Soccer-Liverpool co-owner Hicks attends Anfield clash

By Jeremy Butler

LIVERPOOL, England, April 22 (Reuters) - Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks defiantly turned up at Anfield to watch his team's Champions League semi-final clash against Chelsea despite fears over his safety.

Hicks has angered Liverpool fans with his handling of the club's affairs since buying the Premier League outfit along with his now estranged partner George Gillett for 219 million pounds ($432.5 million) in 2007.

He stood in the directors box alongside his son Tom jr and sang the club's anthem "You'll never walk alone" in the build-up to the match. Tom jr also waved a club scarf.

Two fans shouted insults at him although a feared major protest did not materialise.

Gillett was not in attendance, although in a move that could be seen as provocative, he invited potential suitors Dubai International Consortium's chief executive Samir Al-Ansari and chief negotiator Amanda Staveley to sit in the directors box.

Merseyside police said earlier in the day that Liverpool had been advised about safety if the club's owners attended the match. (Editing by Miles Evans)