SOS to Unveil Billboard in Liverpool

[redstaralex]

This is the thing I dont understand very well. Are you suddenly interested and agreeable with SOS because of the things merlboo has been saying here, or have you had a change of heart and decided all the things they did or said before, which you evidently werent impressed with, is suddenly good?

I only said interested, never said agreeable and not had a change of heart, I still disagree with the way they go about things and am a long way from being convinced that their way is the right way but (for me) if both sides don't take an interest in each others opinion then neither can justify their position

[redstaralex]

to take your first question alex ,we attempt to have quarterly mass meetings in the Olympia ... this is were you can suggest any motions to the admin on the committee ,and engage the floor, if you so wish, the website will advertise as such some time nearer the date... on the second point of travel subsistence... the only coaches this season which ran at a loss were arsenal,chelsea and fulham [spot the link] ... all the others ran at a healthy profit to significantly counter those losses ... we're substantially cheaper than all of the other coach companies and this allows us to pass those benefits onto our members ... we're not a charity .. but we can't preach about being the peoples champions if we overcharge ... we keep it as close to the bone as we possibly can, whilst being mindful of any profits /losses that are incurred and we can adjust our prices accordingly [ie to generalise games down south, some losses and all games in the north, profit] lastly,on the ticketing issue i'm not aware that all of the committee attend all of the away games ... off the top of my head i would say that half may attend a no of away games and the others may struggle like most of us to get tickets and not attend any under the current 'LFC Loyalty Scheme' you rightly pointed to ... speaking for myself ,i've been a regular attendee of aways for some time though lazily i've often gone on friends tickets thus not getting 'higher' up the loyalty ladder myself of which you're familiar ... as you stated and to that end , i wouldn't want to be part of anything which garnered anything underhand- tickets or travel, so rest assured from what i can see ,everythings above board...we're very much all folk of principle

i hope i've explained that clearly

I think I get it, to summarise you're saying that the coaches over the course of the season make neither profit nor loss (or thereabouts)? so where did the substantial travel expenses come from in the accounts?

[merlboo]

I think I get it, to summarise you're saying that the coaches over the course of the season make neither profit nor loss (or thereabouts)? so where did the substantial travel expenses come from in the accounts?

not sure i can see travel ex'ees on the yearly account mate ... if your referring to the the travel deficit of £814 then that would of covered the back end of last season [from march to may]and would of took any losses incurred for last season in that report ,which possibly also, would've included a free support coach to london for the michael shields legal campaign with the home secretary ... this season as i say, it's running at a profit and i can say with a fair degree of certainty that by the end of the season we'll of pulled in the lions share of last seasons shortfall

i hope that makes sense

[redstaralex]

not sure i can see travel ex'ees on the yearly account mate ... if your referring to the the travel deficit of £814 then that would of covered the back end of last season [from march to may]and would of took any losses incurred for last season in that report ,which possibly also, would've included a free support coach to london for the michael shields legal campaign with the home secretary ... this season as i say, it's running at a profit and i can say with a fair degree of certainty that by the end of the season we'll of pulled in the lions share of last seasons shortfall

i hope that makes sense

please accept my apology, I misread the accounts

[CJ]

surely in the accounts you would see costs going out and the income coming in.

the coaches have to be paid for the income will be somewhere else.

[kingfunk]

The Yanks or should i say locals in Dallas are not to pleased.

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfa...llboard_in.php

"Eh, Hicks sucks, but the fact they used "cowboys" who have nothing at all to do with this (either the football team or the traditional ones) just shows they're anti-american eurotrash assholes. Hope you get the worst outcome possible jackasses." Doh!

[dom9]

I just posted this:

Hey people, the term Cowboy in England is often used to refer to someone that is not be trusted. It has nothing to do with horse-riding cattle herders, nor the NFL team. LFC supporters are not anti-American, they are anti Tom hicks, and do not trust him. That is all.

[merlboo]

not too sure it belongs in this thread but this is for anyone who was interested in the AGM last week ... here's the video footage ... thanks

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/AGM-2010-Roundup.html

[Scratch]

Any catchy songs in this SOS video??

