The Stupidest Liverpool Rumour You Will Hear This Year: Can It Possibly Be True?

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Sigh. I’m going to have to invest in some earplugs, because this babbling garbage is only going to get louder and louder.

Retryboy - March 3rd, 2010 at 2:43 pm

Don’t understand why you would get a story that you know isn’t true then write an article on it??

spota - March 3rd, 2010 at 3:40 pm

a non brainer from start to finish good call retry . i also dont understand why a liverpool page would print such utter bollox . give us something real to read or dont put a story up at all . quality rather than quantity please .ynwa

dr.Barnard - March 3rd, 2010 at 3:44 pm

As long as there is response from us, to some of the most idiotic rumors appearing continuosly on this site, like this one, they will keep on showing up here. The only reasonable approach is to totally ignore them.

Retryboy - March 3rd, 2010 at 4:05 pm

Lets change thread then-spirit of Shankly have had more protest signs up and marches. What do fans really think? Personally i think that since putting the club in debt to buy it H&g really haven’t done a lot wrong, am confident they will find the investment in the next 3 months to take the debt down to a very manageable amount, despite all the scare mongering talks of fire sales Reina is ready to sign a new contract, Mascherano is next they are 2 of our most saleable assets you wouldn’t give them a pay rise to sell them in the summer so despite no on the field success in any competition they are doing things the right way and selling shares to pay for their debts unlike the glazers who sold ronaldo and tevez. People hark on about lack of funds yet the reports on income from last year prove what i have said all along we bring in £100m a year less than united and are behind arsenal and Chelsea. Sponsorship deals come in next year, acadamies in the middle east and asia opening to help us tap into the massive fan base that the previous owners totally ignored and they have done exactly what sos wanted and stuck behind rafa(too much in my view) think they deserve more credit and at least a bit of patience personally, the media jumps on everything they do and all they have had is a rant from hicks junior at an sos member nothing like united’s board all giving themselves loans.

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 4:31 pm

Retryboy, I’m afraid that if you think H&G have not done anything wrong then please, please, watch “Liverpool Texas”. What they have done is lie, lie, lie, lie, lie and lie. The only thing that they have ever done right is bring in Purslow, and he asked to be brought in. Purslow introduced the transfer account which only he and Rafa can access. All contract extensions are done by those two. Nothing to do with H&G.

What I will grant them is that they know how to not sabotage themselves. Using assets to pay off loans (ie player sales) only hurts them by lowering the value of the club. If you take a club worth 400 mil and sell 400mil worth of assets to pay off the loan, then you are left with a club worth 0 mil. 400 – 400 = 0. Congratulations H&G for being able to work that out. The Glazers can’t.

Sponsorship deals, again raising the value of the club only helps them. The profit mostly goes into paying off the loan when it could be used to improve the club. We bring in 100 mil less? So where’s our promised stadium to correct this? I will say that Parry was a cancer, so glad he’s gone, but I personally am not willing to concede that the yanks had much say in getting Purslow in. Mostly because I don’t think they care enough.

I’ll say again. Retry. Please. Watch Liverpool Texas. I know that my repeatedly saying it probably just pushes you further away, but I really do want you to see what is happening. It’s not a Michael Moore style conspiracy theory. Its just a collection of quotes from H&G, just so you can see what they promised and what they’ve done. You’re left to draw your own conclusions at the end. There is no forcing of opinion. Give it a watch, mate.

...samlfc.... - March 3rd, 2010 at 5:17 pm

*slaps head* its getting worse and worse…..we may need a bigger Rubbish truck

Retryboy - March 3rd, 2010 at 5:33 pm

Aquaman-sorry meant to give it a watch last time you mentioned it will do so today. Will say though don’t dispute their motives are money or that they are a pair of weasels but all the moves they are making are benefiting liverpool and if they get the investment through selling shares to pay off debt we are in a stronger position than ever and all their work to not destroy their investment will include the new stadium. They saw a company which hadn’t touched the sides of its marketing potential and the best way to make massive returns on their investment is to make us as successful as possible on and off the pitch and Purslow couldn’t appoint himself you can’t just give yourself a job will watch the film and get back to you though mate probably with a totally different view and a lot of expletives and xenophobia lol

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 5:59 pm

Yup, sounds about right. Sorry for the rant. Watch and enjoy, or weep, or gnash teeth etc etc.

