ShareLiverpool

[meredithmathieson]

Just received the following e-mail from ShareLiverpool:

 

First, let me thank you for ticking the 'Count me in!' feedback box on the website for the ShareLiverpoolFC scheme. Thanks, too, for your patience; it has taken us some time to be able to get back to you directly, but we hope to be able to stay in touch with you now, both via email and through the new, 'Latest News' page at: www.shareliverpoolfc.com

 

As you will understand, it has taken us some time to recover from the huge initial response to our proposal (you can read about the numbers on the news page), and for us to get together formally as the 'Share LiverpoolFC Steering Group' (SLSG). We have also updated the news page to tell you who some of the members of the SLSG are and how we plan to proceed from here.

 

We have also established the Share LiverpoolFC Company Ltd so we have a legal base from which to operate.

 

This is the start of a very challenging but exciting adventure and you have taken the first step on the way. No group of fans has ever attempted a 'buy out' of a big English club with a view to installing a one-member; one-vote system of ownership ? not unlike the model used so commonly in Spain, most famously at Barcelona, and elsewhere on mainland Europe. But as anger and dissatisfaction grows amongst fans (not just at Liverpool FC) about the way in which Club ownership is being traded, the question of 'Who should own our football clubs?' will rise increasingly to the surface.

 

We are leading an 'ownership revolution' that will deliver LFC into the hands of its fans and also act as an inspiration to many others with similar concerns (Liverpool fans are used to leading the way!). We at Liverpool are lucky; we love and support a Club with a huge following, at home and abroad, which makes us 'fan rich'.

 

There is enough of us to make this work; we just need to get the message out; explain the concept in much more detail and rely on the strength and intensity of the relationship that Liverpool fans all round the world have with their Club to make it happen.

 

That's precisely what we will be doing over the next few weeks. You will probably have heard that we have been joined by two 'Liverpool Legends' ? Phil Thompson & John Aldridge have 'signed' for the ShareLiverpoolFC scheme (if you haven't heard, go to our webpage). We will address the local and global following as directly as we can by running publicity campaigns in UK, Asia, USA and Scandinavia (some major 'hot-spots' of LFC fans), also visiting some of these regions to raise the profile of the campaign.

 

We'll give it our best shot ? but without your support there is little we can do. We urge you to tell every Reds fan you know about the share Liverpool scheme; direct them to the website and encourage them to reply via the tick boxes.

 

BUT PLEASE DON'T ENCOURAGE REPEAT TICKS OF THE BOXES ? IT JUST CONFUSES OUR DATA!

 

In the meantime, we will try to stay in touch with you via email and the 'latest news' page on the website. At the moment, it is difficult to reply to individual emails, so please bear with us.

 

So, Welcome aboard! And many thanks for your support. LFC needs us as much now as at any time in the past.

 

Rogan Taylor,

 

On behalf of the Share Liverpool Steering Group

www.shareliverpoolfc.com

 

 

 

 

An interesting use of '?' aside, not much of an update, but passed on nevertheless.

 

[Awaits deluge of 'Nice idea, but it will never happen' type comments!].

[Falconhoof]

Its a great idea, even if it never succeeds its a great and noble idea. Unfortunately my confidence in them began to drain away in the weeks between launch and them bothering to contact their respondees. They have been too slow to sustain any wave of publicity they might have generated.

[bazz]

They are already 10% of the way there, as they have raised 9,500 x £5,000 = £4,750,000

 

If it can gather steam and some momentum - especially in the US & and the far east - it could actually work!

 

I hope it does. 5K sterling is too rich for my blood at the mo, could have went to the 5k in Euro though. Will keep an eye on this.

 

Stranger things have happened......

[Gunga Din]

They are already 10% of the way there, as they have raised 9,500 x £5,000 = £4,750,000

 

If it can gather steam and some momentum - especially in the US & and the far east - it could actually work!

 

I hope it does. 5K sterling is too rich for my blood at the mo, could have went to the 5k in Euro though. Will keep an eye on this.

 

Stranger things have happened......

