Club Sale | It’s done!

[AFC NimbleThumb]

Sadly people have convinced themselves that you can't win without ME money which is simply not true.

Liverpool have matched City all the way for 4 years and won plenty of trophies. Arsenal currently top and playing great footy. And we've spent the same sums as City have so with better people running the football side of things we could have won more stuff post Fergie.

ME money won't even improve our budgets in the market either. We probably spend close to what we'd get away already compared to our revenue.

It's all very messy this.

I don’t think the issue isn’t that people have convinced themselves ME money is the only way.

I for one, was absolutely gutted about the state we found ourselves in over January. At no point should this club be scraping around for the deals we ended up with. As you go on to say, we’ve spent money - badly. The issue is those credit cards are maxed & if you want the Glazers to go [which I’d assume most do] the pool of people/groups that can buy the club are very limited.

People that may well try & lump United in with the Newcastle’s, Citehs, PSGs are just bad as those that have turned a blind eye to the fact the club has been leeched off for years. Whilst we’ve spent money in the transfer department, the club has been woefully underfunded pretty much everywhere else.

It’s to the point where I just want the sale.

 

[Swordsman]

My concern with Sir Jim, I don't think he has the kind of money United needs, that's why the Qatari or Saudi or Dubai ownerships will be the best possible owners (monetary wise)

Does Sir Jim have money left to spend on the rest ? Infrastructure, youth facilities and transfers etc if it really cost him $5 billion to buy over and what about the club's debt ? Is he going to clear that as well ?

 

[ti vu]

My concern with Sir Jim, I don't think he has the kind of money United needs, that's why the Qatari or Saudi or Dubai ownerships will be the best possible owners (monetary wise)

Does Sir Jim have money left to spend on the rest ? Infrastructure, youth facilities and transfers etc if it really cost him $5 billion to buy over and what about the club's debt ? Is he going to clear that as well ?

I don't think money is a concern. We don't need to recklessly spend like Chelsea, or state bankrolled clubs. We can spend self money generated if owner doesn't take dividend out while we need those extra tens millions for football operations.

The question is whether the owner is ambitious and understand football. Not interfering but holding the directors accountable for the football performance. We don't really know how good/bad Sir Jim Ratcliffe would be at the owner at this level.

State funded project is attractive because it is very ambitious despite of wasteful management. How they build up competitive teams at highest level out of previous ordinary teams in short period of time is scarily tempting tbh.

 

[NLunited]

It’s astonishing to me that so many are so passionate about United in this thread and claim to be die hard fans that wouldn’t support the club if owned by a private Qatar investment group.

The same people who are not willing to even do basic research on the potential new owners of the club and would rather spout xeonophobic nonsense and immediately discredit any mention of even the word Qatar.

Yup. Qatar is toxic. Just how it is.

 

[croadyman]

Fanbase definitely split on Ratcliffe/Qatari's owning the club. Looks like some will definitely not come back if we get taken over by QIA

 

[NLunited]

I’m not interested in following a club that is owned by an evil regime that uses it for sportswashing.

Next they will ask the players not to make any political statements.

They are also likely to get rid of Ten Hag.

 

[Paul_Pogba]

I don't trust Radcliffe one bit with making important decisions. He's just spunked 1.5B on building a vanity brexit land rover flop: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-driven/2023-ineos-grenadier-ph-review/46806

Not only are his decision makings questionable but ethically he's on par with the Qataris with his Brexit viewpoints and Ineos being one of the worst polluters.

 

[sglowrider]

Which makes him a prick businessman. That's not as bad as a sportswashing dictator.

If he's a prick businessman as you have suggested, as are the Glazers, they will want a ROI on their 5-6billion quid investment. He will need to borrow that money (thus the involvement of the ESL financier, JP Morgan) and that borrowed money has to be paid back monthly/quarterly or annually. Worst case scenario, he borrows all 6 million quid, how much do you think that will cost annually? Then try 3 billion quid?
Will Mister Businessman come out with those interest fees out of the kindest of his heart? If he did, it wouldn't make him a businessman at all, unless he is greenwashing. It will also make him some super-sugar Daddy.

