I have conducted the following interview with James McKenna, one of the volunteer members of the Spirit of Shankly group. The following transcript has been published originally on the publication Anfield Island which is Malta's Liverpool Supporters Club magazine.
Liverpool F.C. has been the first club to win eighteen English titles. The first British club to retain the European Cup. Subsequently, the first British club to keep the European Cup for good. Now it is the first club to have its own union. Hardly comparing like with like, or a cause for big celebration but a desperate situation calls for desperate measures. It is a known fact that Liverpool has some of the most caring and passionate fans and this union is another testament of that. Originally formed as ‘Sons of Shankly’, it is now officially known as ‘Spirit of Shankly’.
The first meeting was held in The Sandon pub, the pub which was originally owned by no-one less than Sir John Houlding, the founder of Liverpool F.C. and the same person that kicked Everton F.C. out of Anfield. Some 350 Liverpool fans attended for the first meeting, with the main constant aim among others set ‘to represent the best interests of supporters of Liverpool F.C.’ Since then, the Union as it is most commonly known in Liverpool has been known to organize travel for away matches, both in England and Europe, organized a march in protest at the present owners as well as held two very important meetings, with George Gillett and the manager Rafael Benìtez.
I have conducted the following interview with James McKenna, one of the volunteer acting committee member.
First things first, officially is it 'Sons of Shankly' or 'Spirit of Shankly'? What made you change the name?
The official name is Spirit Of Shankly, Liverpool Supporters' Union. Most people refer to us simply as Spirit Of Shankly, SOS, or the Union.
We were intially called Sons Of Shankly. The name was decided upon at the first meeting in The Sandon on 31st January 2008. It was off the cuff and suited us perfectly. However there are just as many passionate female Liverpool fans as well male. So we decided to broaden the name to cover all those involved. Also the name Spirit Of Shankly is more apt. We are trying to keep the same spirit going that Bill Shankly brought to this club. Thats why we are named after the great man.
I remember we all basically embraced the idea of having Gillett and Hicks as the 'new custodians', and they were greeted warmly at games, some even stopping to have pictures with all that. In other words they had the red carpet treatment. When did you first see the first cracks?
Plenty of Liverpool fans did welcome Hicks and Gillett with open arms, and with hindsight, we were naive. However we had seen our club fall behind Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, and we wanted to remain competitive. We wanted to be back up there challenging for League titles, and winning trophies. The previous owner, David Moores, had admitted he couldn't compete financially. Tom Hicks and George Gillett won the battle ahead of DIC to own the club, and fans were taken in by their charm offensive and promises - which they have now broken.
The cracks or signs, had been there for us to see, since the 2007 European Cup Final. They day after losing, the manager came out and criticised the way transfers were dealt with, about the support he was getting. It was a sign that all was not well behind the scenes, but fans weren't quite sure what was going on. If we fast forward to the autumn of 2007, the cracks were beginning to widen. There was the infamous Benitez press conference in which he kept repeating the same answer to every question, that he would be concentrating on coaching and supporting his players. The next day at Newcastle he wore a tracksuit rather than his usual suit. This was a public display by the manager that things were not going well behind the scenes. Fans were alarmed and began to ask questions. Fan group Reclaim The Kop (RTK) then organised a march in support of the manager prior to the European Cup game against Porto. This was after receiving information from reliable sources that the manager was about to be sacked by Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Fans stood and marched for the manager and helped to keep him in the job.
From then on, fans were growing increasingly sceptical about the American owners. We found out they had spoken to Jurgen Klinsmann behind the managers back, the stadium was not forthcoming , Gillett had famously said at the takeover that a spade would be in the ground in 60 days, and then we received the final kick in the teeth - The debt Tom Hicks and George Gillett used to purchase the club was to be put on Liverpool Football Club. This was the final nail in the coffin - Fans had to stand up and fight back. A meeting was arranged for fans to attend in The Sandon on 31st January 2008. The Liverpool Supporters' Union was formed. And then fast forward 7 and bit months, and here we are today.
