We have so many great anniversaries to mark and remember at our Club. But today we recall one of the worst because twenty years ago on this day, Malcolm Glazer acquired enough shares to gain control of Manchester United. We’ve included a small sample collage of press clippings at the end of this email which you can also expand and view here. You can also read this email on the website here.
MUST was then called Shareholders United and from day one – in fact before day one – we sounded the alarm. We knew what the debt-laden takeover would mean and we warned everyone we could: fans, the Government, the media, you name it. We predicted that Glazernomics would ultimately cripple our club and some thought we were exaggerating and ridiculed us at the time.
In the two decades that have followed, the Club has paid more than ONE BILLION POUNDS in debt interest alone. It would be less painful if the debt had been eliminated. But Glazernomics means it’s actually gone up. Which means that today we spend £3m a month on debt interest, a figure set to rise to more than £4m a month over the next two years. The Glazers didn’t just cripple our club twenty years ago, they’re still doing it today.
For that reason, the passing of time has not led to mellowing of emotions – in fact the opposite. For the first eight years, we were insulated from the harm that their unique combination of debt, incompetence and disinterest would do by the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson. But the decade of decline that has followed his retirement can be pinned squarely on the actions and decisions of the Glazers.
Many despise the Glazer family for what they have done to our club.
At the time, of course, some branded us scaremongers when we warned of the dangers of the Glazers’ debt-based takeover, and we were told we didn’t understand business and should keep our noses out of it. We encouraged fans to buy shares to reach at least 10%, which could have formed a block against the imposition of their debt on our club. 32000 United fans stepped up, but we needed more and fell just short despite our best efforts. Many didn’t really believe what we were saying would be that bad, but almost no United fan would argue now.
Twenty years ago and for the decade that followed we protested, protested and protested. Some will recall, on their first visit they needed a police escort to get out of the ground. We challenged them everywhere they went. Fans effectively created the conditions by which they seldom attended games. But none of it stopped them presiding over their era of decline of Manchester United, so why, after all this time, do we still continue to fight the fight and continue with public pressure alongside private dialogue.
For those of us here at MUST, the logic is simple:
History provides us with ample evidence that, left to their own devices, the Glazers will make decisions that put their own interests ahead of those of our football club and supporters.
But when we pressure them in public, whilst influencing management in private, we do get better outcomes for fans. This summer’s ticketing changes are bad, but there is no doubt that the Club’s “plan A” was far worse than the 5% increase most of us got. Although that is small comfort to those hit hardest with some seniors seeing huge increases and many fans being relocated from around the dugout or refused renewal/name changes due to failing ID checks.
Whilst we disagree with many things done since he bought into the club, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in as minority shareholder there is at least someone prepared to talk to supporters. He’s had more conversations with fan groups in 18 months than the Glazers have in 20 years. We hope to persuade him, and the new management team, of the benefits of listening more to supporters, but these relationships take time to establish and we’ve effectively had a reset.
Today is a moment of reflection. Of the damage done in two decades and the fans movement which has endured despite that devastating defeat. Of course we’ve made plenty of mistakes on the journey too but we’ve learned from those mistakes. The single most important thing is to create a united fanbase as that gives us the best chance to persuade the Club owners and management to listen and get better outcomes for supporters and our football club.
Thank you to those of you who have been with us since 2005, and even before. You have demonstrated the persistence and determination that Sir Alex would be proud of. But thanks just as much to those who joined us along the way. We need to continue to grow and renew. The battle today and tomorrow is just as important as that fought in the past.
Our dream is for a successful Manchester United run in the interests of its supporters. Whether we’re in 2005, 2025 or many years in the future, that won’t change. We remain optimistic that we can achieve a better future for United and its fans. Hopefully it won’t take twenty more years. But if it does and we’re still breathing, we will still be fighting for it.
Key to our influence is to increase our reach by getting as many fans as possible to sign up as members (free or full) so if you know anyone who is not yet subscribed to MUST please share the following link here: www.imust.org.uk/join
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