Scouse Magic - March 3rd, 2010 at 6:10 pm

I have to agree that Christian Purslow is the best thing to come from the yanks. He alone has put the club on another footing, he’s done more in 6 months than Parry done in 10 years.
If we can get investors like Purslow, i.e. people with Business brains and know-how, we will be out of debt in no time and looking forward to finding the finance for the new stadium.
This in turn will help Rafa (or whoever is on charge) to bid for the likes of the Benzema’s & Ronaldos of the footballing world.

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 6:41 pm

anon 6:34 was actually me, i just wasn’t signed in… I tried to post the transcripts concerning Christian Purslow talking about our owners in a meeting with SOS, but i guess it’s too long… I’ll try again later on

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 6:42 pm

Attended – Christian Purslow, James McKenna, Graham Smith, Jon Paul Hill, Nicky Allt, Fran Stanton, Stephen Monaghan, Kieth Culvin, Daniel Nicolson, Tommy Keiner, Andy Williams, Paul Gardner, Peter Hooton.

Apologies – Paul Rice, Sam Armstrong

GS gave introductions to the meeting and how it would run. Due to a shortage of available time, it was agreed that we would go through what questions we could now, and any not covered would be answered by CP later via email. CP said he had imagined we would want to talk about DSG (Debt, Stadium and Governance – which covers investment and ownership).

Club Finances

1. You confirmed to us at the last meeting

……..that currently the TOTAL debt owed by the Club and its associated companies was approximately £245m. GS asked him specifically to confirm that that figure represented the total debt (rather than just that owed by LFC) and he confirmed the £245m figure again.

Can you confirm if this figure has changed at all and as a result what is the TOTAL current debt for the Club and its associated companies?

CP – The debt is currently £237 million. This is the total debt for the holding companies and the club itself.

2. It would not be unreasonable for RBS to be asking for the debt to be reduced, and presumably the Club has this as a priority too. Is it fair to say that, if only in the short term, the Club’s strategy to reduce the debt is focussed on an increase in income plus the liquidation of some of the playing assets?

CP – My project and task is to reduce the debt by £100 million. This is a requirement from our bankers and will allow us to look at a more flexible and longer term refinancing with our bankers when this investment is brought in. Ideally we would like a three or four year refinancing deal rather than the shorter ones we have had recently. The reduction in borrowings was agreed by the bank, CP and the owners when I was appointed.

The £100 million investment will be for new shares, and will not go towards anything else other than paying down the debt, reducing it to £137 million. This new investment will also mean a dilution of the current ownership, fans should be delighted I have come in to reduce the debt.

3. What is your current view of the UEFA proposals about Club’s finances and debt playing a part in their ability to take part in UEFA sanctioned events?

CP – I am highly supportive of the plans, and want to make us self sufficient. Not worried by the plans or how it could affect us, as we will be living within our means.

Investment

4. On the 25th October 2009 you said that you expected there to be new investment in the Club between three to six months from that date. As we are now in the period you indicated can you confirm that you still expect this time frame to be achieved?

CP – There are no promises, just an expectation and hope that it can be done in that time. I cannot guarantee it. As of now, I had expected it to be completed by February, but now I expect it to be around Easter.

The team’s performance has an affect on commercial interest, it is talked about by potential investors as while we might make up the lost Champions’ League revenue through a good run in the Europa Cup, the loss of Champions’ League football next season would impact upon income and this has a relevance to investors. We reassure investors, of course and we already make excellent profits.

There had been around 25-30 investors interested, although some were clearly not seriously interested once we had spoken with them. There are now around five or six potential investors with whom we are talking.

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 6:43 pm

5. Can you also confirm that the intention (as reported) would be to secure investment from a third party for a 25% share of the Club – is this still the intention? If not, what is the current intention?

