ShareLiverpoolFC – The story so far… December 2007 • On top of press revelations about Tom Hicks and George Gillett having “refinanced” the club (put it massively into debt), with little or none of their own money involved, stories abound about Rafa Benitez being barred from doing any transfer deals, and Tom Hicks admits they met Jurgen Klinsman to discuss giving him Rafa’s job.
• It becomes even clearer that the American owners have no clue about running Liverpool FC, and that much of what they promised when they bought David Moores out was just empty words. Promises of being ‘custodians’ of the club who would ‘protect the club’s traditions’ were utterly reneged upon.
January 2008 • It becomes publicly known that Hicks and Gillett’s relationship has broken down, leaving the management of the club in limbo. More dirty washing is aired in public.
22 January 2008 • Lifelong Kopite, Rogan Taylor, finds himself thinking: Why don’t the fans buy the Club?’ It’s an idea he’s had before…. But somehow the time seems right now. He decides, at least, to ask the question: ‘How many of us might be interested in ‘mass ownership?’.
• The next day he discusses the idea with his eldest daughter, Charlie, who comes up with a name…’It’s about sharing Liverpool, isn’t it? It’s also about buying a share in Liverpool. It’s got to be ‘ShareLiverpoolFC’.’ They start to contact a few friends and professional colleagues.
31 January 2008 • ShareLiverpoolFC, a scheme to deliver fan ownership similar to the FC Barcelona membership model is launched. Rogan Taylor, with support from Supporters Direct, fronts a press conference that gains international coverage in the sports and business pages. Phil Thompson is the first ‘Legend’ of Liverpool to express support for the idea.
• The ShareLiverpoolFC.com website, rapidly designed and built in just a few days, is overwhelmed and crashes.
1 February 2008 • When the website is bolstered and restored, tens of thousands of people register their support for the scheme in just a few days.
• Rogan Taylor is inundated with offers of help and support from Liverpool fans. Many come from people with professional backgrounds in exactly the areas of expertise required to make something like ShareLiverpoolFC work.
• LFC legend John Aldridge joins ShareLiverpoolFC.
• Rogan Taylor introduces the ShareLiverpoolFC concept to the Spirit of Shankly’s first official meeting at the Olympia, prior to the Liverpool v Barnsley FA Cup game on 16th February.
24 February 2008 • The ShareLiverpoolFC Steering Group - all LFC fans drawn from the ‘volunteers’ - many with high level experience in football, finance, company law, communications and marketing, meet for the first time in a Liverpool hotel.
• The group discuss the best way to ensure that the club is governed and run ‘the Liverpool Way,’ and it is decided that the club should be structured under democratic fan ownership - a one member: one vote scheme.
• They begin scoping out what needs to be done to bring the idea to reality. It’s already clear that it’s an ambitious goal, and would be a highly complex operation. You can’t just sell shares like sweets from a corner shop; there would be considerable financial and legal hurdles to overcome, both in UK and abroad.
• The Group determines that achieving fan ownership would be difficult, but definitely possible, and forms into two working teams – Legal/Finance, and Communications. Work begins in earnest.
March 2008 • A legal entity, ShareLiverpool is set up as a limited company.
• Specialist lawyers Cobbetts, advisors to Supporters Direct, begin negotiations on behalf of ShareLiverpoolFC with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on the legal hurdles a fan buyout would need to overcome.
• Work is begun on a communications strategy to reach out to supporters around the world. A more robust website and better e-communications become a necessity.
• Following discussions about building up grass roots support for ShareLiverpoolFC, Spirit of Shankly founder member Peter Furmedge is invited to join the Steering Group.
• At the club, Tom Hicks calls for Rick Parry to resign, but cannot sack him as George Gillett would need to agree. He doesn’t.
• George Gillett reveals death threats against him and his family on a Canadian radio show.
• News re-emerges that the Americans are in negotiations to sell to DIC, a vehicle of the Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed. The speculation reaches fever pitch. The Americans can’t agree, and talks break down.
April 2008 • The FSA negotiations lead to advice that ShareLiverpoolFC would be best structured as an ”Industrial and Provident Society” (ISP) – a kind of co-operative. Because shares in the ISP would not be tradable (otherwise someone could accumulate them and compromise the one-member, one-vote principle), this would mean a more straightforward legal and regulatory framework. Work begins on the legal documentation the FSA requires for such a registration.
• The finer details of the democratic structure that would control the management of the club under the ShareLiverpoolFC begin to emerge and take shape.
• Nicky Allt – a founder of the Spirit of Shankly movement – joins the ShareLiverpoolFC Steering Group.
• Communications and meetings take place with international supporters groups and key individuals. While working in Japan, Rogan Taylor promotes the ShareLiverpoolFC project to members of the East Asian LFC fan base. It becomes clear that different investment regulations around the world would necessitate a specific approach to selling shares in each country.
• Bernard J O’Byrne, former CEO of the FA of Ireland, joins the Steering Group as the first international coordinator, and a public launch in the Republic is planned.
• Members of ShareLiverpoolFC Steering Group meet with other LFC fan groups to underline the shared agenda we have in common - achieving fan ownership - and that ShareLiverpoolFC offers the most sensible and realistic vehicle to achieve this.
• The stand-off between the owners continues, with the manager only able to discuss transfer targets with one American at a time. Both refuse to sell to each other, and DIC continues to wait in the background.
May 2008 • John Barnes, one of the finest players of his generation and LFC legend of the 80’s and 90’s, announces his support for the ShareLiverpoolFC concept.
• The FSA indicates that, given some specific clarifications and adjustments, that regulatory approval will be forthcoming.
• At a press conference in the CityWest Hotel in Dublin on 30 May, ShareLiverpoolFC launches in Ireland, spearheaded by John Aldridge and Bernard O’Byrne.
• Ex-Liverpool FC and Republic of Ireland internationals Ronnie Whelan and Jason McAteer sign up for the cause, expressing their dismay at goings-on at the club.
June 2008 • After various teething problems, a new ShareLiverpoolFC website (along with a newly designed logo) is finally launched.
• The FSA approves the formation of ShareLiverpoolFC as an Industrial and Provident Society and the society is formally registered. We are now allowed to call for investment under the terms of the Constitution of the Society.
• The eight newly appointed board members (see Who is Involved page), including founder Rogan Taylor, become the first members of the ShareLiverpoolFC society, each holding one share. to be continued......
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