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Glazers try to ease fears of Manchester United fans
England - 23 October, 2006
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The Glazer family is trying to quell any fears that English Manchester United fans have after two non-family members quit as the club's directors.
That leaves only one non-Glazer as a director.
Directors Nick Humby and Andy Anson resigned this week, effective in 2007. Chief executive David Gill is the final non-Glazer on the club board. Their exits will mean Malcolm Glazer's five sons and one daughter have six of the seven seats in the boardroom.
A Glazer spokesman told BBC Sport the family wants to the club to be a success.
"They are very private people but they have the passion," the spokesman said. "United is a very stable, solid brand and what the Glazers have demonstrated is that they still add value."
Fan group Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) have opposed the Glazers all the way, from the takeover of the club in June 2005 to the lack of communication from the owners. With the exit of the two directors, MUST feels Humby and Anson must tell all.
"Now is the time for them to come clean, do the honourable thing and let the supporters know what is going on behind the scenes at our football club," MUST spokesman Sean Bones said earlier this week.
One thing the anti-Glazer fans have jumped on is a July refinancing package which jumped the club's debt to GBP 660 million.
The Glazers point to the positives during their tenure. Following the buy-out, Old Trafford's capacity was expanded. The club signed a record GBP 56.5 million shirt sponsorship deal with AIG, with Bryan Glazer and Anson the driving forces behind that deal.
"There were lots of scare stories last year of massive price hikes and the value of the club going down," the family's spokesman said. "But in the 16 months since they took over, no-one could argue that Manchester United isn't worth more.
"Investors are clamouring to get involved because they see the attraction of what the Glazers bring to the party in the sports business and the Manchester United brand."
That leaves only one non-Glazer as a director.
Directors Nick Humby and Andy Anson resigned this week, effective in 2007. Chief executive David Gill is the final non-Glazer on the club board. Their exits will mean Malcolm Glazer's five sons and one daughter have six of the seven seats in the boardroom.
A Glazer spokesman told BBC Sport the family wants to the club to be a success.
"They are very private people but they have the passion," the spokesman said. "United is a very stable, solid brand and what the Glazers have demonstrated is that they still add value."
Fan group Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) have opposed the Glazers all the way, from the takeover of the club in June 2005 to the lack of communication from the owners. With the exit of the two directors, MUST feels Humby and Anson must tell all.
"Now is the time for them to come clean, do the honourable thing and let the supporters know what is going on behind the scenes at our football club," MUST spokesman Sean Bones said earlier this week.
One thing the anti-Glazer fans have jumped on is a July refinancing package which jumped the club's debt to GBP 660 million.
The Glazers point to the positives during their tenure. Following the buy-out, Old Trafford's capacity was expanded. The club signed a record GBP 56.5 million shirt sponsorship deal with AIG, with Bryan Glazer and Anson the driving forces behind that deal.
"There were lots of scare stories last year of massive price hikes and the value of the club going down," the family's spokesman said. "But in the 16 months since they took over, no-one could argue that Manchester United isn't worth more.
"Investors are clamouring to get involved because they see the attraction of what the Glazers bring to the party in the sports business and the Manchester United brand."
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