Peter Kilfoyle: Liverpool FC could face financial ruin without new ownersMar 16 2010 by Marc Waddington, Liverpool Echo
OUTGOING Walton MP Peter Kilfoyle last night launched an attack on Liverpool FC’s current regime and said the club risked “going down the tubes” if its ownership does not change.
In a hard-hitting ECHO interview, Mr Kilfoyle, retiring after 19 years as MP representing Anfield:said there was no reason why Liverpool and other seemingly unsinkable clubs like Manchester Utd would not end up as “financial disasters” due to debt; said he had no idea who was in charge at Anfield;claimed Reds’ managing director Christian Purslow had told him three times he is there only to sell the club, not to run it.
Today he club did not confirm or deny Mr Purslow’s comments, but said it was “working round the clock to drive the business forward”.
Mr Kilfoyle told the ECHO: “It’s going to go down the tubes if it’s not careful. I’ve got no idea who runs the club since Rick Parry left.
“Christian Purslow is a managing director, he’s not the chief executive. As far as I’m aware, and what he has told me three times, is he is there to sell the club, not to run it.
“Running a football club is a hell of a lot different from being a banker, which is what he is. He is there to sell the club – that’s what he’s there for, that’s what he is employed to do.”
There has been renewed speculation in the last few days that the club may soon change hands. The Royal Bank of Scotland has stressed it wants to see a solution to the club’s £270m debt.
Yesterday the ECHO reported interest in a £110m investment from New York-based Rhone Group and Mr Kilfoyle said it was time for the current ownership to step aside.
“It’s all about culture, it’s about attitude. The Americans view football clubs as an asset to be bought and sold.
“They can wear all the scarves they like and go to matches until they’re blue in the face – even at Anfield – but what they can’t do, what they can’t get away from, is the basic financial facts, that they can’t carry on servicing these debts without taking on even more debts.”
He added: “I think Liverpool needs to get its ownership changed and sorted once and for all.
“I don’t believe that they any more than United can continue to carry the kind of debts they’re carrying. People say things will go on and on and advertising will keep going up and this, that and the other. This is nonsense.
“If we have learned anything from this banking crisis a couple of years ago, it’s that what you least expect is going to happen is round the corner.
“We’ve seen Portsmouth go into administration, West Ham are struggling on and off the pitch.
“There’s no reason why United and Liverpool can’t end up as financial disasters, no reason whatsoever.”
An LFC club spokesman said: “The management of Liverpool FC have great respect for Peter Kilfoyle and his record of public service in our local community. We also respect his passionate views as a football fan.
“He is right that there is a need for new investment into Liverpool FC and he should rest assured that the management are working round the clock to achieve this as well as trying to drive the business forward and, most importantly, support our management and players at this key time in the season.”
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2010/03/16/peter-kilfoyle-liverpool-fc-could-face-financial-ruin-without-new-owners-100252-26039143/
