David Moores letter to The Times

[paulg]

I found Moores' comment about trusting Gillett's (spelling) word about Hicks very worrying. It confirms just what an amateurish method LFC was run by for so long.

Very sad.

[kingfunk]

The funny thing is, he actually said £600m-£800m - but i was just trying to type quickly, so i just put £600m

He is thick as ****. Im going selling my car soon, should i put on the add : Car for Sale. £6000 or £8000 please thank you.

[fred_plasticine]

fair play to david moores. in my book, he's always had the best interest of the club at heart. in terms of his attitude with regards to lfc and football in general he's top bloke. he's got all this old school phylosophy about how a club should be run from top to bottom.
ideals i can only applaud.
but as he stated himself, the game's moved on since the early 90s and changed dramatically. it's a business. and he's not a business man and thus not suited to running a football club. which he realised. but then again, he wasn't even fit to sell a business as is stands.
i actually believe that he feels hard done by rothshield and co but the world of finance is predatory and the weak are brushed aside in the blink of an eye. he believed what he was told by so called experts as many many others have done and lost out.
anyone of us who's not a financial expert himself would have believed what the likes of rothshield said. that's what experts are here for. otherwise there'd be no financial crisis at the moment.

[Shaggy]

A response from an SOS member:


Dear David,

In your letter published in The Times this morning you attempt to explain the process that led to the sale of Liverpool FC to Messrs Hicks and Gillett. This was welcome if not overdue. I would, however like to take issue with some of the statements made in that letter.

You precede your comments on the search for a new custodian with the words ” I don’t really care whether the supporters like me or approve of me – but it’s important that they believe me” but you then go on to suggest that pressure to sell from a “loud minority” of fans played on your mind and influenced your behaviour when scrutinising the Hicks / Gillett bid. For a man in your position to attempt to explain the lack of proper interrogation of new owners because of minority fan pressure for a quick sale is simply shameful. Not content with passing the buck for the decision onto the fans you also suggest that minority shareholders, including Granada and Steve Morgan, were similarly taken in by the Americans. The problem of course David is that those minority shareholders, like us fans, believed that you and Rick Parry had done all the due diligence, that you had checked these guys out. I mean you must have done surely, after all Rick Parry said:

“This is great for Liverpool, our supporters and the shareholders – it is the beginning of a new era for the Club. The partnership created by George and Tom is very special. They are bringing to the table tremendous and relevant experience, a passion for sport, real resources and a strong commitment to the traditions of Liverpool. Their approach represents exactly the sort of genuine partnership that Liverpool has been seeking over recent times. We know that George and Tom want a long-term relationship with Liverpool and that they also understand the importance of investing in our success both on and off the field. They have made clear their intention to move as quickly as practicable on the financing and construction of our proposed new stadium at Stanley Park and also to support investment in the playing squad. This has been an important time for the Club. We now have the right partners for the future. I am absolutely certain we have now ended up in the right place, with owners who will help the Club succeed and prosper.”

Do you not think that glowing testimonial might have been one of the reasons that the fans were brought onside and the shareholders voted unanimously to accept David? We were taken in because David Moores and Rick Parry told us that after a long search they had found the right people for the club. We trusted you. We trusted that you had done all the right checks and asked all the right questions. We trusted you because you were in a position of trust. You let us all down.

Despite earlier promises that you would dig deep into every file and ask all the tough questions, when it came to Hicks you let it swing on the word of his co-investor and a bank report that said they were “good for the money”. It seems that far from asking the tough questions you never even asked the obvious ones. Questions like “How do the supporters of his other sports franchises view him and his contribution to their club?” and “What is his record of burdening his other sporting acquisitions with the purchase debt?”

Unfortunately David, for someone who starts out by saying “I’m writing to you not out of any mission to clear my name – if I felt I had anything to apologise for I would have done so, without hesitation, a long, long time ago” the rest of the letter reeks of a man attempting to justify his decision and to pass the blame onto anyone else possible. That is not acceptable. That is not what is needed at this juncture.

I think most Liverpool fans accept that these mistakes were “honest mistakes”. We are not alleging malice, or even greed. As you say “It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to concede for the greater good”. So accept that those honest mistakes were yours and apologise for them. People can forgive an honest mistake as long as their is contrition and a desire to make it good. What is done is done, there is a far more important battle to be fought, a battle that should not be sidetracked by recriminations over past events.

