Tom Hicks Jnr has been forced to resign from the board of
Liverpool after an amazing email attack on a supporter.
Stephen Horner wrote to Hicks Jnr to express his concerns over
the lack of transfer funds for boss Rafael Benitez. First, Horner
was branded an "idiot". Then a second response from Hicks jnr said:
"Blow me, ****face. Go to hell. I'm sick of you."
In a statement on their official website read: "Liverpool
Football Club today announce that Thomas Hicks Jr has resigned as a
director of both the club and its parent company Kop Holdings.
"Three new directors have been elected to the boards of both
companies. These are Philip Nash, LFC Chief Financial Officer; Ian
Ayre, LFC Commercial Director; and Casey Coffman, Executive Vice
President of Hicks Holdings."
Fans' organisation The Spirit of Shankly (SoS) had already
called for Hicks jnr to resign.
An SoS statement had read: "Spirit of Shankly, the Liverpool
supporters' union, are calling for the resignation of LFC board
member Tom Hicks Jnr after his foul-mouthed response to a union
member's polite enquiry about the funding challenge facing Rafael
Benitez during this transfer window.
"Not only did Hicks Jnr label the enquirer an 'idiot', he
followed this up with an expletive-ridden tirade.
"This behaviour comes from a director of a club that has prided
itself on its relationship with its fans over the years, a club
that has had managers, directors and staff who have recognised the
respect that is essential between the club's board, staff and its
fans.
"We call upon Mr. Hicks Jnr to recognise his shortcomings, not
only as an individual but, more importantly, as a 'custodian' of
the club, and to do what any honourable person would do and
resign."
Hicks Jnr did offer his apologies to the fan over the
foul-mouthed tirade. He said: "I apologise for losing my temper and
using bad language with you. It was a kneejerk reaction.
Tommy."
Tom Hicks Snr and George Gillett have been the subject of the
Liverpool fans ire for most of their time in control of the club
since taking over in 2007. The actions of Hicks Jnr are hardly
likely to help.
Added to that, Benitez admitted on Sunday that he could be
forced to sell star striker Fernando Torres in the summer should
the club fail to make it back into the Champions League. That could
be the final straw for many supporters, angry over the way the club
has been run and the level of debt Hicks and Gillett have piled
onto the books.
Purslow, Nash and Ayre have played increasingly important roles
in the last few months as they work towards putting the club on a
healthier financial footing.
That has already led to the signing of a new shirt sponsorship
deal with Standard Chartered Bank worth around £80 million.
One of Purslow's priorities since taking over from Rick Parry in
June last year has been to find new investment in the club as they
seek to get the funding in place to build a new stadium.
Hicks Jr had no real input into decision-making at the club on a
daily basis and so his departure will not affect on-going
plans.
