From today's The Times:
As the Malcolm Glazer revolution began to take shape at Manchester United yesterday, with the American billionaire's three sons appointed to the board and one of them in line to become the club's next chairman, David Gill, the chief executive, flew to Florida to determine what part, if any, he will play in the new regime.
Despite publicly opposing Glazer's £790 million takeover on several levels and having described the American's business plan as "aggressive" and "potentially damaging" at various stages in recent months, Gill is expected to confirm that he is prepared to oversee the implementation of that same plan. Yet uncertainty remains over his long-term future, particularly after it emerged that Joel Glazer, the youngest of the three sons, has been earmarked to become chairman in succession to Sir Roy Gardner, who confirmed his resignation from the board yesterday.
Yesterday's announcement to the Stock Exchange about the boardroom reshuffle was not unexpected, with Ian Much and Jim O'Neill joining Gardner in resigning as non-executive directors, but the appointment of three Glazers to the board will resonate through the corridors of power at Old Trafford, if indeed the power can be said to reside there rather than Florida. The reappointment of Andy Anson signified a triumph for the old regime, seven months after the commercial manager was voted off by Glazer at the club's annual meeting, but, even though the new owner's sons have joined in a non-executive capacity, the family now has three of the six seats in the boardroom.
The statement indicated that the club was "pleased to announce" the appointment of the three Glazers — Joel, Avram and Bryan — whose experience in the business world was described at length. Joel and Avram were extolled for their "extensive sports management experience" as executive vice-presidents of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team, which the family owns, while their experience as directors of companies such as First Allied Corporation and Zapata Corporation was also cited. Both are holding companies in which the family holds at least a 50 per cent stake.
Inevitably, the announcement met derision from the Shareholders United group, who have been vocal in their resistence towards the takeover, but on this occasion their anger was aimed at Gill and Nick Humby, the finance director, who were urged to resign rather than work under the Glazer regime. "We hope that David Gill and Nick Humby show the same integrity as Sir Roy Gardner and resign," Sean Bones, a spokesman for the group, said. "If they try and execute a business plan they previously described as too aggressive then it's a bizarre situation. Not only will we have the three stooges (the Glazer brothers), but Abbott and Costello as well."