Former Liverpool owner Tom Hicks put on an astonishing show for the Sky Sports cameras in Texas on Friday in the aftermath of losing his 50% share in the club to new owners NESV.
In the interview he lists various people he feels were to blame for the mess of the past three years. (Clue: None of it was his fault.)
To much mirth online around the world he also bemoans a campaign from “militant” “internet terrorists”.
As he sits licking his wounds this weekend it’s unlikely he’ll be able to accept his own part in his downfall, and with him expected to relaunch another bid for damages it’s unlikely he’ll say what he truly thinks of his now ex-partner George Gillett.
In short he needs to think about what caused RBS to insist on the appointments of both Christian Purslow and Martin Broughton to run the club, find investors and ultimately find buyers. He needs to think about why nobody else would take the debt on instead.
His problems began long before any “militant internet” campaigns began or even before fan groups like Spirit of Shankly were formed. He caused his own problems; his inability to see that is what allowed such campaigns to eventually help bring an end to his reign.
Right until the end it seems he always wanted a little bit more than he was being offered. Right until the end it seems he felt he could get away with breaking promises.
He’s lost a lot of money – and the attention he’s got worldwide suggests he’s got a lot more to lose, along with whatever shreds he had left of his reputation.
Above video courtesy of Sky Sports News / Sky News.
The following views are, obviously, not ours. This is an extract from what Tom Hicks told Sky Sports News:
“I’m shocked, devastated, frustrated. We are being very careful to make sure we follow the High Court rules but I’m very disappointed. It’s hurt my family tremendously. This very valuable asset has been swindled away from me in an epic swindle. I’m very angry about it.
“I have been working very hard to solve the issue. We know there are better owners around the world who should own Liverpool Football Club than the Boston Red Sox group [NESV]. We knew who they were and were frustrated every time we had conversations with them.
“Our desire was to have Liverpool in the hands of the right and proper next owner who could build the stadium and make Liverpool the top club in the world that it deserves to be.
“I accepted the club was going to be sold back in April, the question was when.
“The Royal Bank of Scotland wanted it done the day after and there was no reason for that. Liverpool were a very healthy financial performing club. There was a bit too much debt, no question, but we were going to fix that.
“We were frustrated by others. I think the right owner would have paid Gillett and Hicks a fair price and would have had the resources to spend on players and the stadium.
“I am angry because this was a valuable asset that has been swindled from me.
“We did have the funds available to pay off RBS in its entirety. But between RBS and the chairman and the employees that conspired against us, we could not pay off the debt.
“I know exactly why that was, they had the ability to. This was an organised conspiracy and it went on for months. It consisted of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Martin Broughton – who wanted a good PR event in his life because he’s a Chelsea fan, he’s not even a Liverpool fan – he wanted to be seen as the guy who got rid of the Americans.
“We were working very hard to solve the issue and we knew there were better owners out there than the Boston Red Sox guys.
“But the interested buyers were scared off by the talk from RBS and the militant internet terrorism campaigns by supporters.
“I just want the truth to come out in the courts.”
We look forward to it.
I have no sympathy whatsoever for both Tom & George.
They bought the club with money that they did not have.
They argued with eacother and sat like schoolkids many seats apart in the “posh” seats at Anfield.
Hicks gave birth to a son that took on his father’s traits and treats others with contempt, when he cannot sutainably argue his position. Financially and intellectually inept.
They bankrupted their HOME team and would have done the same to us.
They made promises that they could not keep to the fans, to RBS and to a host of other creditors.
They did not invest in the team after we came second, which has proven to be a disastrous move as we have gone into freefall since then (agreed that the responsibility lies mainly with the players and manager)
They undermined Rafa from the beginning with the Klinsmann fiasco.
History has shown us that title winning sides (or those with such ambitions) continually freshen up the competition within the side. We have had to deal with 4 consecutive transfer windows with a net profit.
He calls us “that noise” and has continually acted in a way that breeds mistrust. We are not stupid fans and I think we would have been fair had they been open and honest with what their plans and their strategy was.
They were all about greed and continue to be about greed.
They made the Texas Rangers bankrupt so this was not a one off. Hicks should not be allowed to own a pub team leat alone LFC.
I wuld say losing £70 Million + additional lawyer fees for the Mickey Mouse court action he is taking in Texas is about right.
Sleep well Tom & George, you got EXACTLY what you both deserved. Learn your lesson….be honest, be humble and dont invest what you do not have. Above all, stay away from anything related to sport and stay away from Liverpool.
“…..we could not pay off the debt.I know exactly why that was, they had the ability to,”
They had the ability because Hicks signed away his rights at the last refinance. There’s no more or less to this scenario than that.
rot in hell Hicks,do everyone a favour and just xxxx off
P.S. Hicks…you are in NO position to pass judgement on what types of owners NESV will/will not be for LFC.
At least they won the world series twice and they did invest in the stadium so they do have some kind of rack record.
I will be reserved in my welcome and they have yet to prove themselves….but good riddance to Hicks and Gillette.
Better owners out there? How long did he think it was gonna take before someone stupid enough to roll up and pay a over inflated price in these difficult environment? End of the day he is only gutted because he made nothing out of the deal instead of the amount he bragged about making.
After 31/2 years of misery lies and debt he finally puts a smile on my face was that the best bit of telly in years. HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTER in my eyes. remember this you FAT LYING GREEDY GOOD FOR NOTHING TEXAS HAT. what goes around comes around.
Tom is angry. Awww diddums.
what a total load of old crapm from a man who cares for his so called club that he wanted to do well for in still calling LIVERPOOL A GREAT ASSET, WHAT A C**T OF A MAN, hope he dies soon, his attitude at liverpool was disgusting and to treat the club and the paying fan the way him and that other mug has was so so bad, i just wish all the worst on him his family and gillett to. get out of town you fcuking mug hicks!!!
http://www.punchinthefacebook.com/punch/united-states/hicks
Hi Jim for some reason my posts are going missing again.
Seen the video now and Hicks claims that Rafa spent £150 million net, I am sure the real amount is something like £80 if not less can you confirm or deny this please.
Link on NESV….
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/video/Features/Who-are-NESV-21731.php3
do you remember when DIC offered £450+ for 50% of the club?! hicks refused to sell his and blocked gillet. greedy c*nt.
My heart bleeds for him. Bring out the violins….
Think you commented under a different post Mr F.
Just got rid of 88 spam comments (for some strange reason a lot of them were trying to flog UGG boots) and approved a few comments in moderation. No sign of any others from you!
Hicks said 300m gross and 150m net (he said it was dollars in one part of the interview and pounds in another) and it was for his overall time at the club.
According to this:
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2010/10/liverpools-spending-under-hicks-and-gillett/
the net spend was under £30m oveall for the time Hicks was here. Other estimates put it much lower than that.
BBC Radio5 Live Sportsweek programme is reporting that Hicks is going to drop his law suit.
He’s clearly thought things through and listened to his lawyers and been decided it’s not one he would win.
Hopefully confirmation will follow on their website.