There are some that would disagree with my sentiment but I really believe that Spirit of Shankly (S.O.S.) have played a huge role in finally convicing Tom Hicks and George Gillett to sell. Yes, there are other factors that have contributed to the two cowboys to finally decide to throw in the towel however I feel that S.O.S. played the major part. The Union is cautious however and wants to ensure that what happened under the Hicks and Gillett regime does not happen again.
Here is their full statement:
Spirit Of Shankly welcomes the news that Tom Hicks and George Gillett have begun the process of leaving Liverpool Football Club. This is something that we have campaigned for over the last two years – for them to sell the club and leave. It seems the cent has finally dropped with the realisation that they aren’t wanted or welcome at our club. They haven’t been since they broke their promises, told lies and manoeuvred the Club into its current state.
The problems at our Club are far from over, and the issues that supporters have regarding our ownership and financial position are not resolved. While the club is officially up for sale, and Hicks and Gillett have stepped down as chairmen, they still remain at LFC – as owners and directors. Despite their announcement today, we will continue to seek their full and final removal from our club.
Our focus now has a new emphasis, in keeping with our objective of holding any new owner to account. We have witnessed the Hicks and Gillett reign which will leave a dark cloud over the club. Consequently, we would like to remind fans that while this seems to be the beginning of the end of the ownership battle with them, the war continues – we must make certain that this can never happen again at our Club.
Until those concerns are addressed, and fans fears allayed, then the pressure and presence will remain. We want Tom and George out, and in their place we want fit and proper owners. We do not want the same mistakes and errors of the present owners – lies, broken promises, and contempt for LFC and supporters.
S.O.S. did not exist back in 2007 when the American duo bought the club, it was founded by a group of loyal fans as a Supporters Union after the truth on how Hicks and Gillett purchased Liverpool emerged. Over the last two years Spirit of Shankly has been actively organising protests against the American owners. In the last few weeks the Union stepped up the protests and started putting up billboards around Liverpool claiming that Hicks & Gillett were not welcome. The Union has also been successful in disrupting H&G’s travel plans. The duo had to sneak in early for the game against Benfica as S.O.S. members were planning to peacefully prevent them from entering the stadium. Earlier this year, the Union was also instrumental in applying pressure on Hicks Jr. to resign from the L.F.C. board after he sent an abusive email to a fan.
I have been a Union member for over a year and am very proud of what they have achieved, future owners of L.F.C. need to get the message. Liverpool F.C. is not an object that you put on the shelf and wait for it to appreciate in value. Treat the club as if it is your child, nourish it and help it grow.
Y.N.W.A.
Antoine Zammit
antoine@empireofthekop.com
They have been going to sell all along its like your not planning to sell your house until someone offers you treble its worth.
This is a cheap ploy to get around the banks and spend nothing on players while they wait for a rich sucker, hope they go broke especially Hicks the greedy prick.
You can join the Union at http://www.spiritofshankly.com/join.html.
We can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/spiritofshankly and twitter at http://www.twitter.com/spiritofshankly
i suspect the real reason is that if skye lose their appeal then the first thing will be to drop the price they pay the league, skye cash being the reason or enabler of the parasites scheme.
So your putting it down to Spirit of Shankly that they left! I doubt that is why they left, they are leaving to cash-in. Actaully come to think of it the group wasn’t really successful at all, it is the opposite
You are saying SOS hasn’t been sucessful? It’s not jut about the owners they have and are doing great things. They are enabling people cheap travel to the away games yes it’s limited at the moment but they are doing it well! They are trying to get Liverpool to ensure that the young lad who is still at school can still get himself a ticket even if it is one game a season! They are trying to ensure our club does not fall into the wrong hands again and are trying to see the rebirth of once was. These guys love the club, they are there week in week out supporting the club through thick and thin and have and will continue to make changes for the better for our club
Credit where credit is NOT due!!!
The ManU video brought shame on the SOS group and I personally am ashamed L.F.C. supporters like this author choose to associate with them.
RafaTheRed before you accuse me of something please do your research.
I had condemned the few idiots who were chanting in that incident.
S.O.S. also condemned the incident in an official statement.
There are 5000+ Liverpool supporters who are paid members of S.O.S. and as you could see there weren’t 5000 members chanting there.
Are you serious !!! Hicks and Gillette dont give a flying fuck what the fans think.
Spirit of Shankly did force anything. All they achieved was to inflate their own egos.
I disagree with the headline. H&G didn’t have a choice. If they had the money they wouldn’t be selling. They are offering and working on some good things but this was not one of them. Sounds like 955% of the politicians out there.
this is exactly what we dont want!!
the SoS will firmly believe it is down to them lot who have enforced the sale. this group has on occasions caused more humiliation on the club than the owners. it has nothing to do with the yanks now flogging a dead monetary horse. finance and finance alone has pushed them into the sale NOT SoS.
my greatest fear now will be that they will believe LFC is their club.
Yes they may be selling because they have run out of money or they want extra money! Yes it’s nt directly because of the SOS But at least they brought awareness to what was going on in the background of our club and have done some great things. If it wasn’t for them you’d still be blaming Rafa for our demise. At least it was a bunch of loyal supporters who go together and thought of trying to make a difference and they have, but watching the live streams and Reading all the crap you all do on sly sports you haven’t got a clue and should go back to supporting man united
I am not a memeber but I have to agree taht SOS had a hand in getting rid of Hicks + Gillette. They would not have sold it right. Liverpool have such financial potential around the world. Look how our sponsorship has rocketed from Chartered and Adidas. The only 2 clubs who have a bigger following around the world are Real and Man U. Why sell when you have such a revenue stream especially when you did not spend any of your own money. Hicks is dreaming if he thinks he will get around £800 million. This is him trying to get the best deal. Before the financial meltdown he was happy to sell for £600 million. Where does he think he will get £800 million when money is tight and Liverpool are not getting into CL. SOS also got his son to resign. I say credit where credit is due.
S.o.S! even the name’s a joke..
…oigh did you know it was me who forced them out by bending spoons and banging my head repeatedly on the bathroom sink!..
pathetic people, with fickle followers..
YNWA
With their aggression and offensive remarks, ‘Spirit of Shankly’ is a large misnomer. It defiles Mr Shankly’s memory. And because of the abuse etc, do you think Hicks will go quietly, or will he bleed us dry, because to him, we simply don’t matter.
Listen up Tom & Gerry didn’t buy the club it was RBS who lent them the money so if they think they can make money out of LFC by selling then the money that is over from the sale should go to the club to build the new staduim & also buy new players not give Tom & Gerry the money as they never put money in the club to start with or is it why don’t we all buy something with the banks money pay the bank back & say fuck it Im keeping the rest I don’t desive it but hay what the fuck its the way you do business right. LOL