[lbo-talk] Thai PM bids for English soccer club

[Grant Lee]

[Hard on the heels of Roman Abramovitch, but Liverpool has a much higher
profile than Fulham.]

Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage

Thai PM says his
Liverpool bid is best
Thu 13 May, 2004 09:42

By Trirat Puttajanyawong
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's billionaire prime minister says his bid for a
stake in Liverpool [Football Club], to be discussed today by the club's
board, is superior to a rival offer by a British businessman.
Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecoms tycoon before he turned to politics, repeated
he would not increase his $100 million (57 million pounds) offer for a 30
percent stake in the club to counter Steve Morgan's.
Property developer Morgan is hoping his Liverpool roots will win support
from fans. He wants to increase his five percent stake with a $129 million
deal funded by a rights issue and the sale of shares to supporters.

* * * *

Thaksin's interest in buying into English soccer began last year after
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea. The Thai premier was
linked with Fulham, and on Thursday he said he would consider bidding for
other English clubs if the Liverpool deal fell through.
"Yes, we are mainly looking at the English premier league," Thaksin said in
reply to reporters' questions.
NEW MONEY
Thaksin said his bid would inject 45 million pounds into the premier league
club, with the rest going to buy shares from existing shareholders.
Liverpool is 51 percent owned by David Moores, whose family has had control
for half a century, and 9.9 percent owned by television company Granada.
Liverpool have won a record 18 league titles and remain one of England's top
clubs.
Morgan, who had an offer to increase his stake rejected by the Liverpool
board in March, has been a vocal critic of how the club has been run, saying
this week "too many mistakes" had been made, especially in the transfer
market.
Liverpool fans have mixed views about Thaksin's offer because of his
government's human rights record and photos of him receiving a shirt from
rival club Manchester United on his 52nd birthday nearly three years ago.
Liverpool are eager to tap marketing opportunities in the Asian market and
played in Thailand last year.

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=sportsNews&storyID=509765&section=news