George Gillett insists: I'm not selling my Liverpool FC share to Tom Hicks

Apr 17 2008

LIVERPOOL co-owner George Gillett tonight called on Tom Hicks to stop causing turmoil at the club and insisted he will never sell his shares to him.

Gillett was responding to Hicks's claim that he is preparing a "very attractive offer" to buy out his fellow American.

In a television interview today Hicks once again demanded chief executive Rick Parry resign and labelled his reign of Liverpool FC “disastrous”.

But tonight Gillett repeated his complete support for Parry and issued a damning attack on Hicks’ behaviour.

He said: "I am saddened at this latest outburst from Tom Hicks. If Tom wanted a serious discussion on the issues to help the Club move forward, he should bring his views to the Board and not to Sky Sports.

"Here we are, a few days away from a vital Champions League Semi-Final match and Tom has once again created turmoil with his public comments.

"Tom should stop. He knows that Rick Parry has my support and that airing his comments in this way will not change my position. His failure to discuss this with the Board or the Management Committee is significant.

"I was also taken aback by his version of the events as reported. Tom needs to understand that I will not sell my shares to him and that we need to find a way forward that is properly funded and truly in the best interests of Liverpool Football Club.

"The real business of winning matches and running and developing the Club is what we should all be focused on at this moment."

Hicks had claimed he will soon be able to buy out partner George Gillett and have the money to fund the new stadium and finance manager Rafael Benitez’s summer spending.

However, Merrill Lynch – the bank currently retained by Hicks to try to find financing for the American – yesterday announced it was laying off 10% of its staff because of the credit crunch.

Last night Liverpool FC fans’ groups criticised co-owner Tom Hicks’ latest attack on Parry as destabilising ahead of next week’s Champions League semi-final with Chelsea.

They are also angry at the manner of his television interview, which has sparked claims he is out of touch with fans.

The interview, conducted at Hicks’ home in Dallas, showed the 62-year-old in front of a roaring log fire.

He was watching Sunday’s match against Blackburn while dressed in a Liverpool jersey and drinking from a Liverpool mug.

At the end of the game, Hicks celebrates Liverpool’s 3-1 victory by telling the cameras: “Well, Everton won’t like that.”

Hicks critics were far from convinced by the apparent show of club solidarity.

Neil Atkinson, chairman of the Spirit of Shankly group set up to fight the Americans’ ownership, said: “We have a European Cup semi-final coming up and this is a terrible time to do what he has done. He had a go in the week between the Arsenal semi-final and the Hillsborough memorial service. There were huge numbers of supporters grieving for loved ones. It was a time to be respectful t.

“But Mr Hicks seems to have no respect for anyone.”

He didn’t say anything on the day of the service, but straight afterwards he is up and running again.

“Tom Hicks has got no respect for football or this club. The man cannot be trusted at all. He said there would be no debt on the club, but that is not what has happened.”

Les Lawson, spokesman for the Liverpool supporters’ club, said: “We’ve seen what Hicks has said and we still want him out. For all this to come out again as we are about to play Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final has angered the fans more.”

Hicks said: “Look at what’s happened under Rick’s leadership. It has been a disaster,” he said.

“We have fallen so far behind the other leading clubs.

“We should have the stadium built three or four years ago. We have two or three major sponsors when we should have 12 or 15 and we are not doing anything in Asia.

“We have still got the top brand in the world of football but that’s no good if you don’t know how to commercialise it.

“Rick needs to resign from Liverpool FC. He has put his heart into it but it is time for a change.”

Hicks admitted his relationship with Gillett is now “unworkable”.

“We started this as friends but 50-50 is a difficult business proposition because you cannot do anything without your partner’s approval.

“If George doesn’t sell - because I am not going to sell - I guess we stay in this position that we are in.

“I am planning to make him a very attractive offer. If I had a majority on it (ownership of Liverpool) I could put more capital in.

“My goal is to take all the debt off the club except the working capital needed and get the permanent financing totally in place for the stadium.”

In a statement released last night George Gillett said: “Tom needs to understand that I will not sell my shares to him and that we need to find a way forward that is properly funded and truly in the best interests of Liverpool Football Club.

“The real business of winning matches and running and developing the club is what we should all be focused on at this moment.”