Shamed Hicks Jr resigns from Reds’ board
LIVERPOOL’S future was thrown into further doubt yesterday after the son of co-owner Tom Hicks resigned from the club’s board following an abusive email row with a fan.
Tom Hicks Jr became embroiled in controversy over the weekend after a supporter contacted him to enquire as to the club’s financial state.
After initially calling the fan an “idiot”, Hicks Jr allegedly then sent a second e-mail saying: “Blow me f*** face. Go to Hell. I’m sick of you.”
Hicks Jr apologised, but after pressure from the Spirit of Shankly fans’ group, who rally against American co-owners Hicks Sr and George Gillett, he subsequently quit the club and their parent company, Kop Holdings.
He said: “I have great respect for Liverpool Football Club, especially the club’s supporters. I apologise for my mistake and I am very sorry for my harmful words. I do not want my actions to take away from the club’s future, therefore I am resigning from the board. To the fans and to the club, please accept my sincerest apologies.”
Hicks Jr was seen as an active member of the club’s board, which was made up of him and his father, Gillett and his son, Foster, and managing director Christian Purslow. His resignation has forced the club and Kop Holdings into a board restructuring with Casey Coffman, executive vice-president of Hicks Holdings, coming into replace him. Also elected are Liverpool’s chief financial officer, Philip Nash, and the club’s commercial director, Ian Ayre.
It is the latest setback to the reign of Hicks and Gillett, who have endured a torrid time since purchasing the club in March 2007.