Hicks says he was ‘swindled’ in ’Pool sale

The former co-owner of Liverpool, Tom Hicks, said that he was “devastated” about the sale of the club and said it had been “swindled” away from him.

Although he admitted the club had “a little bit too much debt”, Hicks, who with co-owner George Gillett had tried to block the sale, told Sky News television it was “very healthy” financially and could have been sold for more.

“I’m devastated. I’m frustrated... I’m very disappointed,” Hicks said after New England Sports Ventures (NESV), owners of baseball’s Boston Red Sox, completed their £300-million takeover on Friday.

“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 denied he and Gillett had saddled the club with unsustainable amounts of debt, insisting: “Liverpool’s a very healthy, financially-performing club, it covers its interests fine.

“It had a little bit too much debt, no question, but we were going to fix that. We were frustrated by others.”

He said that funds were available to pay off creditors the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) but claimed there was “an organised conspiracy” against such a move, which was determined to remove the two Americans as owners.

“We did have the funds available to pay off RBS in its entirety. Between RBS and the chairman and the employees that conspired against us, they would not allow us to pay off that debt,” he said.

Hicks blamed former manager Rafael Benitez for Liverpool’s poor performance last season, saying: “That’s not the fault of the owners – we spent the money.”

He said he had accepted that the club was going to be sold but said NESV had not paid them a “fair price”.

Internet terrorism

Other buyers had been interested, Hicks said, but “those people were scared off by the distress chatter and by the militant, organised internet terrorism campaigns that was directed at people that were getting involved”.

He said he could not understand why so many fans had wanted the American duo gone, but said they would continue to fight their corner.

Although they have withdrawn a US lawsuit against the Liverpool board for $1.6 billion in damages, Hicks and Gillett will now take their claim to an English court, their lawyer said.

“I just want the truth to come out in the English courts,” said Hicks. “This isn’t over.”