Liverpool fans plan to buy out club

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

A group calling themselves Share Liverpool FC aim to create a stakeholder base of 100,000 fans to raise enough cash to oust Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Rogan Taylor, a Kop season ticket holder leads the buy-out campaign and said: "It is time to answer the concerns that football fans have about the patterns of ownership developing at our major football clubs. Thousands of Liverpool fans have already demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs."

He added: "Large amounts of debt is often laden onto newly-bought clubs and the fans know that in the end, it will be them who will have to pay it off through increased ticket prices and other schemes.

"In such a case, why not simply buy the club yourselves?"

It comes after weeks of worry about the financial future of Liverpool, sparked when the pair took out a £350 million re-financing loan.

There have also been tensions between the owners and club manager Rafa Benitez, who last year criticised them over their financing of transfers.

The model proposed by Share Liverpool FC will be a 'member-share' scheme, aimed at raising £500 million to purchase the club from Hicks and Gillett and build a new stadium.

The group have pointed to Barcelona as an example of how the system works. Barca currently has more than 150,000 culis - members who own the club.

Mr Taylor added: "What many don't realise is that there are other ways of financing and taking ownership of big clubs. In Germany and Spain, most top-level football clubs are simply 'Not For Sale'. They are owned by many thousands of 'member fans'."