CP – It is not a given that £100 million will buy 25%. I need to find £100 million, and if this is for 1% or 100% I don’t care. I am concentrating on getting the investment needed. Some investors may have issues with working with the present owners, but some don’t just want a percentage, some want 100%. No investor is going to want to invest £100 million and have a smaller stake than the present owners.

KC – Do Hicks and Gillett value the club too high?

CP – No one would invest at the level they want.

JM – If the bank want £100 million paying down on the debt as part of the last re-financing, what will they ask for in the summer? Will it just be for 12 months again?

CP – I have got a conditional agreement for a 3/4 year loan deal. At the last re-financing agreement, Hicks and Gillett paid down the debt with their own money. A new investor will pay down the £100 million needed now. The banks want us reducing debt and being cautious. RBS are annoyed and unhappy with Hicks and Gillett and they want a change of ownership. The £100 million pay down is compulsory, it has to be done. I will not agree to a deal that is unworkable for us, but we need to have the owners own and the managers manage.

AW – Are there discussions with other banks, to try and get a better deal for any re-financing?

CP – There have been around 30 meetings with different banks, we want the best deal for the club. If other banks will give us a better deal, we will work with them. No other bank will take us on with £237 million debt, they want less debt. RBS are unhappy with the present ownership, so an improved situation at the cub will improve our relationship with them. They want to continue working with us.

6. Share Liverpool have regularly asked to be considered part of any new investment but despite requests for what figure they would need to raise to be considered they have been told they would not be considered in any “first wave” of investment – why is this? And what figure is being looked for from any investor in what you have described as this “first wave”?

PLEASE LET US HAVE A RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION

7. You said recently-”If the right investor made the right approach at the right time, as a custodian of the club I’d be the first to endorse that – and I’m sure the owners would be.” How do you / the owners define “The right investor”? – Someone who is primarily a suitable custodian of LFC and what it stands for (not like Hicks and Gillett), or someone who will simply give Hicks and Gillett a significant return on their “investment”?

PLEASE LET US HAVE A RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION

8. What was your involvement with the club and Steve Morgan prior to the purchase of the Club by Hicks and Gillett – did you have any role in the shareholders agreeing to the takeover deal?

PLEASE LET US HAVE A RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION

Transfer Window Funding

9. The fans remain unconvinced about the new method of valuing our transfer budget by including wages and new contract deals within it – reports suggest that despite the two current sales that have gone through the Manager will not receive even the sale proceeds to reinvest in this transfer window – is it fair for us to assume that sale proceeds from the Summer transfer window, this and the future window will to some significant extent be used to reduce the Club’s borrowings? If not can we expect sale proceeds plus what you described as “the usual £20m” to be spent in the Summer?

CP – The reduction of debt does not affect player sales as there is a separate player account and money does not come from this for anything else.

KC – Is the “Player Account” visible in the accounts?

CP – No, it will show total amounts, we have around 50-60 bank accounts so we list the total. The nature of funding the player account is it must balance, no more can go out than has come in. If we have £30 million in the account, then we can only spend £30 million. The player account is funded by player sales and any profit. Presently profit goes primarily towards paying the debt, so reducing debt means we have more money to spend.

The present owners have made it clear that they will not invest more money of their own; they have already invested around £130 million. We will not be like Manchester City or Chelsea as we are living within our means.

In the summer we had seven new contracts signed on new deals for existing players; this had to be funded from player sales, losing other wage costs and the profit available. Agents’ costs for new signings or contract renewals, around 1.5 %, come out of the player account as well.

Most deals are paid over three years. If we purchase for say £10 million, we pay just over £3million each year.

JM – Gillett has told fans including myself in the past that they have used their own money for player purchases, how does this fit with the player account about being self sufficient?

CP – I am not the owners, I am the management. They did invest their own money, £15-£20 million each season for the first few years. This wasn’t good for us and it needs to be managed. They have no money now to invest; they have spent £130 million, and cannot borrow further.

PG – Will the transfer net spend always be zero as, what goes in is all that can go out?

CP – The Player Account is made up of player sales and any profit put into it. Profit will not be as much this season due to disappointing season so far.