Consider the two scenarios -- or just consider what the interest costs annually are for a 3 billion loan? Say at 5% interest rate -- which is being very generous (more likely to be closer to the double digits.) Thats 150 million quid annually has to be paid.

Will Ratcliffe the businessman be paying that annually from his own pocket? He sure as hell can't do the Glazer's approach and use our revenues to pay for the comparatively smallish loans back then. But I suspect he will use some of United's money to pay off that hypothetical £150million annually.

What is he croaks? Will his kids be as enthusiastic about United then? Maybe they will just do a firesale on the club?

United isn't untouchable in terms of its iconic status. It can be part of the future or remain a historical club.

Look at how many former PL clubs are in the Championship or even League One. I used to live in Nottingham during Forrest's EC hay days. (Crap for me for the fear of getting beaten up by the Forrest-supporting thugs.) Look at them now... an after-thought of most footballing conversations.

Notts County, the oldest football club in the world -- is not playing in the National League, competing against the likes of Wrexham for promotion.

Even Bill Gates -- who was seen as an evil cnut trying to take over the world until he founded the Gates Foundation and a couple of decades later, and seen as some saviour of 3/4th world countries or Steve Ballmer, a Paul Allen/sugar daddy type -- everyone who spends billions will always have some sort of self-interest agenda.

 

[Kaos]

I’m not interested in following a club that is owned by an evil regime that uses it for sportswashing.

Next they will ask the players not to make any political statements.

They are also likely to get rid of Ten Hag.

Based on what exactly? More baseless conjecture.

 

[sglowrider]

I’m not interested in following a club that is owned by an evil regime that uses it for sportswashing.

Next they will ask the players not to make any political statements.

They are also likely to get rid of Ten Hag.

Nobody will be that dumb. Arnold's job will be the first or the most threatened. ETH's job security is there for the next couple of years at least. Progression is there for everyone to see.

Personally, I wouldn't change the current org structure -- let itself play out since there is some progression but re-looking at it in a couple of years time. I would ask them to provide their dream plan of what they would like to do if they were given $$.
But I would insert an executive chairman to oversee things but let Arnold run it for now.

 

[sglowrider]

Based on what exactly? More baseless conjecture.

More like fear-mongering.

 

[NK86]

You're doing right there exactly what I described. It's this whataboutery which makes me laugh.

The whole Nike have sweat shops so we can have ME money running us thing doesn't wash with me really tbh. You want the ME because of one thing. Money.

If they were the poorest option of the 5 parties interested your opinion on this matter would be the exact opposite would it not? You'd be saying we can't have them running our club.

This is what I have been saying. Fans are gaslighted so so easily.

It's not whataboutery, it's a fact that just because I buy their products does not mean I agree with or condone their employment practices, especially in third world poor countries. Similarly I won't suddenly become pro anti-gay laws if an ME individual/state buys us. You think that's somehow one and the same thing and thus morally wrong.

As for the bolded part, you are right that I would not prefer them if they were not rich enough to own us, similar to why I want the Glazers out as they are bloody parasites who are leeching off of us. My opinion in this is pretty constant - I want what's best for the club and that means rich owners who can help us in all the ways I have already mentioned. That's not me doing mental gymnastics but an opinion I have held throughout.

If you can find me the bid by an even richer person who is also a saint, I will take them over everyone else. However what I won't want is a saint who is also a pauper.

 

[sglowrider]

I don't think money is a concern. We don't need to recklessly spend like Chelsea, or state bankrolled clubs. We can spend self money generated if owner doesn't take dividend out while we need those extra tens millions for football operations.

The question is whether the owner is ambitious and understand football. Not interfering but holding the directors account for the football performance. We don't really know how good/bad Sir Jim Ratcliffe would be at the owner at this level.

State funded project is attractive because it is very ambitious despite of wasteful management. How they build up competitive teams at highest level out of previous ordinary teams in short period of time is scarily tempting tbh.

