Liverpool director quits board after fan rant

Liverpool director Tom Hicks junior has resigned from his position on the club's board and their parent company following a foul-mouthed e-mail he reportedly sent to a supporter.

The American, the son of the Premier League club's co-owner Tom Hicks, found himself involved in controversy Sunday after a report in Britain's News of the World tabloid that he'd abused a fan when contacted about the state of Liverpool's finances.

Hicks junior, who called the fan an "idiot", reportedly sent a second more abusive e-mail.

But in a statement released Monday, Hicks junior offered his "sincerest apologies" and said he would be standing down from the board.

"I have great respect for Liverpool Football Club, especially the club's supporters," Hicks junior said. "I apologise for my mistake and I am very sorry for my harmful words.

"I do not want my actions to take away from the club's future, therefore I am resigning from the board.

"To the fans and to the club, please accept my sincerest apologies."

Board to be restructured

Although not a significant figure in his own right, Hicks junior's presence on the board helped preserved the balance between his father and feuding American co-owner George Gillett.

Gillett's son Foster is also on the board and, up until Monday, managing director Christian Purslow had been the lone 'neutral' board member.

But Liverpool used the opportunity of Hicks junior's departure to announce a restructuring of both the board and its parent company, Kop Holdings.

Casey Coffman, executive vice-president of Hicks Holdings, effectively replaced Hicks junior while Liverpool's chief financial officer Philip Nash and the club's commercial director Ian Ayre have also been elected to the boards of both companies.

Purslow, Nash and Ayre are regarded as having played significant roles in helping improve the club's finances, including a new shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered Bank worth some 80 million pounds.