SHAREHOLDERS UNITED
Many of you will have seen the plane circling O.T. testerday urging fans to join Shareholders United - if you haven't joined already you should think about doing so.
http://www.shareholdersunited.org/joinsu.php
BLATTER BACKS US AGAINST GLAZER
Blatter has sent a letter of support to the opposition groups and, speaking in Cardiff after a meeting of the International FA Board, said: 'I have sent a letter to the fans' organisation of Manchester United supporting them in their fight against this takeover by Mr Glazer.
'This is only our philosophy because we cannot intervene in the market - here we are powerless in the commercial forces of the market, we can do nothing.
'But the fans' organisation have received a letter because the basis of a club is its supporters.
'Football started in England in 1863 and a club was attached to and part of a city. Now because of the universality of football the club is an industry.
'But we have to make sure that it is not only an industry, we have to protect the club ethic because football is a game for everybody.'
JOEL GLAZER IS ILL
The Indie report that he has had an appendix op and this will delay any bid. Why not send him a get well card?
From The Independent:
Joel Glazer, who is heading his family's proposed takeover of Manchester United, is in hospital in Florida following emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. His illness will delay - but probably not stop - a bid, according to sources, who added last night that Glazer, 38, is expected to make a full recovery.
"It was a shock, and quite serious," a source said. "A ruptured appendix can be fatal if not treated quickly. Joel's been told that he's unlikely to be able to travel anywhere for two weeks. He had his appendix removed earlier this week."
While Glazer's father, Malcolm, a dollar billionaire, is the man responsible for committing £250m of family money to the proposed £800m takeover, Joel has had the most hands-on role in the deal.
Joel is the only member of the Glazer family with any genuine interest in football and claims an allegiance to United dating back to his college days. The disruption to the bid caused by his illness indicated just how pivotal his role has become.
The Glazers have been undertaking due diligence on United's books for the past fortnight. That process concluded yesterday. Joel had originally planned to travel to England next week to meet with his City advisors and decide when - or whether - to table a formal bid, provisionally scheduled for late next week.
It is understood Joel was also considering a belated public relations campaign in an attempt to win over some of the many sceptical United fans.
But it now seems inevitable that the ruptured appendix will push the schedule back, perhaps by as much as a fortnight, although the Glazer family's advisors, having seen United's books, will continue work on the feasibility of a formal offer. United's board has already said it is unlikely to recommend an offer to shareholders although the Glazer camp believe minds can still be changed.