UNITED NOT FOR SALE
Last updated : 16 February 2004 By Editor
‘Julian Spencer stood in the drizzle selling fanzines outside Old
Trafford yesterday and talked of how he had been coming to
watch Manchester United since 1981. Meanwhile, the three men
in whose hands the future of the club seems to rest - the
Irish business partners John Magnier and JP McManus, and the
American billionaire Malcolm Glazer - were nowhere to be
seen.
‘That is just one of the things that sticks in the craw of people
such as Mr Spencer, the chairman of the Independent
Manchester United Supporters Association, as they follow
with growing disillusionment the protracted saga of possible
takeover bids, predatory foreigners and feuds over
racehorses that is threatening what is left of the soul of
the most famous football club in the world.
‘”It's fine having shareholders, but it's different when those
shareholders are only in it for profit and start to make
decisions that affect the team and the supporters," Mr
Spencer said.
‘Glazer - the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team owner who has just raised
his stake in United to 16.31 per cent - was not the answer,
said another fan, Dave Taylor. "Chelsea fans might be happy
with Roman Abramovich, but I don't think this is any way to
run a football club. Someone like Glazer doesn't care about
the team or the supporters. He wants to make money, and
where's the money going to come from? What's to stop him
pushing up season ticket prices?
‘”We were the first English club to think globally and make a big
thing of marketing and merchandise, and now I guess it's
come back to haunt us." But he did not like the sound of
Glazer. "He's built up his millions by exploiting people."’
