Well Done S.O.S - SOS Billboards in Liverpool

If they didn't like the 'cowboys' bit, shouldn't they have just clicked the 'objectionable' link?

Can we have an objectionable button?

Wonder if knotty girl is Hicks juniour.

He/she certainly reeks of the same old sh*t!

He/she certainly reeks of the same old sh*t!

Were you onto that as well mate? Haha. Definitely!

David Prentice: SOS warning which all Liverpool FC fans should heed

Mar 5 2010 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

SOS warning which all Liverpool fans should heed

DEBT. Lies. Cowboys. Whichever statement you analyse, The Spirit of Shankly posters which have sprung up around town this week ring uncomfortably true.

Cowboys? Well it was Texan Tom Hicks himself who proudly showed off his club crested cowboy boots.

Lies? It was pardner George who suggested: “We intend to have a shovel in the ground in 60 days” or claimed “This is not a takeover like the Glazer deal at Manchester United. There is no debt involved.”

Then there’s the biggest four letter word of the lot. Debt.

Liverpool are in alarming hock.

An official UEFA report published this week, The European Club Footballing Landscape, revealed that Premier League clubs owed more than the rest of Europe put together – and Liverpool and Manchester United make up more than 50 per cent of that debt.

That’s a serious, club breaking, Leeds United style debt mountain.

The Spirit of Shankly group is sometimes accused of being zealous, old-style Militants who’d start a fight in an empty room.

But their poster campaign is not just well intentioned, it’s justified, because it highlights a very real threat to the future well-being of Liverpool Football Club. And it’s time everyone took heed.

In 2004, 2005 and 2006 Liverpool’s end of year accounts showed debts of £14m, £15m and £26m.

In the first accounts posted after the American takeover, those debts instantly rocketed into ‘Oh my God’ territory. In 2007 Liverpool Football Club and parent company Kop Holdings owed £288m.

In 2008 it soared £385m into the red.

That startling figure reminded me of a conversation I’d had with that outstanding Anfield administrator Peter Robinson in what seemed like a quainter era, way back in 1988.

After a fixture foul-up left the Reds without a home game for a month, he told me: “We’ve had to approach our bank for an overdraft for the first time I can remember. It’s left us with cash flow problems and we’re in the red.”

That was an era when Liverpool’s financial results were of no real interest.

The club made money, gave it to the manager to spend and they won things.

But that was the good old days.

The way in which Tom Hicks and George Gillet bought Liverpool – “a leveraged buy-out” – means that the club now generates cash to pay off the loans they took to buy LFC.

The Americans have dramatically increased turnover at Anfield since they took over – since the Champions League win in 2005, turnover has increased by around 70per cent.

That’s a stunning improvement, but the major beneficiaries will not be Liverpool – but their owners.

The huge debt on the club means that annual interest payments, from a modest £2m in 2006, are now in the region of £44m.

Compare that figure to rivals for the Champions League spot Spurs, or neighbours Everton, who paid interest of roughly £4m in 2008.

It’s why qualification for the cash generator which is the Champions League is imperative.

If Liverpool don’t finish fourth, the Americans will simply have to sell up to a new owner, or start hawking off the family silver.

No doubt some Reds fans will read this article as scaremongering, accuse me of being a bitter Blue seeking to unsettle a proud football club.

Well sometimes the truth hurts.

Liverpool are in trouble – and the Spirit of Shankly poster campaign is trying to drive that message home.

The Spirit of Shankly group is sometimes accused of being zealous, old-style Militants who’d start a fight in an empty room.

And that's why I love them..!

On a serious note, getting column inches in the US is a big plus - proper egg on their dirty little faces... Taking the fight to them is just what we need to do..! Other people on here have been saying the Man Utd  force against the Glazers is more organised, and better at this kind of stuff - tosh...

We will get these two out...

Wonder if knotty girl is Hicks juniour.

Nope. It's Sam Allardyce.

Henrik,

The ShareLiverpool idea is nothing to do with SOS.  In fact it preceded SOS, and is an entirely separate venture. The fact you didn't know that informs me of your level of understanding.

I'm not an SOS member personally for my own reasons, but I appreciate some aspects of the work they have done.

Henrik,

The ShareLiverpool idea is nothing to do with SOS.  In fact it preceded SOS, and is an entirely separate venture. The fact you didn't know that informs me of your level of understanding.

I'm not an SOS member personally for my own reasons, but I appreciate some aspects of the work they have done.

SOS were connected to it as far as I understand

Henrik,

The ShareLiverpool idea is nothing to do with SOS.

SOS were connected to it as far as I understand

Come on fella.

They back the idea of the club being owned by fans.

But ShareLiverpool was out before SOS was formed, and as far as I know the two groups are not in bed with each other, so to speak.

All I can say is that it is better that SOS is there and at least trying to educate the large majority of our crowd who quite happily are letting us walk in to the abyss.  You can't fault their effort.