According to your website, the immediate aim of the S.O.S. is getting rid the club of the aforementioned. Don't you feel you are starting with a 'too big' aim?
Tom Hicks and George Gillett are the main reason that the Liverpool Supporters' Union, Spirit Of Shankly, were formed. They were the tipping point that made fans think and say "I've had enough. It's time to stand up for myself, other fans, and fight back, to have a say". It is a big task - but one that we must achieve if we want Liverpool Football Club to move forward. Hicks and Gillett have done too damage to this football club in their period in charge to allow them to stay. The stadium fiasco of will it or won't it happen (I don't think anyone knows the definite answer but it is looking increasingly unlikely under the American ownership, especially since the banks said no to a loan for building it). There has been the shocking treatment of the manager. Speaking to Jurgen Klinsmann behind his back, and vetoing the signing of Gareth Barry because of the price tag - This is not a decision for them. They should back the managers judgement. I don't think Liverpool fans would have a bad word to say about Benitez if he had walked out over it all, but he hasn't because of his and his family's love for this city, the club, and the fans. Finally there was the debt being put on the club, despite saying they would never do this.
It might be a long, uphill struggle to rid the club of Hicks and Gillett. But it is one that we will achieve.
How do you see yourselves achieving that?
There are a number of methods being used for this, which all relate to creating negative publicity for the owners, and showing them, the watching world and more importantly the banks the finance them, that we are unhappy (to put it mildly) and we want them out of the football club.
The primary plan of action was to protest against the owners. These have took a variety of forms. More detail can be found on the site at http://www.spiritofshankly.com/protests.html.
The actions we have taken have included protest marches, with our largest one to date having taken place prior to the Manchester United game on Saturday 13th September, when nearly 4,000 fans marched up to Anfield chanting "Yanks Out" and "get out of our club". There have also been protests during the game, at half time, and at full time, as well as out the Director Entrance. We have mocked the American owners, with a dig, with SOS finally putting a spade in the ground in Stanley Park, 440 days after Gillett first promised it, and we have "repossesed" the ground, highlighting the problems the massive debt the Americans have put on the cluband the potential problems it can cause.
More recently, we have looked at targetting those who finance Hicks and Gillett, the banks. Royal Bank of Scotland, which is the main financer, are to be targetted over a period of time, to encourage them not to allow Hicks and Gillett an extension to the present refinancing deal.
Have you met any particular signs of encouragement?
In terms of encouragement for what we are doing, alot of Liverpool fans want the American owners out and support the action taken to try and rid the club of Hicks and Gillett. Encouragingly, in terms of can we achieve our aim, the world's media has taken an active interest in what we are tring to do. Meetings were also requested by representatives of Dubai, led my Amanda Staveley, Chief Executive of LFC Rick Parry, and more recently George Gillett. We have had meetings with all these and have made our stance, on what we aim to achieve, very clear to them. We must be doing something right if they want to meet with us. We have also spoke with accountants and finance experts from Wall St who tell us that the Global Economic Climate is affecting them, so all we have to do is increase the pressure.
How much you believe you are on the right track to achieve your first aim?
I believe we are on track to achieving our first aim. It was seen more recently, with the failure to start work on the new stadium, that the present economic climate is affectting the Americans. When the current debt on the football club comes up for re-financing in January 2009, the negative publicity surrounding the Americans should surely lead the banks to refuse. The American owners will have no alternative but to sell. Hopefully it can be resolved before then. If we keep up the pressure on the Americans, and the pressure on the banks who are financially supporting them, then they will have no alternative but to listen. Which is why I encourage more people to join Spirit Of Shankly. Once the Americans are removed, we can concentrate on making things better for all fans. What we are trying to achieve can be found here http://www.spiritofshankly.com/index.html. If anyone wishes to join they can do so online or by post http://www.spiritofshankly.com/join.html.
If we all stand together, we can win. We can finally have our views and our opinions listened to, about the problems and concerns that us fans have. And then, Liverpool Football Club will truly be OUR club. All of ours!
