George Gillett: I won't let Tom Hicks sack Rick Parry at Liverpool

Apr 11 2008

GEORGE Gillett today publicly backed Rick Parry after co-owner Tom Hicks called on Liverpool's chief executive to resign.

Hicks sent Parry a letter demanding he ends his nine-year tenure at Anfield, but Gillett said he did not support the ultimatum.

Gillett also revealed that he had no idea that his co-owner was planning an audacious attempt to force Parry out.

"Rick Parry retains our full support," he said.

"Any decision to remove him would need the approval of the full Liverpool board which, it should be remembered, consists of six people – myself, Foster, David Moores, Rick himself, Tom Hicks and Tom junior.

"We have not seen the document in question and we were not party to it.

"We are not able to comment on the detail because we have not seen it. But I would reiterate that Rick retains our full support."

The civil war which continues to rage inside the Liverpool boardroom reached new levels of ferocity yesterday when Hicks' letter calling on Parry to quit arrived at Anfield.

In the document, Hicks outlined his reasons for wanting the club's chief executive of nine years standing to go.

Among them are claims that team manager Rafa Benitez has told him that Parry has allowed big name signings to slip through the net because of a lack of communication.

Hicks also accused Parry of failing to maximise Liverpool's commercial potential in the same way that the likes of Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal have.

Parry only learned of the letter's existence after leaving a hearing at FA headquarters in London yesterday afternoon, by which time its contents had been leaked to Sky Sports News.

Today, he was seeing the letter for the first time when he arrived at his office at Anfield.

In a statement, Parry insisted he has no plans to quit the club.

He said: "It is my intention to remain focused on the job of serving Liverpool Football Club to the best of my abilities at this very important time of our season."

Parry will be taking legal advice on the matter and today told of his disappointment that speculation about his own future has taken the gloss away from Liverpool successfully making it through to the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night.

He said: "The manager, the players and the supporters will no doubt find it offensive that I am the story when we should be celebrating another great European night at Anfield."

Hicks cannot sack Parry without having the support of the majority of Liverpool's board and while the chief executive continues to retain the support of all board members - apart from the Dallas-based millionaire and his son - he is highly unlikely to be forced out.

Meanwhile, DIC remain interested in buying Liverpool but have put their bid to acquire the club on ice until the ongoing hostilities in the Anfield boardroom are brought to a halt.