Liverpool co-owner George Gillett Jr met supporter representatives before Saturday's victory over Manchester United.

The Times says members of the Spirit of Shankly (SOS) group, which was formed in January as a protest against the club's American owners, were contacted last week to inform them that Gillett wished to meet them while on a rare visit to Merseyside.

Gillett admitted that communication between himself, Hicks, Rick Parry, the chief executive, Ian Ayre, the commercial manager, and Rafael Benitez, the manager, could have been better. The American claimed that the club is in a healthy financial state and its situation is no worse than other Premier League clubs. When questioned why he and Hicks had, contrary to an earlier pledge, taken the club into debt with a £350 million refinancing package in January and had failed to deliver the funds to build a new stadium, Gillett blamed the global credit crunch.

The union delegation outlined their objections to the club's ownership and reiterated their desire for Gillett and Hicks to end their involvement with Liverpool. These sentiments were underlined during the protest, when upwards of 3,500 fans marched to the stadium chanting "get out of our club".