Around 5,000 fans – perhaps up to 10,000 – turned out for the anti-Glazer protest march held before Manchester United’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. With disappointment palpable over the Red Knight’s failure to launch a bid for the club this summer, the march was in part an attempt to kick-start the protest movement.
Indeed, with green and gold now largely a busted-flush the real question is how to mobilise the thousands of match going fans and millions worldwide against the Glazer regime.
‘Forever in your debt’ read one banner, while another declared that the club’s principal sponsor, AON, is an acronym for Americans Out Now. Smoke from green and gold flares rose high into the air and thousands chanted the now well versed refrain that ‘Glazer is going to die’ as fans gathered for the start outside the Toll Gate Inn, Trafford Bar.
Indeed, Saturday’s march confirmed one thing if nothing else: the protest movement is as passionate as it ever.
Yet, even among the crowd, United in its aim to rid the club of the Glazer family, diversity of cause was clear. Saturday’s march included banners with the old Love United Hate Glazer moniker, green and gold scarves and flares were widespread, and the Fight Against Glazer march logo was evident, among a plethora of other slogans and chants.
Nothing wrong with that of course, unless that very diversity provides a barrier to decisive action. Diverse opinion – and therefore action – has been the major characteristic of the protest against the Americans for some time.
Perhaps the greatest failure of the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) and Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA), despite mobilising fans to great effect last season, is one of leadership. Green and gold offered a central hook for collective anger over the Glazer regime and perhaps for the first time since the 2005 takeover supporters were mobilised with a unity of thought.
The movement forced a one-time freeze in season ticket prices and – for the time being – a delay in the Glazer family’s plan to fleece United of £125 million in dividends.
The failure of green and gold is, and will always be, that of tangible output; the Glazer cancer rolls on unabated. It’s why so many United supporters felt so disappointed that a bid for the club did not materialise this summer. Investment in a cause bares a return only in decisive change. That day has not yet come.
Those helping to organise the march on Saturday trumpeted a unifying theme – United Against Glazer. There is much to admire in the aims of a loose group of people in organising a large-scale event at relatively short notice. The turnout was good given that no single event had sparked a further outpouring of anger, as the Glazers’ bond document did last January.
Despite this, there is still no unified strategy to rid the club of the Glazer family, which is causing so much lasting damage to the club. After all, collective anger is not the same as conjoint and organised action.
Some fans permanently walked away to found FC United, the Red Rebel team that has made the first round of the FA Cup this season and is raising funds for its own £3.5 million stadium in central Manchester. Others – perhaps as many as 50,000 – have given up their season tickets since 2005, some, such as On The Road author Daniel Harris have boycotted home matches.
These actions, for the most part, were the result of personal not collective response driven by supporters’ groups.
We have been here before. 10,000 marched against Glazer in May 2005 to little effect, even if there was an amusing outcome, with the family forced to retreat to the sanctity of a Greater Manchester Police meatwagon.
The lack of major media coverage of Saturday’s march says much too.
Then there is, of course, some irony in United supporters protesting before a Premier League match, presumably walking straight into Old Trafford afterwards and handing over up to £49 to Glazer family for the pleasure.
That is the rub. While United supporters continue to underpin the Glazer business model, rowdy protest is little more than a collective expression of anger. Heartfelt and necessary, but ultimately unlikely to unseat the family.
It is the circle that United supporters have not squared since the Glazers walked into Old Trafford five years ago.
Gallery and videos
Photo’s courtesy of Jeremy Knowles, www.jjphotos.co.uk
I’m from Switzerland and it was the first time for a year that I had the possibilty to go to OT. I just must say that it is a fucking disgrace how many people with Green & Gold scarves wear the new shirts and how many of them were in the Megastore. You can’t support the anti-glazer movement whilst putting all your money in the Glazer’s arses!
‘With us or against us’??? If you put it in those terms them I’m against you! Been going to United for 25 years and now I’m surrounded by green & yellow fascists who know nothing about Manchester United!
Hate the Americans as much as the next but I just can’t stand these know all tossers!
They where booing David Gills son a while back! Just about somes them up!
