Love United Hate Glazer - Manchester United fans want their club back
Nalin Mastou explains how United’s leech-like owners are exploiting her beloved football club.
United fans protest Glazer ownership and European Super League plans outside Old Trafford hours before their May fixture against Liverpool. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
The word hate is reserved for the strongest of aversions; for one’s greatest enemies.
But when it comes to the relationship (or lack thereof) between Manchester United fans and the Glazer family, the word hate is an understatement.
Sky Sports pundit and former United captain, Gary Neville, said the Glazer family are “scavengers [who] need booting out of this football club and booting out of this country.”
This is what every United fan has been saying for years. But for a club legend to finally speak out about it was a huge moment.
So who are the Glazers and why are they so divisive?
In 2005, American businessman Malcolm Glazer secured 98% of shares and complete control of Manchester United. His controlling stake was later divided between his six children.
The club had been debt-free decades before the Glazers took over. However, the family loaded their £525m ($969m AUD) borrowings onto the club to make the repayments. Since the leveraged buy-out, a total of £1.1bn ($2bn AUD) has been stolen from the club by the Glazers for financing, interest, debt repayments and dividends. Over the past 16 years, Manchester United has turned into a debt refinancing club for the Glazers.
The owners have no interest in reinvesting money back into what is meant to be a football club. Prior to the takeover, United was challenging for titles and competing for European honours. Whether you loved or hated us, our success on and off the pitch couldn’t be ignored. Now, the club is undeniably in decline.
Instead of watching United win back-to-back league titles, fans have to sit back and watch our rivals win major competitions.
Every transfer window is a missed opportunity due to poor recruitment and an incompetent board. The owners sporadically invest money in the squad when they need to keep cash rolling by qualifying for the Champions League. This is done to ensure the club retains commercial appeal, rather than improving the team’s performance. Despite only making the Champions League group stage this season, £109m ($200m AUD) was generated in broadcasting revenue alone.
Allocating funds to improve infrastructure has never been a priority either: Old Trafford is deteriorating and the training grounds are in dire need of renovation.
Just £185m ($342m AUD) has been spent on the stadium and training complexes during the same period in which billions of dollars has been taken out of the club to finance the Glazers. Casey Stoney, the head coach of Manchester United’s women’s team, recently resigned as she was reportedly unhappy with the lack of investment in the training facility as players didn’t even have access to showers or toilets.
Fans have spoken out against the Glazers and their money tricks from the very first day they took over. Anti-Glazer protests started in 2005 which was followed by the 2010 green-and-gold campaign. These colours are synonymous with the fans’ growing disdain and resistance to the owners.
The failed proposal of a breakaway European Super League (ESL) on 18 April 2021 reignited the protests. The plan was initiated by 12 European clubs to have a permanent place in the league. It would give all club owners guaranteed money and full decision-making. If the proposal didn’t collapse, it would have completely undermined the Champions League - a competition that has qualification on sporting merit.
These plans exposed the Glazers’ greed so plainly and showed the world their willingness to tarnish the history and traditions of this football club just to receive a handsome profit.
Ahead of Manchester United’s clash with bitter rivals Liverpool, thousands of United fans protested at Old Trafford against the owners with banners, flares and green-and-gold scarves draped around their necks. The message was clear - we want our club back.
Hundreds of protesters started to make their way onto the pitch to make their voices heard which prompted a historic postponement of the match. It was an outburst of anger 16 years in the making. This time, the fans’ message couldn’t be ignored: we want Glazers out.
Executive Co-Chairman Joel Glazer met with members of the Manchester United Fans’ Forum to apologise for the proposal of a ESL and vowed to strengthen communication with fans. This was the first time he has spoken directly to supporters since the takeover in 2005. He announced plans for a Fan Share Scheme and a Fan Advisory Board, although more detail is required to determine whether supporters will actually have a say in the running of the club.
No commitment has been made to pay off the debt and the owners believe the dividends taken out of the club every year is fair. This family has shown that their main priority is to make a personal profit. They stole the club and sold it to the rest of the world. The fact that it’s taken this long for them to finally speak to the fans tells me that not much will change.
It’s time to sell the club. Enough money has been drained.
Yet the Glazers have made it clear that they have no plans to do so. In fact, they want to grow the club’s value to £7bn ($10bn AUD).
United supporters will continue to make their voices heard with more protests and sponsor boycotts.
We want our club back before it’s too late.