George Gillett's arrival on Merseyside last Saturday morning was greeted with great hostility. If the Reds co-owner was expecting the furore that surrounded events off the pitch over the past two years to have died down, he clearly underestimated the extent of his actions.
When Gillett and his business partner Tom Hicks strolled out onto the Anfield pitch in March 2007, they were given the most velvet of red carpet treatment by all connected with the club. They were the new custodians who promised to start work within 60 days of their arrival on a 60,000-seater stadium on Stanley Park that would rival the current famous old ground for atmosphere and grandeur.
Fast-forward 30 months and Gillett is denying that he ever made that now infamous reference about the need to have "a shovel in the ground" and claims it was Hicks who made the claim. If the American ever has time in his hectic schedule of (alleged) meetings with potential investors, he would do well to find the YouTube video of him saying those exact words. He was either lying or Tom Hicks is the world's greatest ventriloquist.
The purpose of largely absentee American’s visit to his 'investment' was to rubber stamp a deal with Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud to build club-accredited youth academies in the Middle East. The prince of Saudi Arabia’s first impression of the club will have been tainted by a welcoming committee of disgruntled supporters who confronted Gillett at Liverpool’s training ground and the youth academy in Kirkby where he had taken solace after being collared at Melwood.
Fans also made their feelings known later that day in the Main Stand car park where they gathered in numbers to vent their frustrations at the current predicament. Whilst Gillett and his royal guest soaked up the match day atmosphere from the comfort of the directors’ box, supporters stepped up their protests and unfurled non-offensive banners, reminding Gillett of the broken promises he and Hicks had made to the club and its fans, at the front of the Kop.
Club officials drafted in police to do their dirty work by having the banners removed from view and then confiscated. The hierarchy are more than happy cash in on the vast array of banners and wavers that adorn the famous terrace every other week as the focal point of selling the Anfield experience to whoever is gullible enough to spend a small fortune in the ground and leave the club shop tills endlessly ringing; but when that famous 12th man takes issue with the less than professional goings on away from the floodlights, they do their utmost to stifle their voice. In light of this, perhaps the PA announcement that signals the club’s safety drill should be rebranded “Standby for Operation Fascist State Anfield”.
Gillett and Hicks still live in hope that their lies and deceit will be forgotten with a few resounding wins on the pitch like the one against Hull last weekend but the club’s diehard supporters are not easily swayed as the day-tripping masses the pair encourage to flock to Anfield. News this week that the Americans have embarked on a search for fresh investment has been greeted with cautious optimism by the tirelessly devoted fans who continue to strive to prise their beloved club away from the incapable hands which it currently finds itself.
When Gillett and his business partner Tom Hicks strolled out onto the Anfield pitch in March 2007, they were given the most velvet of red carpet treatment by all connected with the club. They were the new custodians who promised to start work within 60 days of their arrival on a 60,000-seater stadium on Stanley Park that would rival the current famous old ground for atmosphere and grandeur.
Fast-forward 30 months and Gillett is denying that he ever made that now infamous reference about the need to have "a shovel in the ground" and claims it was Hicks who made the claim. If the American ever has time in his hectic schedule of (alleged) meetings with potential investors, he would do well to find the YouTube video of him saying those exact words. He was either lying or Tom Hicks is the world's greatest ventriloquist.
The purpose of largely absentee American’s visit to his 'investment' was to rubber stamp a deal with Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud to build club-accredited youth academies in the Middle East. The prince of Saudi Arabia’s first impression of the club will have been tainted by a welcoming committee of disgruntled supporters who confronted Gillett at Liverpool’s training ground and the youth academy in Kirkby where he had taken solace after being collared at Melwood.
Fans also made their feelings known later that day in the Main Stand car park where they gathered in numbers to vent their frustrations at the current predicament. Whilst Gillett and his royal guest soaked up the match day atmosphere from the comfort of the directors’ box, supporters stepped up their protests and unfurled non-offensive banners, reminding Gillett of the broken promises he and Hicks had made to the club and its fans, at the front of the Kop.
Club officials drafted in police to do their dirty work by having the banners removed from view and then confiscated. The hierarchy are more than happy cash in on the vast array of banners and wavers that adorn the famous terrace every other week as the focal point of selling the Anfield experience to whoever is gullible enough to spend a small fortune in the ground and leave the club shop tills endlessly ringing; but when that famous 12th man takes issue with the less than professional goings on away from the floodlights, they do their utmost to stifle their voice. In light of this, perhaps the PA announcement that signals the club’s safety drill should be rebranded “Standby for Operation Fascist State Anfield”.
Gillett and Hicks still live in hope that their lies and deceit will be forgotten with a few resounding wins on the pitch like the one against Hull last weekend but the club’s diehard supporters are not easily swayed as the day-tripping masses the pair encourage to flock to Anfield. News this week that the Americans have embarked on a search for fresh investment has been greeted with cautious optimism by the tirelessly devoted fans who continue to strive to prise their beloved club away from the incapable hands which it currently finds itself.
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