Tony Barrett times online article

The owners could not be there because they are so reviled. The new one-day-a-week chairman stayed away because he is a Chelsea fan. The manager was there but could not confirm whether he still would be next season. The players looked like they wanted to be, in the words of Elvis Costello, anywhere else but here today. The supporters, meanwhile, sat in an angst-induced silence, shaken to the core by what Liverpool Football Club have become.

Playing patsy for Chelsea at the end of an abomination of a season may not have represented Liverpool’s lowest ebb, but it felt like it. Carlo Ancelotti had been looking forward to seeing Anfield in all its glory, but all the Chelsea manager experienced yesterday was a fast-fading institution that is in serious danger of crumbling under the weight of debt piled on to it by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the absentee landlords

Sir Alex Ferguson, in an understandable bout of self-interest, had tried to coax a performance out of Liverpool to aid his team’s title challenge. “Big clubs don’t throw away their history,” the Manchester United manager pointed out to back up his theory that Liverpool would not surrender the points to Chelsea just to stop their rivals usurping their status as English football’s most prolific winner of league championships

Had Ferguson been speaking with Liverpool’s best interests at heart, he would have qualified his statement by saying that they can jeopardise their future. That, after all, has been the case for Liverpool since Hicks and Gillett were handed the keys to the Shankly Gates in February 2007. A combination of debt, division and disharmony has torn the club apart. The malaise has been so invasive that the discord has spread to the supporters, as evidenced by the angry reaction to the unfurling of a “Rafa out” banner in an executive box on the final whistle. As if losing their status as a member of the European elite was not enough, Liverpool are in grave danger of losing their dignity.

The symbolism of the day’s events could not have been riper. May, according to a famous Anfield banner, is traditionally the month when Liverpool go gathering cups. They have not done that for four years under Rafael Benítez, though, and so low has their stock fallen over the past 12 months that they struggled even to offer a token resistance as Chelsea went in search of the points they need to help claim the title that Liverpool once classed as their own. Furthermore, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard, the club’s fabled Scouse heartbeat, were unable to intervene, the former hobbling off after being injured during the move that led to Chelsea’s second goal and the latter having unwittingly created the first.

It was hard to imagine Chelsea have had too many easier away games this season and the only consolation for Liverpool was that there is only one week left in a sorry campaign. “You’re ancient history,” the Chelsea fans crowed in riposte to the Kop’s questioning of their past, and on a day as hollow as this one was for Liverpool it was hard to argue with that verdict.

Without a revolution — starting with a new owner with money to burn and followed by the building of a new stadium — then the future for Liverpool cannot be anything other than bleak.

“Tom and George: still not welcome here,” read the banner flown over Anfield by an aeroplane before kick-off. By full time another aircraft had appeared bearing a different message, this time a wedding proposal. One can only hope that, if accepted, this union is more fruitful and harmonious than the one that is bringing one of world sport’s greatest institutions to its knees. Under American ownership the mantra about Liverpool existing to win trophies is no longer applicable; they exist merely to pay down the gargantuan debts that the pair have piled on to the club.

As Benítez walked around the pitch with his players at the end of the game in front of a half-empty stadium it was hard to escape the feeling that this was the last time he would lead such a ritual. “Oh Rafa Benítez, we want you to stay,” the Chelsea contingent mocked as the lap of honour, if it could be called such a thing, continued. Those in the visitors’ section then turned their attentions to Gerrard, only to earn a finger-wagging rebuke for their troubles.

The response came from James Carragher, the seven-year-old son of Jamie. It was the only real act of defiance from anyone at Liverpool on a day when the only solace to be taken was that United have not bettered their much-cherished record of 18 league titles — yet.

Wel done Carra junior  Dad also gave the 5 finger salute to the flash cockney knobs

Far as I am concerned Chelsea, are as bad as United. No class, just a load of rentboys. Which is why yesterday was difficult to get through.