Ed, who is mad enough to put his own money to buy MU? Technically, the debt is around 500m pounds, cause the PIK loan was taken by the Glazer family against their own assets, correct? Do you thing that Glazers will abandon the goose with the golden eggs ? They need MU to repay the PIK loan and then most probably they will try to sell the club to highest bidder. Providing that economic climate will be improved. As far as the fans or the Red Knights, it’s obvious that none has the financial muscles to force Glazers out.
ody – the PIK debt is secured against the shares held in Manchester United by Red Football Joint Venture. It’s non recourse to United’s assets but since RFJV has only on asset – United – and one income stream – United – then its disingenuous of Gill and the Glazers to pretend the PIK debt isn’t going to be paid by the club.
Count me out you are all useless. No alternative just rent a mob and not 5000 Manchester Police say not 1000!
Instead of doing an article about the failures and adding ‘Where Now?’ like everyone else. Want about an article called ‘Heres where I think we should go!’. There are options, someone needs to tell the people who have been messing around to sort it out! If popular blogs like these don’t promote the next options, the 2005 circle as its called will go around again. MUST has to take notice. If you want the options, its about pressuring The FA, Number 10, The Premier League and the sports minister. Forget the Red Knights. Its about Football Governance and creating a movement not only within our own club but within all supporters trusts towards this. Glazer won’t listen even if you offer him, £1.5 Billion. We as fans have to look at the other options and we have to push the football trusts to kick it off.
btw If you are ‘against wanting Glazer Out’, you have a serious screw lose.
Andy – “btw If you are ‘against wanting Glazer Out’, you have a serious screw lose.” – I do hope that’s not aimed at me. If it is, do yourself a favour and read more. It’s simple – just hit the ‘Glazer’ tag on the right and you’ll see a hundred articles analysing the finances. Firmly in favour of wanting Glazer out on this site.
As to your other points – I think the leadership needs to come from supporters groups. I’ve expressed loads of opinions on this site and even offered a 10 point plan to rid the club of the Glazers. But MUST and IMUSA need to take a lead.
I’m with this guy.
The only way to get the Glazers out is an empty stadium. That ain’t going to happen. Walking from the pub to the ground, like you do every week, with a few banners is hardly likely to make the Glazers re-think their plans. As the first poster stated the amount of fans who walk aroung OT with a G&G scarf around an AIG/AON shirt is shocking. Don’t even get me started on that fool Keith Harris and the Red Knights!
So, we (the supporters and supporters’ groups) should be focusing on United post-Glazers. This means putting pressure on the Govt., the PL and the FA to change football to prevent leverage buyouts and/or to insist that every Club is 25% owned by the fans in order to prevent hostile takeovers.
There are plenty of policies that most football fans could agree on that would benefit the game on and off the pitch. The problem is that there is no coherent or legitimate body to represent football fans to put pressure on the governing bodies. We’re divided by tribalism and in the end we’re left with idiots like the Spirit of Shankly or fans shouting “Die Glazer Die”, which frankly changes nothing.
Passionate article as ever.
Great result last night in Bursaspor and United still in touch in the Premiership and through to the last 16 of the Carling cup.There in lies part of the problem.
The manager and the players “still” achieve for the fans.
We know it could be so much better and the Glazer “investing in their buisness”.Not a dime have they invested to develop the buisness.At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask.
Until we get a reality check on the field with a noticeable down turn in on field success,we are basically pissing in the wind.
I see the problem as great forums like United rant and the Republik of Mancunia continually provide information and updates on this topic. Many supporters refuse to digest the information or accept what they are being told is the truth.I am regularly told bye the like of 10 year olds, you are a negative twat etc etc.
The complete opposite is true, I want the best for United.
That does not mean before anyone takes a cheap pop, all the top players in the world.
The point being the message is not getting across clearly of the financial mismanagement that is taking place at United under the eyes of the majority of United fans.
I am 18, been a United fan for 10 years if I get it and can understand the theft taking place, why cant fans that are say 60 and still slavishly follow united.
Will not deflect from their “I cant be disloyal” to United, I say to them, you are being disloyal to your history and heritage.