10. It was a coincidence no doubt but on the day his son resigned, Tom Hicks Senior emailed a fan saying that the Summer transfer window for Liverpool FC would be “big”. While appreciating that you can’t give specifics can we assume that “big” can be defined as significantly more than using the sale proceeds from the previous two transfer windows plus our “usual” £20m expenditure?

CP – I can’t speak for Tom Hicks, but he has no involvement in transfers, I do. We will only have what we make and generate. The budget will only change if we get a sugar daddy.

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 6:44 pm

Stadium

11. Liverpool City Council recently announced that the Club had said that building work on the stadium would start in April. Was it true you said this to LCC? What form will such “building work” take? Is it just enabling works and then a halt or would a start date mean an uninterrupted development – if so what would be the proposed opening date for the new stadium?

CP – It is not true that we said work would start in April. LFC and EFC supported the city in World Cup bid. When asked by Lord Mawhinney about the stadium being built, I said there was investment interest and talks with banks on financing a stadium. Investment has to happen for the stadium to start, and we expect that around Easter time.

If we get investment we can look at further investment to start the stadium work. How the City Council interpreted this as starting work in April I don’t know, you will have to ask them.

KC – How will the stadium be financed?

CP – A combination of a long term mortgage, equity, and using the reduction in interest repayments will be available for a stadium as the debt will be reduced.

Any investment of £100 million will have to then be followed by support in financing the stadium. There is a six to nine month process before stadium work can start, tendering and legal processes. If investment comes in April, we are working upon an opening date for the new stadium in Summer 2014. I doubt work will start this year but I would expect it to started next year.

Our approach is to cost and time a stadium build by balancing the extra costs on a quick build to Rolls Royce standards, which is the expensive option as opposed to a longer build to VW standards where the costs can be less. We will have to balance these up.

12. If the new stadium is not being started in April has the current owner and senior management regime ever considered a redevelopment of Anfield, something which the previous regime would not consider despite there being compelling arguments that it could supply the size of stadium needed, without the disruption that has been suggested as a major reason why a redevelopment cannot work?

CP – Refurbishment will not happen. We would be playing in front of two or two and a half stands for a few seasons, and fans would not want that. There would also be the loss of revenue.

KC – Have fans been asked? Would you canvass fans?

CP – Our view is that to punch our weight we need the finance coming in. If we look at Manchester United and Arsenal, they are making say £100 million whilst we make £50 million. It will give us £50 million extra.

13. Would you be prepared to meet with those who have done some serious work on a proposal and if not why not?

CP – On the basis that we have dismissed the concept we see no reason to.

14. What has been the total spent to date on the new stadium in terms of planning, architects etc?

PLEASE LET US HAVE A RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION

Community

15. What is the position relating to SOS meeting with various departments within the club to learn more about the club’s Community and operations? Meetings were arranged with the Community Department which were then cancelled. We were told all requests for meetings had to go through CP.

CP – I didn’t know that. Will get Andrea to contact PG, haven’t seen Andrea much or spoken to her in past few months.

There then followed a short any other business type of discussion. NA gave CP insight into why the Union came about and that fans were unhappy with the lies.

CP – I will not spin or lie. I am only here because I am a fan. I don’t have to do this, but I hated what I saw from the outside looking in. I share the same concerns as you.

DN – All through the meeting it is all about IF, what if? What do we do if what if doesn’t happen?

CP – There is no answer to “what if?” I am optimistic, but there is no Plan B. There may be one in the future, but not yet, I have confidence in this plan working.

DN – If investors don’t come into the club, do we become a mid-table team?

CP – LFC is for sale. It will be sold. The owners have to sell, they are out of money. The bank want it sold, the fans want it sold and people want to buy it. The problems on the pitch at the minute aren’t the fault of the owners. It is not simple enough to say that new owners will guarantee results on the pitch.

FS – At the moment we are only buying to replace players, not to improve.

CP – That isn’t true. We have signed England’s best right back and Alberto Aquilani.

FS – But we have bought them in replacement of players sold, like Arbeloa and Alonso.

CP – They are improvements, but we can’t foresee player’s form or injuries.