 

 

they havent raised a single penny, they have pledges, but no money

[MFletcher]

they havent raised a single penny, they have pledges, but no money

 

Is correct.

 

The principle is a noble one, but it's completely unsustainable due to the huge sums of money required and the idea of limiting every fan to one share each.

 

They'd probably find the total sum of their pledges would decrease significantly once the time came to actually sign the cheques as well.

[Tyler]

Phil Thompson was on Newstalk (Irish station) discussing this

 

He has lent his name and pledged his 5k to this.

 

Listening to him you have to say that Jesus he loves Liverpool Fc

[Cheesecake]

Thommo is a legend as much for his love of the club and demonstration of it as the ability he showed as a player.

A true hero for the club.

[surf]

They are already 10% of the way there, as they have raised 9,500 x £5,000 = £4,750,000

 

If it can gather steam and some momentum - especially in the US & and the far east - it could actually work!

 

I hope it does. 5K sterling is too rich for my blood at the mo, could have went to the 5k in Euro though. Will keep an eye on this.

 

Stranger things have happened......

 

I hope you're not in Finance.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Stupid idea

[fyds]

I think it was an idea that could have worked in the days before the premiership, since when the whole thing has gone cashtastic. With the best will in the world, there is no way they will raise £500m or anything like it. Part of the reason is almost a contradiction of itself - not enough ordinary people can raise the £5k per share, and there are not enough better off people or legends who can make up the shortfall, the contradiction being as an individual can only own one share, thiose legends/popstars/actors/businessmen who may have handed over more cash and made up the shortfall - can't.

 

Its own honourable format is also its own best guarantee of failure.

[Crazy Horse]

I'm signed up with them, but have zero expectation of it ever getting off the ground.

[aka Dus]

I think it's a brilliant noble idea and wait with an open mind to see what happens. If the time comes, it will be time for people to put their money where their mouths are, which is as elemental a challenge as can be put to any fan that can afford it.

 

Strictly speaking the banks can't loan where the purpose of the loan is to "invest", right? But I wonder if the Steering Group could explore a deal with one of the big banks (RBS perhaps since they are already in the mix) about a loan scheme where individuals could get a loan of their 5K stake money and pay it back over 3 or 5 years with a nice taste for the money men. Might make it easier for people but I suppose it raises the prickly issue of what happens to the share of loan defaulters.

[Molby]

a new improved version, sustainable, realistic, achievable will be with you shortly

 

get your money ready

[Falconhoof]

a new improved version, sustainable, realistic, achievable will be with you shortly

 

get your money ready

 

about f***ing time someone sorted it out

[Knox_Harrington]

about f***ing time someone sorted it out

When he says shortly, he means a couple of months at least.

 

Better to be right than to be rushed.

Edited March 1, 2008 by Knox_Harrington

[MFletcher]

I assume they are going to look at a minority stake?

[aka Dus]

a new improved version, sustainable, realistic, achievable will be with you shortly

 

get your money ready

 

We live in interesting times

[DMCA]

I think it's a brilliant noble idea and wait with an open mind to see what happens. If the time comes, it will be time for people to put their money where their mouths are, which is as elemental a challenge as can be put to any fan that can afford it.

 

I agree its a noble idea but given that investors want returns of either money or influence and given that neither of these are on offer ( no $ returns and 1 vote in 100,000) it is effectively bailing out the club and giving your 5k away.

 

Once the club has been "saved" and you've spent your 5k how much will your share be worth to the next man. Feck all I imagine.

 

Personally I'd cough up the 5k because the upshot of all this is that LFC growth would never be stilted by the free market snaffling 5 to 10% of its value every year. I doubt they can find 100,000 donors/muppets like me

[aka Dus]

But you can vote on thematter of who runs the club and you have a direct democratic impact on howit's run That's worth a hel lof a lot. This is not an investment paradigm.

[Guest My Giddy Aunt]

I agree its a noble idea but given that investors want returns of either money or influence and given that neither of these are on offer ( no $ returns and 1 vote in 100,000) it is effectively bailing out the club and giving your 5k away.

