United fans threaten ‘civil war’ over tycoon’s takeover proposal
Two days after United director Maurice Watkins had his car vandalised in retribution for a million of his shares ending up as part of Glazer’s 19.1% stake in the club, the battleground switched to Altrincham’s Moss Lane ground.
Around 30 protestors invaded the pitch after half-an-hour of last night’s reserve team encounter between United and Birmingham.
The peaceful demonstration, dubbed Operation Havana, which halted the game for around three minutes, was apparently triggered by an MUTV interview with what was deemed to be an apologist for Glazer on Tuesday evening.
After waving their banners in front of the MUTV cameras, who were screening the match live, the protesters made their way off the pitch singing ‘United, Not For Sale’.
Within minutes, a statement on behalf of the Manchester Education Committee, who were responsible for the demonstration at Hereford racecourse earlier this year, confirmed they had carried out the protest and issued a severe warning of further disruption if Glazer continues with his takeover plans.
Last night’s development will no doubt be greeted with alarm by United officials, who now face the prospect of their club’s name being dragged through the mud until the Glazer situation is resolved.
The billionaire owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL franchise was widely believed to behind the ‘preliminary approach’ to buy the club which United announced to the London stock exchange on Monday.
United chief executive David Gill has demanded clarification on a number of issues contained within the approach and while speculation has been rife that Glazer is about to make a move, it will almost certainly will not happen this week, according to reports.
Red Devils fans are mobilising support against Glazer and news that the influential lobby group Shareholders United (SU) received an approach from one wealthy fan willing to bring his £750,000 shareholding under the organisation’s banner has given supporters hope they can resist the American’s overtures.
SU have also written to Gill to remind him of previous statements about the club, including a particularly pertinent point about United’s debt free status which he made at the beginning of the season.
Thus far Glazer, and his sons Joel and Avi, have maintained a total silence on the matter, refusing even to confirm they are the interested parties.
However, they are aware of the reaction the interest is receiving and efforts are being made to ease fans’ fears.
“The fans are very important to the deal,” a source close to the transaction said.
“Any plan would formalise the relationship with the fans and give them a voice.”
It is now assumed Alex Ferguson, and probably Gill himself, would survive a Glazer takeover, with Joel, a long-time soccer fan, taking a seat on the Old Trafford board.
Critical to the next move however are the opinions of John Magnier and JP McManus, who through their Cubic Expression holding company, are the major shareholders with a 29.3% stake in the club.
It seems unlikely Glazer could try to buy the club without having had some kind of informal contact with the Irish duo - but the Cubic camp insists this is not the case and they were as unaware as anyone of his intentions.
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