Motion Asks Liverpool Chairman To Be Jailed, Fined
Liverpool's chairman Broughton asked to face prison
Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s lawyers filed a motion for contempt on Thursday in which the co-owners ask a Dallas judge to jail and fine Liverpool’s chairman Martin Broughton. This follows an US court decision to keep club’s sale blocked temporary. It’s been months of uncertainty for the Reds who had to undergo many deal scandals or disapprovals regarding the sale price. Things went from bad to worse for what seemed to be a simple formality at one point. Not only that the chairman and defenders are asked to face prison, but the two current owners claimed in the same time damages of $1.6 billion for the ‘epic swindle’ of trying to sell the club under its value.
Investors from New England Sports Venture offered a 300 million pound-offer that Hicks and Gillett denied. “The independent directors consider the restraining order to be unwarranted and damaging and will move as swiftly as possible to seek to have it removed,” the club read in a statement. Just before the first hearing which took place in London, Liverpool’s board was just one step from agreeing the deal. Even more than that, Royal Bank of Scotland, the main creditor asked the board to sell the club until October 15. On the other side, Hicks’s spokesman Mark Semer said in a statement that the board conspired to devise and execute a scheme to sell Liverpool to NESV at a price only they know to be hundreds of millions of dollars below true market value (Forbes magazine evaluates the club at $822 million). Fans gathered in order to protest against Hicks and Gillett intention of not selling the club. At that time Court 18 from London would give credit to Broughton and Co. We’re delighted with the result. Justice has been done. This will clear the way for the sale,” the chairman would declare at that point, before. However, the fight became tougher after the two American owners would name new members in the board so that they could be secure with their position.
Officials from NESV looked eager to end the process of selling. “We are ready to move quickly and help create the stability and certainty which the club needs at this time. It is time to return the focus to the club itself and performances on the pitch,” their statement read. The situation could become worse, namely the club might be penalized nine points if the repayment with the major creditor Royal Bank of Scotland had been missed. “This morning’s announcement means that the possibility of administration is now highly unlikely and the smart money is on the deal with NESV now going through,” Gerald Krasner, a partner at insolvency and recovery specialist Begbies Raynor said. Liverpool is now 18th in the Premiership table, second from the bottom and part of the relegation zone. Even the players expect for a final decision. “It seems things are nearly sorted off the pitch so we need to start getting them right on it by getting three points at Goodison Park on Sunday,” Liverpool’s captain Steven Gerrard said.
“I know how frustrated the fans have been with what has been going on and I can understand their feelings. But we’ve all suffered in this, especially the supporters, and now it’s time for us all to pull together and help move the club forward,” he added. Apart from this, it was this Thursday that Gillett and Hicks obtained a temporary block in a Texas district court that raised their hopes for keeping the club. Said the judge: “The owners’ behaviour conclusively demonstrates just how incorrigible they are. They are absolutely determined to stop this transaction in its tracks and they have no lawful justification for behaving in this way.” Meanwhile, Reds’ web site presented a statement that read: “We are glad to have taken another important step towards completing the sale process.” It’s a real chaos. Dallas court officials had another hearing on Thursday with representatives of the both sides that followed a Wednesday’s one which included only the current owners.
Peter Lim, Singaporean billionaire, looked frustrated his 320 million pound offered had not been considered by Liverpool’s board. This while London court cleared the way for NESV purchase. “It has become clear to me that the Board is intent on selling the club to NESV to the exclusion of all other parties, regardless of the merits of their bids. In these circumstances, I am not able to proceed with my intention to acquire the club.” On the other hand, Royal Bank of Scotland returned to the High Court the same day. Richard Snowden, who defends RBS, said that the hearing taken in Texas has no connection with the case, other than that Hicks and Gillett may reside there. “It is an abuse of process, unconscionable and an affront to justice… a plain attempt to frustrate and impede the proceedings. Plainly it is a bid to frustrate this court in the exercise of its jurisdiction.”
A Berwin Leighton Paisner partner claimed in the same time that moving the hearing in Texas couldn’t say more than the two Americans’ desperation to prevent the sale. “It’s a slightly bizarre occurrence and I think it will disappear pretty quickly, probably within 24 hours,” said Graham Shear. Furthermore, it was late on Thursday that a court official said that a contempt motion which asks Broughton and other defenders to be jailed and fined, was adjourned after 90 minutes and will resume on Friday. Still, London’s High Court granted on Thursday an injunction to restrain Dallas court ruling. Said Gillett and Hicks lawyers: “Further showing their unlawful intentions and brazen disgegard for their obligations, Defendants have undisputedly and according to their statements, quite proudly, violated this Court’s temporary restraining order.”
While it’s fate is still disputed, Liverpool prepares for the local derby against Everton. The two sides will meet this Sunday at Goodison Park. Both sides have collected only six points in seven games. So, this will be rather a relegation zone derby, rather than a top one. Everton is one place ahead of Liverpool who is 18th in the Premier League. Concerning this weekend’s game, captain Steven Gerrard looks very confident with his team-mate Raul Meireles who just signed the Reds these months and comes after a sensational strike in Portugal’s 3-1 victory over Iceland on Tuesday night for the 2012 Euro Qualifying. Now, Gerrard knows that is all a matter of time until Meireles adjusts to the English soccer. “Raul is a quality player too and very clever, you can see that already. Once he gets settled, has some time here and gets used to the players around him I think he’ll do very well. It’s a big change for him. He’s playing with players he’s never met before,” said the skipper.
Liverpool’s Glen Johnson believes though the Sunday game will be a special one. He revealed that every-time he experiences the local derby he finds his passion for play. “The Merseyside derby is different to any other I’ve played in. The Liverpool area is so passionate about football. You’re either a Red or a Blue. Where I grew up in London people supported all different teams but here it’s one or the other. It’s what you live for. You can sense when a derby is coming because of the build-up the week before. It’s so intense.” He mentioned in the same time that he had to find more about Everton’s fans, few of the most noisy ones in Premiership, especially when it comes of the derby against Liverpool FC. “The guy who I rent my house from is a Blue and he loves it. But the banter is great and unique. To win any derby you need to fight and stick together. That’s what we’ll do,” he added.
Everyone expects Thomas Ince to make a wonderful performance for the Reds. Thomas is Paul Ince’s son, the one who spent two years on Afield between 1997-1999 and scored 14 goals in 65 appearances. Thomas trained for the first time with the first team this pre-season. He made the debut against Northampton Town to impress everyone, especially Sammy Lee who said that he has got a terrific talent and is really trying to put into his game what the club wants from him. “It’s about development with young players and Tom is working very hard at his game. His team ethic and work ethic is superb and he’s got ability but he knows like everyone else you have got to do it on a regular basis,” added Lee.
