Thousands of protesters made their feelings clear about the state of Manchester United by marching from the Tollgate pub to the Munich Tunnel at Old Trafford, chanting songs and holding banners against the club’s ownership.
Organised by supporters’ group The 1958, fans were asked to wear black to signify how the club is “slowly dying” under the Glazers’ majority rule. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is the largest individual shareholder, was also targeted.
One sign read: “£1billion stolen, Glazers out”. It was revealed in the latest financial accounts that United have passed the £1bn ($1.3bn) mark for cumulative net interest on the debt placed on the club by the Glazers’ leveraged buyout in 2005. United are also indebted more than £1bn through the gross debt, revolving credit facility, and transfer money owed.
United have made losses for the past five years, with Ratcliffe aiming to take drastic measures to stem the tide by making up to 450 staff redundant. Fans are also waiting to hear the ticket prices for next season, with fears that rises are in the works. Manchester United Supporters’ Trust has campaigned against increases, while the Fan Advisory Board had a face-to-face meeting with Ratcliffe to address concerns.
The march before the Arsenal game was a visceral expression of the anger that is bubbling among the fanbase over the running of the club, with the major operating losses incurred through poor recruitment.
It is estimated at least 5,000 people protested, making it the largest such gathering since United faced Liverpool in August 2022. The songs against the Glazers continued in the ground, including after Fernandes opened the scoring.
Those who took part are unhappy at the direction in which the American family and the billionaire Ineos co-owner are taking the club. United have lost £300m in the past three years and will operate with a severely constricted budget in the summer transfer market, while the fans are watching a poor side under the management of Ruben Amorim. With a point United climbed one place to 14th, 21 points behind opponents who not so long ago were close rivals.
The protest started at the Tollgate pub at about 3.15pm and supporters were asked by the 1958 fan group, a main driver in the action, to wear black to mark the club “slowly dying”. They marched the mile to Old Traffordalong Talbot Road, Warwick Road and Sir Matt Busby Way, arriving 20 minutes later, the route to the stadium blocked off to traffic by a sizeable police presence.
Some protesters held placards that read “death by 1,00 cuts” in reference to Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures. These are headed by up to 450 redundancies, including a high proportion of the 80-strong scouting department, and the closing of the club canteen, ending free lunches for staff. Those on the march chanted for the Glazers to sell the club and accused Ratcliffe of being no better an owner. “Your debt not ours,” they sang. Red flares were let off, alongside yellow and green ones, the colours of Newton Heath, the club’s original name before it became Manchester United in 1902
“We are so much in debt, a debt-ridden football club,” said Steve Crompton, from the 1958 fan group. “These fans won’t put up with the way the football club are treating us. This club is on its knees, the Glazers have put us there and Ratcliffe isn’t helping. This is to both of them.
“It’s absolutely everything: we’ve got ticket prices, we’ve got them getting rid of concessions. These fans are angry, they hate what’s happening to our football club. This is a community that’s come out today to tell the Glazers and Ratcliffe that we’re not messing about.”
Labels
Manchester United Premier League
West Bromwich Albion had effectively been in decline ever since the club was sold to a Chinese consortium in August 2016, paying a figure north of £200m to buy former owner Jeremy Peace’s stake. Controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai’s ownership was fairly disastrous for the club, but his unloved tenure finally came to an end after Bilkul Football WBA, a company ultimately owned by Florida-based entrepreneur Shilen Patel and his father Dr Kiran Patel, acquired an 87.8% shareholding in West Bromwich Albion Group Limited, the parent company of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. This change in ownership was urgently required, due to the numerous financial problems facing West Brom, including growing high-interest debt and serious cash flow concerns, following years of no investment from the former owner. Indeed, West Brom’s auditors had already rung the alarm bell in the 2021/22 accounts when they cast doubt on the club’s ability to continue as a going concern without making player s...
Tottenham Hotspur is in talks to sell a minority stake in a deal that could value it at up to £3.75 billion and pave the way for Joe Lewis and his family to sever ties with the Premier League football club. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is seeking an investment that values the club at between £3.5 billion and £3.75 billion, including debt. While the terms of any deal have not been finalised, City sources expect Spurs to sell about 10 per cent. The club is being advised by bankers from Rothschild on the sale. Tottenham wants to raise fresh capital for new player signings and to help fund the development of an academy for its women’s team, as well as a 30-storey hotel next to its north London stadium. The financier Amanda Staveley, who brokered the deal for Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to take over Newcastle United, is understood to be among the parties to have expressed an interest in Tottenham. Staveley’s fund, PCP Capital Partners, has raised about £500 million to ...
Millwall’s season was overshadowed by the tragic death of owner John Berylson following a car accident. The American had been an exemplary owner, beloved by the fans for his leadership, passion and generosity. Millwall’s finances had been pretty good during his tenure, which we shall explore by looking at the most recent accounts from the 2022/23 season, when the club narrowly missed out on a place in the play-offs after finishing 8th. Millwall’s pre-tax loss slightly reduced from £12.6m to £12.2m, as revenue rose £0.8m (4%) from £18.6m to a club record £19.4m and player sales improved from a £0.1m loss to £2.5m profit. However, other operating income dropped from by £1.1m from £1.3m to £0.2m, while operating expenses increased £1.7m (5%) from £31.6m to £33.3m. The main driver of the revenue increase was broadcasting, which rose £1.1m (12%) from £9.1m to £10.2m, though match day was also up £0.4m (7%) from £5.8m to £6.2m. In contrast, commercial fell £0.7m (19%) from £3.7m to £3....