
Tom Hicks was left stranded inside Anfield following Liverpool's 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at the weekend after furious supporters staged a protest against his ownership of the club.
The unpopular Texan had been in the directors' box for the Barclays Premier League game on Saturday afternoon but was forced to leave the stadium via a side exit after over 200 fans gathered in the Main Stand car park to voice their displeasure about the ownership of the club by Hicks and his business partner George Gillett, since their takeover of the club in 2007.
Former Montreal Canadiens owner Gillett had spend most of last week in London, exploring options for fresh investment in exchange for a minority stake in the club and was expected to be in attendance but it was Hicks who arrived at Anfield shortly after 1.00 pm.
After hearing news that one of the owners would be in attendance, representatives for the Spirit of Shankly supporters' union organised an impromptu demonstration via text messages and word-of-mouth throughout the game in addition to displaying a banner before kick-off that read 'Yank liar$ out!'
For approximately 90 minutes, fans protested with chants of 'Yanks out' and 'get out of our club' being heard in the Main Stand corridors as Reds stewards and Merseyside Police's match day patrol team attempted to reduce the impact of the peaceful protest by locking gates at both ends of the car park.
The group also that they had been informed that Hicks was in an unfit physical state to listen to supporters' concerns.
James McKenna, an SOS committee member, said: "Tom Hicks' presence [at Anfield] on Saturday did nothing but fuel the flames rather than dampen them. If he is staying over for the Everton game next week, at our expense, it doesn't seem to be for the greater good that either Tom Hicks or George Gillett fly over to see Liverpool play.
"The fans protesting asked Tom Hicks to come outside and respond to their concerns about the club. We actually made a request to the police officers and stewards on duty to pass on the message and were told that they wouldn't be passing the message on.
"We were also informed that it was highly unlikely because he was worse for wear which leaves people questioning even more just how true a custodian of this football club Tom Hicks really is if he's only interested on coming over here on an all expenses paid holiday rather than to improve things at the football club which angers fans much more."
Hicks fell asleep twice during the game whilst eyewitnesses at Liverpool One's Hilton hotel later claimed that the 63-year-old's security team were ordered by staff to send him to his room after he appeared drunk and incapable
One onlooker said: "People were going over to him as he was being woken up. He had fallen asleep into his food and spilled red wine all over the table.
"His bodyguards had been told to take him to his room and knocked more red wine over as he was getting up."
Hicks is expected to be in attendance at next Saturday's Merseyside derby clash with local rivals Everton, which will mark the third anniversary of the Americans' tenure. Calls for the duo to sell up have intensified since they agreed a refinancing loan in January 2008 which sees Liverpool currently saddled with debts of up to £240 million.
Empathetic, Fort Worth, TX around 1 month ago