Why Liverpool are up a creek without a paddle, on and off the pitch

By Richard Buxton in Liverpool Fans Blog

Published 21:00 11/01/10

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With several high-profile takeovers in recent times, there has been much talk of the proposed fit-and-proper person test for owners and directors. Unfortunately, sending emails to supporters with the words “blow me f*** face” does not qualify as a punishable offence in the Premier League’s proposed guidelines.

This is what Tom Hicks Jr said to a Liverpool fan who civilly contacted him demanding answers about the club’s financial difficulties, with manager Rafael Benitez ordered to recoup £16m in the transfer window

Despite Liverpool's game with Tottenham being called off due to Arctic conditions, there was still a very hot story on the agenda during what was set to be a slow news weekend with all but two of the weekend's top-flight fixtures postponed owing to the bad weather.

Had Hicks Jr made any New Year's resolutions, he will now wish he had added 'not answering emails at 4am' to that list following the latest scandal in the premiership of his father, Tom Hicks, and George Gillett at the Anfield helm.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, he was contacted by a Liverpool supporter who civilly asked for a response to a newspaper piece that stated manager Benitez should not have to sell players just to reduce Liverpool’s debts.

Given the time difference between Texas and Merseyside, Hicks Jr received the email in the small hours and responded in a very blunt and obscene manner. Having already branded the fan an “idiot” for calling him to account over the club's debts, Hicks Jr followed up his retort nine-and-a-half minutes later, totally unprovoked, with the words: “Blow me f*** face. Go to hell. I’m sick of you.”

He later claimed that his response was a “knee-jerk reaction” but has since resigned from the Anfield board of directors in disgrace. He has been replaced by an executive member of Hicks Holdings in addition to the club’s financial and commercial directors, Philip Nash and Ian Ayre.

Most Liverpool supporters knew that the club’s hierarchy held them in strong contempt for the animosity at the Americans’ turbulent ownership but none expected that they would go as far as to say it directly to a fan, via email of all mediums.

Less than 48 hours after the ill-fated email had been sent, Ryan Babel broke ranks, via Twitter, to vent about the lack of developments in strengthening the squad.

The Dutch winger blasted the club’s owners failure to provide Benitez with adequate funds by saying: “We need money for the club!” – an indictment that rain from the dark clouds currently looming over Anfield is starting to trickle down to the playing staff.

It is not so much a bleak mid-winter for Liverpool Football Club but rather a case of being up a very big creek without a paddle, both on and off the pitch.

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