Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre is to step down at the end of next season, having decided before the ticket price controversy which brought him sharp criticism last month that it was time to walk away.
The club’s American owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) insisted that they had tried several times to persuade Ayre, who has piloted the club since the disastrous ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett almost brought bankruptcy, to remain. He will be only 53 when he steps down at the end of May 2017.
But he was adamant that his decision, which he went to them with two months, would be final and that he has taken the role as far as he can. He will step down when his current contract expires, giving the Americans a healthy lead-in time to find a successor.
It was Ayre’s strong contribution to the commercial development of Liverpool - securing a far more lucrative shirt sponsorship, with Standard Chartered, than the club had previously had with Carlsberg – which saw him installed as chief executive by the Americans in 2011. He was not their immediate choice. FSG had launched a lengthy pursuit of a CEO before deciding to promote him from the position of managing director.
Ayre, who was also one of the small group of executives who paved the way to their purchase of the club from Tom Hicks and George Gillett in 2010, has subsequently worked with FSG on securing further sponsorship deals and supervised Anfield’s stadium expansion plans.
Ayre was criticised when FSG’s new ticketing regime, which included a £70 ticket, prompted a mass walkout during the league game against Sunderland last month. But despite this announcement coming so soon after a U-turn on prices, the owners insisted it was Ayre’s own decision to leave.
Club president Mike Gordon, who runs Liverpool for FSG, said in a joint statement with principal owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner that Ayre had transformed the club. “Under his leadership we have seen Liverpool transform from a club that was on the brink of bankruptcy to one which today enjoys strong financial and operational health.
We asked him on several occasions to take sme time to reconsider his decision, but have been unable to convince him to remain as CEO beyond May of 2017.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...o-quit-at-the-end-of-the-season-a6930866.html
The club’s American owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) insisted that they had tried several times to persuade Ayre, who has piloted the club since the disastrous ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett almost brought bankruptcy, to remain. He will be only 53 when he steps down at the end of May 2017.
But he was adamant that his decision, which he went to them with two months, would be final and that he has taken the role as far as he can. He will step down when his current contract expires, giving the Americans a healthy lead-in time to find a successor.
It was Ayre’s strong contribution to the commercial development of Liverpool - securing a far more lucrative shirt sponsorship, with Standard Chartered, than the club had previously had with Carlsberg – which saw him installed as chief executive by the Americans in 2011. He was not their immediate choice. FSG had launched a lengthy pursuit of a CEO before deciding to promote him from the position of managing director.
Ayre, who was also one of the small group of executives who paved the way to their purchase of the club from Tom Hicks and George Gillett in 2010, has subsequently worked with FSG on securing further sponsorship deals and supervised Anfield’s stadium expansion plans.
Ayre was criticised when FSG’s new ticketing regime, which included a £70 ticket, prompted a mass walkout during the league game against Sunderland last month. But despite this announcement coming so soon after a U-turn on prices, the owners insisted it was Ayre’s own decision to leave.
Club president Mike Gordon, who runs Liverpool for FSG, said in a joint statement with principal owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner that Ayre had transformed the club. “Under his leadership we have seen Liverpool transform from a club that was on the brink of bankruptcy to one which today enjoys strong financial and operational health.
We asked him on several occasions to take sme time to reconsider his decision, but have been unable to convince him to remain as CEO beyond May of 2017.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...o-quit-at-the-end-of-the-season-a6930866.html