GS – Can we meet any new investors before they come in, to explain our view of the Club’s philosophy and introduce ourselves and the fans’ expectations?

CP – Ok. I wanted investment just like you do; I stood up at AGMs and said that. Those who sold the club are responsible too. The promises of Hicks and Gillett are unforgivable. Hicks and Gillett cannot hang onto the club.

KC – New investors will be watched carefully and not trusted easily.

CP – New investors will be scrutinised and they know this.

NA – Do you have a vote on the board?

CP – Yes, a controlling vote. Hicks and Gillett have let me in. I will do the right thing.

NA – Will you stay on if we get new owners?

CP – I will be there if needed or asked. If not I will go. My interest is Debt, Stadium and Governance/Ownership. I will have failed if I do not secure investment.

KC – Will you come to an AGM? Fans would appreciate it and be able to form their own opinions of you.

Reference: http://www.spiritofshankly.com(2010)

CP – I will think about it. I don’t want the profile, was happy enough with being unknown seven months ago. I am happy to speak with you and you distribute what I say.

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 6:49 pm

Yeah, I’ve read those as well Mickey. An important thing to note though, is that these are the unapproved versions. These are the minutes from SOS’s point of view. Purslow never said he wanted them out in his approved version (although that may well be him covering his own ass). I do believe that Purslow was brought in by RBS (though I don’t know if a bank can have that much say in the running of one of it’s client’s business) but I definitely got the impression that Purslow wanted in because he was worried about his club.

nicklovesliverpool - March 3rd, 2010 at 7:09 pm

these article are fucking stupid really now people dont believe this shite or anything else posted on here

dr.Barnard - March 3rd, 2010 at 7:25 pm

Aquaman:

A)He might have been suggested to H&G by RBS people, but could not have been forced upon them by the bank. Purslow is there at the americans indulgence, and could be let go on a moments notice.
B) If the club is taken over by RBS, he may be hired as the administrator. The prospect of going into administration is remote still, the americans have at least 100M to pay down the loan and get an extension, they also have an option to sell our best players.
C) The transfer account, like any other accounts at the club, could be accessed by the americans at any time, as long as they are still the rightful owners.
Now why the change of ownership is crucial? The H&G don’t have 400M of their own money lying around. They are not going to be able to borrow the money at regular rates, because of their track record, club’s current cash flow and other factors.
D) Only a new owner/owners woudl be able to walk us through the next 2-3 crucial years from now to a new stadium, better cash flow, spend money on the new players and keep us competitive (long term) with the other great clubs. In any likely script for LFC there is no place for owners, like H&G, no credibility, no serious money, no long term commitment.

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 7:35 pm

Agreed Aquaman, but when Christian Purslow made his “Minutes” available, Spirit of Shankly replied swiftly with saying that Christian Purslow had edited unaccordingly to what was really said and Christian Purslow declined to comment on that matter… So smoke, fire… Get the picture

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 7:41 pm

Despite all of this H&G may be a blessing in disguise (and yes that does sound like I’m jumping from one side to the other doesn’t it). There is nothing about them that I would ever choose for our owners, but what they are doing is forcing us to be self sufficient by their negligence. If we can get the stadium and get over the debt (much like we’re successfully doing now) then we’ll be on the road to Barca-dom.

Consider how much money we are wasting on interest. I heard it was around 30mil a year. Add to that the millions we’d get from increased ticket sales. Add to that the increase in merchandising that Purslow is already getting off the ground. Add to that our current net spend of around 10 mil per season and you’ve got something incredible. Purslow said that all profit would go to transfers if we didn’t have a loan to pay off.

Imagine all of that dosh in players instead. And Rafa wouldn’t waste it on Berbatovs. Oh no. If he can find Reina’s for 6 mil imagine what he can organise with 40.

Of course none of this is thanks to the yanks, but it is because of them. Our long term future looks good, provided we survive the short term.

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 7:44 pm

Fair point, Mickey. Wish that the fans could buy out the club and have him as director. Just imagine….

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm

I have said this many times, if a rich Liverpool fan comes in, he could be a legend and a very wealthy man if he does it correctly… I discuss this with my Manc fans too because it would apply to them too.