The other thing is the ESL. There will be an impending battle between UEFA, PL/Clubs and the ESL for the next decade or so. The PL is the current Super League. The Barca/RM/Juve-led consortium are hoping to take over.

Powerful friends/owners will certainly be useful then for either fighting for a seat on the table or influencing future events. A mid-table, weaken United will just make us less relevant.

 

[NK86]

Based on what exactly? More baseless conjecture.

He is either disillusioned or is on a WUM. Either way, no point engaging his ridiculous theories.

 

[Alonzo]

The state of some of the posts here. Referring to ‘xenophobia’ to brush away legitimate, and FACTUAL, issues. Jesus wept.

 

[Bestie07]

I find the opposition fans getting worked up over the possibility of United being owned by Qatar amusing. Where was this opposition when this biggest footballing institution in the country was allowed to be taken over through an LBO, and then being bled dry for two decades?

New owners, whoever they are, won't really need to spend like maniacs. They would be investing in a self sustaining behemoth (hence the high price) so all I hope for is no debt, no dividends till we have a team fighting for all honors and a better structure at the club. Not a lot of people can invest that money and not expect dividends, so let's see.

 

[Tyrion]

If he's a prick businessman as you have suggested, as are the Glazers, they will want a ROI on their 5-6billion quid investment. He will need to borrow that money (thus the involvement of the ESL financier, JP Morgan) and that borrowed money has to be paid back monthly/quarterly or annually. Worst case scenario, he borrows all 6 million quid, how much do you think that will cost annually? Then try 3 billion quid?
Will Mister Businessman come out with those interest fees out of the kindest of his heart? If he did, it wouldn't make him a businessman at all, unless he is greenwashing. It will also make him some super-sugar Daddy.

Consider the two scenarios -- or just consider what the interest costs annually are for a 3 billion loan? Say at 5% interest rate -- which is being very generous (more likely to be closer to the double digits.) Thats 150 million quid annually has to be paid.

Will Ratcliffe the businessman be paying that annually from his own pocket? He sure as hell can't do the Glazer's approach and use our revenues to pay for the comparatively smallish loans back then. But I suspect he will use some of United's money to pay off that hypothetical £150million annually.

What is he croaks? Will his kids be as enthusiastic about United then? Maybe they will just do a firesale on the club?

United isn't untouchable in terms of its iconic status. It can be part of the future or remain a historical club.

Look at how many former PL clubs are in the Championship or even League One. I used to live in Nottingham during Forrest's EC hay days. (Crap for me for the fear of getting beaten up by the Forrest-supporting thugs.) Look at them now... an after-thought of most footballing conversations.

Notts County, the oldest football club in the world -- is not playing in the National League, competing against the likes of Wrexham for promotion.

Even Bill Gates -- who was seen as an evil cnut trying to take over the world until he founded the Gates Foundation and a couple of decades later, and seen as some saviour of 3/4th world countries or Steve Ballmer, a Paul Allen/sugar daddy type -- everyone who spends billions will always have some sort of self-interest agenda.

They all have their own agendas but some are much worse than others. A club in the championship is still a football club. A club owned by a state is just a political tool used to distract people from abuses and corruption.

 

[Tyrion]

The state of some of the posts here. Referring to ‘xenophobia’ to brush away legitimate, and FACTUAL, issues. Jesus wept.

City did the same thing with Klopp when he criticised them. Its pretty stupid.

 

[kaku06]

You know if the Qataris had to write a paragraph to Daniel Levy if they wanted to buy Spurs it would be:

Spoiler

Lads, it's Tottenham...

 

[kaku06]

Amazing. I never knew everyone in this country were our well wishers and considered us as idiols, role models, upholders of everything that is good and pure.

For 2 decades, this great club has been ruined to bits by our owners. A well respected institution around the world turned into a laughing stock on and off the field but no one cared. All we got is laugh, shame and ridicule. Thousands of rival fans wearing masks of glazers in the away end at old Trafford mocking us and chanting glazers name.

