Liverpool FC legends urge Tom Hicks and George Gillett to sell up and leave

Liverpool FC legends urge Tom Hicks and George Gillett to sell up and leave Anfield

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2010/06/01/liverpool-fc-legends-urge-tom-hicks-and-george-gillett-to-sell-the-anfield-club-100252-26560107/

A HOST of Liverpool FC legends today slammed the Anfield reign of co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and urged the Americans to sell the club.

The former players, including ex-captains Phil Thompson and Tommy Smith, admitted they are devastated by what has happened to the Reds since Hicks and Gillett took over in 2007.

They fear for Liverpool’s future unless the club is sold quickly.

Hicks and Gillett plunged the club into £351m of debt, with annual interest repayments of £40m.

Broken promises included their vow to build a new stadium in Stanley Park and invest heavily in the playing squad.

Previous owner David Moores admitted last week he “hugely regrets” selling to them and pleaded with Hicks and Gillett to stop “punishing” supporters.

Hicks’ response infuriated fans because he claimed the club is in better shape than three years ago.

Liverpool went up for sale last month but Hicks has admitted it could be more than a year before a deal is complete.

Potential investors were put off by the sky-high asking price of £600m-£800m, three times what they paid to take control in February 2007.

The Americans have ignored calls from the ECHO, previous owner Mr Moores and fans’ groups like Spirit Of Shankly to bring their disastrous Anfield tenure to a swift conclusion.

But supporters hope they might listen to some of the greatest names in the club's illustrious history.

PHIL THOMPSON made 477 appearances for Liverpool between 1972 and 1983.

He captained the club to European Cup glory in 1981 and later served the club as assistant manager.

He said: “I am an ex-player and an ex-assistant manager but overall I am a fan and I hate seeing the club in the mess it is in at the moment.

“As a club, we always did things well in the past but the way things have gone under the current ownership is shameful.

“A top-level club needs strong leadership but it is not there. Our owners handle the club from far away and only seem to agree to disagree.

“Until the club is sold, we are going nowhere. I heard they want between £600m and £800m and it could take over a year to happen.

“It is like a dagger through the heart reading that because we want them gone.

“Chairman Martin Broughton has to tell the owners what is a proper price for the club and convince them to get the deal done quickly.

“These are worrying times and I am dreading a transfer window where we have to settle for free transfers and cheap buys. We need owners who are going to invest.”

TOMMY SMITH is sixth in Liverpool’s all-time appearance list. The “Anfield Iron” played 638 games between 1963 and 1978.

He said: “Hicks and Gillett have picked on the wrong people in Liverpool fans. We will not stop until they have gone and the quicker they go, the better.
A delighted scorer Tommy Smith leaps to head Liverpool back into the lead at 2-1 over Borussia Moenchengladbach

“The amount of money they are asking for is ridiculous. They should be glad to just get their money back.

“If it is not sorted out before the start of next season, we are going to be right in the mire. The squad is not good enough and we desperately need money for new players.

“I am afraid the likes of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano might decide they have had enough and leave.

“Over the past three years, Liverpool have gone from being one of the best-run clubs in the world to one of the worst. We have not won anything under their ownership.

“We need owners who will not only invest money but provide leadership. We cannot go forward with these two in charge.”

JIMMY CASE won three European Cups and four league titles during a stunning career with the Reds. He played 269 games between 1975 and 1981.

He said: “The Americans made promises about what they were going to do in terms of investment in players and building the new stadium but not kept them.
Jimmy Case

“The two of them do not even get on with each other so it was never going to work.

“We finished seventh this season so it is obvious something needs to happen.

“The problem is they are businessmen rather than football people.

“Players and managers come and go, but the club is always there.”

ALAN KENNEDY scored the winning goal in the 1981 European Cup final and netted the deciding penalty in the final three years later. He made 359 appearances for the club between 1978 and 1985.

He said: “I am saddened by what has happened at the club over the past three years.
Alan Kennedy

“I have no doubt Rick Parry and David Moores honestly believed the offer from the Americans would be best for the club.

“George Gillett addressed the former players association a few years back to outline their plans.

“It all sounded so positive but it just has not happened.

“Now we are all worried about the future. What happens now? Is there a billionaire out there?

“At the moment there is so much instability and it was the worst 12 months for the club for a long time.

“As ex-players, we want to see the club moving in the right direction. We are not happy and I am sure the manager and the players are not happy either.

“We need new owners to make a new start with some new players to get us back up there.”

JOHN ALDRIDGE was a boyhood Liverpool fan who signed for the club in 1987. During his two and a half years at Anfield, he scored an impressive 63 goals in 104 games.

He said: “It is ridiculous for Hicks to say we are in a good situation – we are in a massive mess.
John Aldridge scores his final Liverpool goal during the nine-goal rout over Crystal Palace

“They must realise Liverpool has bottomed out during their ownership. They should be prepared to accept whatever the realistic figure for the club is and leave.