We have unified the focus, now we have to further spread the message to continue to drive the key points home.
On the question posed of where now, I seriously think rather than just sitting on our hands, arses we should be looking collectively of ways to fund a 51% fan ownership, similar to the mandatory German model for football clubs.
That is just one example, of keeping the fight up.
With a fan base world wide of anywhere between 70 million and 300 million, if we say could only get 100 million to invest and recieve shares, of say £10(Uk) you can see the impact.
You can work this down 50 million fans invest £20(uk) =the same result £1000 million.
Its not pie in the sky,it can be done and is achieved elsewhere.
The problem are many I realise to get fans onboard and mobilizing people to “buy “into the scheme.
Just doing some brainstorming.
Well am fucking sick and tired of “reading the political economy of football”.
Get the Glazer out out out!
You’re only 18? Bloody good post mate!
Yes I am.
I am a scorpio though. lol
Its not meant to be boring my post, its just I treat this subject with seriousness.I know its one of two of the biggest challenges facing United in the immediate future.(SAF) Also.
I can be as nutty as a fruitcake on many United subjects and enjoy a good laugh and windup and pisstake.
As an example I was the only United supporter(MUST) cause in my (UK) Constinuency that wrote to my local mp, Charles Kennedy, Highlands and Islands(Scotland).
Thats fun an Alkie, writing to a reformed Alcholic, I bet he understood every word. lol
The Glazers are sitting of at home having few beers and laughing at these folks. If 50,000 fans were to boycott all the home games, the Glazers would be running round their houses like headless chickens. Club would be up for sale in a flash!
herbie simms – aint that the truth.
If the Red Knights really want to put their money, where their mouths are… they could run a few ads in the press, run an information campaign, to educate the casual fan… the guy that doesn’t pay much attention beyond game day.
Also to promote these protest marches more.
5/10 thousand fans won’t matter much, but like Herbie said… 50,000 will.
Life, it seems, loves irony. The lack of unity among United supporters continues to render them powerless to rid themselves of the parasites feeding upon them. The solution I would suggest is very like something MUST have already put in place, but for reasons I have not investigated, there seems to be a great deal of antipathy for that organization, even among those who profess to hate the Glazers. That is a shame, because I believe that the relationship they have with the Red Knights could be very useful.
My proposal would involve creating a corporation whose charter is to purchase Manchester United, and, having done so, to run it on a day to day basis. I wonder if there are any legal impediments to calling it Manchester United PLC? I’m guessing there would be. In any case, the money raised from the sale of shares would be placed in Certificates of Deposit or other financial instruments that would allow shareholders to recoup their investment in the event that the proposed buyout fails to occur. The interest could be used to pay operational expenses, but these are the kinds of details that the Red Knights would know much more about than I do.
If the supporters could somehow demonstrate enough commitment to taking back the club, it seems likely that some or all of the Red Knights would want to get on board. Their knowledge of all things financial as well as their wealth and influence could be a great asset, but unless their financial contribution was directed into shares, I’m guessing that a significant portion of their expenditures would be loaded onto the club as debt. This, we don’t need. So, while I agree with RedScot that the supporters should aim for the lion’s share of ownership rather than the minimum amount necessary to prevent another takeover, I think it could be difficult to engineer.
It would also be helpful, if there was a mechanism in place that would allow the purchase of shares in the currency the supporter is most likely to use for payment. When I joined MUST, I was asked to pay $15 rather than £10. I understand and am not bothered by the exchange rate aspects of this transaction, but I do resent that my bank gets to charge me the best (for them, worst for me) exchange rate that occurs in that credit card’s 30-day billing cycle. There is also a flat fee I pay for the privilege of having my money converted. This is more money that is going to banks rather than the club. The Red Knights would know how to collect the money, make currency exchanges at opportune times, and pay less in fees while doing so.
I know that paying the Glazers the sums required to get them to sell would be a bitter pill to swallow, but I’m afraid that it’s like pulling off a bandaid: do it all at once, and the pain, though intense, is soon over, do it in smaller increments, and the pain, which doesn’t seem quite as bad, lasts for a long, long time. That the later choice includes a deterioration in quality of the on-field product, should be reason enough to choose the former.
