocket because that doesn't happen. Aslong as it's manageable, then there's no problem. Future revenues and a naming rights deal will pay for that in no time.

 

Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have clearly done their homework on this lot. For it to get this far, they have to have done. Broughton said their would be no running commentary on day 1, and as frustrating as it's been, he's conducted his business in the right way and I have to commend him on that. He's on a different level to Parry and Moores. I have faith that the potential new owners will have been scrutinised right down to the last detail. It's not in anyone's interest for this to rear it's head again in 2 years time.

 

I've had my doubts on them in the past but I'll hold my hands up now and thank them for the work they've done in ousting those two bastards. They've stayed true to their word, and when it's come down to the crunch as it has today, they've landed the knock out blow on those fuckers hopefully once and for all. As Broughton's just said on .tv, he would not have lead the board in to the events of last night and today without confidence that legally he was making a sound decision. The yanks are squirming now, they're like a fly that you've swatted with a newspaper that is wriggling around on the window ledge. They're dying, they're going under, they know it, but they'll keep squirming until the very end. That's what these two cunts are like as we've learnt to our detriment, but it's very nearly over now.

 

I just take great joy and happiness in the fact that Hicks and Gillett have ultimately proven themselves to be the inept pair of twats that we knew they where. They could have sold us 2 years ago and walked away with a couple of hundred million each. They hung on for more, and look at the fuckers now. They're about to crawl away out of pocket, without their bumper pay off, and with their pathetic reputations absolutely destroyed. Broughton has fuckin humiliated them today. The men they brought in are about to pull the trigger. Their "own" club website is openly mocking them. They're being ran out of town and I'm loving every fuckin minute of it. I hope the rest of their pathetic existence is an absolute missery as they've made our lives these past few years. I hope they croke it soon in a puddle of their own piss, haunted by the day they took on Liverpool Football Club.

[Nando09]

We didn't at the start of their reign.

 

They could be just as bad.

 

You're right, they could be just as bad. Although they would have to be twice as stupid to do the same stuff that H&G have - they won't be oblivious to the campaigns and protests going on, and I'm sure this will have been discussed at some point between NESV and Broughton.

[dave]

Although we'd obviously be foolish to lay out the red carpet for the new owners, all in all This a fuckin great day for this club. To see those bastards hopefully leave without their fat profit and out of pocket, and also totally humiliated, is the perfect outcome for us all.

 

We have to go in to this with an open mind. I must admit that on first hearing the news, my reaction was "fuck off not more yanks". But I suppose that's like saying that all Germans are cunts because of Adolf Hitler, or all scousers are cunts because of David Moores. They'll have to earn our trust, and I'm sure they know that, but we need to give them the chance to do so.

 

What we all need to remember is that the 1 decent thing those bastards actually did do is to turn us in to the commercial business that we should have been. Profits have grown, sponsors have increased dramatically and with that so to has the revenue. We don't need a sugardaddy to be successful. If the purchase debt on the club is wiped out with this payment, as we are being told it will be, then that will free up a hell of a lot of cash which has previously been siphoned off to pay these bank fees. And providing they don't do the exact thing as the other two and load the debt on again at the first opportunity, we'll be ok. There will always be a certain level of debt on a football club, that is fine aslong as it is manageable. Likewise with stadium development. We shouldn't get angry because a new owner won't come along and build us a nice new ground out of his own pocket because that doesn't happen. Aslong as it's manageable, then there's no problem. Future revenues and a naming rights deal will pay for that in no time.

 

Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have clearly done their homework on this lot. For it to get this far, they have to have done. Broughton said their would be no running commentary on day 1, and as frustrating as it's been, he's conducted his business in the right way and I have to commend him on that. He's on a different level to Parry and Moores. I have faith that the potential new owners will have been scrutinised right down to the last detail. It's not in anyone's interest for this to rear it's head again in 2 years time.

 

I've had my doubts on them in the past but I'll hold my hands up now and thank them for the work they've done in ousting those two bastards. They've stayed true to their word, and when it's come down to the crunch as it has today, they've landed the knock out blow on those fuckers hopefully once and for all. As Broughton's just said on .tv, he would not have lead the board in to the events of last night and today without confidence that legally he was making a sound decision. The yanks are squirming now, they're like a fly that you've swatted with a newspaper that is wriggling around on the window ledge. They're dying, they're going under, they know it, but they'll keep squirming until the very end. That's what these two cunts are like as we've learnt to our detriment, but it's very nearly over now.

