This is scandalous behaviour out of the cunts.
Liverpool could be rightly fucked.
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks remains in control of his share of the club and has not sold out to Mill Financial.
In another twist to the Liverpool saga, reports earlier today had suggested the hedge fund, a branch of Washington-based Springfield Financial, had acquired the Texanâs 50 per cent share having already taken ownership of his fellow co-owner George Gillettâs half.
This would have meant that if Mill Financial were able to repay the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) then any prospective sale to New England Sports Ventures (NESV), who have agreed a ÂŁ300 million deal, could be in jeopardy.
But a UK-based spokesman for Tom Hicks told the Press Association Sport that Mill Financial had not acquired the shares.
RBS have also not had any recent contact with Mill Financial, while no approach has been made to the Premier League to notify them of another potential change of ownership.
The news is another twist to the saga, with RBS and Liverpool returning to the High Court this afternoon to block a temporary restraining order taken out by Hicks and Gillett in Texas last night.
The injunction was imposed just minutes before a board meeting which took place in London late last night.
At the meeting chairman Martin Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre out-voted Hicks and Gillett to complete the sale to NESV.
That was just hours after Mr Justice Floyd had ruled the American owners had no right to block a sale.
These fellas stand to lose millions, Iâd say theyâll happily see Liverpool fall with them.
So much shit going on. Itâs hard to know where it will all end up.
These cunts arenât going to go quietly that is for sure.
Liverpoolâs board and RBS will move swiftly this morning to overturn a restraining order in a Texas court preventing them from selling the club.
The Mirror understands measures have already been taken by legal representatives of the parties involved in the sale, to overturn attempts by owner Tom Hicks to retain control of the club.
And we have learnt that New England Sports Venture (NESV), who have a binding agreement to buy Liverpool for ÂŁ300million, will not walk away from the deal, despite these desperate efforts to stop the sale by the Texan businessman.
They have confirmed this morning they are prepared to wait as long as it takes to become the next owner of the Premier League football club, after the board agreed the sale in a meeting in London last night.
Hicks and his partner George Gillett obtained a temporary restraining order (TRO) in the Texas State District Court, preventing a sale until a full case â in which they allege a major fraud by RBS, calling it an âepic swindleâ â can be heard on October 25.
Hicks is claiming damages of $1.6billion in his lawsuit, but Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton insisted this morning that the claims are scurrilous, and the club would act quickly to remove them.
In a message to Liverpool fans, Broughton said: âThey are trying every trick in the book, but keep the faith, we are trying to overturn this and we always remain confident.â
The Mirror understands Liverpool have already appointed lawyers in Dallas this morning to file a counter claim in the Dallas court as soon as business begins there, moving to have the restraining order removed.
They have also made a request as a matter of urgency for a lifting in the High Court in London to obtain an injunction overturning the lawsuit in the UK too.
Their case will revolve around jurisdiction. Legal experts are lining up to suggest that the case Hicks filed yesterday is flimsy, and the question of the jurisdiction of the Texas court over proceedings that have already been considered by the High Court in London is key to dismissing it.
They will make a strong legal argument that the case should not be heard in Texas or anywhere else in the US.
They will also present evidence that Hicks and Gillett have offered written undertakings in contracts signed with the RBS that ensures the âlegal forumâ of any dispute will be held in the English courts. That effectively means they can not sue in the US.
The judge who granted the TRO has already expressed his unease with jurisdiction over the case, and after reviewing documents, he made clear that the claims made by Hicks were not backed by any substantial evidence.
This suggests Judge Jim Jordan, who will be the first to consider Liverpoolâs move to strike the TRO, could well reverse his decision as soon as the case is heard. If not, then it will be moved to a higher United States State Court, which would be expected to respect the decision of the High Court.
Yesterday, Broughton and RBS won a ruling in the High Court allowing them to proceed with the sale, and Hicks was warned that it would be âinappropriateâ to appeal.
If, as seems likely, the TRO is lifted this afternoon when the Texas District Court sits, then Broughton will act quickly to see the sale through to New England Sports Ventures, the owners of the Boston Red Sox.
The main shareholder of NESV, John W Henry, has confirmed this morning that he will not walk away from the deal, despite these desperate delaying tactics from Hicks.
He is ready to wait for the TRO to be lifted, even if the process takes longer than expected, and the RBS have indicated they too are ready to wait, to ensure that the ÂŁ300million sale goes through.
Sources close to the club suggest that the sale should still be completed by this evening, but even if there are yet more delays by the increasingly desperate Hicks, the sale will go through.
There is a fear though, that the Texan has something else up his sleeve. He has been in talks with Dwight Schar, the owner of Mill Financial who now have a stake in Liverpool after Gillett had defaulted on loans to them.
The worry is that Hicks will borrow money from Mill Financial to repay the more than ÂŁ200million loans to RBS that are due to be repaid on Friday. If the bank recalls those loans then Hicks, with help from Schar â the co-owner of Washington Redskins - can repay them and reclaim jurisdiction over the club.