If it didn't exist - would we be better off?

Come on fella.

http://www.shareliverpoolfc.com/

Yeah I kind of read his post wrong but we wont mention that

They back the idea of the club being owned by fans.

But ShareLiverpool was out before SOS was formed, and as far as I know the two groups are not in bed with each other, so to speak.

All I can say is that it is better that SOS is there and at least trying to educate the large majority of our crowd who quite happily are letting us walk in to the abyss.  You can't fault their effort.

If it didn't exist - would we be better off?

You haven't even read my post.
My point was that they're not fit for the purpose of forcing the Yanks out - if they were, they would have offered something more substantial in the past 2 years (thats not to say that I resent them or think they are in any way sinister, just, as I put it - 'light-weight')

You haven't even read my post.
My point was that they're not fit for the purpose of forcing the Yanks out - if they were, they would have offered something more substantial in the past 2 years

I did read your post.

What's your alternative? 

It's up to the fanbase at large to decide whether they want to get rid of the yanks, and most of the match-going support are daydreaming themselves in to thinking everything's alright, and instead moaning about Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva or Rafa Benitez when there are far far far bigger things wrong at Anfield.

I did read your post.

What's your alternative? 

It's up to the fanbase at large to decide whether they want to get rid of the yanks, and most of the match-going support are daydreaming themselves in to thinking everything's alright, and instead moaning about Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva or Rafa Benitez when there are far far far bigger things wrong at Anfield.

My alternative would be something that would wake 'the fanbase at large' up - and given SOS's influence, I don't think they have been anywhere near as effective at this as they might have been.

Put it this way - if H&G were my evil corporate bosses making me work more hours for less pay, and SOS my union - I'd feel like joining a new union

Whats with the SOS hate? They've been doing all they can...what do you want them to do exactly?

Its not their fault we have so many whopper fans or are more than happy to turn a blind eye and blame Rafa for whats happening to our club instead of taking some time to take their heads out of their arses and learn whats actuallly going on.

It's up to the fanbase at large to decide whether they want to get rid of the yanks, and most of the match-going support are daydreaming themselves in to thinking everything's alright, and instead moaning about Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva or Rafa Benitez

when there are far far far bigger things wrong at Anfield.

Exactly.

My alternative would be something that would wake 'the fanbase at large' up - and given SOS's influence, I don't think they have been anywhere near as effective at this as they might have been.

Put it this way - if H&G were my evil corporate bosses making me work more hours for less pay, and SOS my union - I'd feel like joining a new union

Well do something then. If you think you know all about the right way to do it, quit moaning and do it.

I don't want to be critical - but wouldn't these be better in Texas' High Street?
Just a thought.

Debbie  S.O.S.  Does Dallas.

My alternative would be something that would wake 'the fanbase at large' up - and given SOS's influence, I don't think they have been anywhere near as effective at this as they might have been.

Put it this way - if H&G were my evil corporate bosses making me work more hours for less pay, and SOS my union - I'd feel like joining a new union

Its because of the like of you, just take  look at yourself. apathy, fickle and opinion is self self self.

My alternative would be something that would wake 'the fanbase at large' up - and given SOS's influence, I don't think they have been anywhere near as effective at this as they might have been.

Put it this way - if H&G were my evil corporate bosses making me work more hours for less pay, and SOS my union - I'd feel like joining a new union

Ok smart arse since you are so disapointed with SOS's efforts so far why don't you start your own union, After all you seem to know all about the art of protesting, Or would that mean pulling your fingers out of your arse, Incidently do you actually know the meaning of the word Union....I quote..Anassociation, Alliance or confederation of individuals or groups for a common purpose...unquote, Something you are obviously devoid of my friend.

Its because of the like of you, just take  look at yourself. apathy, fickle and opinion is self self self.

It's simple slagging something off on the internet - I'd take him more serious if he gave solid ideas on what he would do to get the yanks out.

It's simple slagging something off on the internet - I'd take him more serious if he gave solid ideas on what he would do to get the yanks out.

as I've already said, I passed up the chance to get a season ticket this summer because of our situation and have not put a penny into the club for close to 2 years (I even resent watching LFCTV because of the advertising which it may or may not generate on the back of) - I also reject this notion that if I don't believe SOS are the force to deliver some killer blows to H&G that I should 'form my own union' - here's an idea, if you're unhappy with Gordon Brown, why don't you form your own government?
There is an unhealthy standard at times amongst some Liverpool fans which outlaws anyone going against the grain and offering an opinion (no matter how well formed) that deviates from the collective views of the majority - but hey, I can sleep easy knowing that if 3 years ago I was speaking out against the Yankee takeover  I'd have been in a similar minority

The essence of my point is that SOS have been functional for >2 years and IMHO have not done enough to make life uncomfortable for the Yanks - a hardly earth-shattering position