SOS to Unveil Billboard in Liverpool

[merlboo]

i hope i'm not seen to be pushy [like on a first date this ] but i thought this was worth putting up ... considering and significantly, it comes from the local press who've stayed in the background.... rightly or wrongly

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2010/03/03/liverpool-fans-take-anti-gillett-and-hicks-campaign-to-billboards-100252-25949928/

Liverpool fans take anti-Gillett and Hicks campaign to billboards

Mar 3 2010 by Luke Traynor, Liverpool Echo

Liverpool fans take anti-Gillett and Hicks campaign to billboards

LIVERPOOL FC fans campaigning against the club’s American owners have taken their protest to the streets.

A number of billboards have sprung up on major routes into the city, calling for the resignation of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The posters, the brainchild of supporters union Spirit Of Shankly (SOS), are emblazoned with the message: “Tom and George, Debt, Lies, Cowboys. Not welcome here.”

Around five are thought to have been rolled out so far, with another five expected to complete a total of 10.

They are located prominently in Prescot Road, at its junction with Green Lane; Vauxhall Road, in Kirkdale; and Derby Road, near Sandhills Lane.

One is set to be erected at Lime Street station taxi rank, with another predicted for Queen Square bus station in coming days.

SOS spokesman Jay McKenna said: “The message is to remind people Hicks and Gillett are not welcome here.

“It educates about what we think they are doing to our club and the feedback so far is very positive.”

The group also moved to end growing speculation that a joint Liverpool and Manchester United fan protest could take place outside Old Trafford when the teams meet on March 21.

A recent report in a Manchester newspaper suggested supporters were seriously considering joining forces and had held secret meetings to protest against their respective American owners, and their tactics of saddling both clubs with debt.

The matter was discussed at last weekend’s SOS AGM, during which the matter was unequivocally ruled out.

The SOS spokesman added: “There will be no joint protest. It is not something which would be workable.

“We will be discussing ways of moving forward and how we can stand together.”

Considering the hostile rivalry which still exists between both clubs, the idea immediately prompted raised eyebrows among fans.

But due to the animosity between supporters, and despite some reports to the contrary, the issue has never been seriously entertained.

Liverpool fans are likely to attend a Football Supporters Federation event in London tomorrow entitled Sit Down, Shut Up: Are Football Supporters Discriminated Against

[PTP]

Is that uniform Black Prada or Black North Face?

- it has to be north face - EVERYONE at anfield is wearing north face at the moment haha - except me, i have to admit, i have go in Prada (beige/stone tho not black)

true story

[redstaralex]

I don't quite get why the joint protest with man u supporters was ruled out out of hand, I've said before that the best way to hurt the owners (any owners) would be to buy a ticket for the match and ALL walk out at half time or not turn up at all thereby guaranteeing that no-one would be sat in "your" seat and it remained empty, it would garner massive press interest, such a high profile match broadcast worldwide with an incredible amount of empty seats would get the kind of press that no-one could buy

at the end of the day we're all football supporters and personally speaking I've had far more interesting chats about football with supporters from rival teams (inc man u) than blustering part time LFC supporters

I suspect melboo is in the best position to answer this one, and I'll be upfront mr melboo, I'm not a fan of sos from the "invite only" beginnings but I am impressed by your sensible stance rather than the shouting for or against that most people do, and I'll include myself in the past on that front

[Craig_H]

If people buy and pay for a ticket, how would walking out or not turning up hurt the owners?

[squaddie]

If people buy and pay for a ticket, how would walking out or not turning up hurt the owners?

I think he means it would be far more of a public display of protest than walking from the pub to ground chanting.

But there's far to many reasons of why it would be a daft idea.... For one i dont think the players would appreciate it too much.

[Craig_H]

Ah, in terms of publicity, yeah it'd be major.

Dont think the yanks would give a **** though, really. And he mentioned that it'd hurt the owners - i dont see that it would.

[squaddie]

Ah, in terms of publicity, yeah it'd be major.

Dont think the yanks would give a **** though, really. And he mentioned that it'd hurt the owners - i dont see that it would.

You were right..... Its because it wouldnt.

