It came after High Court judge Mr Justice Floyd delivered a vital victory to Liverpool FC yesterday – apparently paving the way for the sale of the club and the exit of its discredited American co-owners.

In a one-hour hearing, Mr Justice Floyd overwhelmingly vindicated the Royal Bank of Scotland's decision to push for an injunction to stop Tom Hicks and George Gillett changing the make-up of the Anfield board.

The bank – owed £237m by the Americans – were given the green light to reconstitute the board with chairman Martin Broughton, reinstating managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre, alongside Hicks and Gillett.

The decision effectively signified the three English directors at Anfield acted correctly when they approved a £300m sale of the club to Boston-based New England Sports Ventures on October 5.

Hicks’ move to appoint his son Mack and Hicks Holding executive Lori Kay McCutcheon to the board was ruled a clear breach of contract.

After 30 minutes outlining the arguments, Mr Floyd delivered the key line to a tense and packed Court 18.

“I’ve come to the view there is no serious defence to the Royal Bank of Scotland's view this was a breach of contract,” he said.

In an overwhelmingly damning verdict against Hicks and Gillett, the judge dismissed the co-owners’ complaint they were excluded from the sale process after the boardroom meeting nine days ago.

Yet these same arguments have now been presented to the District Court in Texas.