HUNDREDS of Liverpool FC fans demonstrated outside Anfield yesterday to express their outrage at the spiralling cost of matches.

Around 200-300 people took part in the peaceful protest at 1pm, organised by the Spirit of Shankly union, to highlight fans’ dismay at the way the American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, are running the club.

The Kop gates were padlocked as part of the demonstration, and eviction notices reading “Hicks and Gillett out now” erected in protest at the introduction of a new fan card, costing £29 per season.

Match goers will not be allowed to buy tickets for a game without the new card, and protesters say the extra charges will run into hundreds of pounds for families.

However, on its website, Liverpool FC says the new membership scheme will offer “a whole host of new benefits including exclusive access to match tickets.”

But protest organiser Jay McKenna said: “The new fan card is just one example of how the American owners are running the club in a way the fans are against.

“Steps such as the card are pricing fans out of the market.

“The support we have had here at the demo has been huge.

“200-300 people have turned up and passers-by have shown their support by beeping their horns or even joining in.

“This is a peaceful protest.

“They have got to sit up and take notice. The fans make this club, we are like the 12th man and they cannot just ignore our opinions.

“With the credit crunch, people have less money to spend, but tickets are going up by 7% a year, it’s not right the way they are trying to squeeze us for every last penny, yet then not investing it the way the fans want.”

The club was unavailable for comment last night.

The Spirit of Shankly union was set up in protest at the club’s takeover by Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett and claims the takeover will ultimately put LFC in great financial jeopardy.