Liverpool FC Forum

by **tommycockles** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:59 pm

takeactionnow wrote:i really dont think it matters what we do. The idiot called hicks is sitting in some large building somewhere surrounded by yes men,he has no idea what the feeling towards him is like and if he did it wouldnt bother him all he is interested in is dollars and more dollars.Yes we can hope we can influence this joke but come on he doesnt even come over to watch the games of this (important part of his empire).

Yeah but surely if his yes men were telling him that the club shop never made £1 on a match day and that the food/drink sales had dropped drastically surely any business man would take notice!

No offence but waving a few flags and chanting doesn't bother this guy (not saying we shouldn't do it as it highlights the feelings and gains media attention which is also important), but hitting his pocket will make him take notice as he's in it for the money!!

by **Trewyn** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:27 pm

redrover wrote:
Trewyn wrote:
flombs wrote:But other articles I have seen this moring suggest Hicks has some serious muscle in the States and enormous & intense pressure is being put on Gillett from Hick's buisness contacts - in an attempt to make Gillett fall in line & do what is asked.

IMO -

DIC will end up having control at Liverpool in some capacity before long.

Dmjn100

Back to the takeover topic, Gillet doesn't need to worry about Hicks' threats. If Gillet is a smart man, his new found ally will be DIC. Just look at DIC's portfolio... DIC Portfolio

And mind you, that's DIC only. DIC is just a part of a bigger body

C'mon DIC!! Get in there!!

if we're allowed be juvenile can i sat that if hicks keeps rubbing dic up the wrong way things could get messy

hahah yeah, Hicks will end up in a sticky mess

by **Toffeehater** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:51 pm

Hicks Makes Gillett Offer for Liverpool

Last Updated:
03-05-08 at 8:20AM

LIVERPOOL, England -- Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has made a bid to buy all or part of George Gillett Jr.'s share of the Premier League club, The Associated Press has learned.

Hicks is still negotiating with Gillett after the duo turned down an $800 million offer for the English club from Dubai International Capital, a person involved with the negotiations told the AP on Tuesday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

It was unclear if Hicks is planning to buy all or only part of Gillett's 50 percent stake.

Hicks and Gillett have the power to block the other from selling.

The duo bought the club last year for $431 million - beating a rival bid from the Dubai consortium.

Hicks owns the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars, while Gillett is owner of the Montreal Canadiens. Calls to Gillett seeking comment were not immediately returned.

On Tuesday, DIC gave the Americans 24 hours to accept its offer. Gillett has been in close contact with DIC in recent weeks.

The DIC bid was made a day after chief executive Sameer al-Ansari said Hicks and Gillett had "come out of dreamland" over the worth of the Premier League club.

Gillett and Hicks refinanced their Liverpool deal with a $682 million package from two banks on Jan. 25. But the package left the 18-time English champions with debt of $205 million.

Hicks revealed in January that he had spoken to DIC about a "10 to 15 percent participation," but that his valuation was deemed to be too high.

Since then, Hicks has said he is committed to retaining his share of Liverpool and he anticipates taking a "more active role" with the 18-time English champion.

Investment banker JP Morgan Chase & Co. will attempt to raise private equity through the Hicks Sports Group, which includes his U.S. sports franchises.

Fans had turned on the American owners after their public feud with popular manager Rafa Benitez over transfers, leading to demonstrations outside and inside Anfield.

Since talks were held in December, Benitez speaks warmly about Hicks, who sends the Spaniard motivational e-mails.

The Reds trail leader Arsenal by 15 points and are vying with fourth-place Everton for the final Champions League berth.

http://www.cbs8.com/sports/story.php?id=120041

by **maguskwt** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:58 pm

omg... i hope this saga ends soon...

by **Kukilon** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:14 pm

I hope to god that they do not raise their bid anymore. I want Hicks and Gilette to sell the club but at the same time I don't want them to make even more money off us then they allready have. They are filty american pigs. They will have to sell in some time anyway.

by **Ciggy** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:52 pm

From our mate Olly.

DIC confident as George Gillett gets ready to sell Anfield stakeOliver Kay

Dubai International Capital (DIC) remains confident that George Gillett Jr will accept its improved offer for his 50 per cent stake in Liverpool. Gillett, the club's co-chairman, was said to be considering his options and consulting lawyers and brokers last night, increasing DIC's belief that he will accept its offer of a healthy profit rather than allow the process to drag on.

Tom Hicks, Gillett's co-owner, claimed last week that his fellow American “cannot sell without my approval”, but sources close to DIC, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, claim to have “found a way around that” and that when, not if, Gillett agrees to sell, Hicks will have little option but to do likewise - a scenario that Hicks insists will not transpire as he looks to buy out his business partner.

