In these article, we want to take a look at who owns the club Liverpool Football Club.
Is Liverpool owned by an individual, group of people or an organization?
Ride on with us as we unleash the fact about the real owner/s of Liverpool football club.
Liverpool Football Club is an English professional football team based in Liverpool, England.
The club was founded in 1892 following a dispute between two parties and joined the football league the following year.
Since it’s formation, Liverpool has since then use Anfield as her home ground and won 19 domestic league trophy.
Becoming the second team with the most league trophy in England after Manchester United.
But before we go in details on who owns the club, let’s take a look at the brief history of Liverpool.
Brief history of Liverpool Football Club
As said earlier, Liverpool was formed in 1892 out of dispute from two parties parting way.
Before 1892, Anfield use to be the home ground of Everton Football Club.
But there was a dispute between the owner of the ground(Anfield), John Houlding and Everton committee over the ground rent.
The dispute led to both parties go separate ways as Everton relocate to Goodison Park as their new home ground.
However, John Houlding also go ahead to found Liverpool in 1892 so they can play at Anfield.
He founded Liverpool as “Everton F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd” of which the Football Association refuse to recognize the club as Everton.
March 1892, the club was renamed to be Liverpool Football Club and officially recognized by the FA.
Liverpool played her first official match in a pre-season friendly against Rotherham Town, winning 7-1.
The then Liverpool team was full of Scottish players of which they are popularly known as “team of Macs”.
Liverpool won the Lancashire League in it’s debut season and joined the Football League second-division in 1893/94 season.
In 1896, Liverpool was promoted to the First Division and appointed Tom Watson as their manager.
Watson led Liverpool to their first ever league title in 1901 and won it again in 1906.
Who owns Liverpool Football Club
Liverpool have had several owners since it’s formation in 1892 by John Houlding who became the first owner of the club.
Houlding was Liverpool’s first owner and chairman until his departure in 1904.
After Houlding departure, John McKenna took over from him and also became the president of the Football League.
In 1973, John Smith took up the position to become the club chairman as his father has a share from the club.
Smith’s chairmanship led Liverpool to their most successful period in the club history and step down in 1990.
With Smith stepping down, Noel White took charge of the club.
August 1991, David Moores whose family has owned a share of the club for over 50 years became Liverpool new chairman.
Moores owned over 51 percent of the club’s share and in 2004 decide to sell out his share of the club.
February 2007, American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks eventually bought the club for £218.9 million.
These cover both the club’s fee and it’s outstanding debts of £44.8 million.
But dispute between these two American businessmen and lack of support from fans resulted them to consider the club for sale.
They appoint Martin Broughton as the chairman to see through the sales of the club.
Meanwhile, an account was released showing the club is already in debt of £350m.
Liverpool current owners (Fenway Sports Group) takeover in 2010
Fenway Sports Group Holdings(FSG) formerly New England Sports Ventures(NESV) was founded in 2001 by American businessmen John William Henry II and Tom Werner.
After a court ruling that give room for the sales of Liverpool from former owners Gillett and Hicks.
Fenway Sports Group Holdings acquired Liverpool on 15 October 2010 in a deal said to be worth around £300m.
April 2022, it was announced RedBird Capital Partners purchased 11% stake in Fenway Sports Group for $750 million.
Meaning RedBird Capital Partners are also a part owners of the club Liverpool Football Club.
NBA legend LeBron James is also reported to holds a 2% stake in Liverpool now valued at $43 million.
Liverpool Owners Networth
Though Liverpool Football Club is not owned by an individual but an organization (Fenway Sports Group).
With John William Henry II the principal owner of the organization, therefore he indirectly owned Liverpool.
According to Forbes list of 2022, John Henry is currently worth £4 billion.
He also rank #271 among Forbes list for top 400 richest American in 2022.
And sit #822 in the list of World richest billionaire in the World.
