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All United fans are to perform the following procedure. Place both hands over your ears, clasp your fingers together at the top of your cranium and gently but firmly lift your head out of the sand.
The heavy reportage of United’s financial quagmire this week has been gut wrenching. Perhaps the worst thing is that little of it comes as a surprise. Americans talk about “always remembering where they were when JFK was shot”. For me it was the sale of United. Not for a second did I believe it could happen and I was speechless for hours afterwards. Oddly, it coincided with the time I finished Uni and nobody could understand why I wasn't in a better mood.
The sum of all our fears has now been published in black and white and is slightly uglier than at first envisaged. It is slightly ironic that the Glazers look like a group of well-dressed Mythbusters because there is still uncertainty about what there plan was in the first place.
Certainly, the worst thing about the takeover is that it has divided the support. Despite Fergie’s aggressive attitude towards FC United I have nothing against them and wish the club well. I am aware that a lot of fans are vehemently against the manager’s stance on the owners. A section of the support even hold him fully responsible for the whole mess as a result of his face off over the Rock of Gibralter’s sperm.
Personally, I couldn’t give an ess ache one tee about who is to blame. I am only interested in viable solutions for saving our football club. Because that is what is at stake here – The future of Manchester United.
Regular readers will know about my match going buddies the Crinkleys, one of whom has over forty years experience working in the city and has been the through the latest disclosure in detail. This is his take:
“All the noise in the world cannot force a private company to do something it does not want to do. The Glazers won't float the company unless they can be guaranteed their £1bn+ and that's a big ask of the markets in the current environment. No, they will only sell to the mega-rich oligarch/crook [who is yet to appear]”.
We’re definitely more boned than the Natural History Museum then. So what can we do as fans?
Since the takeover many of us have vowed not to give a single penny to the Glazers. In my case, other than matchday tickets and club membership, I haven’t given them a dime. Our household proudly boasts a collection of match programs dating back to 1951, but it stopped the day the Glazers come to town. This has been proven completely correct now we know about their £20 million pocket money bonus, Carlos Tevez anybody? But I still attend matches, because I will always, always support the guys wearing the shirts.
Boycotts have been mentioned as a tangible form of supporter action that would send a powerful message. In reality, fan boycotts and the like often just make things worse in that they bring the day of financial catastrophe even closer. But maybe we will have to do just that. SAF won't like it because he will have even less money to buy new players, so we can't count on his support. Of course, they may not even work with the number of international fans we have coming in on day trips.
So do we the fans offer to buy the club? It'll cost at least £1bn and even
divided by one million that's still £1000 each. Who's going to do that? And, if 'only' 100,000 Mancs step up then the numbers are even more impossible.
We are in a corner here and, considering the circumstances, our current league position and squad composition is nothing short of miraculous. Alex Ferguson is still doing an absolutely brilliant job. The question is, how much longer can he, and the club hold on? We are slipping towards the precipice and without intervention in the very near future – losing to Leeds will start looking like a good result.
Keep the faith. Somehow.
Follow markjpayne@twitter.com and www.thedevilinme.co.uk
Comments
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Posted by philip on 01/16/2010
these repulsive thieves represent the idiot supporters who think they brought us league titles, euopean cups etc. Utter filth and lets hope the bond scheme is unsuccessful and then meltdown begins. Maybe then the club can get rid of the parasites like Ferguson, Gill and the Glazers who have raped what the Newton Heath, Busby Babes, Robson, Cantona etc built
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Posted by theredfan on 01/16/2010
why are we so shocked these yankies have abused the club thats what yankies do. its a sad day of affairs when the worlds most popular clubs are getting destroyed by yankie plc we didnt need them before and dont need them now we are not chelsea or man shity were we will sell our soul for a trophy and success. but its not just this situation money is destroying football, players wont play for less than 100k a week greedy t____s
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Posted by So What on 01/16/2010
GROW UP. The Glazers own the club are financing it as they see fit and you and all other supporters can bleat, whine and do what you want. Manchester United is still a leading club, winning titles and generating income.
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Posted by Pam on 01/16/2010
Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of rag idiots. Hope you go bankrupt. Hope City buy your poxy stadium and turn it into a giant Walmart. It would be fitting.
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Posted by Kawu Arewa on 01/16/2010
Sir Alex and the Glazers have been deceiving the fans, saying there is available funds for transfer. Actually there is none.he claimed there are no good players in january,not forgotten about VIDIC and EVRA, let them not deceive themselves,because without spending in this window, there will be nothing to show at end of the season.
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Posted by xyphali on 01/17/2010
how can u h8 a team like manu a team that brings players up thru development not jus buying ala chelsea & man city yes they hav baught players but usualy they come from briton if fifa put fwrd the 5/6 rule manu wud win the title hands down coz chelsea only hav 6 british players in there squad so there gone arsenal & liverpool arnt much betr so at least they stay true 2 there country sure the glaziers has stuffed manu by puttting them in debt but at least manu has a good youth program so we jus need a decent consortium 2 take ova 2 work 2wards payn off the manu debt not using manu 's money 2 pay off there american debts & there wages b true
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Posted by The Grimace on 01/17/2010
It all depends on whether you look short, medium or long-term.
Short-term, it's not great by our standards. There are better teams in the Premiership and in Europe, though it pains me to say it. We've played Milan four times in Europe and lost four times. So prepare for a bleak March, friends.