Gillett, whose partnership with Hicks has disintegrated over the 13 months since they arrived at Anfield, rejected DIC's offer of £200million for his stake - and thus a £25million personal profit once the club's borrowings are taken into account - before a deadline of midnight on Tuesday. The offer was increased over that evening in negotiations between his lawyers and Amanda Staveley, DIC's principal adviser, with sweeteners including a clause that would entitle him to a portion of future profits should Liverpool flourish under new ownership.

Gillett, owner of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey franchise, was the instigator of the original takeover just over a year ago, when he and Hicks gazumped DIC to buy Liverpool, but several factors - notably a difficult financial climate and his dysfunctional working relationship with Hicks - have persuaded him to sell his stake.

He is at present recovering from illness at his home in Vail, Colorado, while his son, Foster, who was given the job as a liaison between the owners and Rafael Benítez, the manager, has returned to Montreal indefinitely.

Hicks promises to be a far more awkward negotiator, but DIC doubts the claims from the United States that he has the means to pursue his ambition of buying out Gillett's stake. His reported plan to buy 2 per cent of Gillett's stake - giving him majority control, with 51 per cent of the share capital - is not taken seriously by DIC, which claims that it would trigger a “change of control” clause.

by **Ciggy** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:26 pm

DIC deal imminent get the feck in :buttrock

by **woof woof !** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:30 pm

Sky reporting now that Hicks has said today if Gillette wants to sell he (hicks)won't stand in the way .

Change of ownership looks increasingly likely

:buttrock

by **sworth26** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:31 pm

Ciggy wrote:DIC deal imminent get the feck in

What you heard Ciggy?

by **Reg** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:53 pm

There´s nowt on the newswires, just another rumour.

by **Dundalk** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:55 pm

by **Ciggy** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:57 pm

Reg wrote:There´s nowt on the newswires, just another rumour.

Its in the Echo and breaking news on Sky and the BBC.

by **RUSHIE#9** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:04 pm

One or two stories now appearing on newsnow including this one from Daily Post.

Not wanting to get too carried away but this would be top news if true. I'd take a 50-50 of DIC & Hicks for nowas I see it as being the only way to get rid of that cowboy!!

by **Moop123** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:11 pm

Sky Sports News

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks will not stand in the way of George Gillett selling his 50 per cent stake in the club.

Gillett is understood to be in negotiations with Dubai International Capital (DIC) concerning the potential sale of his shares, but required the backing of Hicks in order to complete any deal.

The two Americans entered into an agreement at the time of their purchase of the club that stipulated that if either of them should decide to walk away from Anfield then the other would have first refusal on buying their partner out.

Hicks was initially interested in obtaining complete control of the Reds and was strongly opposed to any external investors becoming involved in the running of the club.

However, he has now relented and is believed to be seeking discussions of his own with DIC representatives.

With Gillett now free to push on with the proposed sale of his shares the situation could be resolved by the weekend.

by **Reg** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:11 pm

You´re right ! The following was posted "4 minutes ago" and its the first story to hit the newswires!!!

Tom Hicks 'set to move on Dubai'Mar 6 2008

by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

A DEAL for Dubai International Capital to buy George Gillett’s Liverpool stake is imminent, it has been claimed.

Sources close to DIC today revealed Tom Hicks is ready to drop his resistance to George Gillett selling his stake in Liverpool Football Club to DIC.

An offer from DIC for Gillett’s shares remains on the table and should the American accept he would walk away from Anfield with a profit of around £40m.

Gillett is believed to want more and DIC remain insistent they will not be raising their offer but with talks still going on between the two parties it is thought a deal could be reached within days.

Hicks’ reluctance to enter into any sort of partnership with DIC is well known and on several occasions he has spoken of his willingness to use a veto to block any such deal.

But he has been in touch with DIC in the last 24 hours to tell them he will not stand in their way if they can agree a price with Gillett. He has also told DIC he is willing to enter into talks with them at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss the future of the club.

DIC’s growing confidence that a deal can and will be done saw them dispatch a representative to Anfield for last night’s Premier League game against West Ham.

The representative met with members of various fans group in a bid to gauge their opinion about the club and the best way forward for it.

He also witnessed first hand the latest protest by fans against the current owners with a demonstration which lasted the full 15 minutes of the half-time interval.

The Spirit of Shankly has already indicated it is ready to offer DIC a cautious welcome and would be prepared to enter into a dialogue with them.

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