Fighting Fit

Win a fitness package worth more than £3,000

Navigation - link to other main sections from here

Skip Navigation

From The Times
May 6, 2008

Dubai International Capital promises Liverpool fans a place on Anfield board

James Ducker

Dubai International Capital (DIC) would want to appoint a Liverpool supporter to the club's board of directors if it won control at Anfield, The Times has learnt.

DIC, the private equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, has been in talks with Spirit of Shankly (SOS), the Liverpool supporters' union, for more than a month about the feasibility of such an arrangement.

Despite Tom Hicks's insistence that he will not sell his 50 per cent stake in Liverpool, DIC remains confident that it will be able to buy out the American co-owner and his estranged business partner, George Gillett Jr, who also holds a half-stake in the club.

Although talk of supporter representation on the board could be construed as an attempt to curry favour with fans opposed to the American co-owners, sources within DIC insist that it is not a PR stunt and that it is “committed” to the idea.

Related Links

Neil Atkinson, the chairman of SOS, which held a benefit dinner at the Liverpool Olympia on Sunday evening, attended by more than 1,000 people, was adamant that attempts to put a supporter on the board would require “a great deal of care and consideration”, but that, in essence, such a move would be a positive one.

“We are not a pro-Dubai lobby; however, we take their commitment to supporter representation on the board at face value,” Atkinson said. “They have seemed thoroughly decent so far and we expect them to follow through. It is an opportunity we take very seriously.

“The process of working out how to elect a representative is something that will take a great deal of care and consideration and SOS would want to consult as many supporters and agencies as possible to ensure everything is done correctly and above board.”

you dont have to be a fan of the club(it helps) to be a good director. A good board will create a good business model and a profitable business regardless of being football fans or not.
The Glazers are not ManU fans although I am sure they are now, however they are clearly good owners.

david b, stockport, england

The galzers understand the principles of running a good sporting club and what makes a successful club tick. They have employed the right staff, given the club the finance it needs and then let the management get on with the job with 100% backing. Thats how any good business is ran.

david b, stockport, england

John
£381m debt - by G & H. Moores had £44m
£30m/yr interest paid by LFC
G & H pocket ALL INCOME!
2007 NET spend £24m on 8 players. Man U £51m on 3 + Tevez - poss £30m
G & H promised to COMPETE + build stadium?

'That's a valid way of bringing talent in' ..???
Like Leeds Utd? - Receivership

Ayaz, Wakefield,

a club and it's supporters who are truly beyond parody, jesus wept.

david collins, liverpool,

Re: Matt Pomroy. Tom Hicks Sn and Jr, George and Foster Gillet, Rick Parry and David Moores are the only board members at Anfield. Who are the 11 you are talking about????
Only 2 of them are Liverpool supporters, while the other 4 are business men. Is Malcom Galzer a Man U fan? I think not.

Shane Milligan, Belfasr, N Ireland

Matt
Who are the other five mystery members of the board that you mention?
It's well documented that there's only six.

Chris, Liverpool,

Ayaz, G&H have signed Torres, Mascherano, Babel & others, albeit with debt finance and the sale of some players. That's a valid way of bringing talent in, not ideal, but still valid. Signing world class players will happen or Rafa will go. Simple as.
P.s. stop SHOUTING every OTHER word WITHOUT need

John, Liverpool,

There are currently 11 people on the Liverpool board of directors. If they are not already Liverpool fans then why are they there in the first place?
Adding an ‘ordinary’ fan is a nice gesture but I can’t see them having much influence.

Matt Pomroy, Dubai,

ramlamech

..'WHO EVER would take over the club just get us world class'..

ONLY someone who knows NOTHING would say 'who ever'. G & H NEVER had the desire or plan to invest a PENNY. If G & H remain forget 'WORLD CLASS' think CHEAP & 'free transfers'.

DIC have the $$ & PASSION for LFC



Ayaz, Wakefield,

MAJOR reservations about appointing someone to the Board on SOLE qualification of being 'a fan'.Need a LONG TERM STRATEGY based on STABILITY from DIC.

'Fan' would be susceptible to influence from loudest & EXTREMIST voices closest to him. Poss V DESTABILISING & DANGEROUS.Fans SUPPORT.Period.

Ayaz, Wakefield,

we need world class players, who ever would take over the club just get us world class so tht we can state win cups, now look at our deffence really at list with the midfild .....if we get some one to support gerrard then one to support torres in front that wil be ok. carrager needs some to help him

ramlamech, kampala, uganda

Have your say

* Required

Also in Liverpool

Also in Premier League

Liverpool under Bill Shankly

Liverpool under Bill Shankly

Anfield hails its hero

Liverpool under Paisley and Fagan

Liverpool FC's Assistant Manager Joe Fagan (right) with Manager Bob Paisley on the bench at Anfield, Liverpool.

Simple leadership brings huge success

Liverpool fans:
get it off your chest

Fanzine Fanzone

Mikel Arteta and Yakubu

Everton: 3 points but no strikers, what now?

Back in the game: Ferguson defends Ronaldo as United prepare for Villarreal clash

Manchester Utd: Ronaldo or Messi?

The great escape: Redknapp masterminded a stunning comeback in his first North London derby

Tottenham: Slow in thought and deed

TABLES
FIXTURES
RESULTS
TABLES
FIXTURES
RESULTS
TABLES
FIXTURES
RESULTS

Most Read

Skip Most Read

Today

MOST COMMENTED

Skip Editor's Pick

Today

MOST CURIOUS

Skip Most Curious

Today

Focus Zone

Need to Know

Need to Know

Industry sectors news at a glance. Interactive heatmap, video and podcast

Social Entrepreneurs

Social Entrepreneurs:

The inside track on current trends in the charity, not for profit and social enterprise sectors

James Bond

James Bond:

Read our exclusive 100 Years of Fleming and Bond interactive timeline, packed with original Times articles and reviews

business travel

Business Travel:

Everything the Business Traveller needs to know to make a better trip

previous next

Liverpool 2008/09

Create your very own book of Liverpool's 08/09 season

Ticket search

Looking for tickets?

Find tickets for:

  • Concerts & festivals
  • Sports & comedy
  • Theatre & exhibitions
  • Worldwide coverage

Services

News on the move

Make sure you don’t miss a goal with our text alerts

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football

Get three teams for £6 £100K prize fund to be won

Popular Searches on Times Online

album reviews | clarkson | county cricket | credit crunch | dating | driving | fantasy football | formula 1 | need to know | podcasts | recipes | redundancy calculator | sudoku | thegame | wine | winter sun

Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles

Classifieds 

Cars

Skip Cars of the Week

Saab 9-3

05/2005
£13,500

Bentley Continental

08/2008
£109,950

Mini Cooper

2006
£10,750

Car insurance

Great car insurance deals online


Jobs

Skip Jobs of the Week
Director of systems development - server based gaming industry

£Excellent+ executive benefits
Torres and Partners
London

Head of International Programme

£49,229 - £62,035 pro rata
Charity Commission
London/Liverpool/Taunton

Project Director (m/f)


Alstom Power
Europe

Director Roles

Six Figure
Rolls Royce
Midlands/Europe

Properties

Holidays

Skip Travel of the Week

Continental Airlines Vacation

New Year in the USA!
.

Funway Holidays Int Inc

Cruise the Islands of Hawaii - Pride of America


Advertise your holiday property online

List your property with two leading travel websites


Travel insurance

Great travel insurance deals online


Place your advert now