ANSWERS PLEASE

Last updated : 18 October 2006 By Ed
By Oliver Kay in the Times

Manchester United supporters have demanded an explanation from the Glazer family, the club's owners, after the sudden resignation of two executive directors yesterday left David Gill, the chief executive, as the only boardroom survivor from the Americans' controversial takeover just 17 months ago.

Gill admitted yesterday that it was “strange” to lose the services of Andy Anson, the commercial director, and Nick Humby, the finance director, in the same morning, but perhaps even stranger is the idea of a United board consisting almost entirely of Malcolm Glazer's five sons and one daughter, who will now fill six of the seven seats in the boardroom, with Gill the only exception.

Both Anson and Humby are moving to lucrative jobs elsewhere, with Anson describing his as “an excellent opportunity in the entertainment sector”, but both men are understood to have been frustrated by some of the changes brought about by the Glazer takeover. Although rumours of tensions or disputes have been dismissed within Old Trafford — unlike the earlier departure of Peter Draper, the former marketing director — there is a recognition that the roles of both were diminished by the move into private ownership.

United fans, though, remain highly sceptical of the Glazer regime and particularly the glaring lack of communication from the new owners. “Now is the time for them to come clean and let the supporters know what is going on behind the scenes at our football club,” Sean Bones, a spokesman for the Manchester United Supporters Trust, said. “At the time of the takeover, Joel Glazer said he would speak to the supporters. He has not done so, which is a shame because we have a lot of questions for them to answer.

“For any company, the resignations of both the finance director and commercial director on the same day would generally be interpreted as bad news. I have spoken to Andy Anson privately on many occasions. He is a Manchester United fan and always said working for the club was a dream, so I find it strange he should now choose to resign.”

Meanwhile, United are approaching what may prove to be a controversial decision over how to commemorate the first anniversary of George Best's death next month, with the likelihood that one of the club's favourite sons will not be afforded a minute's silence at Old Trafford.

United take on Chelsea on November 26, the day after Best's anniversary, but the club believe it would be inappropriate to hold a minute's silence as doing so might appear disrespectful to other former players who have died.