Chris Hatherall: Man United supporters' simmering rage is coming to the boil

Fans hold up a banner as they protest against the Glazer family, owners of Manchester United, before the postponed Premier League match against Liverpool

If Manchester United and fellow members of the so-called big six thought that a withering apology had been enough to pacify fans after the European Super League betrayal, they now know for certain the pain and the anger will not go away — and that there will be a price to pay.

It was always unrealistic to think that the conspirators could just go back to normal and brush it under the carpet as a momentary lapse.

Now, after Manchester United fan protests led to the abandonment of a huge Premier League game against Liverpool, it is crystal clear that supporters will not forget and won’t forgive, not until reforms are made to redress the imbalance in football.

We’re led to believe that some clubs only joined the ESL breakaway ‘because they didn’t want to be left on the platform’ and others are distraught by the furore it caused, but the idea they could get away without punishment or consequence was always fanciful.

The anger goes deeper than just the Super League story, too. There was the infamous ‘Big Picture’ debacle not long before that when the big six tried to gain greater power in the Premier League. Indeed, Uefa has already caved into demands from Europe’s biggest clubs to change the format of the Champions League in their favour.

United fans are particularly angry because they have been campaigning against the Glazer family for many years, long before news that the Old Trafford club were one of the lead conspirators in the ESL breakaway.

But they aren’t alone.

Arsenal fans protested outside the Emirates recently, and Chelsea fans were outside Stamford Bridge when news broke that Roman Abramovich had opted to pull out of the ESL, stunned by the angry response.

The anger inside the Premier League is simmering, too. Many chairmen and CEOs of the 14 clubs who would have been left behind by the ESL have indicated they cannot look their counterparts at Chelsea, United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham in the eye any longer — and have called for heads to roll.

United legend Roy Keane is certain the story is not done. Speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, he said: “I think United fans have just had enough. It’s not just the Super League, it’s been building over many years. It’s a huge statement for the game to be called off.

“The leadership of the club has not been good enough and the fans look at the Glazers and think it’s all about money.

Sometimes you have to put down a marker. These fans are deadly serious and there’s more to come from United fans, I can guarantee that. This is the start of it. They want the owners to give in and sell the club.

For Gary Neville, however, the Super League remains at the heart of fan anger, with the collective goal being reform and regulation of the structure of football.

He said: “This wasn’t just an attack on their own club. United led the Super League breakaway, as were Liverpool. They are the biggest clubs in the country and carry the most responsibility and accountability.

“What they did was really dangerous for English football and we shouldn’t forget that. It was unforgivable. It would have damaged every community in the country that has football at the heart of it. Today there was anger, now I hope it switches to the reform of English football.”

What this protest surely does, however, is end any simmering fears that the ESL could somehow be revived or reconfigured, as Real Madrid president Florentino Perez recently suggested.

Neither Real or Barcelona have officially quit the ESL, insisting it remains in the background ready to return at the right moment; but for clubs in the Premier League, at least, the concept is beyond toxic.

Whether it leads to serious reform depends as much on a government review as on the clubs themselves — and it will not be easy to persuade owners to sell or to agree to a 50+ 1 system in which fans hold the controlling vote on the board.

Even for super-wealthy businessmen like the Glazers the current situation cannot be good for global reputation and their next move will be closely scrutinised.

Fans have made their views clear and deserve to be heard, even if some of the focus will be on the unseemly aspects of their protest, with reports of cars overturned, flares thrown, and supporters breaking into the Old Trafford dressing rooms.

Those actions cannot be condoned but it doesn’t make the message any less potent.

It is one that everybody involved in the running of professional football should take notice of.

The big six are under the microscope and it’s about to get unbearably hot.