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Hollywood Celebs Join Fight to Remove Hicks and Gillett from Liverpool
September 30, 2010
The battle to remove Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett from power has this week taken a significant upturn in motion and awareness, after both the BBC Sports Web site published a blog on the work of the various supporters groups and then-Hollywood producer and director Mike Jefferies announced he was about to make a short film aimed at getting rid of the American owners.
The BBC article highlighted work done by various supporter groups and Web sites in contacting prominent members of the banking and financial world, encouraging them not to lend financial aid to Hicks in his attempts to broker a re-financing deal for the huge loan debts he and Gillett have placed on Liverpool Football Club.
Supporter groups such as the now combined Spirit of Shankley-Share Liverpool, Kop Faithful, and a whole host of prominent unofficial club Web sites have and continue to combine their efforts to share information and ensure a range of people, such as Blackstone (the company which owns GSO Capital Partners hedge funds) owner Stephen Schwarzman are aware of the level of anger and loathing that Reds' fans have towards the owners and how heavily all supporters would oppose any help that companies may offer them.
This action appears to have contributed to at least some extent, as GSO recently turned down an approach from Hicks to aid with the debt restructuring at Liverpool.
Now the profile level of the battle against the owners has been significantly raised, with Jefferies teaming up with fellow Reds fan Dan Hubbard, who has worked on, amongst other films, the Bourne Ultimatum.
The duo are planning to film and create a viral video which will be uploaded to the Internet on Tuesday next week, containing many messages from fellow celebrity Liverpool supporters as well as fans who will flock to the city centre over the weekend to relay their messages to Tom Hicks.
Jefferies appears extremely confident about the move, stating:
“You won’t believe who’s involved. I’ve been stunned by terrific reaction of so many celebrity Reds, and many, many fans want to be involved in the film, too."
“It is important to get the message across that the fans want Hicks and Gillett out. There are millions of supporters who can not accept their club being touted as a product like a soft drink."
“The viral is already building massive momentum and there is a real feeling now amongst the fan base."
A-list celebrities such as Mike Myers and Samuel L. Jackson, both Liverpool supporters, are rumoured to head the list of fans who will take part in the creation of the video which Jefferies hopes will attract in excess of one million views.
The aim of the video will be to further increase awareness of Liverpool supporters feelings towards the owners while also trying to discourage any other financial parties from offering aid to Hicks with his attempts to refinance the debt.
Jefferies has also written an open letter to Hicks in which he details his "crimes" against Liverpool and encourages him to leave the club by offering a fair valuation instead of trying to reap further profit from his own mistakes and repeated poor judgement.
Filming will take place in Liverpool City Centre at the Hope Street Hotel from 10am to 6pm, and from Sunday from 9am to noon before Liverpool's Premier League match against Blackpool.
The more fans who can turn up to support the creation the better—as well as the Reds' match afterwards. Liverpool are also in action tonight (Thursday) against Europa League opponents Utrecht.