The Mirror understands though, that RBS will wait before calling in the loans, to give time for the TRO to be lifted in the Texan court, allowing the sale to NESV to be ushered through.
The Mirror understands fuck all. Ya ha ha.
judge floyd rules against hicks and gilette again. also grants injunction against alison o riordan re hashing her negative equity nightmare
The latest in this mess.
Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have removed the restraining order preventing the clubâs sale to New England Sports Ventures.
However, the move is not designed to help NESV seal its ÂŁ300m deal, but to aid Hicks in his attempt to sell his stake to US hedge fund Mill Financial.
The club is hoping to tie up a deal with NESV on Friday, but Hicks believes he can still scupper its plan.
Mill could then pay off the ÂŁ237m debt owed to Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
NESVâs deal was being held up by the restraining order, which was issued by a court in Texas. The court is set to resume its hearing at 1300 BST on Friday, when it is expected that the order will be officially lifted.
DAVID BONDâS BLOG
Should Hicks succeed [in a deal with Mill Financial], an already complicated story will become even more bewildering
BBC sports editor David Bond
BBC Sport understands the overnight adjournment in proceedings in the US was to enable Hicks to have more time in his attempt to strike a deal with Mill Financial.
BBC Sports editor David Bond said: "The restraining order prevents any other buyer - such as Mill - from paying off the ÂŁ237m loan to Royal Bank of Scotland, due on Friday, because it binds RBS as well as the board of Liverpool and its parent companies based in the UK. "
Now it appears as though Mill - who already own co-owner George Gillettâs stake in the club - and NESV are vying for control of the Anfield club, with Reds chairman Martin Broughton and managing director Christian Purslow both saying on Friday they are âconfidentâ a deal with NESV will go through.
NESV owner John W Henry added on his Twitter feed: âWe have a binding contract. Will fight Mill Hicks Gillett attempt to keep club today. Their last desperate attempt to entrench their regime.â
The Reds must pay off their loan to RBS on Friday to avoid the threat of administration, which could see Liverpool hit by a nine-point penalty in the Premier League, though that is unlikely with a sale imminent.
LIVERPOOL OWNERSHIP TIMELINE
16 April: Club put up for sale by Hicks & Gillett
5 October: Hicks & Gillett seek to remove Purslow & Ayre from Liverpool board
6 Oct: Board agrees to sell club to NESV for ÂŁ300m
8 Oct: Premier League clears NESV to continue with takeover
12 Oct: Hicks & Gillett lawyers admit breach of RBS contracts by trying to sack board members
13 Oct: High Court rules against Hicks & Gillett, allowing NESV sale
13 Oct: Hicks and Gillett gain restraining order on the sale in Texas court
14 Oct: High Court rules Hicks & Gillett injunction is ineffective
14 Oct: New hearing begins in Dallas, adjourned until Friday
On Thursday night, Broughton said: âMr Henry is very committed. My guess is weâll have it done and heâll be there [the Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday] - but weâve got to get rid of this order first.â
Sports lawyer Graham Shears also gave Liverpool fans some hope that they will avoid administration, telling BBC Radio 5 live: "The bank donât have to stick with their deadline, they can give a little leeway.
âBut Iâm sure theyâre reluctant as they want to be repaid. Theyâve already given a lot of extra time here.â
Liverpool board members will be concerned that the potential sale to NESV has gone down to the last day as Hicks and Gillett have continuously sought to prevent the purchase of the club they bought in 2007 for ÂŁ174m.
It looked as though that prospect might be avoided after the latest High Court ruling on Thursday when Mr Justice Floyd issued an anti-suit injunction that rendered Hicks and Gillettâs temporary restraining order, which they put in place to try and prevent a sale taking place, ineffective.
But the anxiety of Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre will last well into Friday as a hearing which began in Texas on Thursday, following the latest High Court ruling, was adjourned until 1300 BST (0700 local time).
A statement issued on behalf of the Liverpool board read: "The independent directors of Liverpool Football Club are delighted with the verdict of Mr Justice Floyd in the High Court [on Thursday] which now requires Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett to withdraw their Texas restraining order by 1600 BST on Friday.
âWe are glad to have taken another important step towards completing the sale process.â
Weâre nearly there. Weâve still got to take away the restraining order
Reds chairman Martin Broughton
It all has a familiar air to it after Wednesdayâs events, when an original High Court ruling, allowing the sale to go through, was blocked by an injunction taken out by Hicks and Gillett in a Texas court.
Time is running out for Hicks and Gillett, with Mr Justice Floyd giving the much-criticised owners until 1600 BST on Friday to withdraw their legal action in America, or face charges of contempt of court.
NESV, owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, also plan to make their own submission to the Dallas court to overturn the injunction obtained by Hicks and Gillett.
