Hicks Can Still Create Problems For LFC

Liverpool’s future is
expected to be decided at a
boardroom meeting this evening
after a judge ruled against
Liverpool ’s owners, clearing the
way for the board of directors to
complete the club ’s sale to the
owners of the Boston Red Sox.
Justice Floyd ruled at London ’s
High Court that the club’s
American co-owners Tom Hicks
and George Gillett do not have
the power to overrule their
boardroom rivals who last week
sanctioned the £300 million sale
to the New England Sports
Ventures [NESV] group.
Floyd dismissed Hicks and Gillett’s
right to appeal, but contrary to
reports in the British media,
INSIDER understands that this
may not be the end of the legal
fight.
A legal expert told INSIDER that
an oral appeal at the end of a
hearing is almost always
rejected, but that Hicks and Gillett
still have the opportunity to make
a written application to the Court
of Appeal. That may be rejected
out of hand, or it could be heard
as early as tomorrow.
This evening, however, the board
will meet to discuss the sale of
Liverpool, with NESV favourites to
win control of English football ’s
most successful club.
Today, club chairman Martin
Broughton would not comment
on reported offers from
Singapore billionaire Peter Lim or
the American Hedge Fund, Mill
Financial, saying it would be
“ inappropriate” to prejudge the
meeting.
Prospective owner John Henry
posted his congratulations to
Liverpool ’s victorious directors
and the bank RBS via his Twitter
account.
"Well done Martin [Broughton],
Christian [Purslow] & Ian [Ayre],"
Henry wrote after the
announcement. "Well done RBS.
Well done supporters!"
New England Sports Ventures
issued a statement this
afternoon welcoming the High
Court judgment, claiming it was
"a huge step forward for
Liverpool FC".
“ NESV has a binding agreement
in place with the Board of
Liverpool FC and we are looking
forward to concluding the deal,"
the statement said.
"We are ready to move quickly
and help create the stability and
certainty which the Club needs at
this time. It is time to return the
focus to the Club itself and
performances on the pitch. ”
Liverpool are currently in the
EPL ’s relegation zone, having
suffered their worst start to a
season in more than fifty years.
They face Merseyside rivals
Everton on Sunday in the city ’s
hotly anticipated derby match.