[George Gillett Jr.](https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/george-gillett-jr-passes-away-at-the-age-of-87-sept-23-2026), the former co-owner whose high-stakes purchase of Liverpool Football Club sparked one of the most turbulent chapters in Merseyside sporting history, has died at the age of 87 following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
While ice hockey supporters in North America remember him as a visionary who saved a legendary NHL franchise,Liverpool fans view his three-year tenure alongside business partner Tom Hicks as a near-existential crisis for the club.Across a long career in sports administration and commercial real estate, Gillett built an empire that touched ski slopes,basketball courts, American football, and European soccer, leaving behind a complex, multi-faceted legacy.
In March 2007, Gillett partnered with fellow tycoon Tom Hicks to complete a £174 million takeover of Liverpool. Promising to build a state-of-the-art stadium in Stanley Park and back manager Rafael Benítez in the transfer market, the duo initially promised a bright financial future. However, the transaction relied heavily on leveraged debt effectively placing the burden of the purchase directly onto the club itself.
Tensions quickly surfaced behind the scenes. Relations between the owners and Benítez frayed over transfer budgets and governance, leading to public spats that infuriated the fanbase.
Despite the off-field chaos, Benítez guided a formidable side anchored by Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to a memorable second-place finish in the 2008/09 Premier League season, with Gerrard scoring 24 goals across all competitions. Yet, silver screen moments were fleeting, and the club failed to capture any silverware under their stewardship.
As fans organised widespread protests under groups like Spirit of Shankly, the financial structure began to buckle under the weight of global market instability. By late 2010, major lenders demanded repayment of massive refinanced loans.
Following a high-stakes, dramatic showdown in the High Court, the pair were forced to sell the club for £300 million to New England Sports Ventures led by John W. Henry which subsequently became Fenway Sports Group. Gillett and Hicks departed bitterly, claiming the sale undervalued the institution, but for supporters on the Kop, the takeover ended an era of deep uncertainty.
Before his foray into Premier League football, Gillett carved out a very different reputation in Canada. Having amassed his initial wealth through ski resort developments and media holdings, he expanded into sports ownership by purchasing the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens in 2001, alongside key assets like the Bell Centre arena.
Unlike his reception on Merseyside, Gillett earned widespread praise throughout Quebec for modernising the franchise, respecting its deep traditions, and building strong ties with the local community. Under his nine-year tenure, the Canadiens experienced a financial and cultural resurgence that culminated in the franchise’s centenary celebrations.
Current Canadiens owner [Geoff Molson confirmed Gillett’s passing](https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/george-gillett-jr-passes-away-at-the-age-of-87-sept-23-2026) and paid tribute to his impact in Montreal:
> “On behalf of the entire Canadiens organisation, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to George’s family. George immersed himself in the Montreal community and was appreciated by everyone in the organisation. We sincerely appreciate his contributions to the Montreal Canadiens during his time as owner.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also reflected on Gillett’s substantial influence across the league:
> **“George Gillett’s passion for the Montreal Canadiens and commitment to the city of Montreal were demonstrated throughout his tenure as owner of the storied franchise from 2001 to 2009. He guided the Canadiens through a significant chapter in their history that included preparations for their Centennial Celebration, which honoured the franchise’s rich legacy and seminal place in our game.”**
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> Gillett’s business portfolio extended well beyond soccer and ice hockey. Over the decades, he acquired a stake in the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, invested in NASCAR teams, and held an ownership interest in the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, demonstrating an appetite for diverse sports enterprises.
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> George Gillett Jr. leaves behind a footprint in global sports that is as varied as it is debated. While his time on Merseyside remains defined by broken promises, crushing debt, and a desperate fight for survival, his work across the Atlantic tells a markedly different story of stabilization and community connection. Ultimately, his legacy serves as a vivid reminder of how dramatically ownership can shape a club’s identity revered in Montreal as a steadying force, yet remembered in Liverpool as a stark lesson in the perils of leveraged takeovers.