- Buy Liverpool Football Club for 500 Million
- Build a stadium for 350 Million
- Put 200-500 Million into a savings account in name of Liverpool football club, and save it for 20 years with a fixed interest payment.

A long term investment over a course of 20 years would give you around 6-8% annually in interest
This would give the manager a fixed funding of around 12-30 million per year, depending on how much you invest and how much % the bank is willing to give you… + player sales + yearly profits acquired by the club = a hefty budget from the clubs own means… And every manager who manages Liverpool has no excuse whatsoever as the budget is fixed.

Total spent = 850 Million…. Potential value of Liverpool Football club… Well over a Billion

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:19 pm

Its a good idea, Mickey. Got a few petty gripes with your numbers but the idea is good and sound. Wish I was that man…

Anyway onto my childishness. Yes, you could buy the club for 500 mil. In fact you could probably get away with 400 mil. The problem is that all that money goes to the yanks, and the debt remains. The debt is supposed to come off of the clubs value. So 400 for the yanks greed + 200 for the debt leaves the cost at 600 mil.

Stadium for 350 mil, perfect. Priority number 1.

The investment you mention would have to go as an interest free loan. That’s what Chelsea and Abramovic have in place. I think its for tax reasons, as large donations would reduce your tax payment and yeeeahahrgh, I refuse to think about that anymore.

Anyway, if you put in the interest free loan then the interest on that money would indeed go to the club. This would also mean that the owner would not receive the interest as he normally would. So technically it costs him cash, but that cash would increase the value of his asset (ie the club) so I suppose that’s fair enough.

So, total cost: 400 + 200 + 350 = 950 mil.
Add to that the interest free loan: 200-500 mil.
Required owner assets: around 1.3 bil.

That’s a lot of money. Especially since 200 is basically going into a hole in the ground which won’t count towards club value. This is the problem. The yanks are demanding ridiculous amounts of money. We should be offering the whole club for 200 mil since it should be value – debt = selling price.

I say that and then I looked at the Forbes valuation of LFC and see that we’re worth $1010 mil which is equivalent to GBP 670 mil. Hmm. Maybe 500 mil not such a bad evaluation after all.

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:22 pm

Incidentally Man Utd are worth GBP 1.24 bil and our debt percentage is 5th in the top 20 (ie the percentage of our value in debt). These are all based on the 2009 figures.

Guess who has a higher debt percentage than us (according to these figures). There’s my challenge to you.

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:24 pm

I never realised that they are willing to sell the club with the debt still remaining! This is ridiculous! They bought our club for 270 million and if i am not wrong we had like 70 million in debt at that moment in time… I was assuming that 500 million would acquire the club debt free, as i feel they have an obligation to sell the club debt free or ATLEAST lessen the debt to it’s original state when they bought it

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:26 pm

Arsenal have a debt percentage of 107% last time i checked but that was like a couple of months ago… And before Abramovic wiped the debts of Chelsea clean i think they had something like 85% DEBT/Value Ratio

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:28 pm

We have 58% right and Man Utd 55 or 52%… I remember reading it on Forbes

dr.Barnard - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:28 pm

Aquaman:
We have a chance of a snowball in hell, to get a new stadium under H&G. Why:
1. They have no money;
2. No bank has provided the financing to these two for that;
3. Who, do you think would take a minority partnership position with H&G, supplying the seed money for “the New Anfield”.

There are people on the sidelines, ready to buy 100% of LFC, they are now waiting for
A. RBS taking over, and selling for the highest offer
B. H&B, realizing that the market price is well below their valuations. (The SOS actions can help them by showing them they are running out of time…)

The interest rate are going up globally, if they could not get a loan at previously low rates, how will they convince banks to trust them at higher rates now or at a near future.
An expense of a stadium under construction, is going to effect the money available for new players. Once the stadium is built, it will add appr. 50M to our annual revenue, but the cost of financing is going to eat 25-40M of it. So this is not going to immediately and dramatically improve our finances. Arsenal is a case in point.
So, yes we need “an ambitious sugar Daddy”, like Abramovitch, Sheik ……… (feel free to write a name in there) willing and able to write off the loans, invest in the new stadium, players etc. In other words in order to take a quantum leap we need a truly rich guy, a global player, not accidental owner trying to get lucky, looking for flip or whatever…
Lastly, it will be to the long term benefit of LFC, if the new owner spends less rather than more, buying our club.
Well, if nothing else works, we can always build a stadium with Everton or hope for a partnership like Red Knights to take over from H&G!

