‘A leading Reds supporters group has reacted angrily to the news that their club is to axe 25 jobs as part of a major internal structural review. The Independent Manchester United Supporters Association insist the announcement is proof Malcolm Glazer’s controversial ownership of the club is profit-orientated.
‘IMUSA spokesman Colin Hendrie said: “Today is the day the transfer window closes and instead of announcing new players in order to improve our position 18 points behind Chelsea at the end of last season, we have announced redundancies in staff at Old Trafford. The Glazers are once again showing that what they are interested in is profit and not football.
“The campaign when the Glazers took over was about demonstrations and boycotts of football matches but the point is that people still want to watch Manchester United,” added Hendrie. “So the protest now is about trying to damage the Glazers’ business plan without damaging the football club and obviously that is a delicate balance. It is a long haul. What we think will happen is that United fans will become very upset with the Glazers when they announce season ticket prices next year.
“They have to go up enormously, far beyond what they have said, simply in order to service the interest on the loans they took out to buy the club.”