Hicks Kops little flak as he shows his face

LIVERPOOL v CHELSEA"RAFA'S THE Special One" sang the Kop but last night his Champions League prowess vanished in the most torturous fashion.

The Liverpool manager had made three wishes for his latest semi-final encounter with Chelsea - a victory, a clean sheet and for Tom Hicks to be consigned to the margins - but it was no consolation to the Spaniard to be granted the only request beyond his influence as Hicks' presence went unnoticed by the Anfield majority.

Ignoring the advice of Merseyside Police not to attend, and opting to take a front-row seat in the directors' box instead, Hicks provided a mere prelude to Liverpool's latest advance on a Champions League final and, mercifully, did not become the story itself. Not one song resonated around Anfield last night relating to the club's ownership saga as the Kop focused on European glory. In doing so they provided a welcome reminder that at the heart of a struggle asphyxiating reputations and long-term planning inside the boardroom is still a functioning football team.

Hicks took his place three rows in front of the man whose head he has requested on a plate in recent weeks, the club's chief executive Rick Parry. Adding to the intrigue was the sight of Samir Al-Ansari, the chief executive of Dubai International Capital and Liverpool fan, taking a seat two rows behind the co-owner he would love to oust. He arrived 30 minutes before kick-off to take a box seat long before the arrival of the Americans, who were flanked by Liverpool's security staff throughout.

The attention lavished on the sideshow underlined the ludicrousness of Liverpool's season, one of division off the field but a single-mindedness on it in the Champions League, but it was apt that Hicks and representatives of George Gillett should be here to witness the club's third semi-final in four years. The competition has been integral to their involvement with Liverpool.

It was victory in the Champions League in 2005 that revived Liverpool's search for new investment, and the commercial "disaster" that Hicks insists Parry has overseen as chief executive would have been greater but for the triumph and the trappings of Istanbul. That final also alerted venture capitalists and leverage buy-out experts to the untapped potential of the Liverpool "brand", the profits of which are already on offer to Hicks and Gillett from DIC despite the collapse of their business relationship which has spread paralysis through the Anfield boardroom.

Passage to last season's final also enabled the Americans to ride into Anfield on a wave of optimism and minus the organised antagonism that greeted the Glazers' entry at Manchester United. To think it was only 12 months ago that Hicks and Gillett sat together for this corresponding fixture, and only 11 since they were besieged with autograph requests before the Champions League final in Athens.

Now they are besieged with pleas to quit, and within 15 minutes of the kick-off a policeman and a steward had moved into the seats in front of Hicks to instruct a supporter to direct his passions towards the pitch. That isolated moment apart, it was reaffirming that directors were ignored and a capacity crowd looked for drama and controversy on the pitch.

Hicks and his entourage were on their feet when Dirk Kuyt swept Liverpool ahead and were in no rush to vacate their seats at full-time or half-time. The Liverpool co-chairman appeared determined to make his presence felt at Anfield, the first time he has visited since December 16th. He remains determined to adopt a similar policy towards DIC.

Despite their proximity there were no talks scheduled last night between the American and the Arab investment company. Gillett's invitation to Staveley and Al-Ansari has raised hope among the club's support that a breakthrough is in sight, but the absent American has not agreed a price for his 50 per cent stake with DIC.

The saga, like Liverpool's passage in the Champions League, remains far from certain.