100,000 supporters aim to
Supporters of Liverpool Football Club are set to announce an ambitious takeover plan later today. The scheme, called "Share Liverpool FC" will involve contributions from 100,000 Liverpool fans across the globe, aiming to raise £500 million in order to purchase the club from US owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillet, and finance a new stadium.
Rogan Taylor, a Liverpool season ticket holder, heads the campaign and said:
"It is time to answer the concerns that football fans have about the patterns of ownership developing at our major football clubs. Thousands of Liverpool fans have already demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs."
"Large amounts of debt is often laden onto newly-bought clubs and the fans know that in the end, it will be them who will have to pay it off through increased ticket prices and other schemes."
"In such a case, why not simply buy the club yourselves?"
The announcement follows concerns over the financial future of the club, as current U.S. owners recently revealed a £350 million re-financing loan. In addition, increasing tension between Hicks, Gillet and manager Rafa Benitez, has seen fans become increasingly wary of the current owners. Instead, fans have opted to offer full support to manager Benitez.
The plan to buy out the club is similar to schemes adopted by other European clubs. Spanish club, Barcelona, is currently owned by more than 150,000 supporters.
Supporters of other clubs may see the scheme as a move in the right direction as four of the twenty Premier League sides are now owned by U.S. tycoons and foreign takeovers are becoming a common occurrence. Are you a Liverpool fan, and if so, are you contemplating joining the Share Liverpool FC scheme? Share your thoughts in the HEXUS community.
