Liverpool's two main supporters' groups, Spirit of Shankly and ShareLiverpoolFC, have unveiled a revised proposal to buy out the club.
In plans initially put forward in January last year, the supporters' groups had hoped to raise UK£500 million from 100,000 fans each paying the UK£5,000 'entry fee', emulating an ownership model used by the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. That figure has proved too steep, however, and has now been reduced to a much more realistic UK£500 per member. Obviously the UK£500 million target is now out of reach. The new plan, therefore, has several fundamental structural differences.
The aim is to acquire a 60 per cent stake in the club by raising UK£150 million while seeking a "commercial partner" to invest UK£100 million for a 40 per cent stake.
The supporters' groups will then be able to make an immediate down payment of UK£250 million on the club's UK£350 million debt. The UK£100 million balance would then be exchanged for convertible loan stock in the club. ShareLiverpoolFC would have rights to acquire that stock from the banks in equal annual instalments over a 20 year term. Acquisition and conversion of the loan stock would eventually raise the supporters' equity interest in the club to 71 per cent.
A statement from ShareLiverpoolFC said: "This is a realistic plan that squares the circle: How to get broadly based fan ownership of the club, and relieve the level of debt, by offering Liverpool fans an affordable entry fee and a chance to get a modest return for their additional financial support."
The current owners have been under pressure for some time now. Gillett has agreed to sell the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey franchise for more than US$500 million. Hicks, meanwhile, has dissolved Hicks Sports Marketing Group as he looks to sell off one of his sport franchises.
Poolman
i dun think the two americans s-holes will sell .....
we dun need any buy-out group , we need an arab zillionaire .