I know it has not happened just yet.. but I got a bad, bad feeling about all this.

He is back with a new bid of £800m and I am hoping and praying that the board, and the shareholders see some sense and tell him to **** right off out of it.

I'm not a great soccer fan but for years MUFC have been more of an entertainment giant that a football club in the stock market - they have all the merchandising deals, the TV station, the 'brand' - oh, and they play football.

As soon as the club's shares became quoted on a stock market and available for sale - in order, let's face it - for more money to be made, this was always a strong possibility.

MUFC in it's current form is, for many investors, no different to a company that makes ironing boards or window frames. (Hmmmm....this room lacks inspiration sometimes :) )

If the bid is 'good' in terms of how it values the club and also in the fact that money is available to actually pay the 800 million, then the board could get in to serious trouble under Company Law if they acted in a way that's not in the best interests of the shaheholders - by going public those years ago they mortgaged their ability to control the club - and now it's coming home to them.

Joe

Originally posted by JoePritchard
I'm not a great soccer fan but for years MUFC have been more of an entertainment giant that a football club in the stock market - they have all the merchandising deals, the TV station, the 'brand' - oh, and they play football.

Which is the reason they're no longer called Manchester United Football Club anymore - just Manchester United.

Floating on the stock exchange and then bleating because anyone with enough money has got a very good chance of taking over your club is a bit like supporting the monarchy and then complaining because someone you don't like becomes King.

ManU have done very well out of becoming more of a business than a football club, would ManU fans exchange all the success they have had over the last 10 years to stop Glazer, or someone like him, taking over?

Originally posted by ANGELUS
I know it has not happened just yet.. but I got a bad, bad feeling about all this.

He is back with a new bid of £800m and I am hoping and praying that the board, and the shareholders see some sense and tell him to **** right off out of it.

It serves u right for becoming a brand instead of a football club in my eyes.

something that man u should remember- there is always someone bigger than you!!!!

Angelus, have you joined Shareholders United? Link here (www.shareholdersunited.org/home.php). Join and then persuade every United fan you know to join as well. If you haven't already that is! :)

Having not followed the story so far, why is it so bad that Glazer wants to takeover Man Utd?

it will put the club into lots of debt, he will increase ticket prices etc etc, basically if he takes over he will squeeze every single last penny out of the club for his own fortune.

Originally posted by scottf
it will put the club into lots of debt, he will increase ticket prices etc etc, basically if he takes over he will squeeze every single last penny out of the club for his own fortune.

It seems a little unlikely that his motives are financial as he is rich already.

Its more about power.

But I really fail to see why it would be some sort of national disaster for this to happen.

Yodameister, whilst floating on the stock exchange can improve the financial status of a football club it doesn't automatically guarantee success on the pitch and winning trophies. Just ask the likes of Newcastle United and Aston Villa. I'd like to think that Ferguson deserves some credit for the success of United since he's been in charge.

There's a big difference between United's current situation and someone having a controlling portion of the shares. The main problem is that Glazer does not have the same sort of money that someone like Abramovich has. Glazer is going to have to borrow money to buy United and ultimately that money will have to be paid back. How? By taking money out of United. One of the first things he did when he bought Tampa Bay Buccaneers was put the ticket prices up. This would likely be one of the easiest and quickest ways he could make money out of United. Another way would be to sell the naming rights of Old Trafford. Why would United fans be pleased about nearly 100 years of history of playing at Old Trafford be pi***d on by the possibility of renaming the ground to the "Nike Arena" or the "Budweiser Bowl" or something equally as hideous?

United's biggest income still comes from gate receipts. That's fans paying their hard earned money to support the team. No football club would be anything without its fans. No United fan could be happy about an American, non-United supporter coming in and taking over the club without a care for the history of the club or views of the fans.

Thank god the board rejected Glazer's offer, as it "wasn't in the best interests of the club". Too right it's not, taking money out of the club to pay back his debts is definitely not in the best interests of the club.

It's probably only a matter of time before Glazer or someone else (possibly Cubic Expression) comes in with another offer. Ultimately the fans may not be able to have a big enough impact to stop a takeover but that sure as hell isn't going to stop the fans saying how they feel about it.

I expect it isn't very important to you if this happened but then you don't support United do you?! I expect most people who don't support United would quite enjoy watching it happen.

I'd love to see Man U go trophy-less for a few years, but after what happened to Leeds (and to a certain extent Wednesday) I don't want to see moneymen ruin clubs.

All you man utd fans do is moan moan moan!

It could be blummin worse- you could be a SWFC or SUFC supporter!

Originally posted by IanMitchell
It could be blummin worse- you could be a SWFC or SUFC supporter!

Even worser.. They could be supporters from Manchester :suspect:

What do you expect? When fans of a club expect to compete for all trophies, and something comes along to threaten that, of course they will moan.

Quite right Agent Gypo, and there's going to be more "moaning" tonight before the AC Milan game as there's another anti-Glazer protest march planned. :thumbsup: