http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article7145764.ece
Moves to turn Liverpool into the first Barclays Premier League club owned by their own supporters have taken a step forward after the board of ShareLiverpoolFC confirmed it has the funds in place to underwrite a full share issue.
With dissension over the ownership regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr reaching new heights in recent weeks after Liverpool’s debt levels rose to an unprecedented £351million, ShareLiverpool is hoping to turn the tangible discord into a credible collective effort by supporters to buy a stake in the club.
The bid, which has the backing of a number of former Liverpool players including John Aldridge and John Barnes, had been in danger of failing in its infancy because of an inability to put together the six-figure sum necessary to underwrite it. However, funding has been provided to ensure that it can move to the next stage, which will involve fans being asked to commit to investing a minimum of £500 a share in the not for profit scheme.
ShareLiverpool officials believe that there are more than 4 million Liverpool fans in the UK and Ireland and are looking to tap into the huge interest that exists in the Merseyside club at home and abroad.
“I’m delighted ShareLiverpoolFC is now able to push on and issue the share offer,†Aldridge, who is on the board of the fans group, said. “We’ll need a tremendous response from the fans but I think millions of them are desperately worried about the current situation both on and off the field. At last, they’ve got a chance to actually to do something about it. Our fans have brought us ‘back from the dead’ in matches many times before: think only of the ‘miracle’ of Istanbul.
“They can do it again – this time at the heart of the club itself.â€
The aim of the scheme is to emulate the model of European clubs such as Bayern Munich, where supporters own 80 per cent of the club. “ShareLiverpoolFC board will now look to specify a date for a share issue later this summer,†Dr Rogan Taylor, a founder member, said.
“This is a serious and rigorously professional undertaking and we believe our core aspiration is both desirable and deliverable. This is our time. It presents the best – and perhaps the only chance – of fans gaining control or at the very least a significantequity stake in the club they love and support.â€
Moves to turn Liverpool into the first Barclays Premier League club owned by their own supporters have taken a step forward after the board of ShareLiverpoolFC confirmed it has the funds in place to underwrite a full share issue.
With dissension over the ownership regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr reaching new heights in recent weeks after Liverpool’s debt levels rose to an unprecedented £351million, ShareLiverpool is hoping to turn the tangible discord into a credible collective effort by supporters to buy a stake in the club.
The bid, which has the backing of a number of former Liverpool players including John Aldridge and John Barnes, had been in danger of failing in its infancy because of an inability to put together the six-figure sum necessary to underwrite it. However, funding has been provided to ensure that it can move to the next stage, which will involve fans being asked to commit to investing a minimum of £500 a share in the not for profit scheme.
ShareLiverpool officials believe that there are more than 4 million Liverpool fans in the UK and Ireland and are looking to tap into the huge interest that exists in the Merseyside club at home and abroad.
“I’m delighted ShareLiverpoolFC is now able to push on and issue the share offer,†Aldridge, who is on the board of the fans group, said. “We’ll need a tremendous response from the fans but I think millions of them are desperately worried about the current situation both on and off the field. At last, they’ve got a chance to actually to do something about it. Our fans have brought us ‘back from the dead’ in matches many times before: think only of the ‘miracle’ of Istanbul.
“They can do it again – this time at the heart of the club itself.â€
The aim of the scheme is to emulate the model of European clubs such as Bayern Munich, where supporters own 80 per cent of the club. “ShareLiverpoolFC board will now look to specify a date for a share issue later this summer,†Dr Rogan Taylor, a founder member, said.
“This is a serious and rigorously professional undertaking and we believe our core aspiration is both desirable and deliverable. This is our time. It presents the best – and perhaps the only chance – of fans gaining control or at the very least a significantequity stake in the club they love and support.â€
