Gillett admits Reds breakdown
29 Mar 2008 - 19:36:38
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett claims his relationship with business partner Tom Hicks is now 'unworkable' in the latest twist to the Anfield ownership saga.
Gillett and Hicks have been rumoured to be at loggerheads for weeks over the possibility of selling their half shares in the club.
Dubai International Capital (DIC) were keen to buy the Anfield club but while Gillett is believed to be keen to sell, Hicks is not looking to cash in.
The two American sports magnates joined forces to buy the Merseysiders little over 12 months ago, but Gillett now claims his relationship with Hicks has broken down.
"The partnership has been unworkable for some time," Gillett told Toronto Sports Radio. "We gave our partner a long period of time to try to make arrangements to buy us out.
"He threatened to block me selling to Dubai - that was certainly one of the things that made the fans upset.
"Lord knows DIC have the money. With oil prices going up every day, that's not an issue. They certainly have the history and they are fans.
"I think they would have been very responsible owners. But making that not possible or difficult didn't endear people to the fans."
Meanwhile, Gillett also claims he has received death threats from fans unhappy at the club falling into the hands of the Americans.
"We get as many as 2,000 emails a week," he added.
"I would say 95 per cent of them have been directed at some of the comments made by my partner (Hicks) and five per cent aimed at both of us, 'Go home Americans'.
"The fans don't want him to have even one share of my stake in the club, based on what they are sending to me.
"As a result of that we have received many phone calls in the middle of the night threatening our lives."