The PA with two reports yesterday:
‘Militant fans are hatching a 'scorched earth' policy to ensure Malcolm Glazer gains only the shell of Manchester United, not its soul, should he gain control of the world famous Old Trafford club.
‘Fans remain optimistic United chief executive David Gill will refuse to recommend the bid and that Irish racing tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus, without whose 28.9% stake Glazer's has no chance of success, will reject a 300p per share offer.
‘"If Malcolm Glazer thinks the fans who have opposed him will just shrug their shoulders and carry on going to games if he owned the club, he is living on another planet," said Jules Spencer, chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association.
‘"By the time he gets his hands on it, we will ensure the club is only a shell of what it is now. We acknowledge the creation of a new club entirely is some way off and we hope it never happens but in a worse case scenario it is a realistic goal and should not be underestimated."’
'Manchester United supporters will approach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to manage a breakaway club if Malcolm Glazer's £800m bid to takeover at Old Trafford is successful.
‘A coalition of fans committed to keeping United out of the American's hands have revived contingency plans first drawn up in 1998 when the club was the subject of a bid from BSkyB and intend to draw on the support of members of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) and 20,000-strong pressure group Shareholders United (SU).
‘Solskjaer, currently recovering from a knee injury, has publicly voiced his disapproval to Glazer's bid and was last week unveiled as a patron of SU.’