Liverpool F.C. has been the first club to win eighteen English titles. The first British club to retain the European Cup. Subsequently, the first British club to keep the European Cup for good. Now it is the first club to have its own union. Hardly comparing like with like, or a cause for big celebration but a desperate situation calls for desperate measures. It is a known fact that Liverpool has some of the most caring and passionate fans and this union is another testament of that. Originally formed as ‘Sons of Shankly’, it is now officially known as ‘Spirit of Shankly’.
The first meeting was held in The Sandon pub, the pub which was originally owned by no-one less than Sir John Houlding, the founder of Liverpool F.C. and the same person that kicked Everton F.C. out of Anfield. Some 350 Liverpool fans attended for the first meeting, with the main constant aim among others set ‘to represent the best interests of supporters of Liverpool F.C.’ Since then, the Union as it is most commonly known in Liverpool has been known to organize travel for away matches, both in England and Europe, organized a march in protest at the present owners as well as held two very important meetings, with George Gillett and the manager Rafael Benìtez.
I have conducted the following interview with James McKenna, one of the volunteer acting committee member.
First things first, officially is it 'Sons of Shankly' or 'Spirit of Shankly'? What made you change the name?
The official name is Spirit Of Shankly, Liverpool Supporters' Union. Most people refer to us simply as Spirit Of Shankly, SOS, or the Union.
We were intially called Sons Of Shankly. The name was decided upon at the first meeting in The Sandon on 31st January 2008. It was off the cuff and suited us perfectly. However there are just as many passionate female Liverpool fans as well male. So we decided to broaden the name to cover all those involved. Also the name Spirit Of Shankly is more apt. We are trying to keep the same spirit going that Bill Shankly brought to this club. Thats why we are named after the great man.
I remember we all basically embraced the idea of having Gillett and Hicks as the 'new custodians', and they were greeted warmly at games, some even stopping to have pictures with all that. In other words they had the red carpet treatment. When did you first see the first cracks?
Plenty of Liverpool fans did welcome Hicks and Gillett with open arms, and with hindsight, we were naive. However we had seen our club fall behind Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, and we wanted to remain competitive. We wanted to be back up there challenging for League titles, and winning trophies. The previous owner, David Moores, had admitted he couldn't compete financially. Tom Hicks and George Gillett won the battle ahead of DIC to own the club, and fans were taken in by their charm offensive and promises - which they have now broken.
The cracks or signs, had been there for us to see, since the 2007 European Cup Final. They day after losing, the manager came out and criticised the way transfers were dealt with, about the support he was getting. It was a sign that all was not well behind the scenes, but fans weren't quite sure what was going on. If we fast forward to the autumn of 2007, the cracks were beginning to widen. There was the infamous Benitez press conference in which he kept repeating the same answer to every question, that he would be concentrating on coaching and supporting his players. The next day at Newcastle he wore a tracksuit rather than his usual suit. This was a public display by the manager that things were not going well behind the scenes. Fans were alarmed and began to ask questions. Fan group Reclaim The Kop (RTK) then organised a march in support of the manager prior to the European Cup game against Porto. This was after receiving information from reliable sources that the manager was about to be sacked by Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Fans stood and marched for the manager and helped to keep him in the job.
From then on, fans were growing increasingly sceptical about the American owners. We found out they had spoken to Jurgen Klinsmann behind the managers back, the stadium was not forthcoming , Gillett had famously said at the takeover that a spade would be in the ground in 60 days, and then we received the final kick in the teeth - The debt Tom Hicks and George Gillett used to purchase the club was to be put on Liverpool Football Club. This was the final nail in the coffin - Fans had to stand up and fight back. A meeting was arranged for fans to attend in The Sandon on 31st January 2008. The Liverpool Supporters' Union was formed. And then fast forward 7 and bit months, and here we are today.
According to your website, the immediate aim of the S.O.S. is getting rid the club of the aforementioned. Don't you feel you are starting with a 'too big' aim?
