THE GUARDIAN
The Glazers, with their security officials in tow, arrived in a convoy of space wagons at a virtually deserted stadium. The trio had hoped to keep their visit a secret after their spokesmen were instructed on security grounds to give out vague and misleading information. The Americans' officials were professing ignorance of the itinerary even as they were travelling with the Glazers to Manchester but bulletins on their movements were being constantly updated on supporters' websites.
As fans began to arrive, eight-foot steel barriers were thrown up at either end of the stadium's south stand where the directors enter the ground. In return supporters began putting up barriers in surrounding streets at the ground, which they made out of fencing from an adjacent building site in an attempt to keep the Glazers inside.
With around 6,000 spectators due to pour out of cricket's Old Trafford, roughly half a mile away, where Lancashire had been playing Derbyshire in a Twenty20 match, two police vans pulled up at 7.45pm to a background of around 200 fans chanting: "United, not for sale."
"There weren't many fans about when they arrived but some members of Shareholders United spotted them at the ground," said Sean Bones of the protest group. "They went into the building to meet members of staff and conduct an interview for the club's television station.
"What shocked us is that they've built these eight-foot gates at each end of the stand. It says a lot when they have to do something like that. Why don't they come over and meet the fans face to face? They've been over here talking to everyone else but not the fans, the most important people."
THE SUN
Angry supporters were immediately alerted and last night barricaded Sir Matt Busby Way to stop the Glazers leaving.
A group of around 200 gathered and United officials were forced to erect security barriers to block off the directors’ entrance to the ground.
The Glazers eventually left under police escort but Mark Longden, chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters’ Association, was outraged the brothers had addressed the ‘suits’ first while fans are still to hear anything.
Longden said: "We want to confront them. They have spoken to everybody since their arrival apart from the most important people — the fans.
"We are blocking all the exits in an attempt to force the Glazers to face us. This is a peaceful protest but we intend to get our message heard.
"There are tens of thousands of United fans worried sick about their plans."
Joel Glazer, tipped to be the club’s new chairman, will provide his first meaningful insight into how he intends to run the club tomorrow night in a pre-recorded interview on the club’s TV channel, MUTV.
By then, the brothers might already have addressed Old Trafford staff.
THE TELEGRAPH
The Glazer family were in town yesterday, and a particularly angry group of Manchester United fans made sure the clubs contorversial new owners did not forget their first visit to Old Trafford.
The Glazer sons, Joel, Avram and Bryan, who are on a flying visit to England, last night ran the gauntlet of nearly 300 fans outside United's famous home. They got in relatively unscathed, but reportedly had to be smuggled out in a police van as fans built makeshift barricades in an effort to stop the brothers leaving. The vehicle was jostled as police moved in to disperse the mob.
The Glazers - whose father, Malcolm, remained in Florida - were due to address staff this morning, before issuing a mission statement to fans via MUTV, the club's in-house television station. After last night they can be in no doubt of the size of the task ahead to win hearts and minds.
Joel Glazer, keen to "clear up a few myths" about his family, said: "There's been a lot in the UK press about us in the last 18 months and this has been an invaluable chance to tell the men who run the game what the truth is. I hope they are reassured by our experience in sport and our passion to keep Manchester United successful."
During the London meetings, the Glazer brothers' "respect for [chief executive] David Gill and [manager] Sir Alex Ferguson was obvious", according to one administrator present.
The impression they gave to another present was that "the Glazers viewed United as a global football asset which will appreciate over time as long as they service the debt through income".
The Glazers - whose father, Malcolm, remained in Florida - were due to address staff this morning, before issuing a mission statement to fans via MUTV, the club's in-house television station. After last night they can be in no doubt of the size of the task ahead to win hearts and minds.
THE INDEPENDENT
The Malcolm Glazer regime at Manchester United got its first taste of the hostility it faces when the club's new directors Joel, Bryan and Avi Glazer were trapped inside Old Trafford by supporters last night on their first visit to the ground, The brothers were only able to leave after police used force to break through the protesters' barricade.
Fans' groups mobilised supporters via text messages and by the time the Glazers were ready to leave Old Trafford at 8pm, security guards had erected 8ft barriers around the South Stand. However, the group of 200 fans had built barriers to block the Glazers' exit.
reportly they were spirited away in a police van but not without the protest descending into violence and police having to break through the demonstration.
THE BBC
'Joel, Avi and Bryan Glazer had to leave Old Trafford in police vans after fans angry at their £790m takeover protested outside the ground on Wednesday. The Glazer brothers, sons of new owner Malcolm, were making their first visit to the club since taking it over.
Echoes of 'die Glazer die' rumbled around the stadium as around 300 supporters vented their frustration.
Police and fans stood face to face in opposition as the Glazers made their exit in an uncomfortable stand-off.
Joel Glazer, who is expected to be confirmed as chairman of the club, is believed to have spent part of his evening recording an interview for the club's television station, MUTV.
The interview will be broadcast on Friday evening.