Morning:
13°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
United States of Anfield
Last updated at 23:07pm on 06.02.07
New ground: Anfield will make way for a new stadium at nearby Stanley Park
It could have been the Thais or the ruler of Dubai. Instead, at just after two o'clock yesterday, the doors of Anfield's trophy room swung open and ushered in the American revolution.
George Gillett and Tom Hicks took up their positions to launch a charm offensive against an army of cynics. Behind the battery of cameras and journalists, another door opened and in stepped Foster Gillett, the chosen one among his father's four sons to take a place on the Liverpool board.
Read more:
• So, what kind of owners are they?
Moores salutes 'great step forward' as Liverpool sold to tycoons • Parry: American duo understand traditions
• Full statement on the Liverpool takeover
• Factfile: George Gillett jnr
• Gerrard excited by proposed takeover
• American tycoons in secret Liverpool meeting
• Sheik's snub leaves Liverpool to Gillett
• Foreign Legion: Premiership Club Owners
He was followed by the Hicks representative, Tommy Jnr, and his brothers Mac and Alex — all wearing brand new Liverpool scarves. All smiles.
It was hard to imagine a more contrasting image to the sight of Malcolm Glazer's sons escaping from Old Trafford in the back of a police van, chased back to Florida under a hail of missiles and insults.
Inevitably, Liverpool's new owners faced some searching questions and the answers were not always what the fans will want to hear.
They even made some slip-ups.
Gillett mentioned that Foster had been a goaltender' back in Colorado and repeatedly referred to the franchise'. Hicks bizarrely mentioned Man Ham'.
But Gillett, the ski-mad former owner of the Harlem Globetrotters who has bounced back from bankruptcy to become a dollar billionaire, and his Texan business partner — an active supporter of George W Bush — made a compelling double act.
The Glazers might take note of Hicks' philosophy. "The fans are passionate about their team," said the owner of ice hockey's Dallas Stars and baseball's Texas Rangers, who admitted he had not been able to sleep for two nights.
"I wouldn't dream of not being here today. David Moores chose us to be the custodians of this wonderful, storied club and fans need to make a judgment on that. If we weren't here, how can they make that judgment?"
The two will be co-chairmen with an equal share in Liverpool, but it was Gillett who drifted towards centre stage yesterday.
The 68-year-old owner of the Montreal Canadiens was at pains to underline his family's commitment to their teams by pointing out that they were flying straight back for last night's NHL game against Carolina Hurricanes. He even offered his audience a free ride in his private jet.
He revealed that he spent much of the Canadiens' last game on Sunday hopping between empty seats just to get to know people. He promised to do the same at Anfield.
"I love meeting people," he said. "If they want to do me harm, they don't need to wait until match day. My name is in the phone book. Call me."
Charm and cheap gags? Perhaps. But it beat Michael Knighton's heading routine in front of the Stretford End when he was trying to take over Manchester United.
Gillett told how he had been given a crash course in Scouse after meeting Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard in Manchester on Monday night; how he and Hicks — who turns 61 today — would benefit from the handicapped access at the new stadium they have promised to build in Stanley Park; and said he must have "an identical evil twin" if it was true he had met Everton to discuss a groundshare.
Asked how old Foster was, he claimed his 31-year-old son was 17 before bursting out in fits of giggles.
But a £450million takeover is no laughing matter. Not even for the chief beneficiary, David Moores, who had to make the heart-rending decision to end almost half a century of family interest in the club.
Moores was absent from the unveiling yesterday and chief executive Rick Parry said: "It's probably the hardest day of his life. This was something he knew he had to do but probably didn't want to do."
Hicks said: "David invited us for lunch in Liverpool last Friday to meet his wife Marge — she obviously had the other vote. As we said goodbye, David was very emotional and I know what he's going through."
Parry admitted that Hicks' involvement was crucial in swaying the decision in Gillett's favour after he had originally lost out to the Dubai investors. Hicks said the Premiership's new TV deal had persuaded him to join the bid when he and Gillett formulated their plan last week.
"Buying Liverpool is like buying the Boston Red Sox," he said. "It's a long way to come for a football game but the Hicks will be here."
Gillett added: "This is a tribal sport like nothing we've seen in America."
He pointed out that, unlike Glazer's takeover of Old Trafford, Liverpool has been purchased without any debt on the club.
But he knows there will be some unpopular decisions. The new stadium might lead to increased ticket prices and, although work will begin within 60 days, finding the finance to complete it could mean selling off the naming rights to a sponsor.
Liverpool fans can forget any notion that their new owners are going to rival the financial might of Roman Abramovich, but they must hope the two men stay on good terms.
Hicks and Gillett recently fell out over an NHL vote and throughout yesterday's media conference Foster paced pensively back and forth, not saying a word to the Hicks boys, who stood several yards away facing the front.
The last time Liverpool experimented with a power share, Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier sat side by side and talked about a bright future. We all know what happened then.
