ShareLiverpool Meeting: Press Release

[meredithmathieson]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary of State backs fan ownership

Ex-LFC players to speak out in favour of ownership change

 

Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Andy Burnham, will endorse the prospect of fans taking ownership of their clubs at a meeting to the launch of the next phase of ShareLiverpoolFC’s bid to takeover Liverpool FC.

 

Lifelong Everton fan and MP for Leigh, Mr Burnham will put aside his personal allegiance to back a principle that he championed in his former role as Chairman of Supporters Direct.

 

Also speaking will be ex-Liverpool FC players, John Barnes, Phil Thompson and ShareLiverpoolFC board member, John Aldridge, alongside the organisation’s founder member, Rogan Taylor.

 

Paul Rice, who Chairs the Spirit of Shankly, and Nicky Allt (founder member of SOS) will also speak in favour of a change of regime at the club, in a show of solidarity amongst Liverpool FC supporters’ groups.

 

The meeting will take place before the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League qualifier on Wednesday 27 August, at the Liverpool Lighthouse in Anfield, from 5.30 - 7.00pm, with a full house, 400-strong attendance.

 

Schedule for the SLFC meeting at the 'Liverpool Lighthouse' - 27th Aug 2008

 

Meeting

 

 

5.00pm Speakers arrive; welcome from Lighthouse, CEO, Modupe Omideyi

 

5.30pm Rogan Taylor opens the meeting and outlines the schedule

 

5.35pm Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Media, Culture and Sport to speak

 

5.45pm John Aldridge to speak; followed by John Barnes/Phil Thompson

 

6.00pm Nicky Allt to speak; followed by SOS Chairman, Paul Rice

 

6.10pm

Rogan to summarise and open the Q&A session

 

6.15pm Q&A session begins; panel on stage (Chris Talavera; Michael Jayson; Barrie Baxter; Martin McEwan; Rogan Taylor)

 

6.55pm Round up and Goodnight

 

 

The meeting will hear how the ShareLiverpoolFC concept has become an FSA-approved cooperative society, with a constitution that will put fans in control through a democratic one-member, one-vote mechanism. The new phase of operation will see the organisation push on towards increasing its membership to provide the finance to buy the club from the existing owners.

 

Numbers at the event will be strictly limited by the size of the venue (about 400 people), and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis (no ticket required). Supporters will have the opportunity to ask questions on how the concept will work in a Q&A session with the ShareLiverpoolFC board.

 

 

Event Time and Place

 

Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 Venue: Liverpool Lighthouse

Time: 17.30-19.00 Old Gaumont Palace Cinema,

web: http://www.liverpoollighthouse.com/ Oakfield Road, Anfield, Liverpool, L4 0UE.

[Stevie H]

how did this go out of interest?

[meredithmathieson]

Ok. Turnout was a bit disappointing, but 5.30, midweek on a matchday was always going to be difficult.

 

Phil Thompson, Aldo & Digger all spoke well - Digger is very passionate about the idea.

 

Andy Burnham was also very positive, saying that you just have to ignore the 'nice idea but it will never happen' brigade, press on, and then there will come a point and time when people realise that it is viable.

 

SOS spoke about how the goals of SOS and ShareLiverpool are extremely compatible, and it is not an 'either/or' situation.

 

The accountant fellah said that the £5k could only be lowered if many more than 100,000 people donate, because they have established that they need £500 million.

 

Q&A went askew - some of the questions were relevant, some not so.

 

They ran out of time, but said that all questions e-mailed in will be answered.

 

I wanted to ask if they are going to get a tie-in to a financial institution, who pay the initial £5k, and then you repay £50 per month for 10 years, or whatever, as I think this will open it up to a lot more people to actually own their own share, rather than be in a syndicate with 10/20 others. If anybody is interested I'll post their reply.

[Stevie H]

cheers man. i still don't think that it's a viable idea but fair play to them making the effort. and good on the ex-players for backing the fans.

[Mike]

Ok. Turnout was a bit disappointing, but 5.30, midweek on a matchday was always going to be difficult.

 

Phil Thompson, Aldo & Digger all spoke well - Digger is very passionate about the idea.

 

Andy Burnham was also very positive, saying that you just have to ignore the 'nice idea but it will never happen' brigade, press on, and then there will come a point and time when people realise that it is viable.

 

SOS spoke about how the goals of SOS and ShareLiverpool are extremely compatible, and it is not an 'either/or' situation.

 

The accountant fellah said that the £5k could only be lowered if many more than 100,000 people donate, because they have established that they need £500 million.

 

Q&A went askew - some of the questions were relevant, some not so.

 

They ran out of time, but said that all questions e-mailed in will be answered.

 

I wanted to ask if they are going to get a tie-in to a financial institution, who pay the initial £5k, and then you repay £50 per month for 10 years, or whatever, as I think this will open it up to a lot more people to actually own their own share, rather than be in a syndicate with 10/20 others. If anybody is interested I'll post their reply.

 

cheers

 

post it when you get it.

 

expect an announcement that the new stadium is on hold shortly too...

[Cobs]

whilst on the subject of fan ownership............