You speak movingly in your letter about the principles that unite us a Liverpudlians. You now have the perfect opportunity to back up these fine words with support, public and financial for SoS and ShareLiverpool. Let your actions now speak for you. Anything less and we will be forced to conclude that your protestations to the current owners is nothing but bluster.

Throw your support behind the campaign to get the Americans out. Help to underwrite a fans buyout. If you want to rescue your family name, which despite your protestations to the contrary, it is obvious you do, then that is the only way that you will do it.

Kev Howson

[Dalglish]

And the 1st 3 or 4 pages slating him before the letter was even published?

And then the other 50% of replies that dont seem to be able to link 2 sentances together before quoting and commenting?

And do I appear on the first 3 or 4 pages having a go? Just out of interest like.

[Tee]

Well in Kev Howson.

[fred_plasticine]

A response from an SOS member:


Dear David,

In your letter published in The Times this morning you attempt to explain the process that led to the sale of Liverpool FC to Messrs Hicks and Gillett. This was welcome if not overdue. I would, however like to take issue with some of the statements made in that letter.

You precede your comments on the search for a new custodian with the words ” I don’t really care whether the supporters like me or approve of me – but it’s important that they believe me” but you then go on to suggest that pressure to sell from a “loud minority” of fans played on your mind and influenced your behaviour when scrutinising the Hicks / Gillett bid. For a man in your position to attempt to explain the lack of proper interrogation of new owners because of minority fan pressure for a quick sale is simply shameful. Not content with passing the buck for the decision onto the fans you also suggest that minority shareholders, including Granada and Steve Morgan, were similarly taken in by the Americans. The problem of course David is that those minority shareholders, like us fans, believed that you and Rick Parry had done all the due diligence, that you had checked these guys out. I mean you must have done surely, after all Rick Parry said:

“This is great for Liverpool, our supporters and the shareholders – it is the beginning of a new era for the Club. The partnership created by George and Tom is very special. They are bringing to the table tremendous and relevant experience, a passion for sport, real resources and a strong commitment to the traditions of Liverpool. Their approach represents exactly the sort of genuine partnership that Liverpool has been seeking over recent times. We know that George and Tom want a long-term relationship with Liverpool and that they also understand the importance of investing in our success both on and off the field. They have made clear their intention to move as quickly as practicable on the financing and construction of our proposed new stadium at Stanley Park and also to support investment in the playing squad. This has been an important time for the Club. We now have the right partners for the future. I am absolutely certain we have now ended up in the right place, with owners who will help the Club succeed and prosper.”

Do you not think that glowing testimonial might have been one of the reasons that the fans were brought onside and the shareholders voted unanimously to accept David? We were taken in because David Moores and Rick Parry told us that after a long search they had found the right people for the club. We trusted you. We trusted that you had done all the right checks and asked all the right questions. We trusted you because you were in a position of trust. You let us all down.

Despite earlier promises that you would dig deep into every file and ask all the tough questions, when it came to Hicks you let it swing on the word of his co-investor and a bank report that said they were “good for the money”. It seems that far from asking the tough questions you never even asked the obvious ones. Questions like “How do the supporters of his other sports franchises view him and his contribution to their club?” and “What is his record of burdening his other sporting acquisitions with the purchase debt?”

Unfortunately David, for someone who starts out by saying “I’m writing to you not out of any mission to clear my name – if I felt I had anything to apologise for I would have done so, without hesitation, a long, long time ago” the rest of the letter reeks of a man attempting to justify his decision and to pass the blame onto anyone else possible. That is not acceptable. That is not what is needed at this juncture.

I think most Liverpool fans accept that these mistakes were “honest mistakes”. We are not alleging malice, or even greed. As you say “It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to concede for the greater good”. So accept that those honest mistakes were yours and apologise for them. People can forgive an honest mistake as long as their is contrition and a desire to make it good. What is done is done, there is a far more important battle to be fought, a battle that should not be sidetracked by recriminations over past events.

You speak movingly in your letter about the principles that unite us a Liverpudlians. You now have the perfect opportunity to back up these fine words with support, public and financial for SoS and ShareLiverpool. Let your actions now speak for you. Anything less and we will be forced to conclude that your protestations to the current owners is nothing but bluster.