Now when we are about to get rid of them and taken over by ME who is interested only in winning and not in making profits. All of a sudden, Bayern fans, journalists, rival fans from PL have already started telling us “You can’t do that, it’s so shameful. We care about you so much that we are concerned about you. It will all be tainted, Don’t do it”

No, you didn’t care about us one bit all these years. You were too busy laughing at us to even see our plight and why would you? After all, all you care is about your club and fine, rightly so. Now just maintain the same energy as you had for the last 10 years and don’t interrupt in our affairs and don’t think about our well-being all of a sudden as you never did for the past decade.

Thank you.

 

[Markus3]

I rarely ever post on this forum, I tend to just read .

However after reading some of the comments on this issue, I felt that I had to contribute this time.

The hypocrisy of some of the posters who constantly talk about the human rights of the ME states astounds me, it really does.

The countries that have benefited most from human rights abuse are the USA and the UK, the reason that they are the the powerful behemoths that they are is not because they are cleverer, more intelligent, more moralistic or more resourceful.

It is simply because in building the powerful economies that they are, they took advantage of not having to pay people wages whilst they built up said economies.

Like really, do you posters have the same energy when it comes to the 300 years of the slave trade in the USA that helped create the America that we know today, and then decided that in 1964 that black people would be allowed to be viewed as equals.
Do yo have the same energy when it comes to the British empire who decided to take over countries using the divide and rule technique until it decided that it would give these countries their independence back once they had served their purpose.
In fact it was only 40 years ago that the UK, decided to go to war with Argentina, to protect its interest in the Falklands

Do you have the same energy when it comes to the USA and the U.K. giving reparations to the people it so obviously benefited from.
Do you have the same energy or use of words such as murderous regime in regards to Rodney King, or the countless or people that have been killed by the police with no justification.
Do you have the same energy that 34% of people on remand in U.K. prisons are non white, whilst the percentage of population that is non white is 13%.

And some people may say, that was ages ago, it’s different now and I hear you things have changed to a degree, but how do you know things won’t change in the ME in the next 40 years due to western influence, just like in Dubai.

Sorry for the rant but it gets to me, that people keep on referring to the ME as evil and the West as ok.

I remember going to watch my own club in 1985 and being called a black bas***d and a ni***r , which was wrong and it probably still happens now

My point is all countries have issue with human rights not being adhered to, not just the ME

All I want is for my club to be debt free, which we always were until the evil overlords took over, and then be able to have the facilities that one of the biggest clubs in the world, with the best fans should have.

If that investment comes from the ME, SJR or Mars, seriously why do you care as long as they have the clubs best interest at heart and want to make us the club that we deserve to be.

Because if not then in 10 years time, we will not be the club that we are now,

I have an 11 year old son, who asked me only last year, ”Dad, have Man Utd ever won the Premier League?”

Just saying

 

[FrankFoot]

I rarely ever post on this forum, I tend to just read .

However after reading some of the comments on this issue, I felt that I had to contribute this time.

The hypocrisy of some of the posters who constantly talk about the human rights of the ME states astounds me, it really does.

The countries that have benefited most from human rights abuse are the USA and the UK, the reason that they are the the powerful behemoths that they are is not because they are cleverer, more intelligent, more moralistic or more resourceful.

It is simply because in building the powerful economies that they are, they took advantage of not having to pay people wages whilst they built up said economies.

Like really, do you posters have the same energy when it comes to the 300 years of the slave trade in the USA that helped create the America that we know today, and then decided that in 1964 that black people would be allowed to be viewed as equals.
Do yo have the same energy when it comes to the British empire who decided to take over countries using the divide and rule technique until it decided that it would give these countries their independence back once they had served their purpose.
In fact it was only 40 years ago that the UK, decided to go to war with Argentina, to protect its interest in the Falklands

Do you have the same energy when it comes to the USA and the U.K. giving reparations to the people it so obviously benefited from.
Do you have the same energy or use of words such as murderous regime in regards to Rodney King, or the countless or people that have been killed by the police with no justification.
Do you have the same energy that 34% of people on remand in U.K. prisons are non white, whilst the percentage of population that is non white is 13%.