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:35 pm

India’s richest man is seriously interested in buying Liverpool Football club Bernard… A couple of my Uni mates who have moved to India have told me that the press is full of reports saying that he is willing to buy Liverpool because he is a huge supporter… And in the English media he has declined the rumours of being an investor but he said he wished to “Not Comment” on a full takeover

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:43 pm

Correct Dr Barnard. I realise now that I wasn’t clear on what I meant. I meant that H&G may have inadvertently started us on the road to self sufficiency. They will remain a blockage in our progress as long as they are here though.

However, even if they stay, it is possible for us to go all the way down this path. The debt is going down, and once its gone we will be running in the positive again, which will allow us to take another loan to buy the stadium. Now before you blast my head off, give me a moment to explain myself.

We’re surviving with this level of debt at the moment. Barely, I’ll grant you, but we are surviving. Now we’ve got better sponsorship deals and academies and all that good stuff Purslow has been doing. This will make it even easier for us to survive with the debt where it is now. So if we can cancel it all off and take out another 350 mil loan, then surely we can survive that just the same? Then when our stadium opens we’ll have the increased revenue to help us kill the debt completely.

Here’s the thing. I really want us to be self sufficient. I hate the sugar-daddy route as its always seemed like cheating to me. Like a rich guy winning the jackpot in a casino because he could afford to spin the wheel a billion times. It just rings hollow inside of me.

I want the fans to buy the club. Share Liverpool are trying and I’d LOVE for them to get it. It’s possible for us to do this without a mega rich owner and I would rather go the slower route that makes us better in the long run. I’d rather be Barcelona than Man City, if you know what I mean.

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 pm

Hmm. I’m reading that the estimated cost for the new stadium was 400mil in 2007. I’m guessing its going to be higher than that now. Maybe we will need some help then. Damn.

Aquaman - March 3rd, 2010 at 8:58 pm

Mickey: I may be wrong, but that was the impression that I always got. I assumed that you bought the club as is. After all, once you receive the money you no longer have any obligation to the club. And if you don;t have the money how can you pay off the debt? That’s logic to me, but I’m not sure that logic is such a good tool in economics.

...samlfc.... - March 3rd, 2010 at 9:05 pm

so many numbers haha so hard to keep up!

Mickeyfinn: i do hope what you said is true howver i wont get my hopes up becauss so many times i’ve heard people get mentioned into buying us but it never materialized.
Do keep us informed though it might happen you never know.

dr.Barnard - March 3rd, 2010 at 9:40 pm

Aquaman:
You were crystal clear, in making your points, as always.
I applaud the progress Purslow and Ayre have made in modernizing the structure of the club and its marketing program. These changes are now bringing increased revenues and savings. I acknowledge the improvements in the quality of youngsters on the clubs doorstep, eagerly awaiting their chances.
But even so, the debt has been mostly reduced by the owners adding equity into the club (according to Purslow), not by using an excess cash flow from the club operations. The quality of our team has gone down.
In order to stay in touch with the clubs that we have traditionaly competed for the supremacy in England and Europe, we have to to get new ownership with enough capital to build the stadium and improve the quality of our players. Otherwise we will fall even further behind Man U., Chelsea, Man City.
How do you suggest we cancel existing debt and take another 350M loan to build a new stadium in our current financial state? The improved efficiencies will not be sufficient, do the math. It would take a decade to do so.
I share your preference for a self-sufficient, community based club, but so far the proposed different schemes amount to nothing concrete. I am afraid, if we want to be a top club, our ambitions need to be supported by deep pockets. Sooner the better. Otherwise, the only trophy we will be competing for will be the title of the best club in Liverpool.