 

I just take great joy and happiness in the fact that Hicks and Gillett have ultimately proven themselves to be the inept pair of twats that we knew they where. They could have sold us 2 years ago and walked away with a couple of hundred million each. They hung on for more, and look at the fuckers now. They're about to crawl away out of pocket, without their bumper pay off, and with their pathetic reputations absolutely destroyed. Broughton has fuckin humiliated them today. The men they brought in are about to pull the trigger. Their "own" club website is openly mocking them. They're being ran out of town and I'm loving every fuckin minute of it. I hope the rest of their pathetic existence is an absolute missery as they've made our lives these past few years. I hope they croke it soon in a puddle of their own piss, haunted by the day they took on Liverpool Football Club.

 

Great post.

[PaulMcC]

You're right, they could be just as bad. Although they would have to be twice as stupid to do the same stuff that H&G have - they won't be oblivious to the campaigns and protests going on, and I'm sure this will have been discussed at some point between NESV and Broughton.

 

They'll have better credit than G&H so they could just do the same and stay in America without getting into shit cos their finances are good.

[Brownie]

I like what has been said about the new stadium so far. Alan Myers seemed to totally miss the point there on SSN unless he was deliberately shit-stirring. He was saying that the new owners have committed to nothing regarding the stadium but looking at Broughton's comments, that isn't true.

 

Broughton said, unequivocally, that we would have a 60,000+ stadium under the new owners, it was just unclear whether that would be a brand new stadium or at Anfield.

 

Personally, i'd love to stay at Anfield if it's possible to re-develop and make it 60,000+ capacity. I thought that option had been explored and ruled out though?

[GJM]

Finding a buyer when every interested party knew that the clock on debt repayment was ticking and with every tick the price essentially went down, was never going to be easy.

 

Why would anybody pay a high price for something that they had a very good chance of getting for a far lower price in the not too distant future? No serious bidder would do that.

 

I have to say that my opinion of Broughton - one of deep suspicion for much of the time - definitely went up with the way he handled the Huang 'bid'. He was under immense pressure to push that one forward and, seeing that time was on the club's side and that there was no need to give into media manipulation, he demonstrated that he had both balls and sound judgment.

 

If the situation described today is correct - and I don't see anybody producing a convincing counter-argument - then he has shown himself to be a good choice to see this process through.

 

He's a Chelsea supporting nobhead, for sure. But I'll live with that if the outcome is the right one.

[Best Believe It]

The new owners could be great, but I don't trust Broughton, Purslow or Ayre to appoint the best owners for the club.

 

That's not to say they won't. But I don't trust them, so am uneasy.

 

Also I think we need a massive investment in the playing squad initially to get us back up to the top four. That's not going to happen with 30 million a year. We need a top class left back, centre back, possibly right back, left mid, centre mid, right mid and decent striker.

 

After that we can play the sustainable game.

[Silly season]

You're right, they could be just as bad. Although they would have to be twice as stupid to do the same stuff that H&G have - they won't be oblivious to the campaigns and protests going on, and I'm sure this will have been discussed at some point between NESV and Broughton.

 

when C&A took over we were known as a club that had good history Great fans and made a great noise at games...

 

now plus that we are known as fans who will fight back! wont sit back! will make life hell for you if you fcuk us over and have forced out owners with NOTHING or even less then they stated with...

 

i think anyone who bought us with the intention of taking the piss is long gone!

 

not a yanks are prats, just our two! well plus a few celebs :drool:

[Kennys_spell]

People are talking as if they've taken over the club already. Do you assume that C&A are fighting a lost cause re legal action etc, and that it's essentially just a last gasp before crumbling?

 

Broughton said there were written commitments from the Leeches when the refinance was done - he stated clearly that they were written into the covenants for the business. It will be very very very difficult for the Leeches to go to court now and claim that they "didn't really mean it".

 

Going to court is the last desperate spasm of the dead body of the leeches in my opinion.

[PaulMcC]

when C&A took over we were known as a club that had good history Great fans and made a great noise at games...

 

now plus that we are known as fans who will fight back! wont sit back! will make life hell for you if you fcuk us over and have forced out owners with NOTHING or even less then they stated with...

 

i think anyone who bought us with the intention of taking the piss is long gone!

 

not a yanks are prats, just our two! well plus a few celebs :drool:

 

I think you're being very naive.

[hamstrung]

Have they sacked Roy yet?

[captainharris]

The new owners could be great, but I don't trust Broughton, Purslow or Ayre to appoint the best owners for the club.

 

That's not to say they won't. But I don't trust them, so am uneasy.

 

Also I think we need a massive investment in the playing squad initially to get us back up to the top four. That's not going to happen with 30 million a year. We need a top class left back, centre back, possibly right back, left mid, centre mid, right mid and decent striker.

 

After that we can play the sustainable game.

 

But that is £30m not including anything made on player sales.

 

Not to mention the fact that I think with the black cloud lifted the players, manager (i know some people don't think he's the right man etc etc) and the fans will all have a common goal again and I think just by them being gone results will improve dramatically.

