Liverpool FC chief Rick Parry determined to stay put

Parry came under fire earlier this year from American LFC co-owner Tom Hicks, who called on him to resign for under-performing in his stewardship of the club, but the chief executive said he loves LFC and sees his future with the club.

He said: "I'm looking forward to working with Rafael (Benitez) and helping improve on last season's result.

"Our standards are very high, as is the standard our fans de-mand. Winning the league, that's the prize we're all striving for."

He added: "I have very fond memories of Liverpool University and I've seen it from both sides, seeing all the new graduates outside I can recognise what they've been through.

"It's a day for them, not for me."

Parry, 53, has had a varied and successful career since his first job as a trainee chartered accountant in 1976.

He was instrumental in planning the new Premier League and was appointed chief executive in February 1992.

His plans for the league were ratified seven days later by the Football Association allowing Parry to negotiate a television deal then worth a record £214m.

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As chief executive he oversaw the development of the league into the international hotbed it is today, developing top stadiums and attracting worldwide football stars.

An unashamed Liverpool FC fan since his school days at Ellesmere Port Grammar School, he was appointed chief executive of the club in July, 1998, by the then chairman David Moores.

Speaking to the Daily Post ahead of his ceremony yesterday, Parry said it was a great honour to receive the degree in "his favourite city in the world."

He said: "It's a great honour being given the degree from the university I attended in the best city in the world.

"It's really very special and was such a shock and surprise when they told me. I studied hard for three years for my degree, but I haven't had to do any work at all for this one.

"When people ask me about my career I've never thought about it, I'm always looking forward, football never stops to pause and think.

"There have always been a lot of other people involved in everything I do and it's been a privilege to have 10 years at the best club in the world.

"Being involved in the formation of the Premier League was exciting and great fun. It was a challenge, times have moved on and it's fiercely competitive. The fact there were three English teams in the Champions League semi-finals shows the strength of the English formation."

In response to critics of overpaid Premier League footballers and fans priced out by rising ticket prices, Parry said football had to move with the times.

He said: "I remember years ago people wanted football to stop, to keep everything as it was then, but it has to keep moving forward.

"It's getting even more competitive, even more difficult, that is the way and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down."