Broughton blames Beeb for World Cup failure
FORMER Liverpool FC chairman Martin Broughton launched a stinging attack on the BBC last night in the wake of England’s failed 2018 World Cup bid.
Speaking at the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce’s awards, Broughton said the fact that England only got two votes suggested “some form of collective boycott”.
“I have to say to myself, I hope that Panorama was proud of what it did,” said Broughton.
“It seems to me that I’ve seen a fair amount of what was rather pious journalism this week trying to justify Panorama’s actions on the basis of a long tradition of investigative journalism which Britain should be proud of.
“It was nothing of the sort. It was merely an attempt to promote a tired, dated programme which has seen better days.
“David Dein rightly referred to it as something which should have been on the History Channel, and I think that’s exactly where the whole programme should be consigned.”
Broughton, who is also British Airways’ chairman, led the sale of Liverpool Football Club to New England Sports Ventures (now renamed Fenway Sports Group) in October against the wishes of former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
He argued that the Premier League should investigate whether rules need to be introduced to prevent highly leveraged buyouts of football clubs, such as the £218.9m deal Hicks and Gillett completed to buy Liverpool in 2007 or the £800m buyout which Malcolm Glazer and his family completed in 2005 to buyout Manchester United.
“One thing my experience at Liverpool made me realise was that the club was suffering terribly from excessive leverage. It’s questionable whether any any business should be very highly leveraged but certainly it’s difficult to see how it’s appropriate for a football club,” said Broughton.
Broughton added that he fully supported Fenway Sports Group’s plan to redevelop Anfield as the best way of moving the club forwards as it was a method of “enduring tradition while embracing growth”.
However, he added that if it were not then Liverpool should consider ground sharing with Everton.
“Fans need to ask themselves would they rather spend the extra money on players rather than a stadium? With modern technology, the entire stadium could be red one week and blue the next. The flexibility that can be built into grounds means that the understandable fear that fans have can be overcome, although it would need open minds on all sides and an open dialogue.”
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