Sons of Shankly

This is the statement that we were asked to read out at the meeting STATEMENT FROM KAREN GILL (Bill Shankly’s granddaughter) First I would like to thank each and everyone of you for honouring my grandfather's name by calling this Union 'The Spirit Of Shankly.' For me though it's more than just honouring his name. In these times of corporate gluttony I am truly heartened to discover that there are still so many people who embody my granddad's spirit. It's an Olympic spirit: passionate pure and true. It's a dream of greatness and glory which comes from dedication, hard work and integrity. In this dream, money is only a means to an end, it’s not the end itself. My granddad had a dream for Liverpool Football Club and you are all helping to keep that dream alive. It’s the people with dreams who achieve things in the end because they have a vision which drives them on. We know Bill Shankly “made the people happy", but I know that you would have all made him happy were he alive to see this legendary support today. I speak on behalf of the Shankly family when I say that we are wholeheartedly behind The Sprit Of Shankly. Karen Gill March 2008

Carlsberg have done nothing wrong. They have a product in the marketplace very similar to a host of other products and part of how they try to boost their product’s sales the world over is an association with the “brand” of Liverpool FC, the “brand” of The Kop, the “brand” of the 12th man. However, we need to get the message across to them and any future sponsors that we, the very brand they are paying good money to capitalise on, are not happy with the current leadership and that by being associated with Liverpool FC at this time they are associating themselves with a man who threatens everything they want to associate their brand with. On Merseyside, Carlsberg sell thousands of barrels of ale every week. They monitor their sales on a week by week basis. The Merseyside territory is in the top 5, in terms of sales volume. Therefore any boycott will get the message across quickly that we want Hicks out now. It is definable and most importantly any Carlsberg drinker has lots of alternatives at any given bar. Therefore, while we don’t want to hurt Carlsberg, we should use this way of getting our message across to Carlsberg, to any other current or future sponsors, that we want Tom Hicks out and that financially backing him or the football club while he remains in charge is not a financially wise move. Should we call for an LFC supporter boycott on Carlsberg products until Mr Hicks leaves the club?

It’s become ever clearer Mr Hicks’ first, second and third priority with Liverpool FC is to make as much money as possible. Wanting the club to be financially strong isn’t, in itself, a bad thing. It only becomes a bad thing when, as emphasised by his statement last night, the interests of Kop Holdings are specified to be different to that of LFC and its supporters. As we argued last night, it is enough for Kop Holdings to reach a very significant return on its investment by getting the stadium built and keeping the club in fourth place. That isn’t enough for LFC’s supporters. Given the fact that Mr Hicks will struggle to raise further loans to refinance his existing debts or to expand upon the stadium we have an opportunity to exert financial pressure on him. We can emphasise, to him and to anyone who would loan him further money or anyone who would come on board alongside him to invest in Liverpool Football Club that we will not allow ourselves to be the cash-cow he wants us while he treats us with such disrespect. We can emphasise we are prepared to deny the club money to lower its viability as an investment. We can emphasise that we are more than a brand and that those who love Liverpool the world over love it as something way beyond a sports team and instead see it as something central to their lives and will go to any lengths to protect it as such. Do we want to continue to call for all Liverpool supporters worldwide to boycott all LFC merchandise, food and drink until Mr Hicks leaves the club?

In the light of yesterday’s report in the Liverpool Echo where it was claimed Mr Hicks walked away from negotiations because he rejected DIC’s proposal of a supporter’s representative with full voting rights, we would like to clarify amongst the support on as wide a basis as possible where they stand on such an issue. Would you welcome a democratically elected Supporter Representative, with full voting rights, on the board of Liverpool FC?

Tom Hicks has broken off talks with DIC because their leadership style would not be in the interests of: "Kop [Holdings], of the Club, or of the Club's loyal and passionate supporters." Let's look at this. Why does Mr Hicks put Kop Holdings first? Doesn't this reveal exactly where his priorities lie? How many times do the man's priorities have to be revealed to us? It's wonderful of him to emphasise what we already know. The interests of Kop Holdings and Liverpool Football Club are not one and the same. Kop Holdings needs Liverpool to come fourth every year and get a stadium built and then it makes a billion pound return without ever investing a penny. Liverpool Football Club demands greatness. Liverpool Football Club should be the jewel in the crown. Not another stepping stone for an obscenely rich man to make more money he doesn't need. Mr Hicks is remarkably presumptuous if he feels he knows what's best for Liverpool Football Club and its supporters. The very supporters who distrust him entirely. The very supporters who have made their feelings known again and again what's best for them. Mr Hicks should listen to Liverpool's supporters. They've repeatedly tried to tell him what's best for this club. On the whole it can be summed up as follows: What's best for this football club isn't being in exactly the same position as we were fourteen months ago but with £350m of debt. What's best for the football club and its supporters is that the man who has publicly stated he'll siphon Liverpool's money off to his other sports teams, hasn't pledged to buy the club one way and then do the opposite, has promised stadia yet has failed to raise the money and still hasn't started digging, has offered the manager's job to a total novice in club management terms – how exactly was that in the club's best interests Tom? - and then discussed such a foolish move in public, leaves and never, ever, ever comes back. What's best for Liverpool Football Club is that the man who has dragged this footballing institution through the mud, who has classlessly tarnished the family silver, who has shown such disdain and disrespect to the very supporters he now claims to act in the interest of accepts the healthy profit he has been offered and shuts the door behind him. How many times do we have to tell him he doesn't know what's best for LFC? He doesn't know what's best for the supporters? Well, let's keep telling him and let's tell him louder. Before the Reading game. 15th March. The Olympia. Noon. Let's tell him again there and then let's tell him outside the ground and then let's tell him inside the ground and keep telling him and the world that he doesn't know best. Only when he steps through the exit door will he have shown any intelligence, any class and any understanding of what Liverpool's supporters want. One way or another, on the 15th of March, let your voice be heard. Spirit Of Shankly

