I honestly don't know where I stand right now. I am delighted to see the back of the Glazers but it was definitely a better high the day they announced their intention to sell than the day it became apparent it was oil money coming in. I'm still coming to terms with it. Part of me feels it was inevitable some day. Part of me is really uncomfortable with some of the over-the-top positive reactions on here, but I do suspect that is from a younger fan base who value glitzy signings and that part of the game above all else. I've no doubt the new ownership will bring footballing success, and I do wonder how that will feel for me when it does happen. Will these titles feel as good as previous ones? I'm not so sure.
Club Sale | It’s done!
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Oil? You mean gas?
I didn't mean to suggest that all match goers are opposed to Qatar or that everyone in favour is one of the sad twitter transfer junkies. There will of course be plenty of regulars who are OK with Qatar, but I suspect that the real giddiness that we've been seeing for the ME money generally skews young and disproportionaly towards online only fans, who are seeing the pound signs and dreaming up imaginary lineups of fantasy transfers as we speak.
A bit of advice please guys, if I own shares in united and the club is sold in a full sale, do I have to manually sell my shares or will the app I own them on sell them for me automatically?
I think a lot of the excitement in here is being misread as excitement about oil money. Yes, some people are excited about potential transfers but muppets are always going to find an excuse to muppet. Most of us didn't want this, and would chose differently if we could, but we can't, there's nothing we can do outside of finding £5.5b in cash to affect who the next buyer of Manchester United is.
With that said, I've come to terms with what will happen next and I'm just looking forward to the Glazers fecking off and us being able to spend what money we generate as well as get further development within our infrastructure.
We're looking at a new era of Manchester United, and it just so happens to be state ownership. I think there would be the same level of 'excitement' regardless of who the new owners were because we're desperate to get rid of the cnuts currently in charge, we've been dreaming of this for over 10 years.
I dont even think glitzy signings are a thing? I know we have Mbappe but I’m genuinely struggling to think of anybody else. We were already linked with Kane / Osheim and FDJ this summer.
Genuinely who else is there that needs oil money? Maybe 15 years ago galaticos would be exciting but it looks as if the top players in world football already play in England who we can’t get anyway.
for me the glitzy signings are the new stadium and training ground
That's for God to decide on judgement day
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You will have to sell your shares, they won't be sold for you unless the club goes private and taken off the stock market.
I am not a subscriber to the Athletic, so didn't vote, but would probably have voted Jim anyway.
My ideal would be for a consortium of rich United fans to buy the club, with no individual (family/connected group/etc.) allowed to hold more than 10%. One 10% stake could remain on the stock market for public ownership by regular fans. That way we could be run as a proper football club, with profits being reinvested into the business, etc., but we wouldn't be the plaything of some wealthy playboy, and if one of the owners was to be considered unworthy (Russian oligarch type situation), they could just sell that stake to the best bid, with the other owners collectively deciding who to bring on board. This way, the other owners would also be incentivised to listen to the fans, as they are the ultimate "client" of the business. I can't see it happening, as wealthy individuals generally like to be in sole control, and wouldn't want to share power with others, buy this would be the brilliant for everyone. We could have Jim, Lewis Hamilton, Elon Musk, maybe even the Qatari emir, etc. Maybe the Glazers would like to hold on to 10%.
Nobody, from what I can tell. The poster is clearly insecure about this point and is reading it into situations where it's just not there.
So if Qatar buys the club out completely, would that mean the stocks are sold for me? if not when is the best time to sell them?
Literally no one is claiming that fans not from Manchester are glory supporters or fake fans. Relax.
I’m not from Manchester, only get to around 4/5 games a season now. I wouldn’t think of myself as big of a fan as someone who goes home and away every week. I don’t see the issue with that.
I'm not taking about the money. I'm taking about the power they have mbappe in his latest contract. He is bigger than the club. It is the sign of a badly run club.
And that's before you even take into account they would be using the good name of our club to sportswash their countries dodgy affairs. And where the money came from.
