March 5 – Clubs don’t die overnight but they do die slowly! Manchester United, formerly one of the world’s biggest clubs, have been sliding downwards ever since the departure of the great Sir Alex Ferguson.
According to Steve Crompton, spokesman for one of the club’s leading fan groups – ‘The 1958’ – “the club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch and the blame lies squarely at the current ownership model.”
This weekend when the Red Devils take on Arsenal, in what was once the ‘must see’ match of any Premier League season, ‘The 1958’ are urging all fans to wear black in protest over the Glazer family’s ownership and direction of the club.
“The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin. Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world’s greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock.”
“The club is going backwards and it’s likely to get even worse,” the statement added. “We urge fans to rise up, unite and join us at 3 pm on Sunday as we march to the ground and protest against the despised Glazers and the club’s deliberate assault on fan culture.”
With the team currently languishing in 14th place after 27 matches, their worst standing since being relegated in 1974, and bounced out of the FA Cup last weekend by Fulham at Old Trafford, the mood in Manchester is turning ugly.
Last September the club posted a net loss of $144 million for the 2023-24 campaign. They also paid $18.2 million to sack Erik ten Hag and his coaching team, while spending close to $16 million to hire his successor, Ruben Amorim.
Meanwhile, the new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has embarked on a series of cost-cutting measures that have been viewed as penny-pinching by many of the recently sacked staff.
This protest will mark the second successive week of fan protest at Old Trafford after United fans joined the Football Supporters Association’s ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’ campaign over ticket prices against Fulham.
A return to the ‘glory, glory’ days of Manchester United feels further away than ever!
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1741211823labto1741211823ofdlr1741211823owedi1741211823sni@o1741211823fni1741211823