Dubai International Capital (DIC) would want to appoint a Liverpool supporter to the club's board of directors if it won control at Anfield, The Times has learnt.
DIC, the private equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, has been in talks with Spirit of Shankly (SOS), the Liverpool supporters' union, for more than a month about the feasibility of such an arrangement.
Despite Tom Hicks's insistence that he will not sell his 50 per cent stake in Liverpool, DIC remains confident that it will be able to buy out the American co-owner and his estranged business partner, George Gillett Jr, who also holds a half-stake in the club.
Although talk of supporter representation on the board could be construed as an attempt to curry favour with fans opposed to the American co-owners, sources within DIC insist that it is not a PR stunt and that it is “committed” to the idea.
Neil Atkinson, the chairman of SOS, which held a benefit dinner at the Liverpool Olympia on Sunday evening, attended by more than 1,000 people, was adamant that attempts to put a supporter on the board would require “a great deal of care and consideration”, but that, in essence, such a move would be a positive one.
“We are not a pro-Dubai lobby; however, we take their commitment to supporter representation on the board at face value,” Atkinson said. “They have seemed thoroughly decent so far and we expect them to follow through. It is an opportunity we take very seriously.
“The process of working out how to elect a representative is something that will take a great deal of care and consideration and SOS would want to consult as many supporters and agencies as possible to ensure everything is done correctly and above board.”
DIC, the private equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, has been in talks with Spirit of Shankly (SOS), the Liverpool supporters' union, for more than a month about the feasibility of such an arrangement.
Despite Tom Hicks's insistence that he will not sell his 50 per cent stake in Liverpool, DIC remains confident that it will be able to buy out the American co-owner and his estranged business partner, George Gillett Jr, who also holds a half-stake in the club.
Although talk of supporter representation on the board could be construed as an attempt to curry favour with fans opposed to the American co-owners, sources within DIC insist that it is not a PR stunt and that it is “committed” to the idea.
Neil Atkinson, the chairman of SOS, which held a benefit dinner at the Liverpool Olympia on Sunday evening, attended by more than 1,000 people, was adamant that attempts to put a supporter on the board would require “a great deal of care and consideration”, but that, in essence, such a move would be a positive one.
“We are not a pro-Dubai lobby; however, we take their commitment to supporter representation on the board at face value,” Atkinson said. “They have seemed thoroughly decent so far and we expect them to follow through. It is an opportunity we take very seriously.
“The process of working out how to elect a representative is something that will take a great deal of care and consideration and SOS would want to consult as many supporters and agencies as possible to ensure everything is done correctly and above board.”
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