Looks like we have a new owner

[kopdan]

DIC spokesman Dhavlos was bitter and angry as he sat there in his chair muttering and dribbling

[AFII]

Why would a man once named among the 100 most influential skiers of all time want to own a Premiership football club?

Are Liverpool fans comforted by knowing that half the American financial muscle behind the proposed takeover owns household names on their tea table such as Branston Pickle, Crosse & Blackwell, Rowntree's Jelly and Sarson's Vinegar?

Such are the strange bedfellows created by the lust to own Premiership clubs, and George Gillett and Tom Hicks are the latest pardners to ride into town for the Premier League ownership gold rush.

Prospective Liverpool joint-owner Gillett earned the right to be named among the likes of Franz Klammer with his ownership of the swanky US ski resort of Vail, where he transformed American skiing by backing top international races.

That might not cut much ice on the Kop, but is indicative of the entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with a passion for sport, which prompted Gillett's move with Hicks.

Born in the icy wastes of Racine, Wisconsin, Gillett started out as a sales manager, who after taking a post with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, became a partner in the franchise in 1966.

He sold his 22% holding in the Dolphins to buy the struggling Harlem Globetrotters basketball outfit and his American dream included recovery from the hiccup of filing for bankruptcy to build up a huge business empire.

Gillett's widespread business interests include television and newspapers, underpinned by his involvement in the food industry, principally meat-packing.

His personal fortune has allowed him to indulge his passion for sport by buying in, most notably the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team.

Gillett's purchase of the Canadiens in 2000 sparked a similar outrage among Canucks at a Yank taking over as the Glazer family's purchase did among Manchester United fans.

But Gillett has been good for the Canadiens, transforming a famous but moribund outfit into Stanley Cup contenders.

His ownership of an ice hockey club is the common denominator he shares with Hicks, who owns the Dallas Stars.

Hicks, the son of a Texas radio station owner, also possesses considerable financial clout, founding a capital investment company with a reputation for a sharp eye for an opening.

That might not cut much ice on the Kop, but is indicative of the entrepreneurial spirit, coupled with a passion for sport, which prompted Gillett's move with Hicks.

Born in the icy wastes of Racine, Wisconsin, Gillett started out as a sales manager, who after taking a post with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, became a partner in the franchise in 1966.

He sold his 22% holding in the Dolphins to buy the struggling Harlem Globetrotters basketball outfit and his American dream included recovery from the hiccup of filing for bankruptcy to build up a huge business empire.

Gillett's widespread business interests include television and newspapers, underpinned by his involvement in the food industry, principally meat-packing.

His personal fortune has allowed him to indulge his passion for sport by buying in, most notably the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team.

Gillett's purchase of the Canadiens in 2000 sparked a similar outrage among Canucks at a Yank taking over as the Glazer family's purchase did among Manchester United fans.

But Gillett has been good for the Canadiens, transforming a famous but moribund outfit into Stanley Cup contenders.

His ownership of an ice hockey club is the common denominator he shares with Hicks, who owns the Dallas Stars.

Hicks, the son of a Texas radio station owner, also possesses considerable financial clout, founding a capital investment company with a reputation for a sharp eye for an opening.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ol/6323609.stm

[nbryan1764]

Well I'm upset about DIC walking away, but not really for this reason. I never had any notion that they would be like Abramovich. I never wanted them to be and I dont want to be anything like Chelsea, spending £25m on sqaud players. In terms of transfers, I only hoped this deal would enable Rafa to go out and get an Alves instead of a Pennant.

What I was hoping for is that they would make the club debt free, build the stadium without mortgaging the club's future on it, so that if they did decide to walk away in a few years the club wouldn't be left with liabilities it cant meet. I'm not convinced these two Americans can promise anything like that. Even combines I'm not sure they have the wealth to do buy the club, pay off debts and build the stadium without mortgaging it.

I fear we'll become like Arsenal now, dependent on CL money to pay off interest on the stadium.

I don't expect a logical explanation for this but...how do you know all of this? How do you know that the club would have been debt free? How do you know that the stadium would not have been mortgaged? How do you know that the combination of 2 American multi millionaires would not be able to compete with the money that DIC were prepared to put in? How do you know that DIC were not going to sell us off for a profit as soon as they could?

Throwing dummies out of prams because somebody won't make an absolutley massive decision within 12 hours doesn't sound good. It took SG longer than that to withdraw his transfer request yet they wanted an answer in less time?

[tomasjj]

DIC spokesman Dhavlos was bitter and angry as he sat there in his chair muttering and dribbling

hahaahha

Don't force him into the corner even more.

[Pacman]

There is an investment banker on Koptalk who said hicks entering the deal changes everything.

He seems pretty clued up on the matter tbh and said the only downside he could see was they may sell the naming rights of the new stadium.

[disco]

There is an investment banker on Koptalk who said hicks entering the deal changes everything.

He seems pretty clued up on the matter tbh and said the only downside he could see was they may sell the naming rights of the new stadium.

He's certainly far more believeable/reassuring than the guy who keeps banging on about DIC.

[Pacman]

I've checked him out and he said yesterday morning he had heard Gillet had a partner in all this but didn't know who.

Seems pretty genuine.

[desertscouser]

There is an investment banker on Koptalk who said hicks entering the deal changes everything.

He seems pretty clued up on the matter tbh and said the only downside he could see was they may sell the naming rights of the new stadium.

F*ck what the investment banker says. I'm only interested in what Zico has to say!

[Pacman]

He's certainly far more believeable/reassuring than the guy who keeps banging on about DIC.

He posted before about investment I'm sure he has and he always seems to have his head on his shoulders and know his stuff.

[Pacman]

F*ck what the investment banker says. I'm only interested in what Zico has to say!

[Red Chilli]

F*ck what the investment banker says. I'm only interested in what Zico has to say!

Zico says he knew all along that Gilett was going to take over and if you read his posts carefully all the clues were there.

[tomasjj]

I've checked him out and he said yesterday morning he had heard Gillet had a partner in all this but didn't know who.

Seems pretty genuine.

what is his name over there?

[disco]

what is his name over there?

Sckair

[tomasjj]

Sckair

Don't know him.

[desertscouser]

Zico says he knew all along that Gilett was going to take over and if you read his posts carefully all the clues were there.

Is he really saying that?

If he is, then to me he is the single biggest bull sh!tter on the entire web. More so than Dunk and the likes of Gravy on YNWA.

What a c@ck sucker. It's days like this that I wish I was on koptalk to blast him. Anyone fancy sending me a pm with their log in details for 1 hr?