POLL: “YANK LIARS OUT”: Is SOS’s approach compatible with the ‘Liverpool Way’ doing things?

Spirit of Shankly’s ‘Yank Liars Out! approach to ousting the owners is unprofessional, undignified, and lacking in all credibility.

Spirit of Shankly is made up of a miniscule minority of Liverpool fans yet, amazingly, they purport to represent ALL Liverpool fans. As such, are we to believe that all Liverpool fans - and by that, I mean the global fanbase, not just fans from Liverpool - agree with a xenophobic approach to club matters?

From my interaction with SOS members, it seems to me that they only really care about the views of game-going, Liverpool-based fans, as if they are the only fans in the world.

How exactly does their ‘Yank Liars Out’ campaign fit with the Liverpool Way of doing things? Such a campaign – and the use of derogatory words like ‘Yank’ – is completely the opposite of everything Liverpool FC stands for, or SHOULD stand for.

And Yank IS derogatory in this context because of the way SOS uses it in conjunction with the word ‘Liar’. Otherwise why use it all? Why not just say "LYING OWNERS OUT!" or "HICKS and GILLET: GET THESE LIARS OUT!". What has the fact they are American got to do with it?

This blatantly xenophobic approach is just an extension of terrace yob mentality, which is –and has been - a blight on English football. You can imagine the thugs on the terrace chanting ‘fcuking yanks out!’ – well, SOS have just taken that philosophy and made it their mantra.

How credible!

This antagonist, adversarial approach is childish in the extreme and makes all Liverpool fans look bad.

What next? If Prince Faisal buys out George Gillett and proceeds to make mistakes during his reign, will we be seeing a campaign with the mantra ‘ARAB LIARS OUT!’?

Anyone who supports the ‘YANK LIARS OUT’ or any use of the word ‘YANK’ by a group that represents fans will, I presume, support the following too:

CHINK LIARS OUT! (If the owners were Chinese)
DEGO LIARS OUT! (If the owners were Italian)

Anyone who DOES support this type of thing is just part of the problem in my opinion.

Any group that purports to represent Liverpool fans has a DUTY to act in a professional, civilized manner. In order to be taken seriously, such a group must be fair and BE SEEN TO BE FAIR.

And this is not about being PC. There are more offensive words than 'Yank' out there; the point is it is a belittling word in this context; it is personal; counter-productive; destroys SOS’s credibility from the get-go, and places Liverpool fans in a negative light.

In short, it comes across like a group of yobs just slithered off the terraces and formed a fan group. Shouldn't Liverpool fans be demanding a group that is better than that; a group that represents the best things about Liverpool FC?

What other credible organization would use such an unprofessional mantra to achieve a goal? Give me one example. Just one.

At present, SOS is tainted by its terrace-yob mentality. It needs to become a professional organization that does not personally attack its targets.

If Hicks and Gillett are liars then attack them with the FACTS. Prove they are liars and let the the evidence speak for itself, without the cheap personal attacks.

In principle, I am all for SOS’s mission and what they are trying to achieve. I think a fan’s group is a superb and necessary idea, and I applaud them for taking action. I too would prefer it if the club had new owners, but going forward, this is clearly not the way to go about it.

When it comes to ousting the owners in a professional manner, I suggest the following (as a bare minimum):

1. Drop all personal insults/derogatory references to the Owners.

2. Tirelessly investigate H+G's claims/lies about money spent/the stadium etc. If that means hiring specialist researchers/forensic accountants etc to prove they are liars (or prove beyond a reasonable doubt with the available evidence), then do it.

3. Focus on specifics: i.e. the 128m figure quoted in the Academy interview. Prove it's a lie then show everyone it's a lie. SOS's retort to the interview on their site is not based in fact, thus it is not persuasive.

4. Representatives should conduct themselves with dignity at all times. Be better than the owners; don't operate on their level.

5. Never give in to emotion or the temptation to hurl insults.

6. Damn the owners with FACTS. Prove they are liars then EFFECTIVELY disseminate the results are far and wide as possible. This means a more professional media strategy is required. The interview posted on TLW was very amateurish.

7. Secure TV/magazine/newspaper interviews and attack H+G with the unembellished FACTS.

8. Increase the volume of support by showing Liverpool fans SOS is a professional organisation.

It is perfectly possible to be harsh and damning without resorting to playground tactics.

Re point 7: In it's current form, I sincerely doubt that any TV company would grant an interview to a baying, xenophobic mob. This is one example of how SOS is shooting itself in the foot.

This post constitutes my opinion (I apparently have to put this disclaimer at the end of posts now!)