[PTP]

- i will join SOS now, if we drop this yanks out marlarky for the short term and concentrate a campaign on sorting out some ****ing tactics - i propose billboards around the city with the following on

Just play 4-4-****ing 2 -

Width,
Passion
Desire
Pace

it's a work in progress

[MrMichael]

Wasn't sure whather to post this on its own or in one of several different threads....

Liverpool FC fans threaten Royal Bank of Scotland boycott over Reds finance deal

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2010/03/11/liverpool-fc-fans-threaten-royal-bank-of-scotland-boycott-over-reds-finance-deal-100252-26013092/2/

A GROUP of Liverpool fans are threatening to boycott the Royal Bank of Scotland if it extends its refinancing deal with the club.

Liverpool FC co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have until July 24 to repay the remaining £237million borrowed from RBS and American investment bank Wachovia that they have leveraged against the club's assets.

Despite pledges to the contrary, Hicks and Gillett have set a total of £350million worth of debt against the club that was around £44million in the red when they took control from David Moores in February 2007.

Now, some Reds fans are urging the bank to call in the debt this summer in the hope it will force the Americans to sell the club.

An e-mail addressed directly to RBS chief executive officer, Stephen Hester, has been replicated and signed by individual Liverpool fans, angry at the bank's involvement.

The e-mail has also been copied to other senior figures at the bank and Liverpool FC, including Hicks and Gillett, plus city council leader Warren Bradley.

It reads: "Having reviewed the company accounts in relation to Liverpool Football Club and Parent Company Kop Football Ltd, of which there is approximately £237m worth of debt; it is clear that the business model operated by the current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett is unsustainable.

"Whilst I appreciate that any refinancing package deal is a confidential matter between the Royal Bank of Scotland and the current owners of Liverpool Football Club, it is also a very personal issue for many Liverpool supporters around the world.

"There is an ever increasing sense of anger and resentment towards the owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, which is likely to turn towards RBS if the refinancing deal is extended in the coming months.

"It is my understanding that if the refinancing deal is renegotiated beyond July 2010, then a campaign in protest against the Royal Bank of Scotland will take place which will include billboards with anti-RBS messages encouraging Liverpool Fans to Boycott RBS in a similar manner to the Boycott of the Sun Newspaper.

"We as supporters of Liverpool Football Club are effectively paying the loan repayments for Hicks and Gillett, and as taxpayers have a "controlling stake" in RBS. We should therefore have a say in where our money is being invested.

"The ball is firmly in your court."

Links to a website supporting a campaign to boycott The Sun are included in the e-mail as well as a link to the Liverpool Supporters Union, Spirit of Shankly, website.

Spirit of Shankly have previously threatened similar action against the Royal Bank of Scotland when Hicks and Gillett secured a £350m refinancing package in January 2008, a move which saddled Liverpool with annual interest payments of £30m.

However, although some of the fans behind the latest campaign are members of Spirit of Shankly, SOS says this latest move to oust Hicks and Gillett is not official union action.

An SOS spokesperson told the Echo: "Whilst we appreciate the intent behind this action it is not something the recent AGM or management committee have considered."

Hicks and Gillett have successfully sought several repayment extensions from RBS and Wachovia.

In January 2009 they exercised terms under the loan agreement to extend it for a further six months until July 24 that year. After that, further extensions were thought to be unlikely.

Instead, the Americans again refinanced with RBS and Wachovia, granting themselves a further 12 months to July 24 2010 to repay the debt.

Following concerns expressed by club accountant, KPMG, about Liverpool's ability to operate efficiently with such a burden of debt, a condition was written into the latest agreement that £60m in equity must be provided to reduce Liverpool's outstanding liablities to around £250m.

That was achieved last year but the banks are known to have put pressure on Hicks and Gillett to attract third party investment to the club.

Investment banks Rothschild and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have been brought in to help with the search, while Liverpool managing director, Christian Purslow, is looking to bring in £100m of investment before the July deadline.

[dom9]

I'm sure RBS will lose sleep over a few bank accounts.