- Figures released on Monday showed Arsenal's move to the Emirates Stadium has driven a near 50% increase in turnover with operating profits for the year ending May 31 up a massive 274%. Rick Parry said: "We have been saying for years on a match by match basis we are too far behind Manchester United and now Arsenal too. The only reason we want the new stadium is to generate extra revenue…to enable us to be competitive."
Shareholders
Liverpool chairman David Moores, who will become an honorary life president, said: "This is a great step forward for its shareholders and its fans."
Players’ wages
Steven Gerrard is the only current player in the top 100, landing at 92nd place with an estimated worth of ₤15m. The 27 year old Reds captain is reportedly on ₤120,000 per week since his new deal in May, with endorsements with adidas (₤1m) and Persil (₤1.5m) per season. The success of his autobiography also helped boost his bank balance.
The top 20 players list features one other Red - new boy Fernando Torres ranks as the 19th richest footballer in the UK with an estimated worth of ₤10m. The 23 year old Spaniard allegedly took a pay cut to join the Reds this summer and is now on ₤90k per week as opposed to ₤100k at Atletico Madrid.
Employment
The national unemployment rate is 5.3%, but regional rates vary considerably. Within England the TUC gives the following breakdown:
North East - 7.6% (worst in Middlesbrough - 12.4% - 8,000)
London - 6.8% (Hackney - 16.4% - 14,000)
West Midlands - 5.6% (worst in Birmingham - 10.5% - 46,000)
North West - 5.1% (Liverpool - 11.1% - 21,000)
Yorkshire & Humberside - 5% (worst in Bradford - 8.2% - 19,000)
East Midlands - 4.7% (worst in Leicester - 8.5% - 11,000)
Eastern England - 3.8% (worst in Norwich - 9.1% - 6,000)
South West - 3.5% (worst in Torbay - 5.6% - 3,000)
South East - 3.3% (worst in Thanet - 9.8% - 6,000)
Majority shareholders
George Gillett - Age 69 - Estimated worth: ₤250m
Gillett bought the Reds in March for ₤220m plus ₤50m of debt, having already invested in many US sports. After failing to buy the NBA’s Denver Nuggett’s in 2000, he grabbed an 80% share in NHL outfit Montreal Canadiens and their home for ₤130m. He recently added the American stock car racing team to his portfolio while his Gillett Entertainment Group produces more than 700 sporting and entertainment events in venues throughout North America.
Tom Hicks - Age 61 - Estimated worth: ₤500m
The son of a Texas radio station owner, Hicks went into finance specifically private equity and made fortunes for his investors and himself with takeovers of soft drinks companies such as Dr. Pepper and 7 Up. These deals turned $88m of investors’ money into $1.3 billion in just 18 months.
He later started his own company Hicks Holdings, with interest as disparate as pet food and electronics. Hicks moved from the business pages to the sports section in December 1995 when he bought the NHL’s Dallas Stars for $82m. In June 1998 he took over the MLB’s Texas Rangers paying $250m from an investment group that included then-Texas governor George W. Bush. In February 2007 Hicks and Gillett took over LFC in a near $220m deal, they have pledged to build a new stadium at Stanley Park.
Success with Liverpool should see his Forbes valuation of ₤500m soar.
Season tickets (2006/07)
Season tickets (2007/08)
A 6.6% rise in prices for main stand & paddock and centenary stand season tickets.
A 7.6% rise in price for anfield road stand season tickets.
A 7.1% rise in price for kop grandstand season tickets.
A 7.5% rise in price for anfield road combined season tickets.
A 7.1% rise in price for kop grandstand combined season tickets.
(need 2 ask sir about this)