“The only way the club can move forward is if the current owners sell up. They have to go for the good of the club. You just hope there is someone out there who is prepared to come in and bail us out.

“It can be turned around but we want somebody with our long-term interests at heart.”

IAN ST JOHN was one of the most significant signings in Liverpool history. Bought by boss Bill Shankly for a club record £37,500 from Motherwell in 1961, “The Saint” stayed for a decade and scored 118 goals in 425 games.
Ian St John

He said: “I do not understand finance and I do not understand how we ended up in so much debt.

“How can a successful club like Liverpool, who fill their ground week in, week out, get into the trouble they are in now? I am baffled by it.

“There was one disappointment after another in the last few years. We were promised a new stadium but it has not happened. It is easy to pass the buck and say it is all the Americans’ fault. We cannot blame them for all the problems on the pitch. After all, we have had some good players leave and new players come in who are not good enough.

“But the fact is that for the first time in 50 years the club is in turmoil.

“Everyone had respect for Liverpool because we did things in the right way. We kept our house in order, but now our house is in disarray.

“The club was a model for how things should be done but we have certainly lost that image now.”

TERRY McDERMOTT played in three European Cup winning sides for Liverpool. The Kirkby-born midfielder made 329 appearances from 1974-1982.
Terry McDermott's header against Spurs

He said: “The situation with the owners needs sorting as soon as possible.

“It cannot be allowed to fester because things can only get worse if that happens.

“Liverpool cannot afford another season like the one they have just had. They need to decide the big issues one way or another now.

“It is not for me to say whether Rafa Benitez has done a good job or not, but they have to either back the manager or not. They cannot leave things undecided like they have.

“As an ex-player, and someone who remains a fan, it is heartbreaking to see the way the club has gone over the past few years. It really is.

“Hicks and Gillett have said they are going to sell, which is good. But they have got to try and make it as easy as possible for anyone coming in, and make sure the deal is done.

“If they have proper hearts, as they say they do, they must make it a quick and painless sale, so Liverpool can get back to where they belong – at the top.”

The get Hicks & Gillet out of our club campaign is gaining serious momentum.

Good stuff. Thanks for posting RLB.

Already current players, fans' groups, former owner and now former players are coming out!

Well in lads. Good to see the older players are taking a stand against the owners aswell as fans.

Nice to hear but it wont make a difference - they are too far away and dont give a sh*t about what fans think.

The only thing they are motivated by is money.

SOS should make former players and legends, who speak up Spokesmen for SOS to spear head their campaigns, some fans may not listen so much to the ordinary man off the streets, but it's hard to ignore a former great/idol.

Agreed.

Come on Yanks, just get tae !

all the right people, ex-great players, managers, owners, fans...everyone can say what they like but these two clowns live in usa. out of sight, out of mind right? i doubt they give too hoots about these opinions sadly

still, i cling onto hope.

Just F**k off Tom and George.

At least our legends are trying- theres not much else they can do!

Get Ronnie Whelan on the case. He's got a sensible head on his shoulders with regards to what is good for our club.

Seriously though, boss effort from some absolute legends there. The campaign is gaining momentum. Love it.

YANKS OUT!!!

Top quotes from proper LFC legends. Not the ones who claim Rafa is the problem with our club.
The snowball keeps building. T & G out

Tommo, Smithy, Case, Aldo and Terry Mc grew up supporting the club, of course they're hurting the way we are. They are fans like us, they feel what we feel. And they want what's best for their club.

Barney and St John didn't grow up supporting our club but probably have more affection towards it than the clubs they did grow up supporting. I think both still live in and around the city. So again, it comes as no surprise that they're the ones speaking up on issues like this.

But, like everybody else who has a say on it, it's only words. I've heard enough talk on this, we need somebody to take action and that won't happen until those two F***ing cu*ts lower their asking price. It's not up to ex players to buy the club, they're not businessmen. But we do need a businessman, with the club's interests at heart, to take action and put the wheels in motion of a change of ownership. Again, though that will only happen once the asking price is lowered.

Hear what you're saying but the only thing that affects these cu*ts is money, the F***ing pope could come out and declare his and gods undying support for LFC and it wouldn't mean sh*t.
They listen to nothing but financial forecasts and calls off their debt management agencies, what would scare the sh*t out of them would be a massive drop in shirt sales or match receipts which is something we CAN affect.

A few hundred people not buying shirts wont make the slightest bit of difference to the bigger picture - a drop in the ocean!
I buy my shirt to show my support for the team- to be wearing their colours when i go to support them at matches.

I think the banners & protests make more of a difference to be honest with you- they see these things when they dare to show their faces at Anfield- I dont know what the final push to get them out will be- there are not many people left who havent already told them to F**k off/
At least the club is up for sale- we dont have them coming out saying they will stay longer- imagine that!
We have to see that as an achievement- sooner or later- they will be leaving.
I for one cant wait until that day- breaking news.