And some people may say, that was ages ago, it’s different now and I hear you things have changed to a degree, but how do you know things won’t change in the ME in the next 40 years due to western influence, just like in Dubai.

Sorry for the rant but it gets to me, that people keep on referring to the ME as evil and the West as ok.

I remember going to watch my own club in 1985 and being called a black bas***d and a ni***r , which was wrong and it probably still happens now

My point is all countries have issue with human rights not being adhered to, not just the ME

All I want is for my club to be debt free, which we always were until the evil overlords took over, and then be able to have the facilities that one of the biggest clubs in the world, with the best fans should have.

If that investment comes from the ME, SJR or Mars, seriously why do you care as long as they have the clubs best interest at heart and want to make us the club that we deserve to be.

Because if not then in 10 years time, we will not be the club that we are now,

I have an 11 year old son, who asked me only last year, ”Dad, have Man Utd ever won the Premier League?”

Just saying

The states of USA and UK aren't buying United, or any football club for that matter.

That alone counters you whole rant of whataboutism, cause that's what many here will say.

 

[Maureen-yo]

The states USA and UK aren't buying United, or any football club for that matter.

That alone counters you whole rant of whataboutism, cause that's what many will say.

The club is owned by Americans now and there was no concerns regarding the above when they bought the club though was there?

 

[FrankFoot]

The club is owned by Americans now and there was no concerns regarding the above when they bought the club though was there?

Glazers aren't the american government.

Unless you show me when were Obama and Bush, or some republican/democrat politicians on United's board.

 

[clarkydaz]

Amazing. I never knew everyone in this country were our well wishers and considered us as idiols, role models, upholders of everything that is good and pure.

For 2 decades, this great club has been ruined to bits by our owners. A well respected institution around the world turned into a laughing stock on and off the field but no one cared. All we got is laugh, shame and ridicule. Thousands of rival fans wearing masks of glazers in the away end at old Trafford mocking us and chanting glazers name.

Now when we are about to get rid of them and taken over by ME who is interested only in winning and not in making profits. All of a sudden, Bayern fans, journalists, rival fans from PL have already started telling us “You can’t do that, it’s so shameful. We care about you so much that we are concerned about you. It will all be tainted, Don’t do it”

No, you didn’t care about us one bit all these years. You were too busy laughing at us to even see our plight and why would you? After all, all you care is about your club and fine, rightly so. Now just maintain the same energy as you had for the last 10 years and don’t interrupt in our affairs and don’t think about our well-being all of a sudden as you never did for the past decade.

Thank you.

Yep, and they know full well it's different to city/newcastle

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I rarely ever post on this forum, I tend to just read .

However after reading some of the comments on this issue, I felt that I had to contribute this time.

The hypocrisy of some of the posters who constantly talk about the human rights of the ME states astounds me, it really does.

The countries that have benefited most from human rights abuse are the USA and the UK, the reason that they are the the powerful behemoths that they are is not because they are cleverer, more intelligent, more moralistic or more resourceful.

It is simply because in building the powerful economies that they are, they took advantage of not having to pay people wages whilst they built up said economies.

Like really, do you posters have the same energy when it comes to the 300 years of the slave trade in the USA that helped create the America that we know today, and then decided that in 1964 that black people would be allowed to be viewed as equals.
Do yo have the same energy when it comes to the British empire who decided to take over countries using the divide and rule technique until it decided that it would give these countries their independence back once they had served their purpose.
In fact it was only 40 years ago that the UK, decided to go to war with Argentina, to protect its interest in the Falklands

Do you have the same energy when it comes to the USA and the U.K. giving reparations to the people it so obviously benefited from.
Do you have the same energy or use of words such as murderous regime in regards to Rodney King, or the countless or people that have been killed by the police with no justification.
Do you have the same energy that 34% of people on remand in U.K. prisons are non white, whilst the percentage of population that is non white is 13%.

