As a team game football has always been blighted by those who care more for their own existence than that of the team or club they purport to care for, the last few days has seen this truism exposed by the Glazer takeover.
Those who claim to know Bobby Charlton have said that they are surprised by his brown-nosing, but David Gill is supposed to exist at the opposite end of the personal integrity spectrum his comments regarding Glazer are far more treacherous.
The Glazers would be in deep trouble if Gill walked away but he has chosen to stay, his justification for doing so is extremely weak. His claims to be his own man are mere words undermined by his decision to stay on.
'I will not be a yes man,' Gill said. 'That is not my style and I do not think it would be appropriate for Manchester United. People who know me know I will make my views pretty clear and hopefully the new owners will take those opinions on board. I do not think I am there just to implement their plans that is not something which would interest me.'
It will be interesting to see how far Gill and his ‘integrity’ are willing to be compromised in the coming weeks and months as the Glazer’s begin to reveal their plans for servicing their debt.