Liverpool FC owner John Henry has come out with a fawning apology issued towards the club’s fanbase in the aftermath of the Anfield giants announcing their withdrawal from the now-suspended European Super League.
Initially announced as one of the 12 founding members of the breakaway competition, the outrage that has unfolded in recent days over the drama, especially from the supporters, forced the clubs to make a major note of the ramifications of their decision.
The Reds, alongside fellow Premier League clubs, declared themselves out of the running to partake in the Super League which now has lost as many as ten of its 12 founding members, and owner John Henry took to the club’s official website to issue an apology for his actions as Henry noted how important it was for the club to have the backing of its fanbase through these testing times of the pandemic.
‘I want to apologise to all the fans and supporters of Liverpool Football Club for the disruption I caused over the past 48 hours.
‘It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans. No-one ever thought differently in England. Over these 48 hours you were very clear that it would not stand. We heard you. I heard you.
‘And I want to apologise to Jurgen, to Billy (Hogan, club chief executive), to the players and to everyone who works so hard at LFC to make our fans proud. They have absolutely no responsibility for this disruption. They were the most disrupted and unfairly so. This is what hurts most. They love your club and work to make you proud every single day.
‘I know the entire LFC team has the expertise, leadership and passion necessary to rebuild trust and help us move forward. More than a decade ago when we signed up for the challenges associated with football, we dreamed of what you dreamed of. And we’ve worked hard to improve your club. Our work isn’t done. And I hope you’ll understand that even when we make mistakes, we’re trying to work in your club’s best interests. In this endeavour I’ve let you down.
‘Again, I’m sorry, and I alone am responsible for the unnecessary negativity brought forward over the past couple of days. It’s something I won’t forget. And shows the power the fans have today and will rightly continue to have.
‘If there’s one thing this horrible pandemic has clearly shown, it’s how crucial fans are to our sport and to every sport. It’s shown in every empty stadium. It’s been an incredibly tough year for all of us; virtually no-one unaffected.
‘It’s important that the Liverpool football family remains intact, vital and committed to what we’ve seen from you globally, with local gestures of kindness and support. I can promise you I will do whatever I can to further that.’
Henry is the first owner to come out in person in apologising to the supporters for what has happened over the past few days with much pressure on the other club’s owners to sustain the overwhelming momentum that has been brewing against them.
All of the six Premier League clubs that had been a part of the Super League’s debut plans exited the competition in quick succession amid the supporters voicing their concerns by assembling outside the stadiums and displaying banners.
