Liverpool fans plan protest against US owners

Liverpool supporters are preparing to protest against George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the club’s American owners, before Sunday’s Premier League clash against Manchester United.

The pair have come under fire from fans upset at the way Liverpool have struggled to keep pace with Premier League rivals United and Chelsea.

Gillett and Hicks, who have also been criticised for plunging the club into debt and failing to deliver a new stadium, plan to attend the United fixture and Liverpool supporters groups want to show their displeasure with a 10,000-strong march to the stadium.

It is also believed there are plans for thousands of placards to be waved at the Americans if they sit in their usual front-row seats of the directors’ box.

Les Lawson, spokesman for the Liverpool Supporters Club and a member of the Spirit of Shankly group who are planning the march, said: “There have been protests before, but the Americans do have elephant-thick skin.

“But there is no point in sitting back and doing nothing. This will be a direct action to keep the campaign in the public eye.

“There are plenty of other things going on behind the scenes to keep the campaign going, though. The fans have to do something to show their anger at the way Liverpool is being run.”

Liverpool have lost four games in a row and another defeat against Manchester United would all but end their title hopes.