Medium-term, it's worse. The glasers will push off, having taken their big fat cuts, and we will be desperately in debt and in poor shape compared to the clubs bankrolled by their multibillionaire bandits.
But long-term we will be OK. Just remember, you doubters, that this is the club whose ground was bombed to rubble in 1945. The club which lost 8 players killed in 1958 with two others who never played again, a whole team almost. A team which was relegated (deservedly, we were rubbish) in 1974. But for the last 18 years we have been the kings.
We will go down a bit but we will come up because the heart of the club is Mancs who love the club. We'll never die, we'll never die.
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Posted by Tapiwa Mubonderi on 01/19/2010
I believe you are not looking at the silver lining the Glazer cloud. This family are sports businessmen, their ability to maintain the sporting achievements of United are testimony. I do not know their masterplan but I think they bought United to earn money. Chelsea & City are different because they are a miner's toy. I hope this winning trend continues whilst discovering new world class talent to take the club further.
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Posted by Kelvin on 01/20/2010
Don't like what the Glazers have done, but in truth , you can't single them out. Theytook advantage of the situation and if not them, it would have been someonelse. to me they are not so obviously detrimental as those clowns at Liverfool. All the agents, bankers, brokers and other middlemen made enough money on the sale for normal folks to retire in style.
It just amazes me that the system allowed these guys to bid a big amount for the club, and then fob off almost the entire bid with loans born back by the club as a plc. There was no personal stake and no risk for the Glazers at all!!!! If the club goes broke tomorrow, at the worst, they have their 20M pocket money...and thats not bad for a few years "work" for 95% of us.
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Posted by Patrice-Kigali on 01/20/2010
Kelvin has summed it up: This mess came up when the Glazers family bought the club without a single coin from their pocket. I remember well the resistance put up by the supporters then. People sought that the supporters were wrong to resist a takeover but wait a moment, it was because they had seen that the move was not good for the club in the run and it is what we begin to see now; possibly getting worse as time unfolds. SAF gave the Glazers family support to buy the club, i wonder if he knew that such uncertainties were possible because it will be shame for a Man who lifted the club from shambles to glory to see it returning there!
Having said that, i want to concur with Grimace; The heart of the club does not lie with the Glazers! it lies with the fans everywhere in the world.we shall stick with it even if it means playing in non-league category.
Mark! The faith is there, the belief is more than sufficient.
ManU for ever.
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Posted by yem420 on 01/21/2010
Get over it and enjoy the ride. The success on the pitch has been tremendous the past 5 years. How many UEFA Champions titles did Man Utd win in the past 100 years? 3. 1 of them came just two years ago. It would have been 2 in a row if they didn't choke in the final vs. Barca. How many Premier League titles have been won in a row. 3. Yes, it is a down year, but the team are battling through a bad patch of injuries and two of the top goal scoring threats have been let go. Try being a City supporter (God forbid) who have won nothing in almost 30 years. If the Glazers go under, the club will have a long line of suitors with wallets open. The club is bigger than any ownership group, manager, player, or even individual fan.
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Posted by rapideyes on 01/21/2010
alright lets try to relax. the situation is what it is better or for worse. personally in my opinion, what do we have to cry about? in the past three years we've won 3 premiership titles, 1 euro+ we were in another final to name the major ones. like the other guy said the glazers are a sporting family. I have my doubts that they are in it for the short haul. There are other ways to make quick cash without the massive interest. we are still adjusting to CR leaving and we all know he was leaving anyway. it seems that it was a childhood dream partly of his and his mothers, personally I think it was and is a poor move, but having a player looking as he was is detrimental to the squad and the club despite his obvious talent and scoring prowess. Zindane said after the sale that United would become a better team for it and I agree, its just gonna take time. Our system is still adjusting. when our stalwarts like Vida and Evra came it took them 6 months. A whole team a bit longer..
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Posted by Yank 4 Man U on 01/21/2010
Having watched the Glazers resurrect and then promptly allow their first sports franchise (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) fall by the wayside, why does this not surprise me? They are hunting cash for their pockets and do not give a damn about maintaining the quality of play on the pitch. I spoke out against their purchasing of my beloved Man U and I will continue to say that they need to return the team to an English owner who knows the tradition but also has the funds to help deal with this crisis.
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Posted by Dave on 01/21/2010
-Mark
Interesting points made by you and those who have lived through the many years of Manu. A point that needs to be made, the club is debt financed, and has always been with the Glazers. While many people shy away from that, one must realize that nearly every corporation today is financed that way. Yes, it is slightly unsettling. But, what you need to focus on is whether the clubs "Operational Revenue" is positive. If it is, then the club will still be profitable and thus, up and running. Now, this might not mean you can just go an buy up any player you want.
I am not a huge fan of outside ownership...never have been. But it is interesting to see how so many fans have "biting the hand that feeds." Have there not been Cups won, with the method of business? So those who relish the joy of winning now are upset at the method.
It all seems very contradictory to an outsider. Perhaps it should just be a rule that all English teams be owned by English Corporations.
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About
Mark Payne writes about football for a variety of media outlets. He reported on the 2010 World Cup for Australia’s ABC network and worked at one of the FIFA fan sites. He has been ESPN’s Manchester United correspondent for four years. His writing attracts a worldwide following and in 2011 this blog was nominated for an award. To contact Mark for football discussion e-mail him on markpayne.editor@hotmail.com at any time. He wears lucky socks on match days.
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