Source: PA
Angry Hicks claims Liverpool `swindle'
Former Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks said he was "devastated" about the sale of the club and said it was "swindled away from me in an epic swindle".
New England Sports Ventures completed the £300million takeover of the club on Friday following a frenetic week that had seen the matter go before the High Court in London, however, Hicks has warned that the already protracted saga is not over.
Asked how he felt about the sale, Hicks told Sky Sports News: "(I'm) Shocked. Devastated. Frustrated. I'm very disappointed. It's hurt my family tremendously. This is a very valuable asset that was swindled away from me in an epic swindle. I'm very angry about it."
Hicks hit out at club chairman Martin Broughton and creditors Royal Bank of Scotland, claiming they had breached his trust.
"This has been an organised conspiracy over many months," Hicks said. "[Liverpool independent chairman] Martin Broughton wanted a good PR event in his life and be seen as the guy that got rid of those Americans - and he sold to another group of Americans.
"I can't go into the details but I can confirm the funds were available to pay off Royal Bank of Scotland entirely but between Royal Bank of Scotland, the chairman and the employees that conspired against us, they would not let us. They were people I thought were our friends, people I thought were loyal, and I was wrong."
