Liverpool court case listed for Tuesday

The legal battle for control of Liverpool has been scheduled to get under way in London’s High Court on Tuesday with the club’s unpopular American owners trying to block a takeover bid.

Court listings revealed Monday that the case will go before a judge on Tuesday at 10:30 am (0930 GMT).

The case will hinge on whether Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton had the authority to sell the troubled English giants to New England Sports Ventures (NESV), against the wishes of owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Hicks and Gillett — who stand to lose 144 million pounds between them if the 300-million-pound sale goes through — claim Broughton had no legal right to approve the deal.

Broughton, appointed as independent chairman in April, agreed the sale with the support of managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre, who out-voted Hicks and Gillett 3-2.

Hicks and Gillett unsuccessfully attempted to sack Purslow and Ayre shortly before the board meeting which approved the deal.

Broughton claims that when the owners decided to sell the club in April, major creditor Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) requested undertakings that only he, as independent chairman, could make changes to the club’s board.

Hicks has denied that any such undertakings in place and that therefore Broughton’s actions in forcing through the sale were illegal and invalid.

The boardroom battle has coincided with Liverpool’s worst start to a season for nearly 50 years, with the club languishing in the relegation zone and eliminated from the League Cup.