The American co-owners claim that Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have attempted to sell the club for âa price they know to be hundreds of millions of dollars below true market valueâ.
The details of their injunction also disclose that the pair are seeking more than $1.6bn (ÂŁ1bn) in damages.
Gillettâs 50% stake is already owned by Mill Financial after he defaulted on a ÂŁ75m loan from RBS in August.
Mr Justice Floyd described Hicks and Gillettâs conduct in the matter as âunconscionableâ while Richard Snowden QC, representing RBS, said the duoâs behaviour was âoutrageousâ, adding that the proceedings in Texas were âplainly inappropriateâ.
During Thursdayâs hearing in London, David Chivers QC, representing NESV, said his clients already considered themselves to be Liverpoolâs new owners.
And Henry was later seen entering the London offices of Liverpoolâs solicitors Slaughter and May for a meeting with the board.
Singaporean businessman Peter Lim, who was thought to be waiting in the wings with an offer for the club, withdrew his ÂŁ320m bid on Thursday.
âThe [Liverpool] board is intent on selling the club to NESV to the exclusion of all other parties, regardless of the merits of their bids,â he said.
Liverpool, who face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, are in the bottom three in the Premier League table after picking up only six points from their opening seven games.
Should the club be put into administration, it would leave them rooted to the bottom of the table on minus three points.
So we should lump on Everton then!
Liverpool taking a battering here. Looks like only a matter of time before Everton score.
Konchesky is a limited player. They seem to be targetting his wing and he has been founded wanting. How Coleman managed to get through there is incredible.
Cahill took it well though.
Of course it all started from a Lucas wayward clearing header, having wasted a great chance of getting a good ball in at the other end.
Too many limited players - you will just get found out.
Once again, Gerrard is the only player looking like he is operating at any kind of decent standard.
Torres is being starved and the rest are frankly shite.
In fairness, Kryiakos has done alright as well up against Yakubu. In fairness to him, he has done reasonably alright so far in his Liverpool career.
Any Championship team supporters on this? Whatâs it like down there?
Hodgson is a noble enough sort and Iâm wondering if he has had any thoughts on walking away. It seems heâs not really cut out for it and although a lot of it is down to the players, I think theyâre showing a lack of tactical awareness which is down to the manager. Itâd be decent of him to resign now and let this be a new start for the club. As Iâve said before, there should be an investment in youth to bring us out of the mire. Expect nothing for the next 5 years anyway.
Loserpool should concentrate on big Europe League campaign now.
Big Big Thursday nights at Anfield.
Its Great.
Hodgson⌠Insisted âwe were unluckyâ yesterday and âThe team played wellâ
What the fuck is he watching I would like to?? Another shocking display. No intensity, no pressure, defending deep, Torres once more isolated and totally straved of possesion.
He has now gone over 20 games without an away win. Shocking record for a top flight managerâŚ
Thanks, but no planks.
I think yesterdayâs match showed that Everton are a better team than Liverpool and actually have better players.
The problems with Liverpool as I see is are as follows:
Low Confidence
Easy to say of course but when you are suffering bad result after bad result, then your confidence seeps away.
Ineffective Midfield
Joe Cole was woeful yesterday but has enough ability to come good. Lucas is truly awful, Maxi adds nothing, Meirelles is not good enough to hold a midfield by himself. The other options are no better, Poulsen, Jovanovic, Kuyt - simply not good enough.
Poor defence
This is something that really needs to be sorted out. Playing Carragher at right back in place of Kelly was a shocking decision yesterday. No attacking threat, liable to hoof it at any given opportunity. I think Kryiakos is looking more solid these days than Carragher and probably deserves his place quicker. Skrtel is playing awful stuff but should probably stay in on the basis that Carragher and Kryiakos would be woefully slow as a partnership. Konchesky doesnât look to be up to it, and was shown up again yesterday by Seamus Coleman.
I still believe that an attacking two of Torres and Gerrard is as good as there is, but no use if there is no midfield behind them. Also with confidence low, Torres seems to get frustrated easily but is pure class. Any Liverpool fan who criticises him, given the other massive holes in the team, should be beaten to a pulp.
So what to do:
-
Strengthen in January. Address the spine of the team. New centre half, new centre midfielder, new striker as priorities.
-
Until then - concentrate on making the team hard to beat. Work on the defense, bring Gerrard back deeper and play with a five man midfield. Crowd teams out of it in midfield as we are losing matches in that area. Get men behind the ball and focus on not conceding. Get some confidence back and maybe then play a more expansive game.
Liverpool yesterday looked like a team that could get relegated. For the simple reason that Everton out fought them and looked hungrier. Teams down the bottom of the table wil have that, so Liverpool must at least match them in that regard. Anything else is a bonus at this stage.
Whereâs Agger these days Farmer? Shit or injured or both?
Still coked off his brains Iâd say Rocko
Both.
Better than Skrtel though.
Agger got injured during the international break.