Given the information that is in the public domain, it is more likely that no money was transferred from the former directors to H&G
The fact that they've all seemingly signed confidentiality agreements & closed the book, suggests that there's been some form of settlement. If it was merely H&G dropping the case due to being unable to fund it or merely 'giving up' then there'd be no silent ending imo.
UPDATE!!! Liverpool's former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have withdrawn their allegations against the men who, in 2010, successfully led the legal campaign which forced the America pair to relinquish control of the club. Sir Martin Broughton, Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre were all directors at Liverpool when the club's future became the subject of a fierce and drawn out high court battle which ultimately resulted in New England Sports Ventures, now known as Fenway Sports Group, taking over at Anfield for a deal worth £300m. The purchase brought to an end Hicks and Gillett's near ruinous three-and-a-half ownership of Liverpool – due largely to pressure from the Royal Bank of Scotland, who were owned £235m by the duo – but they only departed after making claims against Broughton, Purslow and Ayre, who has remained at Liverpool and is now their managing director. The club have confirmed that those claims have now been dropped. A Liverpool statement, released on Friday morning, read: "In October 2010, Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds Limited was sold to the Fenway Sports Group. As a consequence of that sale, Thomas Hicks and George Gillett [being the former owners of Liverpool FC] made a number of allegations and claims against Sir Martin Broughton, Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre [being the company directors responsible for the sale of Liverpool FC to the Fenway Sports Group]. "Those allegations and claims were denied by Messrs Broughton, Purslow and Ayre ... and resulted in legal proceedings being commenced. "The parties have now agreed a settlement [the terms of which are confidential]. All claims and allegations made against Messrs Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have been withdrawn by Messrs Hicks and Gillett and all legal proceedings between the parties concluded." http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/11/liverpool-tom-hicks-george-gillett?CMP=twt_gu
"The parties have now agreed a settlement [the terms of which are confidential]. All claims and allegations made against Messrs Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have been withdrawn by Messrs Hicks and Gillett and all legal proceedings between the parties concluded." So Broughton, Purslow and Ayre paid H&G undisclosed damages in a confidential settlement?
An infinite number of possibilities exist. However, it is more likely that Broughton, Purslow and Ayre agreed to meet their own costs - which will probably be underwritten by RBS.
Fair enough dave, it just got me thinking that agreeing a settlement out of court is like admitting guilt in some cases.
The "settlement" could effectively be "never speak of this again and we won't destroy you", with H&G glady accepting such terms.
Quite right - I did say that there were many possibilities. H&G must always have been aware (their legal team would have been) that behind the 3 lay the very deep pockets of RBS. The law may be the law but money = power!
I don't agree with your H&G analysis (the legal argument over RBS's selling rights, anyway), but I do fear you're right on this). We missed the boat with DIC, not because they're rich Arabs on a vanity project - they're not - but because even though the downturn knocked them sideways they are ultimately bankrolled by the deep pockets of the Dubai royal family. We wouldn't have been a Chelsea or City, but I do believe they'd have built a stadium by now and backed Rafa when he wanted to make big-ticket buys on the likes of Villa, Mata, Silva and others we could have got when they weren't so expensive. Then again, they'd have probably backed him to buy Barry....
The H&G discussion is now moot anyway, as it's done & dusted mate. I don't think FSG are bad owners mind. They've backed both managers with plenty of cash & they've got you some great sponsorship deals. However, I think they're being disingenuous over the stadium. They know fine well that the planning phase could take an age if there's objections to any of the CP properties & they've bought enough time to allow them to build revenues (the extra Sky money will help) & then sell for a tasty profit, as they bought it on the cheap in the first place.