[merlboo]

I don't quite get why the joint protest with man u supporters was ruled out out of hand, I've said before that the best way to hurt the owners (any owners) would be to buy a ticket for the match and ALL walk out at half time or not turn up at all thereby guaranteeing that no-one would be sat in "your" seat and it remained empty, it would garner massive press interest, such a high profile match broadcast worldwide with an incredible amount of empty seats would get the kind of press that no-one could buy

at the end of the day we're all football supporters and personally speaking I've had far more interesting chats about football with supporters from rival teams (inc man u) than blustering part time LFC supporters

I suspect melboo is in the best position to answer this one, and I'll be upfront mr melboo, I'm not a fan of sos from the "invite only" beginnings but I am impressed by your sensible stance rather than the shouting for or against that most people do, and I'll include myself in the past on that front

the first point mate was a very valid one .... i was very much of the persuasion that a joint protest on the day of the game between us could do our cause no end of good .... however and this is the biggy ... we [the committee] sat down and discussed its merits and just as importantly its logistics .... it was agreed if we set the wheels in motion with this then we could be privy to a world war 3 scenario.... 3000 liverpool fans going into the lions den ... now of them, anything between 1000 and 1500 may have been members and ready to align ourselves with their protest .... our history [and anyone who's been to old trafford will testify] allied to the powder keg atmosphere would mean that just a couple of renegades from either side could sabotage the whole show in a matter of seconds ... and if we had any bloodletting then we could do the unions image no end of damage.... i was prepared to take that risk [as i can be maverick at times but fortunately the wise old suages talked me down ... shame but it was decided there was more to lose and i could'nt debate that ... hope that answers that one

the second point is a good one too ... the invite only one is a perception a lot of people have, and we're trying to change that .... from my personal experience ,the fallout from the klinsmann debacle got me involved fairly early ... i had a common goal with other LFC fans from the outset and that was to let the owners know they were wrong trying to force the manager out ... i'd like to think we've justified our actions in the main since then ... so from there i became more involved in the protests ,recruiting and the michael shields legal and HJC fundraising ...
i'm of the school of thought , that if you can show leadership then leaders will follow ... so on the invite one mate ...i think i gatecrashed the party

[redstaralex]

You were right..... Its because it wouldnt.

of course it would, at the moment the rebels don't have that much of a presence and this would highlight the issue globally

[redstaralex]

the first point mate was a very valid one .... i was very much of the persuasion that a joint protest on the day of the game between us could do our cause no end of good .... however and this is the biggy ... we [the committee] sat down and discussed its merits and just as importantly its logistics .... it was agreed if we set the wheels in motion with this then we could be privy to a world war 3 scenario.... 3000 liverpool fans going into the lions den ... now of them, anything between 1000 and 1500 may have been members and ready to align ourselves with their protest .... our history [and anyone who's been to old trafford will testify] allied to the powder keg atmosphere would mean that just a couple of renegades from either side could sabotage the whole show in a matter of seconds ... and if we had any bloodletting then we could do the unions image no end of damage.... i was prepared to take that risk [as i can be maverick at times but fortunately the wise old suages talked me down ... shame but it was decided there was more to lose and i could'nt debate that ... hope that answers that one

the second point is a good one too ... the invite only one is a perception a lot of people have, and we're trying to change that .... from my personal experience ,the fallout from the klinsmann debacle got me involved fairly early ... i had a common goal with other LFC fans from the outset and that was to let the owners know they were wrong trying to force the manager out ... i'd like to think we've justified our actions in the main since then ... so from there i became more involved in the protests ,recruiting and the michael shields legal and HJC fundraising ...
i'm of the school of thought , that if you can show leadership then leaders will follow ... so on the invite one mate ...i think i gatecrashed the party

thanks, I can see the point having been to old trafford on a match, it's not the best place to go

as for the invite only, it was definitely there, when I first heard about the group (still not happy calling it a union) I mailed asking and was told to supply my username for any forums I was registered on, and that is where my disapproval stems from, you can't claim to represent any more than your friends if there's either an invitation or a vetting process to join

[Craig_H]

of course it would, at the moment the rebels don't have that much of a presence and this would highlight the issue globally

I think the only motivation for the yanks is money, so once the tickets have been paid for and the cash pocketed, i dont think they give a flying **** whether you turn up for the game or not. Other than losing out on a few quid that some might've spent in the club shop. But then, most ST holders & regulars cant be arsed venturing in there anyway.

[red g]

i think just like over at OT the yanks are particularly thick skinned and dont give a **** what we day.

The only way we could make any effect is boycotting matches constantly till they left and that isnt going tohappen.

Boycott 1 game and it will be forgetten in a month. Sad but true

[PTP]

i think just like over at OT the yanks are particularly thick skinned and dont give a **** what we day.

The only way we could make any effect is boycotting matches constantly till they left and that isnt going tohappen.

Boycott 1 game and it will be forgetten in a month. Sad but true

totally agree with this - they don't give **** about any liverpool fan and what they have to say. In fact, they probably piss themselves laughing when they get back to their country club's, drinking £300 a glass whiskey, and joke about some people shouting abuse at them at a soccer game

[squaddie]

of course it would, at the moment the rebels don't have that much of a presence and this would highlight the issue globally

deleted

[redstaralex]

but it wouldn't be a few locals any more, it would be the world press

anyway, I'll agree to disagree with you all