 

Once the club has been "saved" and you've spent your 5k how much will your share be worth to the next man. Feck all I imagine.

 

Personally I'd cough up the 5k because the upshot of all this is that LFC growth would never be stilted by the free market snaffling 5 to 10% of its value every year. I doubt they can find 100,000 donors/muppets like me

Personally I think in its current state the idea is unworkable.

 

However, I don't get what you mean at all?

[meredithmathieson]

The website has been updated to include the following:

 

News Update

 

ANFIELD LEGENDS SIGN FOR SHARELIVERPOOLFC

 

The organisers of ShareLiverpoolFC have taken the idea of turning Liverpool Football Club into a membership organisation off the drawing board by announcing the formation of a high-powered Steering Group to take the plans forward.

 

The proposal to put ownership into the hands of the fans has drawn the direct involvement of city financiers, top lawyers, marketers and media specialists, as well as Liverpool FC legends such as Phil Thompson and John Aldridge who are backing the initiative. The Group met for the first time in Liverpool on Sunday, 24th February and began work on the detailed plans that are needed to realise their ground-breaking objective.

 

Rogan Taylor, the founder of the initiative, stated:

 

“This puts ShareLiverpoolFC onto a proper footing. We have brought together the different skill-sets in areas such finance, law and marketing that are needed if we are to succeed in this venture. Its just great to get support as well from such great former players like Phil Thompson and John Aldridge. These guys stood on the Kop as kids before they became players; they have always been fans. They know as much as anyone can, what this Club means to its supporters.”

 

The support of Liverpool FC greats will also be essential if the huge passion supporters feel for their club is to be translated into the significant funding that buying the club will require.

 

Phil Thompson called on Reds fans to show their traditional commitment and enthusiasm for the Share Liverpool FC scheme:

 

“Liverpool Football Club has always needed its fans; now more than ever. Not IF but WHEN our current owners decide to sell, we as fans need to be in a position to help. The biggest thing that people ask is: Can the Share Liverpool scheme really work? To this I say one word: Istanbul. That fantastic victory could only have happened to a Club like Liverpool. Why? Because the fans BELIEVED it could happen – and with their help, we pulled off one of the greatest ‘miracles’ in the history of Club football.

 

So, if we believe we can make ShareLiverpoolFC work – it will happen too. Get onto the website now and pledge your support just as I am doing.”

John Aldridge outlined why he has got involved:

 

"What a great concept! I'm glad to 'sign' for ShareLiverpoolFC. This is a fantastic opportunity for the fans who dearly love the Club to own it themselves - and also to set the standard for other fans to follow. It would terrific if it led to other fans owning their own clubs too."

 

With other bidders circling the club in the hope of buying out the current owners, the ShareLiverpoolFC team are aware that time is of the essence. However, setting up a membership organisation and organising a multi-million pound takeover are major enterprises. Rogan Taylor explains:

 

“Everybody who has pledged their support desperately wants to see this happen – preferably overnight. However, for anybody looking to buy a football club which is valued at over £350 million, and in particular one where we are asking tens of thousands of individuals to contribute several thousand pounds, we need to go through proper financial procedures. This, and the drafting of the provisional constitution of the club needs to be done properly, and that is why we have formed the Steering Group. We’ll be keeping in touch with all those who have expressed a commitment to making this happen, and we are asking for a little patience while we put a proper management plan into action, and gather the level of support we need. We do not intend to be a flash in the pan”.

 

Rogan also added:

 

“We have got off to a fantastic start, with thousands of pledges with already signed up on the shareliverpoolfc.com website. We had thought it was even better, and I apologise for incorrect figures announced previously, but once we’d sorted the files out and removed the duplicates we have a solid core of 9500 people pledging £5000 each – and another 9,000 who are interested but need more information - after just one effort. This gives us a tremendous platform to become a serious player in the future of Liverpool FC. But we still need more, and anyone interested should sign up at www.ShareLiverpoolFC.com”.

