Okay people - things have got a little more interesting:
This is The Telegraph's brief summary -
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is reported to have told the club’s board that he will sign a £281million refinancing deal to stay in charge at Anfield on Oct 1.
The American, who met Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton in London for talks last week, hopes the deal with the Blackstone/GSO Group will allow him another two years to find a buyer for the Merseyside club, who face Manchester United today.
The deal reportedly does not include any funds to buy new players or to build a new stadium. The notion of Hicks remaining in charge could also lead to questions over the long-term futures of Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres, who have voiced concerns over the club’s ambitions under the American owners.
Now overnight, RAWK's answers to Lisbeth Salmander and her team have been beavering away to provide us with up to date contacts; the first stage is to make Blackstone/GSO (or any alternative leverage specialists) think again, if we can. I'd suggest sending this to the first two email addresses on this list and cc-ing the rest; the template is a suggestion only. I'm hoping to have some considered advice from Jack later on, as to the best arguments to use and at the moment, I must confess, my anger level is sky-high and a great deal of emotion has spilled into this email. Still, lets them know we're not easy fodder for their particular brand of rapacious capitalism, eh?
GET EMAILING people. I came on here this morning and 'famous lookalikes' was at the top of the board. For those who prefer snailmail/faxes, I'll be posting those details subsequently.
bennett.goodman@gsocap.com; Stephen.Schwarzman@blackstone.com
lgoldman@beachpointcapital.com; droerig@beachpointcapital.com;
cgoldsmith@beachpointcapital.com; lgoldman@beachpointcapital.com;
droerig@beachpointcapital.com; lfink@blackrock.com; tlevart@dkpartners.com; sleviant@dkpartners.com; jbloom@trimarancapital.com; David.Shaw@deshaw.com; jaranson@centerbridge.com; jbader@halcyonllc.com; mbrancaccio@stonetowercapital.com
This morning, supporters of Liverpool Football Club woke up to the news that Blackstone/GSO is considering a £281m loan to Tom Hicks to continue in his leveraged ownership of the club, news which is greeted by us with a mixture of anger, outrage and despair.
I can assure you of a number of facts:
Should Blackstone/GSO or any other of the financial institutions cc-ed to this email bail out Tom Hicks, you will be taking a heavy risk, even without the hostility of the supporters of the club.
You are no doubt aware that Hicks Sports Group defaulted on a $525m loan last year and the details of the lenders’ outrage at his subsequent manoeuvres concerning land around the Texas Rangers’ stadium. If not, we would be happy to provide you with the details.
Hicks subsequently gave interviews making clear that the default was ‘strategic’ and painting himself as a successful businessman in other fields.
Hicks cannot have it both ways. Either he is a successful businessman – in which case he thinks nothing of reneging on financial agreements if they prove onerous to him – or he did not have the money to repay the loan. In neither case can he be considered a good risk for repayment of a large loan.
No doubt, Hicks has portrayed LFC as a successful vehicle with a growing commercial profile and the ability to repay high interest payments in his approach to you. You should be aware that LFC is in decline, thanks to Hicks’s tenure, and has dropped out of the lucrative Champions League. Its inability to support the interest on the current loans is one factor draining the on-pitch success that ensures off-pitch profit. On Thursday, its ground was 20,000 short of capacity as fans stayed away. It is said that Hicks is seeking to mortgage the loan against the ground and players: if so, you should also be aware that the ground is worth little, being in an extremely depressed area of Liverpool, and the players have made publicly clear their opposition to Hicks’ continuation as owner so that it is likely the best will leave (their ability to pick their own destinations means there can be no guarantee of their achieving their highest worth) should he stay.
It is said that Hicks believes the supporters will accept him as a sole owner. If he has indeed been so deluded as to have informed you of this, I now seek to correct the impression. Hicks and his son are held in contempt by millions of Liverpool supporters worldwide. We are increasingly mobilised and drastic measures, including boycotts, are now being discussed. We are not prepared to see the club we love bled to death.
Has he informed you about Liverpool’s worldwide supporter base? A word of advice: the lukewarm fans will drift away as the debt bleeds the club dry of success, the hardcore fans will boycott and do everything in their power to ensure Hicks is ousted without a penny of profit as quickly as possible.
Don’t believe me? Research us. Look at whom you are dealing with. Look at the boycott we carried out against The Sun newspaper after it defamed our supporters. Look at how we drove shock jockey S Cohen off the air when he insulted our dead. We are not the tame consumers you lbo people are used to dealing with. We are militant, passionate and committed. I don’t know how we will do it, I don’t know how long it will take, but we will drive Hicks from this club and your organisation will be the target of our considered and organised action if you bail him out.
Oh, and personally, I wouldn’t lend Hicks a fiver.
Yours faithfully,