Yes we can stop that and I've no intention on buying the new shirt for meself. Which would be the first home shirt I haven't bought in almost 15 years. But I will be buying the goalkeeping top for me nephew because that's what he wants and his happiness is more important to me than an extra 30 quid or so going to the yanks.

Then you've got to consider people who haven't a clue full stop and buy the shirts as a fashion statement. And end up buying everything and anything with a Liverbird on it.

Or those that come to Liverpool on holiday and want to the Anfield tour, enter the club shop, wanna take in a match while they're here. It all mounts up and goes back into the pockets of the yanks.

It's all very well a couple of people not buying shirts, and I know a few who've said they're no longer going the match until the yanks are gone for good, but it'll never get to a large enough scale to really affect the yanks. Well, not for at least a large number of years. There's still gonna be far too many people buying merchandise or going the match. For example, most Liverpool supporting families, if there's a new a born baby in that family they get drowned in Liverpool merchandise - high chair, baby grows, pjs, hats, gloves, scarves the lot. That's just the way it is for most families, especially here in Liverpool.

Agree totally with you DLS infact I said pretty much the same up there ^^^, it's like boycotting season tickets, for every person that does that there will be countless people waiting in the wings to snatch it up as some fans are just fans and are only interested in football matters what goes on off the pitch is irrelevant to them.

That's taken for granted lads it takes a whole new mindset though and if, it is a big if it started rolling there could be a change in attitude.
It wouldn't have to be for a long period of time just long enough to bite at the cu*ts debt programme. It worked to an extent at Newcastle a while ago and the geordies are as mad as anyone about footy.
The gains would be immeasurable for the sake of wearing the old strip a while longer.

That's taken for granted lads it takes a whole new mindset though and if, it is a big if it started rolling there could be a change in attitude.
It wouldn't have to be for a long period of time just long enough to bite at the cu*ts debt programme. It worked to an extent at Newcastle a while ago and the geordies are as mad as anyone about footy.
The gains would be immeasurable for the sake of wearing the old strip a while longer.

Agreed, im dissapointed by all the negativity towards some solutions, no matter how small they may be.

Agreed, im dissapointed by all the negativity towards some solutions, no matter how small they may be.

Its not negativity to be honest mate, now imagine every Liverpool supporter in Liverpool a boycotted the new strip, yet due to the growth of Liverpool in the far east and middle east do you really think it is going to have a significant impact on shirt sales ?

I don't think it would its a nice idea don't get me wrong but Liverpool is a global brand now so therefor any sort of protest in this nature would need to have global support to have a significant effect.

Yup agreed on that. Being an overseas supporter myself I see a lot of fans, who didnt realise the extend of the stand off between fans and h&g, go on buying all sort of things. It need global support to make significant impact but when it does it gonna be effective. Merchandise sales contributed a lot to a football club income. Maybe fan club all over the world can unite and stop making any purchases till h&g is out.

But I dont like the idea of not going to the match. I hate to see anfield empty.

Ok so how about targetting the corporates. 

What I mean is, I read an article at weekend where the club is refurbishing the corporate boxes during the closed season.  They are each getting an outside space instead of being fully enclosed.  Now I don't know how much this is costing the club but apparently the cost for a box for next season has increased by £11,000 to £55,000 plus VAT.

How many corporate boxes are there? 

Is there a waiting list for them, like there is for season tickets?

It's not just the initial revenue they will lose but the money each group spends whilst at the match.

Just a thought guys.

Yup agreed on that. Being an overseas supporter myself I see a lot of fans, who didnt realise the extend of the stand off between fans and h&g, go on buying all sort of things. It need global support to make significant impact but when it does it gonna be effective. Merchandise sales contributed a lot to a football club income. Maybe fan club all over the world can unite and stop making any purchases till h&g is out.

But I dont like the idea of not going to the match. I hate  to see anfield empty

Imagine how the owners would feel.

The only way to Rattle to Tom & George is to do it on their own doorstep, they can escape everything going on here with a trip across the Atlantic, however if people were picketing at their gates stopping them from entering their respective homes then a mindset change would be guaranteed.

The only way to Rattle to Tom & George is to do it on their own doorstep, they can escape everything going on here with a trip across the Atlantic, however if people were picketing at their gates stopping them from entering their respective homes then a mindset change would be guaranteed.

Agreed there mate hence my suggestion of holding a protest march in Hicks hometown to coincide with ours on 4th July.  Our plight needs highlighting in the States and Canada, as well as hitting them in the pocket.

SOS should make former players and legends, who speak up Spokesmen for SOS to spear head their campaigns, some fans may not listen so much to the ordinary man off the streets, but it's hard to ignore a former great/idol.

I thinking the same RLB.
If so then what our great legends said can do more problem to these owners than words.

Thanks for great post.

Just F**k off back to America amd never ever again cast a shadow over our great club.  You tw*ts have made the last 2 years miserable.  If it was not for the fact that my missus is well fit, I hate to think what I would of done.  Get the F**k out, how many more people have to tell you, you are not wanted.