 

BUT PLEASE DON’T ‘SIGN UP’ IF YOU ALREADY HAVE DONE SO – WE HAVE HAD LARGE NUMBERS OF REPEAT PLEDGES – AND THAT JUST CONFUSES THE PICTURE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Share Liverpool FC Steering Group

 

These are the people currently involved, divided into two sub-groups of expertise:

 

Communications

 

Rogan Taylor

Martin McEwan

Madeleine Tan

Bill Rylance

Liz Crolley

Phil Thompson

John Aldridge

James Maxton

Peter Furmedge

Hugo Sharman (Advisory)

 

Legal & Finance

 

Chris Talavera

Barrie Baxter

Mathew Saunders

Madeleine Tan

Michael Jayson

Paul McDonald

Kevin Jaquiss (Advisory)

 

Brief biographies of some members:

 

Chris Talavera, FCA - LFC fan and season ticket holder for many years. Chris is 55 years old and a chartered accountant. Now retired, he spent his professional career in public practice. A former senior partner in accountants and business advisors PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Isle of Man. During his career Chris specialised in the audit of offshore banking and insurance companies and corporate recovery. He now acts as Non Executive Chairman of the International Trust and Corporate service provider "Abacus" based in the Isle of Man.

 

Martin McEwan has a distinguished marketing background in industry, charitable, political and public sectors at strategic level, including global marketing strategy, research, segmentation, comprehensive branding and other marketing communications. Martin now runs an international marketing consultancy, McEwan Hackett International Marketing. He’s been a Reds for over 30 years.

Madeleine Tan is a Singaporean, with considerable international experience as a management consultant covering Asia, the US and Europe – and a Liverpool fan since childhood.

 

Michael Jayson is a Partner of Horwath Clark Whitehill LLP, where he is the Head of assurance services in the North West. He has played leading roles in working on transactions and providing consultancy and assurance services to a variety of mutual and membership led organisations including co-operatives, building societies and industrial & provident societies. He is therefore familiar with the differing requirements and challenges that financing and governance can pose for this diverse range of entities. He, too, is a lifelong Liverpool fan.

 

Paul McDonald is a Liverpool based Finance Director of a national retail chain; he is also lifelong Liverpool fan and season ticket holder at Anfield

 

Bill Rylance is Chairman, Asia Pacific & Vice Chairman, Global Development,

Burson-Marsteller Worldwide. Born in Merseyside but has spent most of his professional life in Asia. He led the global communications programme for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games Organising Committee and was integral in the worldwide campaign host the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, working closely with the FIFA Vice President, Dr. Chung Mong-Jun.

 

From 1999 to end-2007, he was President and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific, the world’s leading public relations firm, a role responsible for 500 employees across 18 countries including China, India, Japan, Korea, and the markets in South East Asia and Oceania. In January this year, he was appointed the company’s Vice Chairman for global development.

 

Bill is a graduate of the University of London with an MSc from the London Business School. He and his two sons have a deep and unwavering passion for Liverpool Football Club. His Korean-born wife also supports LFC, if only for a peaceful life.

[meredithmathieson]

"Bill is a graduate of the University of London with an MSc from the London Business School"

 

 

Going slightly off topic, can we not use this guy as a rebuttal to every time that Tom Cannon spouts his drivel?

[Maldini]

Aldo had a 2 page article in the Sunday World about this, asking people to put their money where there mouth is

[DMCA]

But you can vote on thematter of who runs the club and you have a direct democratic impact on howit's run That's worth a hel lof a lot. This is not an investment paradigm.

 

Its an interesting one. The wife seems to think that casting a vote holds value as well and its all very noble and exciting etc. Forgetting the saving of the club, what would you pay to cast one vote in 100,000 every 4 years for life?

 

Would be nice but 5k's a bit steep for me!

[honourablegeorge]

They are already 10% of the way there, as they have raised 9,500 x £5,000 = £4,750,000

 

If it can gather steam and some momentum - especially in the US & and the far east - it could actually work!

 

I hope it does. 5K sterling is too rich for my blood at the mo, could have went to the 5k in Euro though. Will keep an eye on this.

 

Stranger things have happened......

 

 

10%?

 

£4.75M is closer to 1% of what they'll need.