RobDiablo – Without a business as a going concern, no accounts, no revenue and therefore no dividends the market would not take up the share offer, no bank would underwrite it and the IPO would fail. However, what you’re proposing is not that far off the FC United of Manchester Community Shares scheme. There would have to be restrictions on removal of capital and so on. This is what MUST had in place before the Glazer takeover. They do, of course, already have the pheonix fund in place but I’d be surprised if many people still put money into it.
the man has a point
Absolutely, the initiation and direction of such an organization would need to reside with the supporters. My main point is that one serious flaw in the MUST/Red Knight plan is that it simply trades one debt for another, and the club remains seriously hamstrung in its ability to compete for the services of the world’s top players. A total buyout, one which reverses what happened in 2005, when Manchester United went from the richest club in the world to the most indebted virtually overnight, is the only satisfactory option in my opinion. In order for this to happen, however, the supporters need to either put up or shut up.
One idea for a fundraiser: A Night Out or Glazers Out. Ask the supporters to forgo the pleasures of one Friday or Saturday night, and use the money to build up the buyout fund instead.
Here’s the truth of the matter as I see it: all efforts to oust the Glazers before they are ready to leave will fail.
Here’s why:
Manchester United’s fan base is nowhere near as large as is often reported. I have seen figures in the hundreds of millions given, but those numbers are bullsh*t. When I joined MUST, its membership was well below 40,000. It is now reported to be more than four times that number, but I would be astonished if the number of paid memberships reached, much less exceeded, 40,000. If I am correct, that means that less than one member in four is willing to put his money where his mouth is.
As damning as that ratio appears, it would still be fantastic if applied to a fan base of, let’s say, 200,000,000 supporters. £30 each from 50,000,000 and the club is ours. Hell, if I thought it was really going to happen, I’d put in £300 and pick up the tab for nine supporters from some impoverished areas of the U.S. I am afraid, however, that if it came to contributing more than words, United would struggle to find 10,000,000 supports (a figure I suspect might be off by an order of magnitude). Whatever the actual figures might be, the conclusion is inescapable: for every Manchester United supporter willing to contribute monetarily, there are tens of thousands who are only along for the ride.
A little anecdotal evidence: at the beginning of the recently concluded Portland Timbers season, it was not uncommon to see quite a few supporters wearing tops from clubs in Europe – Manchester United and Barcelona in particular, but at the first match after the EPL season had finished, the number of shiny new blue tops with the Samsung logo across the chest was sickening.
So, we might as well renew our season tickets without complaint, eat and drink all the pies and pints at Old Trafford we can afford, subscribe to MUTV and Inside United, and do anything and everything else we can to put money into the Glazer’s pocket so that they can pay off the PIK. Maybe then they’ll show some gratitude and actually make some funds available for the purchase of world class players.
Why not ring them up and give them your bank details. That way they can take out your wages each month no worries. Think of it as a contribution to a chairty. Sponsor an indebted football facing extinction
The Glazers won’t show any gratitude once the PIKs are gone FFS they haven’t put any money into the club since they bought it. If they cared they would contribute some of their own wealth. They need United to finish in the top 3 and make the quaters-ish of the European Cup. They don’t need us to be successful in terms of lifting trophys.
Agree with most of what you’ve said in this thread though. Good stuff
Iam just doing some research on the wealth of the Glazers in a Forbes article. Its very interesting as it pretty much gives you all of their financial assets and debt information. Will get back to you.
The Glazers are asset rich and suspiciously cash poor.
If you go to tampa bay.com, you will see that the fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been accusing the Glazers of siphoning profits from its NFL team to offset debt at Man United. It appears that the Glazers have pissed off fans in two continents! The Forbes magazine rates the Glazers at number 136 richest persons world wide, but where is the cash? Forbes claims they have about 900 million in cash and with their profits being 800 millon a year, they should be able to clear their debts. Thats what makes things all suspicious.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finally having a great season this year and are currently in second place in their league. Its really ashamed that United got involved with these people, they really got a mess to clean up!
herbie simms – I could go into detail but it is suffice to say the Forbes article/sports team rich list page is completely wrong. It’s massively wrong on the debt, its wrong on the EV calculation and it’s wrong on cash estimates. Wrong wrong wrong and a bit more wrong.
