Broughton Confident Of Friday Deal

Liverpool chairman Martin
Broughton says he is hopeful
that New England Sports
Ventures' takeover of the club
will be completed on Friday, after
the High Court dismissed an
injunction preventing the sale.
American co-owners George
Gillett and Tom Hicks effectively
blocked the purchase of the
Premier League club by acquiring
a restraining order from a Texas
court but, on Thursday, judge Mr
Justice Floyd ruled the pair had
until 16.00 BST on Friday to
withdraw it.
Both parties, Liverpool's board
and Gillett and Hicks, will have
legal representatives present
when the Texan court in Dallas
hold session at 13.00 BST on
Friday to discuss the rescinding
of the order, just three hours
before the High Court deadline.
Despite the looming spectre of
yet another court date and a
daunting Friday afternoon
deadline to repay financiers
Royal Bank of Scotland a £280
million debt, Broughton still
expects the £300 million deal
with John W Henry's NESV to go
through.
Asked if it would be completed
on Friday Broughton said: "I
hope so, we still have to remove
the restraining order. We're
nearly there."
"Mr Henry is very committed. I
think we've got lots of bidders
who are very committed,"
Broughton told Sky Sports News.
The Liverpool chairman also said
he expected potential new
American owner Henry to attend
Sunday's Merseyside derby
against Everton at Goodison Park.
"My guess is we'll have it done
[on Friday] and he will be there,
but we've got to get rid of the
[restraining] order first."
Gillett and Hicks have been
fighting in the courts since
Broughton, who was brought in
by club creditors RBS as an
independent chairman with
powers to sell the club, agreed to
trade the club to NESV last week.