THE SUNDAY TIMES
The club’s supporters’ groups spent last week putting together plans to fight off the 76-year-old Florida-based magnate once his long-awaited takeover bid begins in earnest. That could happen in the next few days. Glazer’s son Joel, who has been driving the family’s interest in buying Uni-ted, contacted Magnier and Mc Manus last Thursday and is expected to make a concrete proposal as early as this week.
Magnier and McManus have intimated that they want at least 310p a share (they are currently about 270p) to win their backing for a takeover. This would value United at £813m. Though the Glazers, who already own 19% of United, have been proceeding with trademark secrecy, a source close to their camp has revealed their plans for the club. Their central tenet would be to treat United as a truly global concern. This is likely to mean more overseas tours and pursuing further commercial opportunities abroad, particularly in the US.
The Glazer camp have emphasised their "huge regard" for Sir Alex Ferguson, whose support they see as crucial to their bid, and have promised to retain the Scot as United manager. They also promise the club will continue to spend big on players — "they wouldn’t throw away £50m on someone, but if there was a chance to sign another Wayne Rooney they’d do it," said the source — although it is not clear whether that would mean an increase in United’s transfer budget, which chairman David Gill has set at about £15m per year net.
"A central plank of the bid is likely to involve formalising the club’s relationship with supporters and putting United fans where they’ve never been before," said the source. However, Oliver Houston, a spokesman for Shareholders United, whose membership comprises more than 12,000 fans who are also small-time shareholders in the club, said: "If they’re talking about a token place on the board we’re not interested. The Glazers aren’t going to use us as a fig leaf to cover up the deficiencies in their bid. I’d advise every fan to take what they say with a huge bucket of salt.
"They’re saying they’ll keep Fergie — well, Fergie’s staying anyway. They say there’ll be money for players — there’s money for players anyway. They say they’ll expand our appeal in the US — as far as I can see that’s already expanding nicely. The truth is that these are investors who don’t know much about football and are only interested in United as a means to make money."
The membership of Shareholders United has increased by 2,000 over the last week and is expected to reach 15,000 once a new batch of applications are processed, as fans rally in their opposition to Glazer. A chief concern about the American’s bid is that he will have to borrow most of the funds necessary to effect a takeover and will only be able to recoup his money by massively increasing ticket prices at Old Trafford. Shareholders United have banded together with the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association to co-ordinate, through the website www.mufcnotforsale.com, efforts to head off Glazer. Having already combined, in 1998, to prevent Rupert Murdoch from buying United, the group represents a formidable obstacle to the American.
KEITH HARRIS:
"As far as Glazer's proposal is concerned, we don't believe the numbers stack up. We don't know how he can carry out a conventional takeover without throwing silly money at it. On the other hand, Keith has the ability to raise serious finance, he's got the support of the fans, he's familiar with the Irish and he knows everyone at Old Trafford. Tell me anyone who can fulfil all those criteria."
THE TELEGRAPH
Former Football League chairman Keith Harris is stepping up his bid to challenge American tycoon Malcolm Glazer's proposed buy-out of Manchester United by delivering his own rival plan with, crucially, the backing of United fans.
Two days after Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team, made contact for the first time with United's two main shareholders, Irish racing barons John Magnier and J P McManus, Harris revealed last night he would be putting a counter-proposal on the table "within weeks."
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
While it is thought Glazer intends to make constructing a bridge between the club and its army of supporters a central component of his takeover plans, any delay in a bid would be exploited by the more militant United fans, who have made their presence felt over the past week.
Aside from vandalising the Jaguar of director Maurice Watkins in retribution for the million shares he sold which ended up as part of Glazer's current 19.1% stake, they also carried out a pitch invasion which forced Thursday night's reserve team clash with Birmingham to be halted and have vowed to wreak civil war against the club and its major sponsors should their views be ignored.
The 'Manchester Education Committee', who were responsible for both this week's disruptions, are planning a concerted operation and while precise details remain unclear, Gill can already start bracing himself for an uncomfortable afternoon at the club's annual general meeting on November 12.