Throw your support behind the campaign to get the Americans out. Help to underwrite a fans buyout. If you want to rescue your family name, which despite your protestations to the contrary, it is obvious you do, then that is the only way that you will do it.

Kev Howson

the response is typical of sos: it's self-righteous, it's pretentious, it's demanding.
taking other people's opinions or other people's reasoning into perspective is just not on their agenda.
it's all so black and white, so 'we are the good guys', so 'with us or against us', so deliberatley antagonising, that makes it hard to approve of.

[PTP]

kinda agree - i'd rather the letter said - something like

"mr moores, if you are so upset with what has happened to the club, why don't you give the club a donation of, say £50m out of the £80m you made from the sale to be spent only on a left back, left winger and striker because it's what every liverpool fan would do if they could"

[The Birdman]

kinda agree - i'd rather the letter said - something like

"mr moores, if you are so upset with what has happened to the club, why don't you give the club a donation of, say £50m out of the £80m you made from the sale to be spent only on a left back, left winger and striker because it's what every liverpool fan would do if they could"

Honestly, if I had upwards of £80m and I had royally ****ed up like Moores did I would get in touch with Rafa and say I will give you £10m out of my own pocket to buy player x, I don't want it paid back but I do want it made public to try and win back some of the fans trust.

Seriously if we (the fans) had £80 we'd happily give £1, if we had £800 we'd give £10 and so on so the same applies to him.

[red g]

Honestly, if I had upwards of £80m and I had royally ****ed up like Moores did I would get in touch with Rafa and say I will give you £10m out of my own pocket to buy player x, I don't want it paid back but I do want it made public to try and win back some of the fans trust.

Seriously if we (the fans) had £80 we'd happily give £1, if we had £800 we'd give £10 and so on so the same applies to him.

its widely reported he did make more selling to these 2 cunts so he should give back the difference.

I would expect giving 50million away wouldnt even register on his bank balance and if it did, just borrow it off his sister!!


That letter was a token effort lets see a monetary effort please

[BillobShaisley]

Spurs are owned by the ENIC group, not a sugar daddy. And i'd hardly call Learner at Villa a sugar daddy either.

Learner has quietly plowed a lot if cash into villa, that's why he's wanting to slow down on the purchases now. The point is they haven't generated the cash they've spent. Same at spurs, sugar daddy/sugar group whatever, the point is they've all had large external investment on player purchases.

[Craig_H]

Honestly, if I had upwards of £80m and I had royally ****ed up like Moores did I would get in touch with Rafa and say I will give you £10m out of my own pocket to buy player x, I don't want it paid back but I do want it made public to try and win back some of the fans trust.

Seriously if we (the fans) had £80 we'd happily give £1, if we had £800 we'd give £10 and so on so the same applies to him.

This is the point i was making in the other thread, about these middle-eastern groups allegedly fronted by Liverpool 'fans' who were interested in buying the club.

If you have £12billion and you're a genuine fan, why would you baulk at the idea of overpaying by £300m for the club?

I'd pay it, if i had it and the same should apply to any real fan.

[BillobShaisley]

As opposed to the state we are in now?

No stadium and £400m in debt.

Also the ground would have been full with LFC fans so it would not have been souless.

Thats just my opinion of course mate. But i would take that so called **** souless ground and £80m debt than what we have today. Infact if you were to offer me it i would bite your ****ing hand off and ask for seconds! LOL

We would now, yes. That's an indication of how desperate things are now rather than how things should be. But would we have done then?

We should have had an Arsenal like financing plan but with a more expensive and more fitting stadium than the Parrybowl. If only Moores had sacked Parry and got in a decent CEO...

[Vermilion]

This is the point i was making in the other thread, about these middle-eastern groups allegedly fronted by Liverpool 'fans' who were interested in buying the club.

If you have £12billion and you're a genuine fan, why would you baulk at the idea of overpaying by £300m for the club?

I'd pay it, if i had it and the same should apply to any real fan.

But to Hicks and his pal ? that would be some bitter pill to swallow...i'd want to make absolutely certain i'd exhausted every other avenue before giving in to their demands and paying what imo amounts to a ransom for LFC'S future best interests.

I would at the very least want to hear the sas teams plans for taking them both out before i paid them a penny.

[BillobShaisley]

Well in Kev Howson.

Well In?

Gets mixed up between the shareholders and fans at the start and then blackmails him for money. **** letter from grumpy ****.