There are very complex rules about this - it depends on the nature of the deal and how much of a % is bought up by the new owners and if they exercise their rights / options to buy up the remaining shares. There will be a Financial Times piece on the exact rules probably released about 30 seconds after the winning bid is announced - "what next for United shareholders?" It will be full of wild speculation but will detail the % ownership involved and the options that can be taken up.
I hate this so much. I know it is legal but surely shouldn't be.
We as United fans cant say nothing, the way we have wasted money on players in terms of wages.
Player power was a big problem at United, only now that has changed.
With PSG, they had no alternative if they wanted to keep Mbappe.
At least now, if we are challenging, players will want to come for the challenge.
There is literally a direct vote in his replies with 2k plus votes showing Qatar 85%
. British media are shitting themselves.As long as the stock remains a publicly traded company after the sale, then you will keep your shares. If the new buyers take the club private as part of the deal then you will have your shares sold for you at the market price when it is confirmed.
Personally, I would sell before the sale is confirmed. People always buy the rumour and sell the news so I would expect the stock to fall once a sale is confirmed.
I do see your point. But I think we just have to accept times are changing. Now the World Cups are in the ME, Messi is signing deals to sponsor them, Ronaldo is playing there, they're sponsoring Arsenal and many other clubs, their influence is only going to grow and be a normal part of football for the next generation.
Might be wrong but I definitely don't feel like they're going to come to United and throw the money around signing Mbappe etc like others seem to be thinking. Nor run the club like Newcastle and City are being run, because United doesn't need to be run that way whereas the others do because they're shit and unpopular. I believe any success United have will still be from their own money, popularity and the reason the Qatari's would (reportedly) be willing to spend more to buy United is because they know they won't have to completely fund it becoming a top club.
For me, whoever is the best owner and takes care of the club is the right person IMO.
After 20 years of neglect from the Glazers, it's about time we got somebody who put the club first.
It seems that all of them are willing to clear the debt, but I want to hear about how they will continue investing in the stadium/training ground beyond the take over.
Allowing us full use of transfer fees isn't enough. I don't want to build a new stadium and then load the club with another 1b loan with high interest.
After 20 years of neglect from the Glazers, it's about time we got somebody who put the club first.
It seems that all of them are willing to clear the debt, but I want to hear about how they will continue investing in the stadium/training ground beyond the take over.
Allowing us full use of transfer fees isn't enough. I don't want to build a new stadium and then load the club with another 1b loan with high interest.
There is literally a direct vote in his replies with 2k plus votes showing Qatar 85%
They'll eventually have to bow to their beIN overlords
There is literally a direct vote in his replies with 2k plus votes showing Qatar 85%
Are you seriously suggesting the Athletic made the results up?
I find that comment very disrespectful.
I would rather Qatar than Jim or American investment, I would be more optimistic that they would develop the club, but either why it's a guess.
I respect anyone who decides to stop following the club if we are bought by a country from the ME because of human rights abuses / sports washing and wish them well. Personally though, I didn't stop watching Premier League football once Man City were purchased and competing in the same league as Man Utd. I didn't stop watching UEFA competition's once PSG were purchased and I watched the world cup qualifiers and tournament knowing it was to be staged in Qatar. I have attended games against Man City, I have watched games against PSG and at no point did I consider boycotting or protesting the fixtures because of human rights abuses of our competitors ownership models and neither has anyone around me, either in person at the pub, in the stands or while I have ghosted these forums. If it was that important to me then I would boycott the competitions these clubs are a part of and would have spent the last 15 years making that stand. Did I? No and it would be a bit late to start that protest just because Man Utd might be bought by a country from the ME when I have been absolutely fine that Man Utd/England have been part of competitions that already allow ME countries to own football clubs or participate on those nations soil for over a decade. If human rights issues and sports washing was that important to me (or any of us) then where was the boycotting and protests about being part of these competitions?
I will watch the League Cup final against Newcastle and not boycott watching the game because of their Saudi ownership. If these issues were that important to me, then personally I wouldn't become outraged just because a ME country is buying Man Utd. I would already have been outraged and protesting every time Man Utd or England took part in a competition that allowed these regimes to own a football club, or every time we played against one of these clubs or participated on that nations soil.