Liverpool chairmen Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been given the ideal opportunity. The opportunity to walk away, to do the right thing. They wanted a profit; they've been offered a profit. They can say Yes for their own benefit and for our benefit. But will they? Al-Ansari talks about Tom Hicks' valuation of the club being 'in dreamland'; Mr Hicks is further in dreamland if he thinks he will ever be accepted at LFC. He's a rich man, a business man, but surely, being as rich as he is, he wants to be able to enjoy his investments. If he tries to grin and bear it then it emphasises what we already know - he's only in it for one reason: the money and the money alone. George Gillett's silence speaks volumes. He's no longer interested or charming us. He wants to get out with the maximum possible profit. Well it's time to either get out of hiding or get out of our club, Mr Gillett. Will they do the right thing, and leave? They aren't wanted, they surely know that. To stay - and turn down an offer for the club that can hopefully take us out of this sorry mess we find ourselves in - is what we all want. Cash is what they want and they have been offered millions for wasting a year of our time. If they say No it goes against the wishes of virtually every supporter. So they wouldn't be listening to fans. This would be their clearest indication that they don't care about the fans. They want to cash in on us, they want to sell the "Kop" brand but when it comes right down to it, the much acclaimed 12th Man has his opinions tossed aside so they can greedily wring every last penny out of the club. Regardless you've been, we've all been, given an opportunity - if they reject the offer, take the opportunity at the West Ham game to make it known we will not take this lying down. If they say nothing take the opportunity to hammer home your wishes as Liverpool supporters. They've given us the chance to make our point, DIC have given them the chance to leave with a modicum of grace and a hefty profit. Take the chance - let the world know what you want. Spirit Of Shankly.

Spirit Of Shankly cordially invites every Liverpool Supporter to come to our meeting on the day of the Reading game. We're inviting one in particular. Can someone please get this message to our Honorary Life President, David Moores? We'd like to give him the opportunity to speak to the people he represents on the board of Liverpool FC: The Supporters. This invitation has been offered after we were inundated with requests from supporters to find out what Mr Moores thinks of the present situation surrounding our football club, what has gone on in the past and what the future holds for us. At the moment a lot of fans are unsure and uncertain, causing great worry and anger. Our members have requested this invitation so they can hear from the very person who has been put in his position to help respect and preserve the traditions and values of Liverpool Football Club. The majority of supporters are unhappy at how club affairs have been conducted and would like answers. We would be very grateful to have the opportunity to have our board room representation come and answer our concerns and show us how he envisages the club moving forward. David Moores has always been one of us. We'd like to speak to him; we'd love him to speak to us. We want to hear more from every Red as well. There's a fortnight between today and this meeting. Any ideas, suggestions or questions are welcome. Get them prepared. We're going to be in touch about a few other issues between now and then. Let your voice be heard. Saturday 15th March. Noon. Reading come to Anfield. You should come to The Olympia.

The first meeting in The Sandon demonstrated to us all there was an appetite for change at Liverpool. Change at the highest level of the club definitely, but change amongst ourselves - a single banner to get behind, a united voice with shared goals that won't just work to force the owners out, but will be around for years to come to speak for Liverpool supporters the world over. The meeting that followed in The Olympia just reinforced that. Our aims were unanimously backed and we started to actively seek a worldwide fee paying membership. This Union was organic. It wasn't in the works for weeks prior to The Sandon. We've had a lot of committed and capable individuals putting real stints in for the cause since that meeting and because our aims are short, medium and long term we need to get our structure right in the first place. We don't want to play fast and loose with your support and your money. We - as a working committee - want to set up and organisation which can stand the test of time. We currently have our administrators, EDT, working hard on a constitution that allows us to do that. Until then we won't be able to formalise membership with membership cards or give people the opportunity to join online. We apologise for this delay and will be in touch as soon as the situation resolves itself. In the meantime those who wish to join online when the facility becomes available should email SOSOnlineApps@googlemail.com. We'll get in touch as soon it does. Until then we'll keep you all informed. Thank you Spirit Of Shankly