And some people may say, that was ages ago, it’s different now and I hear you things have changed to a degree, but how do you know things won’t change in the ME in the next 40 years due to western influence, just like in Dubai.

Sorry for the rant but it gets to me, that people keep on referring to the ME as evil and the West as ok.

I remember going to watch my own club in 1985 and being called a black bas***d and a ni***r , which was wrong and it probably still happens now

My point is all countries have issue with human rights not being adhered to, not just the ME

All I want is for my club to be debt free, which we always were until the evil overlords took over, and then be able to have the facilities that one of the biggest clubs in the world, with the best fans should have.

If that investment comes from the ME, SJR or Mars, seriously why do you care as long as they have the clubs best interest at heart and want to make us the club that we deserve to be.

Because if not then in 10 years time, we will not be the club that we are now,

I have an 11 year old son, who asked me only last year, ”Dad, have Man Utd ever won the Premier League?”

Just saying

What a stupid post. One of the dumbest I’ve seen.

If the American government stuck a bid in for United, I can promise you fans would be up in arms about that also.

 

[Marcus]

Why would anybody want to buy United? It is either a) they are massive fans and want to see the club do well; b) to make money by spending just enough on players for top 4; c) to make money by investing money into infrastructure and players to win titles d) individual prestige and bragging rights; and/or e) state prestige and bragging rights.

I am hoping we get owners who are a) and c), but I will settle for c). I hope we get those kinds of owners. The Wrexham type of do-gooders but with deeper pockets. Is it Ratcliffe? I don't know.

 

[Bert_]

It's ridiculous how many people are willing to bend over and lube up in the hope that some sheik will become a benevolent owner.

I long for a supporter/community/self ownership model (e.g. Bayern Munich) but I'm grounded enough to know that ain't gonna happen. So I'd be happy with an ownership that sees as a long term investment and stepped back to allow the club to run itself.

I'm not happy about it but I think out of all the realistic options, I'd prefer an INEOS buyout. Providing they appoint a competent CEO/Board on the footballing side of things and allow them the freedom to run the club as they see fit. They wouldn't be buying us a pure vanity project so I'd trust them more to do that. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work out and they sell the club on and we do all this again.

Some ME state backed bid would no doubt mean instant access to more money for capital investment but that comes at the cost of us being completely subjugated to the the whims and wishes of those new owners. It would be their vanity project, so they would take an active interest in the success of the club and will interfere with its running for better or worse. History suggests that interfering owners tend to have a negative affect on the long term success of teams. If it doesn't work out, then it's tough luck. We're stuck with them for better or worse because they will have no incentive to sell.

 

[DevilRed]

Ineos sounds like just another glazer situation. Clearly Jim needs to borrow money in order to fund the purchase of our club. That’s If he can even meet the asking price, let alone inject the required capital into improving us. He will need to fellate JP and Goldman quite a bit to get a full loan. I’d imagine they won’t loan him the entire sum and he would need to come up with a B or two to make up the difference.

At the prices that the Glazers are asking (at least publicly), there really are only nation states or private equity who would be realistic options.

 

[Alonzo]

The club is owned by Americans now and there was no concerns regarding the above when they bought the club though was there?

The club is owned by Americans now and there was no concerns regarding the above when they bought the club though was there?

A) The Glazers are not the US state and are not directly linked to the US state.

B) there were massive concerns at the time of sale, that proved to be well founded as time went in, and protests before they bought United, and literally ever since.

 

[croadyman]

I see Howson said on his weekly podcast called The Brew he doesn't want to be owned by state (Qatar) nor saddled with debt (Ratcliffe). Happy if there is a middle option but good luck with finding someone who fits that criteria. Personally I can't think of anyone whatsoever.

 

[Bert_]

Ineos sounds like just another glazer situation. Clearly Jim needs to borrow money in order to fund the purchase of our club. If he can even meet the asking price, let alone inject the required capital into improving us.