Really couldn't care less who wins the league out of those two, as bad as each other. Their bloody horrible fans, singing indecent chants as the players kids went by. No brain cells between them, I will love the day that their owner finally sells them on to someone else, hopefully someone like Hicks and Gillette.

Didn't read any of that.

Bascombe to NOTW, Barrett to The Times.  Both owned under the same corporation as the sh*t rag, The Echo journalists are never short from doing a deal with the devil are they?

What will be will be, the media are on a joy ride with this one!

Sad times for our great club. Those LFC fans who work at the Times NOWorld etc. have taken the coin and I doubt they ever write about the Truth.. Might be sacked. I respect them as fans of our club but take the money they have, just like the players of the prem, who between them are just as guilty. It is about money and I for one would be happy to employ more players (British) and enjoy a different battle for glory. A Scouse fight... a scouse club run by Scousers. Be it Ken Dodd or Carra, preferably Carra. Might get some of our identity back. The greatest club in the world bickering amongst each other is not healthy. At the end of the day the fans are the most important. The soul of LFC... It is out of our hands... Unless we do the impossible and turn our backs on the club..

Why ignore articles like these just because the wrtier used to write for the Echo and now has the audacity to better himself in his line of work , I've met Tony on numerous occasions and his passion for  the Reds always shines through

The owners could not be there because they are so reviled. The new one-day-a-week chairman stayed away because he is a Chelsea fan. The manager was there but could not confirm whether he still would be next season. The players looked like they wanted to be, in the words of Elvis Costello, anywhere else but here today. The supporters, meanwhile, sat in an angst-induced silence, shaken to the core by what Liverpool Football Club have become.

Sad because it is true.

Very hard hitting yet just, article.

Wel done Carra junior  Dad also gave the 5 finger salute to the flash cockney knobs

noticed that one, good 'ol Carra.

Brothers, friends, please don't to be worry.
3-0 at the end of first half in Istanbul, and then what at the end ?

At the end of a storm, there's a golden sky,

When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark,

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone,

This is not a first storm in LFC history.
Life is always like this.
When trouble come, even it's hard to solve, I just whisper "Istanbul" to myself then I feel better. At least I give myself a chance to fight.

It's not so long wait, sure it's our good time to come.

-----------------------
Sorry for my poor English.

Was an honest article.

This is much different to all that's gone before, the article is right, we as a club could find ourselves out of the running for trophy's for years to come. The debt is so big it's a stumbling block for any sale and unless they lower the asking price it could prove a stumbling block to the yanks leaving us. they will have to go in 6 months any ways, unless they put in their own money but I do not think they want to do that, so that leaves us with no cash for players.

At this moment the way I see it is there is a 50/50 chance of Rafa leaving, it's a certainty that if Rafa goes so will Torres and Macsha, that will not matter then as a new man would need to bring in some players and the only way will be to get as much as possible for them two and spend the cash where a new man would see fit.

The one thing that even the yanks may not see is they may not be able to get what they want, anyone buying the club will have a massive debt to pay, the asking price is over 500 mill and then there is the matter of a new stadium which is another 700mill. By my re-conning that takes us well over the one billion mark, who will have that sort of money, their are not many people who could buy this club at the present asking price. When they bought the club one of the conditions to buying the club was to build a new stadium, we still await. These people fu**ed up Corinthians in Brazil they ended up being relegated owing to debt.

There is no way the owners can afford to sit back and hold the club to ransom any more that's what all this nonesense is
about in appointing a board charged with finding a buyer, all this stuff about setting a price is horseshit.
They are up to their necks in debt in the states with the banks calling time on them and the same is true to an extent here but the noose is not fully tightened and they still have a voice.They would not relish remaining if it means they have to put their hands in their pockets something they have steadfastly refused to do thus far, the only saving grace is the manager and if he goes we are in sh*t street.
He will be followed by some big names and the owners will gleefully pocket the proceeds as is their way to pay the banks off and maybe make a few mill and the club would be unrecognisable.
It is to be hoped someone can stop these F***ing lunatics because the described events are entirely possible.