nice synopsis this, not sure if someone posted it already.
Liverpool FC Chairman: £300m Sale Is Right Share Share Comments (69)
3:11pm UK, Wednesday October 06, 2010
Andy Winter, Sky News Online
Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton has told Sky News the club will be sold for £300m - and urged fans to "keep the faith".To view this content you need Flash and Javascript enabled in your browser.
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Although the takeover by Boston Red Sox owner John W Henry faces a legal challenge from current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, Mr Broughton said it should inject a "positive impetus".
Breaking the news before it was announced by Liverpool, Sky News City editor Mark Kleinman said: "Last night, a deal was agreed to sell to New England Sports Ventures, the owner of the Boston Red Sox."
Now, Mr Broughton has told Kleinman: "There's been a huge amount of negativity around Liverpool. The uncertainty, the fans demonstrating - there's a negative atmosphere.
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"There will be money available for investment in the squad, but we've now got a positive impetus for the fans, the manager and the players to get behind.
"There is a bright new future so let's all commit together. These are the right people."
However, Kleinman added that completing a deal with the new American owner is still likely to be "pretty tricky".
He said: "The deal effectively eradicates Liverpool's long-term debt - but there will not be much money left on the table.
"The current owners (Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett) do not want this deal to happen because they will not receive any or, if any, only a small amount of the proceeds."
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A twist in the bitter boardroom battle last night saw Liverpool issue a statement confirming Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett had tried to oust managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre and replace them with Mack Hicks and Lori Kay McCutcheon.
Mr Broughton added: "I am only disappointed the owners have tried everything to prevent the deal from happening and we need to go through legal proceedings to complete the sale."
On the boardroom soap opera, Kleinman said: "Martin Broughton was recruited six months ago with a mandate to sell the club.
"As part of that agreement it was widely understood that he would have the casting vote on any sale.
"As the process has gone on it's become clear the owners have fallen out with the independent members of the board.
"The owners' priority was to maximise returns for themselves; the priority of the independent members of the board was to secure the best deal for the long-term future of Liverpool."
As well as the legal dispute, the sale is conditional on Premier League approval - but that is unlikely to prove a stumbling block.
Indeed, in a statement the league's board said: "Liverpool FC has formally notified the Premier League of an intended change of control and the board has undertaken to complete all necessary processes by Friday so the sale of the club can proceed."
Jay McKenna, from Liverpool fans' union Spirit of Shankly, has issued a cautious welcome to the news.
He told Sky News: "What's important is to get the right next owners.
"It's been horrendous for Liverpool fans. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a bright future.
Last edited by flames; 06/10/10 07:55 PM.