How do you see all of this playing out? More debt?
Have you heard of any new interested buyers? Can they be forced to sell if someone else has the money?
herbie – they can’t be forced to sell, its not like Liverpool at all. United is not in hock to the banks and revenue will cover debt interest to 2017 when the bond will have to be repaid or refinanced. On the PIK side I think its generally accepted that they’ll use club cash to pay them down as soon as they can get away with it. They do have to pay down the PIKS or the interest will compound until they’ll be worth about £600m by 2017. There’s no way the Glazers can refance to the tune of £1.1bn in 2017.
On the buyer side… nothing more than has been reported recently. Red Knights still exist but won’t be making a bid until an offer is welcomed.
WRONG WORNG WRONG…Wronger than 2 mongs doin each other, in turn, up the wrong ‘un
The best thing to do is next season, fans boycott all the home games and don’t buy any pre season tickets.
Thats all I’m going to say on this matter.
Ha ha. Excellent idea. Why don’t you send me your details in an email, so that I can pass them along together with mine when I call the Glazers? It’ll save you the time and expense of making a long-distance phone call.
Andy as we learned from the police reports of crowd size during the anti-Iraq war marches, they never lie.
You take the issue seriously.Full stop.
I would like to see you develop the funding of the club from a fans perspective.
This is a “big issue” no pun intended.
Some lads just want to score points and ridicule, which is fine its a forum.
There is no shame in thinking outside the box.
Otherwise we all just sit like fool’s and accept the robbery that is taking place.
It needs a think tank but of a serious nature to move the attack on.
I cant see how any United fan is comfortable with the knowledge these people have through their leveraged purchase have caused United to loose in excess of £450 million in fucking Interest.
Not only that as has been highlighted in numerous articles the ability through their calculated deals further remove at will a further £123 million.
To me it is not logic or sense to sit back and watch and be so impotenent to do nothing.
Loved most of your posts.
Maybe because I am Scottish and financially aware, through my humble income.
I just dont give in and will keep fighting.
A blockage of the Old trafford entrances might help. I know there is legal issues here.
The police aint going to jail 10 thousand Reds are they.
Your idea in conjuction with “MUST” to advertise the true picture to the “plastics” might get the message home.
i just think how great a stadium we could have with investment and a team capable with no fear in the Premiership and the Champions league,if it were not for the “Custodians” of United.
And still a vibrant waiting list for season tickets.
its all gone tits up basically because of Horse sperm.
We just cant sit and watch…….Can we?
I would not be able to say much more about supporters funding a complete buyout of the club without knowing how many there are. As you pointed out in an earlier post, the larger the number, the smaller the financial contribution from each supporter would need to be. If the buyback scheme could count on 40,000,000 contributing supporters, the target of £1.5 Billion could be reached with an average individual contribution equal to the price of a new AON top. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any way to get even a rough approximation of the number of supporters who could be counted on to help.
For whatever reason, MUST has failed to reach anywhere near the number of supporters needed to mount an effective attempt to buy back the club. In my opinion (and that of several other posters on this forum), there is only one man who could act as an effective rallying point for an undertaking of this size – one man who could bring the fence-sitters and even some of the passengers on board. Unfortunately, that man has decided he’d rather praise Caesar rather than bury him.
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Christ! Ive just imagined that scene and well…………..its fuckin well wrong.
I disagree that a mass boycott is the ONLY thing we can do.
It would no doubt hurt them financially, and force them to consider their position… but as we all can see… there are too many fans, desperate to see United play… and the Glazers can withstand 5/6 thousand empty seats.
But if we can at least get 10/20 thousand of those same game day fans, to show up early, and march to the game… and make this a regular event for everey home game… MAKING SURE TO REMAIN PEACEFUL… game after game the numbers would grow…
Imagine if home game days, started with regular protests of 30/40/50 thousand… The City would get well sick of that… and the Glazers couldn’t ignore it.