Tom Hicks and George Gillett are the main reason that the Liverpool Supporters' Union, Spirit Of Shankly, were formed. They were the tipping point that made fans think and say "I've had enough. It's time to stand up for myself, other fans, and fight back, to have a say". It is a big task - but one that we must achieve if we want Liverpool Football Club to move forward. Hicks and Gillett have done too damage to this football club in their period in charge to allow them to stay. The stadium fiasco of will it or won't it happen (I don't think anyone knows the definite answer but it is looking increasingly unlikely under the American ownership, especially since the banks said no to a loan for building it). There has been the shocking treatment of the manager. Speaking to Jurgen Klinsmann behind his back, and vetoing the signing of Gareth Barry because of the price tag - This is not a decision for them. They should back the managers judgement. I don't think Liverpool fans would have a bad word to say about Benitez if he had walked out over it all, but he hasn't because of his and his family's love for this city, the club, and the fans. Finally there was the debt being put on the club, despite saying they would never do this.
It might be a long, uphill struggle to rid the club of Hicks and Gillett. But it is one that we will achieve.
How do you see yourselves achieving that?
There are a number of methods being used for this, which all relate to creating negative publicity for the owners, and showing them, the watching world and more importantly the banks the finance them, that we are unhappy (to put it mildly) and we want them out of the football club.
The primary plan of action was to protest against the owners. These have took a variety of forms. More detail can be found on the site at http://www.spiritofshankly.com/protests.html.
The actions we have taken have included protest marches, with our largest one to date having taken place prior to the Manchester United game on Saturday 13th September, when nearly 4,000 fans marched up to Anfield chanting "Yanks Out" and "get out of our club". There have also been protests during the game, at half time, and at full time, as well as out the Director Entrance. We have mocked the American owners, with a dig, with SOS finally putting a spade in the ground in Stanley Park, 440 days after Gillett first promised it, and we have "repossesed" the ground, highlighting the problems the massive debt the Americans have put on the cluband the potential problems it can cause.
More recently, we have looked at targetting those who finance Hicks and Gillett, the banks. Royal Bank of Scotland, which is the main financer, are to be targetted over a period of time, to encourage them not to allow Hicks and Gillett an extension to the present refinancing deal.
Have you met any particular signs of encouragement?
In terms of encouragement for what we are doing, alot of Liverpool fans want the American owners out and support the action taken to try and rid the club of Hicks and Gillett. Encouragingly, in terms of can we achieve our aim, the world's media has taken an active interest in what we are tring to do. Meetings were also requested by representatives of Dubai, led my Amanda Staveley, Chief Executive of LFC Rick Parry, and more recently George Gillett. We have had meetings with all these and have made our stance, on what we aim to achieve, very clear to them. We must be doing something right if they want to meet with us. We have also spoke with accountants and finance experts from Wall St who tell us that the Global Economic Climate is affecting them, so all we have to do is increase the pressure.
How much you believe you are on the right track to achieve your first aim?
I believe we are on track to achieving our first aim. It was seen more recently, with the failure to start work on the new stadium, that the present economic climate is affectting the Americans. When the current debt on the football club comes up for re-financing in January 2009, the negative publicity surrounding the Americans should surely lead the banks to refuse. The American owners will have no alternative but to sell. Hopefully it can be resolved before then. If we keep up the pressure on the Americans, and the pressure on the banks who are financially supporting them, then they will have no alternative but to listen. Which is why I encourage more people to join Spirit Of Shankly. Once the Americans are removed, we can concentrate on making things better for all fans. What we are trying to achieve can be found here http://www.spiritofshankly.com/index.html. If anyone wishes to join they can do so online or by post http://www.spiritofshankly.com/join.html.
If we all stand together, we can win. We can finally have our views and our opinions listened to, about the problems and concerns that us fans have. And then, Liverpool Football Club will truly be OUR club. All of ours!
posted by jean paul at 6:07 pm
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