 

It's easy to get carried away. Unfortunately, we've still got to get rid of the two cunts once and for all. I just hope the process isn't drawn out too long and we get the outcome we all want.

[Kennys_spell]

Re-Develop Anfield? Fair play to them if thats the route they want to take.

 

I personally want a new stadium with the Anfield Plaza scheme. But if they can help re-develop the stadium and re-generate the area, I don't care how they do it.

 

No one has mentioned redevoloping the L4 area in conjunction with redevoloping the stadium.

[Torvald Utne]

right just to explain how this works incase people like yourself seem a tad lost. (not taking the piss trying to inform)

 

the first case is to decide if the board have acted legally or not. This needs to be done now prior to the sale or if we do sell now and then it later turns out that the board where in the wrong, my god that would be a HUGE mess.

 

I am 99% confident the board have done the right thing (i wasnt there so there is always a slight room for doubt) this will take no more than ten days for a court to say YAY or NAY

 

If its NAY then we just wait till 15th RBS take us over and we sell anyway.

 

If its YAY then the club is sold... period.

 

The reason the yanks are bothering is simple. You have to legally object to something to have any right to appeal or escalate the issues later.

 

so basicly if they dont do this fight now (which they know they will lose) they cant take us to court and try and get some cash later.

 

This will drag on for years after the club is sold, they will fight RBS, Barcap, us Broughton anyone who ever ignored their wishes basicly.

 

hope that shed some light on things.

 

The board of a company is there to act in the best interests of the owners, it's pretty clear that G&H can still relieve the club of a lot more money, selling now for no profit is not in their best interests so I don't see how a challenge to the board members forcing a sale could possibly fail.

 

I'm far from convinced that this is going to happen.

[gkmacca]

Already the stadium is on the back foot. I don't like the look of this bid at all.

 

The last time most of heard anything about the possibility of developing Anfield itself was when Moores was still in charge. Okay, maybe nothing's changed, or the impracticality of attempting it is even more pronounced, but it's perfectly rational for new owners to insist on finding out for themselves first before moving on with a decision. I understand the reasons for people being so burned before they're now in hyper-sceptical mode, but try to look at things dispassionately before leaping to conclusions. There's a danger now we'll go straight from being a passionate mass of rational fans to an irrational mob.

[Royal Family]

Broughton said there were written commitments from the Leeches when the refinance was done - he stated clearly that they were written into the covenants for the business. It will be very very very difficult for the Leeches to go to court now and claim that they "didn't really mean it".

 

Going to court is the last desperate spasm of the dead body of the leeches in my opinion.

 

Surely the breach of convenant would mean that RBS can step in today, should they so desire - in other words Hicks and Gillett have actually foreclosed, or attempted to, on the terms of their refinancing?

[Lascaille]

If this all goes off like the club are claiming it will, what a massive fuck up by H&G it was to bring in Broughton! No matter what reservations people may have had about Purslow, I've always been impressed and encouraged by Broughton and so long as nothing unforseen shows him up to be a snake, I'll be forever grateful to him for his work in outing Cancer and AIDS.

[jon lad]

article from the independent

"But yesterday afternoon Hicks and Gillett, whose contribution to Liverpool's London board meeting came via a conference call, possibly from Texas, considered managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre to be suspended. The Americans were attempting to replace these two individuals, who along with executive chairman Martin Broughton wanted to accept one of the bids, with Mack Hicks, Tom Hicks' son, and Lori Kay McCutcheon, a vice-president at Hicks Holdings."

 

anyone got an email address for her/him/it? I've searched those listed on this site and can't find it. These fuckers are going to get bombarded until they "jog on" (as is the phrase of the moment)

[Randy Marsh]

But that is £30m not including anything made on player sales.

 

Not to mention the fact that I think with the black cloud lifted the players, manager (i know some people don't think he's the right man etc etc) and the fans will all have a common goal again and I think just by them being gone results will improve dramatically.

 

It's easy to get carried away. Unfortunately, we've still got to get rid of the two cunts once and for all. I just hope the process isn't drawn out too long and we get the outcome we all want.

 

Broughton reckons all will be done by next week

 

"We should get a declaratory judgement I would have thought probably by the end of next week, in short order. There is an appeal process but that is also very fast"

 

Also interesting to read this comment Broughton has made

 

"So effectively yes, if they win the court case they can block the sale. But then we may have one or two other thoughts in mind as well"

 

 

Sounds like they've got a contingency plan lined up just incase.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Randy Marsh

[TheHitman]

I recall one of the obstacles to redeveloping Anfield was the disruption to the stadium in midweek as we played too many European games, I'm sure Parry said something along those lines.

 

As things stand this might not be a problem next season, would the league object to us playing games in blocks say 5 or 6 at home or away or close to international breaks to reduce the caous at Anfield maybe.

 

There was an architect involved with SOS Peter something who was proposing it quite recently.