THE Liverpool fans group who want to buy the club last night received the backing of sports minister Andy Burnham.
The MP for Leigh, a life-long Everton fan, will put aside cross-city allegiances to back ShareLiverpoolFC’s dream of co-operative ownership of the Anfield club, eventually ousting American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Burnham was due to speak at a meeting with fans prior to the last nights Champions League qualifier with Standard Liege, at a pub near the stadium.
Also speaking will be officials of the Spirit of Shankly fans organisation to emphasise the solidarity of Liverpool supporters’ groups behind the scheme.
ShareLiverpoolFC founder member Dr Rogan Taylor will also address the meeting, aimed at re-establishing the group publicly as the current Liverpool owners try to raise money to re-finance their own loans as well as the £400m needed to build a new stadium.
Taylor, director of the Football Industry Group at Liverpool University, said: “We want to make sure everyone realises that we are serious and intend to be around and ready whatever happens.”
Taylor believes that financial pressures will soon call into question once again the Americans’ ability to continue as owners and prompt more interest from Dubai-based investors, who have been waiting in the wings to mount another takeover bid.
Taylor added: “Whoever takes over the club, they are going to need a local partnership. We are here to stay, and have people signed up to help and support the plans we have.
“We want to be around when the next roll of the dice comes, and that could be very soon.”
The grand idea is to have 100,000 people pledging £5,000 to create a financial base to fight for control of the club.
Currently the group have 9,500 who have signed up.
It is believed that ShareLiverpoolFC have held meetings with possible Dubai investors and members of the previous Anfield hierarchy.
The MP for Leigh, a life-long Everton fan, will put aside cross-city allegiances to back ShareLiverpoolFC’s dream of co-operative ownership of the Anfield club, eventually ousting American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Burnham was due to speak at a meeting with fans prior to the last nights Champions League qualifier with Standard Liege, at a pub near the stadium.
Also speaking will be officials of the Spirit of Shankly fans organisation to emphasise the solidarity of Liverpool supporters’ groups behind the scheme.
ShareLiverpoolFC founder member Dr Rogan Taylor will also address the meeting, aimed at re-establishing the group publicly as the current Liverpool owners try to raise money to re-finance their own loans as well as the £400m needed to build a new stadium.
Taylor, director of the Football Industry Group at Liverpool University, said: “We want to make sure everyone realises that we are serious and intend to be around and ready whatever happens.”
Taylor believes that financial pressures will soon call into question once again the Americans’ ability to continue as owners and prompt more interest from Dubai-based investors, who have been waiting in the wings to mount another takeover bid.
Taylor added: “Whoever takes over the club, they are going to need a local partnership. We are here to stay, and have people signed up to help and support the plans we have.
“We want to be around when the next roll of the dice comes, and that could be very soon.”
The grand idea is to have 100,000 people pledging £5,000 to create a financial base to fight for control of the club.
Currently the group have 9,500 who have signed up.
It is believed that ShareLiverpoolFC have held meetings with possible Dubai investors and members of the previous Anfield hierarchy.
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