June 1, 1933
The shareholders’ scouts are out! Every year about this time the discounted shareholder meets under the guise of the Supporters Club of Shareholders’ Association, and they hold their inquest upon the club of their choice.
Liverpool F.C. is going through what Everton suffered for nearly twenty years.
From the “feeling of the meeting” one judges there will be another battle-royal for a seat upon the board of the Liverpool club, whose fluctuations in recent years have been so contrary to the spirit and figures of their championship years.
Mr. W.J. Williams, of the Liverpool Football Club Shareholders’ Association, was elected chairman, and said the meeting was called to give an opportunity for frank discussion. It had been found that questions were unanswered or shelved at the annual meeting, and many thought the retiring directors should be given an opportunity of putting their point of view in advance of the annual meeting and before proxies were signed.
In past years the election at the annual meeting was a farce. It was decided before the meeting through the proxy vote. A chance should be given all shareholders of hearing the candidates’ views. The club belonged to the shareholders, and not a clique who, in the opinion of many, would take any step to keep in power.
Mr. George Richards, who was introduced as the association’s candidate for the board, said he was its only candidate on this occasion, as it was felt that the sympathy of many shareholders was alienated last year by putting forward three candidates from the association. If there was no opposition to the retiring directors at the annual meeting it amounted to a vote of confidence in the board, and he did not think any shareholder could conscientiously say that (cries of “No”).
During the past five years the club had been sinking lower and lower. Nothing had been done. There was never a time in the history of the club when the need for ready-made players was more evident, yet the board were signing on young fellows who might be ready for first team service in two or three years. He instanced Everton’s example in signing the right type of player, and suggested that shortage of money was no excuse. An early signing of note would repay itself long before the season ended.
Mr. Richards referred to an informal conference which delegates of the association had had with some of the directors, and said it was then admitted that money was lost during the past season. Only a change in the board would demonstrate effectively to the directors that they could not sit back and do nothing.
After the meeting a number of shareholders stayed behind to sign proxies.
(Source: Liverpool Echo: June 1, 1933; via http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk © 2018 Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 