Mickeyfinn1983 - March 3rd, 2010 at 10:33 pm

I personally think that if a club has debt accumulated from trying to make the club bigger, it’s kind of acceptable, hate to say it but like Arsenal…. What i find is totally unacceptable is the fact that clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool are in debt to pay off the acquisition of the club by our owners.

When owners acquire a club and use bank loans to pay the acquisition on behalf of the company they are acquiring… Why can’t i make that same acquisition? They haven’t put a penny in to the club and neither will i be able… What is exactly the difference?

Donavan Ried - March 4th, 2010 at 12:26 am

“According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is keen on a move to Catalan giants Barcelona, if he is forced to leave Anfield”

I believe Torres did say that, but the important bit is “if he is forced to leave Anfield”

Mickeyfinn1983 – March 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm

- Buy Liverpool Football Club for 500 Million
- Build a stadium for 350 Million
- Put 200-500 Million into a savings account in name of Liverpool football club, and save it for 20 years with a fixed interest payment.

Mickeyfinn1983 We all live in hope mate, we all live in hope……
Only way Liverpool goes for £500m is if through hardship the owners are forced to sell….. All the marches and protests in the world will never make them

Got to love you’re optimism “Build a stadium for 350 Million” we might have been able to build it for that at the time they built the Millennium stadium in Wales for £187m (can never understand why some 3 years later Wembley cost nearly £1bn and the Millennium stadium is still better than it) think you are looking at a minimum of £750m now

Retryboy - March 4th, 2010 at 9:54 am

Watched 3/5 parts of liverpool texas so far will get the chance to watch the rest later nothing i didn’t know already to be honest. Few things people are missing. The owners hired Purslow so they have to be given credit for that, the naming rights for the stadium will cover half of the £400m needed obviously if we can secure champions league football for next season we are in a lot better bargaining position to get a better deal with them and H&g are in a better position to give less equity away, potential investors will also be waiting because the weaker the club looks on the pitch the better deal they can get. Wenger bought and sold when the club was funding their stadium rafa has the squad(with players that are surplus to requirements and better young players ready to take their places) to do that also and if the manager gets £20m or so on top then its a massive bonus. All i am saying is that the things they are doing are benefiting liverpool and as long as they sell their shares whether its 25%, 33% or one partner sells his whole 50% to get the £100m needed and re-finance their loans then i will be happy we are in a strong position again. They are business men and obviously don’t like seeing money going on interest payments any more than we do.

Retryboy - March 4th, 2010 at 9:56 am

Another quick point is not only did Purslow not endorse sos minutes of the meeting he also published his own.

spota - March 4th, 2010 at 7:39 pm

aquaman and others . IF ONLY . wouldent it be beutiful to put the club shares up 4 sale where your average fan could buy shares . amazing . i personally would cash in my 2 peps and my long standing isa . just to but some . and how many more would do the same . providing we did ov course have top notch directors . to run the day to day events a prem club would bring . the fans having the say would be the biggest step this club could make . plus the yanks could save face and probrably make a few quid instead ov losing money brilliant . but there would have to be rules attached IE long term investment over a 10 to 15 year plan . just to stop the likes ov mancs and get rich quick skeemers buying in to this amazing idea . you would then have people whome love the club having the final say . a presedent in football . as i say IF ONLY . also RETRY i very rarely disagree with much ov what you post but m8 the yanks are bumming us like a fresh fish in shawshank . the spirit ob shankley boys are our voice against them and get my vote ov aprovall every time . there fans like us with love for there team not yanks here to take the piss and give thereselves a better credit bassis worldwide for instance kop holdings . what a load ov tripe . stuff built to hide there real agenda . personally thoug retry i think you are amongst the top 5 posters on this site but the yanks have to go same as at man utd . look at the way there fighting to keep there club now red nights ; fc united ov manchester ; the old and green brigade . etc we also should back the spirit ov shankley boys. and we all should maybe do a little bit more and keep liverpool scouse . posted with genuine love for my club spota lfc!

spota - March 4th, 2010 at 7:44 pm

sorry for these spelling mistakes old = gold ob = ov and finnally but = buy
sorry