The Beatles started the "British invasion" by leaving Liverpool and heading to the United States. Forty years later, George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks are joining an "American invasion" of English soccer, and taking it right back to Liverpool.

On Tuesday, the two American sports team owners agreed to buy controlling interest in Liverpool, the famous English Premier League soccer team that has won a record 18 league titles and five European Cups.

The duo is expected to take full control of the team after buying out the remaining shares, making the club the third in England's top soccer league to be owned by Americans.

"It was not a question of money," said Hicks, who owns the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars. "It was a question of, `Are we the proper custodians?' and I believe we are."

Malcolm Glazer may have felt the same when he took over control of Manchester United two years ago, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner was met with protests because his purchase put the team in debt.

Randy Lerner, the Cleveland Browns owner who took over at Aston Villa, was accepted right away, with fans hoping his money will help restore the team to the upper echelon of the league.

Gillett and Hicks' reception remains to be seen, but the fans knew the team was on the market ¡ª it has been for about three years.

"It really is about winning," Gillett said at a news conference to introduce the pair who will share the title of chairman, adding that Liverpool is "perhaps the greatest franchise in the history of the greatest sport in the world."

Gillett should know. He owns one of the sports world's other great franchises ¡ª the Montreal Canadiens, who have won a record 23 Stanley Cup titles.

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