Saddest thing about all the takeover confusion is that while the Yanks came in with a charm offensive (as bread heads do) and almost every Red to a man got sucker punched by their salesman jib, they then went and fucked-up big style in the communications department which brought vitriol, dark clouds and demonstration to our support. By fucking up like this they not only left everybody in the lurch, they also deflected almost all the blame and disgust away from the main two protaganists, ie Coco O'Parry and his mate the mustachioed silver spoon, Davie O' Mooro. Not only was Lord David made 10 million pound richer, but Coco, his faithfull mouthpiece walked away with 500 gees, so I believe, and drove into Anfield in splendour not long after in a fabulous, brand new red Farrari - the proverbial two fingers up if ever I've seen it. Meanwhile, as dark clouds remain and so does Coco and his (and sadly our) lifelong El Presidente, the flak carries on sailing by that Red Farrari (parked somewhere in Chester) and past the silvery flecked (when the dye runs low) mustacheo of Southports favourite Foollionaire. The Union starts up, the people rise up, but meantime the people who led us to the slaughter continually escape our wrath. The 2 who let us fall commercially so far behind Man Utd and Arsenal and others, by raising our glorious profile hardly an ounce (to full-up on their own dollar digestions) that we will now have to scrap like fuck to put ourselves back on the map and back in our rightfull place. The jokers who came up with a European ballot box nightmare and stood by as we suffered rip-off travel on a humungous scale. Then let UEFA have a decent pop at the 12th man that, they like to go on about as if they are part and parcel of - when the cap fits and its singing us to victory. These are the people who've given us the most pathetic ticket office in higher ranking European football. Something akin to Grimsby comes to mind, but at least when you visit Grimsby's ticket office youre the only one who ends up smelling fishy. These are the weak inept fuckers who brought us Noel White, and never had the bottle to sack 'Souey of the Sun' (great player but a massive mistake and a shite manager). These are the people who still parade about the club like peacocks, remain qiuet as if this will blow over, and our loyal support will eventually forgive them their dalliances and huge mistakes. People, I present to you (wish I could) The Tale of Coco and the Silver Spoon - you honestly couldnt make it up. Their lasting legacy to Liverpool Football Club, one of greed, lethargy in getting the job done, and finally, total incompetance. Look after number one, ay, Mr Parry and Mr Moores, well I'm in a union now and I'm gonna either go down fighting or be there to tell you how it is on the day of reckoning. Speak up you pair of buffoons cos the Reds are trying to come up the hill boys Parry, Parry, Parry, out out out! I'll be still there oh Coco when your back within the cosy walls of the FA, with your new big red one parked outside, and meanwhile, the other mustachioed buffoons watching us from some retirement home in Barbados. Enjoy your ill-gotten gains, but one day the truthfull voice will come-a-calling and that voice will be mine Liverpool Supporters Union - one voice of absolute truth

There seems to be a certain amount of confusion over what went on in The Sandon public house on Saturday afternoon after Liverpool played Middlesbrough. What we know is that Tom Hicks Jnr visited The Sandon, was heckled by Liverpool supporters and left before the situation spiralled out of control. There is nothing in the known facts the SOS, Liverpool Supporters Union, has any desire to condemn. If thousands of supporters are prepared to stand en masse in the Kop and protest against the current ownership then it should go without saying some, if not most, would be prepared to make these points to its public face given a rare opportunity. Physical violence towards individuals is something which we will not condone, yet there is no evidence this occurred here. Indeed, Mr Hicks Jnr appears to have been treated for the most part with distance and disdain, not wholly unlike the treatment of Liverpool supporters by Hicks and Gillett and all those connected with them over the last twelve months. Spirit Of Shankly Sons Of Shankly - Liverpool Supporters Union

We'll just ignore any windups, wouldnt want to stop proper reds who arent on forums making honest, incisive comment

Jay Mac on postive, direct action YouTube - Sons Of Shankly Jay Mac Neil A on the long and short term aims of The Liverpool Supporters Union YouTube - Sons Of Shankly Union Aims Neil A doing a very good impression of Arthur Scargill YouTube - Sons Of Shankly Neil A

The aims outlined below were agreed on by everyone They are:- CONSTANT AIMS * To represent the best interests of our members and by extension the best interests of supporters of Liverpool Football Club on both the local and international level * To hold whoever owns the football club to account IMMEDIATE AIM * To rid the club of Tom Hicks and George Gillett SHORT TERM AIMS * To institute a functioning structure for the Sons (Spirit) of Shankly * To create long lasting relationships with all aspects of Liverpool FC's supporting community * To improve the quality of service for Liverpool FC's supporters * To improve the standard and value of travel arrangements for Liverpool FC's supporters MEDIUM TERM AIMS * To work with any relevant agencies to improve the area of Anfield * To build links with grassroots supporter groups both home and abroad LONG TERM AIM * To bring about supporter representation at board room level ULTIMATE AIM * Supporter ownership of Liverpool Football Club Pushing forward, as soon as we have the facility, (Bank accounts, paypal etc) Union Membership, subs, getting membership, subs etc. And then after that, we move forward on planned actions for our members, travel benefits, future meetings etc

This is what we are about So is this This is NOT what we are about

The website Sons Of Shankly - Liverpool Supporters Union Is now live, any criticisms/feedback, by all means let us know in this thread It amazing what we can achieve if we work together See you all tommorow