Minutes from Christian Purslow and SOS Meeting

[Chrono]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?

I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

Amen

[redstaralex]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?

I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

what he said without the inference that JohnDoe & Craig H are clueless

[James P]

what he said without the inference that JohnDoe & Craig H are clueless

I didn't say generally clueless, just that they appear not to understand how this process will actually work.

[The Birdman]

So what we're saying then is that 12 members of SoS who have a definate agenda against H&G and all things Liverpool FC connected to those 2 are telling 100% of the truth and our new (ish) CEO has gone to a meeting he didn't have to go to and is now lying??

I'm confused

[The Birdman]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?

I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

Hats off to you sir

[Chrono]

what he said without the inference that JohnDoe & Craig H are clueless

What he said but retaining the inference that they are clueless

[cream]

Whatever has happened, be it right or wrong, we are all wiser as to where the club stand, which is what I'm grateful for.

Also, its not us fans who hate the ****ing yanks, seems like everybody hates them.

[Exiled_red]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?
I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

While that is true that we are consumers etc there is the possibility for the customers of supermarkets (for example) to influence the products they sell, such example include the uptake of organic and fair trade products, as a result of customer demands.

Where we as football fans differ from supermarket consumers is that if you don't like what you get at Tesco you're likely to change to ASDA or Morrisons etc. Football fans are different, it's very unlikely that fans will switch teams. This can work both ways in that to the owners the fans are a captive market, but if the fans dislike the owner they have can cause financial problems for the club and if the owners treat the club badly they risk isolating a large part of their market. So while we have no rights as such, fan groups are able to apply pressure in certain directions, which if are significant the owners would be foolish to ignore and does create a position of some power...

[JohnDoe]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

There's a difference between running a business and taking on a business merely to suck money out of it and leave it in ruins, which is what G&H are doing as well as the Glazers. Owning a football club does not mean you can do whatever you want with it without any consequences. A football club can not live without the community supporting it.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?

This view, while true in the cold, objective sense, is not accepted and will not be accepted by the Liverpool "consumer". That is a fact. We have a right to protest and we will do so if an entity attempts to take advantage of legal loopholes in order to generate profits on the expense of the collapse of an institute that is worth far more than just money alone, without any responsibility or forthcoming consequences to that money guzzling entity (see: Greedy cunts). If you refuse to accept that then we're both wasting our time.

I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

They ARE a force in this process, like it or not, they have made an influence. They may not be chin scratching business men with smart clothing and millions in the bank, but they've made an impact on this club. Make no mistake.

[Chrono]

They ARE a force in this process, like it or not, they have made an influence. They may not be chin scratching business men with smart clothing and millions in the bank, but they've made an impact on this club. Make no mistake.

Not in the slightest. They can jump up and down all day long but only two parties have any power in this and they are not one of them.

[JohnDoe]

Not in the slightest. They can jump up and down all day long but only two parties have any power in this and they are not one of them.

So why did Purslow meet them? If everyone had this defeatist attitude of "we are powerless", I can guarantee you we'd have been worse off today.

One person has caused Tom Hicks' Jr to resign from the board and **** off.

[Vermilion]

Not in the slightest. They can jump up and down all day long but only two parties have any power in this and they are not one of them.

So not likley to scare off any serious investors then ?

[Darkon]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?

I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

I would simply like to add one thing, that being that although we are all very passionate about the club it does not in itself give us any qualifications as to how to run the club and what is necessarily best for it.

But compared to a supermarket there is one big difference though, and that is the customer here is far more loyal than in most other parts of the cooperate world, which basically means the company have less incitament listening to the customers, because we're hardly going to switch clubs to everton or man utd instead. So the analogy only goes so far as it is an imperfect market the football world.

[Craig_H]

I'm sorry, but there's some absolute bollocks being written on this thread.

John Doe & Craig H - you appear to not have a clue about how the corporate world works. Unless we get some billionaire suger daddy whose only desire is to piss his money up the wall keeping the fans happy, whoever takes us over will want the club to run as a business. Businessmen do not need or want to be barracked and harrassed, or have their names in the press in circumstances that make them look foolish or unprofessional. The activities of SOS are extremely detrimental to the investment process, regardless of how much you may agree with their sentiments.

Also, I find this belief that we fans have any right to dictate the policy and activity of the club quite bizarre. Yes, we are all passionate about the club we support, but does that actually give us any right to demand input into the way that the club is run? Absolutely not. We are not shareholders, we don't have a vote on the board, our own money is not at stake. We are fans, but in purely economic terms we are simply consumers. We pay to be allowed to watch matches, or for merchandise. We may want to believe that that gives us some sort of say in the way the club is run, but it doesn't, and groups like SOS need to wake up and realise that. If you do your shopping in Sainsbury's, do you think that it gives you the right to tell them how to run the company? If you're a fan of a particular band, do you think that spending money on their merchandise entitles you to tell them how to run their careers?

I'm surprised that SOS were lucky enough to get an interview with Purslow. The fact that they then threw it back in his face depresses me, but doesn't surprise me. They need to stop trying to pretend that they are a force in this process, and accept that the only people who control what's going on are RBS and G&H, in that order.

Firstly, if you think football clubs are like any other normal business, then it is you who doesnt have a clue.

Secondly, if the barracking and harrassment issue is so significant, why do you suppose H&G havent just thought '**** this', sold up and ****ed off?

[redstaralex]

There's a difference between running a business and taking on a business merely to suck money out of it and leave it in ruins, which is what G&H are doing as well as the Glazers. Owning a football club does not mean you can do whatever you want with it without any consequences. A football club can not live without the community supporting it.

but we've seen over the past 20 years that all of the larger football clubs aren't interested in the local fans who turn up, support and buy maybe a programme and a pie, they want foreign fans to enjoy the Anfield experience and spend £200 in the shop while they're here so actually for our club, yes it can live without the local community support

This view, while true in the cold, objective sense, is not accepted and will not be accepted by the Liverpool "consumer". That is a fact. We have a right to protest and we will do so if an entity attempts to take advantage of legal loopholes in order to generate profits on the expense of the collapse of an institute that is worth far more than just money alone, without any responsibility or forthcoming consequences to that money guzzling entity (see: Greedy cunts). If you refuse to accept that then we're both wasting our time.

the only protest that will have any affect is (a) not buying a ticket, which won't work as there's always someone else who will buy one or (b) all supporters walking out in unison at half time during a live televised game, now that would seriously impact on the owners as it would set a precedent that would get global attention

They ARE a force in this process, like it or not, they have made an influence. They may not be chin scratching business men with smart clothing and millions in the bank, but they've made an impact on this club. Make no mistake.

but there is a substantial section of fans that think their impact is both negative and embarrassing