CAN anyone really own an icon? Is it possible to claim rightful ownership of a symbol that epitomises an entire city?

Liverpool FC thinks so; it wants to trademark the Liverbird. Liverpool City Council, on the other hand, strongly disagrees with this idea and is taking legal advice.

So the two are now at loggerheads over this instantly-recognisable symbol, while the clock quietly ticks away in the background, for the council must register its opposition to the proposal by next Saturday.

Deputy council leader Cllr Flo Clucas, who termed the gambit as “outrageous” says the council is looking into ways of ensuring the “Liverbird remains the proud emblem of the whole city and not the private property of one commercial company”.

But if the club does manage to trademark this instantly-recognisable image, it is not only the city council that will be worried by the implications.

There are scores of businesses that incorporate the distinctive bird in their logos, without even considering the owner of the Liver Building itself, Royal Liver Insurance.

It is an interesting issue; it is only natural that Liverpool FC should want to protect the integrity of its club crest and prevent others from exploiting it.

Nevertheless, the club will not find favour in the eyes of many Liverpudlians for wanting to trademark this iconic bird – many of whom will no doubt be hoping that the proposal is giving a red card following city council lodging an objection.

It does beg the question: Is Liverpool FC about be greeted with a cry of ‘Foul!’ over its bid to appropriate a very special fowl indeed?