At the prices that the Glazers are asking (at least publicly), there really are only nation states or private equity who would be realistic options.

Large organisations generally take on debt to facilitate acquisitions. Virtually no companies have the cash on hand to buy another company.

Ineos might increase their debt to purchase United but unlike the Glazers, they won't get a bank to "buy" the club for them and then have that bank hand the club over to them in return for the club owing the bank the amount they shelled out for the club plus interest. The Glazer's basically took out a mortgage on United but managed to make sure the mortgage was in the United's name rather than theirs.

 

[Markus3]

What a stupid post. One of the dumbest I’ve seen.

If the American government stuck a bid in for United, I can promise you fans would be up in arms about that also.

So let me ask you a question, because you are obviously so much cleverer than me

Why is it you would protest being taken over by a bid backed by a ME state, because it seems to me that most peoples aversion to it just have so much racial overtones

 

[red thru&thru]

Arsenal have won the league 13 times, which is the 3rd most of any club in England!

And how many times have they won it post Roman Abramovic and Abu Dhabi at City?

 

[red thru&thru]

So it's all about the money then for you? You don't care where it comes from and what it's associated with?

We could have been in a title race every single season even unde the Glazers if only they had hired proper football men. Transfer funds have never been the problem for us. Having the right people in charge of it all has been.

It's all about being restored to where we should be.

You have an issue with Qatar, that's fine. I get it. But when the options of who we buy are in front of us, I'd rather have Qatar. SJR has plenty of his own iasues with his doing on the planet.

Glazers have allowed the money to be spent. However, employed the wrong people in positions for far too long. They have not improved OT and Carrington anywhere significant enough for where they should be. The business is losing around £2m a week. How long do we leave them in place nefore they take us into administration?

 

[devilish]

I remember the times when Martin Edwards owned Manchester United. He did some good things (ex expansion of the stadium) but he was mostly a skint Ahole who nearly costed us SAF he was constantly on the look out to sell the club and had a 'way around ladies toilets'. None of us gave a crap about that because we knew that millionaires/billionaires are mostly despicable, that we have no say on who owns the club and that their morals do not define ours.

 

[Toblerone92]

This gives a little insight into the wider ambitions of Qatar and it’s government, and the influence it already has. Handing over yet another one of our cultural institutions to a regime like this is something that we need to think carefully about.

 

[JohnnyKills]

I remember the times when Martin Edwards owned Manchester United. He did some good things (ex expansion of the stadium) but he was mostly a skint Ahole who nearly costed us SAF he was constantly on the look out to sell the club and had a 'way around ladies toilets'. None of us gave a crap about that because we knew that millionaires/billionaires are mostly despicable, that we have no say on who owns the club and that their morals do not define ours.

Yeah.

I'd go as far as to say United have had one tied behind their back for the last 30 years. Even in the glory period the PLC were scrimping on transfer fees and wages. We just had a brilliant manager to mask the problem.

 

[devilish]

This gives a little insight into the wider ambitions of Qatar and it’s government, and the influence it already has. Handing over yet another one of our cultural institutions to a regime like this is something that we need to think carefully about.

United is going for sports washing either way. It's either Ineos with its environmental track record or the ME. If you don't want sport washing then you should hope that we end up owned by US owners in the mold of the Glazers.

 

[Zippycup]

'Hate' is even too strong, I get really passionate about the club and its results, but I have some perspective. It's not life and death and human decency.

But to answer the question, yes it is different. I can only dislike the Glazers for being so inept at managing the club. Qatar I dislike for the abuses they systematically perpetrate against foreign workers in their country, as well as the suppression of womens' rights. Meanwhile they attempt to buy some form of clout or prestige or admiration, with these acts of buying football clubs, "buying" the World Cup through corruption. My feelings from that are the opposite of admiration. So again, yes it is different.

Do what are you going to do about it?
Stop supporting the club? Sorry to tell you but nobody will give a feck.

Personal I'd prefer SJR to but the club but I know there's nothing I can do about it.