Dear Member
Spirit Of Shankly, the Liverpool Supporters' Union last week called for two victories. For a large, and loud passionate march to take place prior to the Manchester United game, and for fans to then take that anger and passion inside and convert it into supporting the team during the game. We all know what went on inside the ground, and the fans were magnificent.
Outside of the ground, it was a resounding victory. Thousands of fans gathered at the Liverpool FC Supporters' Club on Lower Breck Road, to take park in the march. Seeing such a massive show of red strength marching up the road, in protest at the owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, was an inspiring sight, and as such even more fans joined in along the route. By the time the march reached The Kop, the numbers had swelled to around 4,000 and George Gillett inside the ground, Tom Hicks in America, and the rest of the world will have no doubt heard our message - Enough is Enough, Hicks and Gillett, Out Now!
We would like to thank all those fans who took part in the march, and all those who backed it but were unable to make it. To those who stood and applauded - the march is just as much for you as it is for anyone else. We appreciate the support, but next time, feel free to join in. It's my football club, your football club, his football club, her football club. It is OUR football club. So lets fight for it. And we will keep on fighting for it. It needs it. We wish it didn't but it does, so lets keep up the fight - We can win it!
Prior to the march taking place on Saturday, George Gillett asked for a meeting to take place with Spirit Of Shankly. A decision was made to accept the request and meet with him. The meeting took place at Anfield prior to the march and a small delegation met with Gillett. He made a number of claims during the meeting. However, he gave no indication as to what his or Tom Hicks' future plans for the club were. He claimed that the club was financially sound, and was in no worse a situation than any other football club. He also claimed that the banks were responsible for the debt being put onto the football club as a result of the credit crunch. He admitted communication at the top level of the football club was not as it should be, between himself, Hicks, Ian Ayres, Rick Parry, and more importantly the manager, Rafael Benitez. In answer to stories reaching us to the contrary, it was made absolutely clear to Gillett that we were not running our campaign against the current owners at the instigation of Amanda Staveley or anybody else connected to Dubai.
Make no mistake - This is a victory for the Union. One man who we have campaigned so vociferously against wanted to meet with us. No one has been taken in by anything Gillett had to say. The meeting provided us with an ideal opportunity to tell him about what we believed was wrong with the football club, primarily how they have ran it since the takeover. We also reminded him that we, as a Union, wanted both himself and Tom Hicks to sell up and leave. Further detail on what went on during the meeting will be sent out to members shortly.
Finally - Thanks again for the support on Saturday. If we stand together, we can and we will win!
Spirit Of Shankly
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Received this today in an e-mail, looks like things went well yesterday.
A big
to all those involved.
Hopefully, although I'm not holding my breath, something good might just come out of all this.