Civil War Rages at Anfield

However, as the evening wore on the news broke that there were possibly two more potential buyers for the club. The owners of the Boston Red Sox and yet another mystery Asian bidder, news it must be said, that was greeted initially with huge apathy - as let's be honest - we've heard all of this before.

Then came the announcement on the clubs' official website:

"The Board of Directors have received two excellent financial offers to buy the Club that would repay all its long-term debt. A Board meeting was called today to review these bids and approve a sale. Shortly prior to the meeting, the owners - Tom Hicks and George Gillett - sought to remove Managing Director Christian Purslow and Commercial Director Ian Ayre from the Board, seeking to replace them with Mack Hicks and Lori Kay McCutcheon.

This matter is now subject to legal review and a further announcement will be made in due course.

Meanwhile Martin Broughton, Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre continue to explore every possible route to achieving a sale of the Club at the earliest opportunity".

This particular announcement caused most of the supporter websites to go into meltdown as what this all meant for the club was discussed and debated.

It seems the trio of Martin Broughton, Ian Ayres and Christian Purslow were of the opinion that one of these offers should be accepted. Obviously, the other two board members, Hicks and Gillett disagreed and had sought to remove Ian Ayres and Christian Purslow, both we understand, Liverpool fans, from the board.

The battle lines are obviously drawn now, especially with the later announcement that the board had actually agreed to sell to John W Henry's New England Sports Ventures, owners of the Boston Red Sox.

The long battle with Hicks and Gillett has now moved from chants on the terraces and marches, to the boardroom and the law courts.

RBS are owed £237 by Hicks and Gillett, which needs to be paid by October 15th and it seems neither have the money.

RBS need to hold their nerve and call in this debt. Any refinancing for Hicks and Gillett would, I am sure, make whatever supporter protests that had gone before seem mild in comparison to what would come if Hicks and Gillett retained control of the club. Add match boycotts and picket lines to the equation. No debt can be serviced with empty stadiums.

If Hicks and Gillett are ousted by new American owners, what then? After the experience of Hicks and Gillett most Liverpool fans will be very, very wary of more American involvement at the club.

You would suggest that that might be unfair, as to judge NESV based on their nationality alone is ridiculous. However, as far as Liverpool fans are concerned, it's perfectly understandable.

The "model" for professional sport in America is very different to that in Europe.
Clubs are franchises that usually work hand in glove with the local city governors to ensure the franchise stays healthy and profitable and the stadiums are often owned by the city itself, rather than the sports club.

Leagues are closed shops. Sport is seen principally as an entertainment there to make a profit and it's in every club's interest that the leagues stay strong and competitive and there are player salary caps.

There is none of that in the UK or Europe. Certainly no wage cap for players and you still wonder whether any American owner truly understands "soccer" in Europe? Look at the situation at Villa.

Randy Lerner was touted as the model American owner yet his last manager walked out over a dispute regarding player recruitment and transfer funds being made available.
Up the road at Man United, the Glazers have placed huge debt on the club and have limited transfer spending in recent seasons.

It's also understood that the home of the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium in the US, with a very small capacity of under 37,000.

That would hardly inspire Liverpool supporters to think that Mr.Henry would arrive at Anfield and immediately "put a spade in the ground" on the planned new stadium in Stanley Park.

A greater fear would be Mr.Henry arriving and promising a "spade in the ground" but only on the condition that any new stadium was shared with Everton and possibly even owned by a third party?

We may see one civil war end, only for a new and even more bitter one to begin.

So, do we welcome the impending departure of Hicks and Gillett?

Certainly, Jimmy McGovern says it best believe me.

Do we then welcome new American owners?

Maybe, maybe not if their big idea involves groundshare.

Let's wait and see.