United fans hold protest at UEFA meeting

Protesting Manchester United fans stormed in to disrupt a UEFA meeting today to demand that European football’s rulers block Malcolm Glazer’s takeover.

The 30 fans from a coalition of protest groups staged a peaceful demonstration and were given the opportunity to speak to UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson during the meeting at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Protest leaders told Olsson UEFA should block United playing in European competitions because of the debt Glazer has landed on the club.

Olsson said: “We can voice an opinion but we do not have any right to intervene. If clubs are allowed to have debts under their domestic legislation then that is okay.

“But under our licensing system they are not allowed to have debts to others in the football family.”

One of the protesters Nick Clay, of the Independent Manchester United Supporters’ Association (IMUSA) said: “Malcolm Glazer is saddling Manchester United with a huge debt and 98% of supporters are against him.

“We want UEFA to look at whether the clubs in debt should be allowed to continue in European competition.”