London Ready For Epic Liverpool Battle, Fans Protest Likely

ANGRY Liverpool supporters are
planning to descend on central
London in their hundreds this
week when the club ’s ownership
is decided in the High Court.
Reds fans intend to travel to the
capital by the coach-load in order
to vent their disgust at
unpopular owners Tom Hicks
and George Gillett outside the
Royal Courts of Justice.
Hicks and Gillett have infuriated
the Anfield faithful further by
attempting to block the club ’s
£300m sale to fellow Americans
New England Sports Ventures
(NESV), which the board says it
has agreed.
Prominent Liverpool supporters’
group Spirit of Shankly (SOS) has
already drawn up plans to
transport fans to the court,
which lies on the fringes of the
City, at the request of fans eager
to make the trip.
James McKenna, spokesman for
SOS, told City A.M. last night:
“ There has been plenty of talk.
We’ve had emails and calls asking
about going down to London.
We ’re looking at potential coach
travel.
“I think given enough notice it’s
potentially a large turnout. I think
you ’re talking at least hundreds
of people.
“I’m sure supporters will be
there to make their feelings
known. As well as people coming
from Liverpool there are plenty of
people in London who are
literally waiting for the call. ”
Some 9,000 supporters took part
in the most recent SOS protest
against Hicks and Gillett after last
month ’s home fixture against
Sunderland. Another rally in
Liverpool city centre in July drew
around 2,000 people.
The club’s board, led by chairman
Martin Broughton, last week
struck a deal with NESV, owners
of baseball ’s Boston Red Sox, and
say they have a right to do so.
Hicks and Gillett immediately
launched a legal challenge,
expected to be heard this week,
as they still hope to sell the iconic
Premier League club for a higher
price.
Time is running out for the pair,
who must repay a loan of £237m
plus fees to the Royal Bank of
Scotland by Friday, or risk being
put into administration.
That scenario could see Liverpool
docked nine points, and NESV
have let it be known that they
could walk away from the deal if
that happened.
Reds chief executive Christian
Purslow yesterday emphasised
that he was “not even
contemplating” administration
and urged Hicks and Gillett to go
quietly.
“Right now they have an
opportunity with one simple
short correspondence to allow a
sale to complete and that would
clear the club of all the
acquisition debt and give us a
massive lift before the Everton
game [on Sunday]; a fresh start
and real hope for our fans and
players that we can get back to
the top.
“That’s in their gift and would
enable them to leave with some
dignity and some peace rather
than precipitating a messy
dispute. I hope they ’ll think about
that.”
An Asian potential buyer also
made a bid for the club, who
currently sit third from bottom,
and could revive their interest if
NESV walk away.