I never did, instead I cared far more about whether McFred should start against City or Southgates team selections in Qatar. Sad but true. If you decide to quit supporting Man Utd now, then fair play, but where has the moral outrage been the last 15 years whilst we have been actively supporting the club in competitions that allow these ownership models to exist?
I respect anyone who decides to stop following the club if we are bought by a country from the ME because of human rights abuses / sports washing and wish them well. Personally though, I didn't stop watching Premier League football once Man City were purchased and competing in the same league as Man Utd. I didn't stop watching UEFA competition's once PSG were purchased and I watched the world cup qualifiers and tournament knowing it was to be staged in Qatar. I have attended games against Man City, I have watched games against PSG and at no point did I consider boycotting or protesting the fixtures because of human rights abuses of our competitors ownership models and neither has anyone around me, either in person at the pub, in the stands or while I have ghosted these forums. If it was that important to me then I would boycott the competitions these clubs are a part of and would have spent the last 15 years making that stand. Did I? No and it would be a bit late to start that protest just because Man Utd might be bought by a country from the ME when I have been absolutely fine that Man Utd/England have been part of competitions that already allow ME countries to own football clubs or participate on those nations soil for over a decade. If human rights issues and sports washing was that important to me (or any of us) then where was the boycotting and protests about being part of these competitions?
I will watch the League Cup final against Newcastle and not boycott watching the game because of their Saudi ownership. If these issues were that important to me, then personally I wouldn't become outraged just because a ME country is buying Man Utd. I would already have been outraged and protesting every time Man Utd or England took part in a competition that allowed these regimes to own a football club, or every time we played against one of these clubs or participated on that nations soil.
I never did, instead I cared far more about whether McFred should start against City or Southgates team selections in Qatar. Sad but true. If you decide to quit supporting Man Utd now, then fair play, but where has the moral outrage been the last 15 years whilst we have been actively supporting the club in competitions that allow these ownership models to exist?
There is literally a direct vote in his replies with 2k plus votes showing Qatar 85%
It's mentioned in the comments that the Athletic article itself noted that Qatar would be favoured on twitter, so that poll doesn't show anything they haven't already stated.
It's just one echo-chamber versus another, with naturally different results. If we had the same poll here it would be different again.
Just my 2cents. Not investment advice etc..
Typically these sort of takeovers are buy the rumours/sell the news events. Meaning, the price builds leading to the takeover, then dumps when it happens because speculators get out. This is not always the case though.
It might be worth calling your broker to check the clauses in the stock (drag along clauses etc..) and the terms, so you're better informed. But needless to say, all this stuff is more or less priced in by the market.
If it was me I would be looking to sell soon or when the Qatar/Saudi bids are basically ratified or it's rumoured to be close. I would also look to scale out. So 25% here, 25% in a weeks time, etc etc.. so you don't get dumped on and sell too late.
My point was at least some people have a sense of what's right for the club. I know it's just a fan poll for gods sake.
Sigh, yes i will still support the club. I support the club, not the owners. I just have a moral compass, unlike a lot of fan boys around here who only care how much $$$ our new owners will have. It's pathetic.
You're right. Maybe it is something I need to accept. Time will tell on everything else I suppose.
My point is the country itself does not stop it and are happy for them to invest and buy oil from them.
There should be protests when they are buying a hotel or a plaza or invest in any entity, but there is not right? Will the people living in their plaza not rent the place because the owners are corrupt or People stop buying from Harrods or employees of the company in which they have invested heavily protest about their owners, I think not. So why is it different?
But what changes exactly when they are buying a football club?
From what I've gathered 80 odd% are on favour on this site. I'm not sure you could trust non United fans not voting in online polls.
Excellent post.
I don’t support Harrods.
Always worth remembering that public football polls are skewed by votes from people who don't support the club in question
I would imagine most have no idea that it's happening. Doesn't make this right though. Just continuing to allow them to do whatever they want aren't we.
It’s an interesting analysis about the readership of The Athletic, but not a lot else.
Yeah, so the Twitter polls will have random opposition fans voting in them I imagine.
A survey hidden behind a paywall. Worthy of a Noble prize in statistics, if there was such a category. I'd put up a poll here as well, just to fan the flames some more.
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