An Old Trafford steward sacked from his job after trying to return an anti-Glazer flag has claimed colleagues at United are bitterly divided over the protest.

Granville Boden, 53, was given his marching orders after he attempted to hand back a banner to fans who are campaigning against the club's US owners.

The flag was confiscated at the Burnley match last month and Mr Boden later tried to return it to its owners.

He was dismissed by security firm CES, who provide 500 staff at the Theatre of Dreams on match days.

Mr Boden, a steward of 19 years, said he was upset with the way the banner waving supporters had been treated and added that he was '100 per cent' behind their cause.

He also revealed that there was a standoff between stewards sympathetic to the Anti Glazer movement and those enforcing club policy after the incident.

Mr Boden, from Astley, said he understood the decision to sack him but added: “I stand by what I did. I did it because I love the club and it was the right thing to do.”

Tensions

He says that tensions among staff at the club are running high and explained: “The atmosphere in there is on a knife edge. You've got stewards who love United and stewards who just do a job and they are at each other's throats.”

Ian Stirling, 44, was the fan who had the banner, which read 'Love United, Hate Glazer', confiscated.

Mr Stirling claimed club officials are refusing to hand it back to him and has hit out at their 'ridiculous' actions.

He said: “We know what it's about. They won't let me have it back because they say I have to prove ownership. They took it off me and I gave them my details. They just don't want to give it back.”

A number of United fans have been ejected from Old Trafford since protestors launched their green and gold campaign.

Fans groups IMUSA and MUST have encouraged supporters to sport the colours of Newton Heath, the team which eventually went on to become United, under the slogan 'Green and Gold until the club is sold'.

Graham Jones, 50, said he and Martin, 27, were ejected during the Burnley game and also forced to miss a match after Old Trafford officials originally refused to return the season tickets they had confiscated.

Graham, a fan of 40 years, said security officers told them it was because they had been spotted chanting songs against the Glazers.

The pair were given their tickets back, but not before missing the victory over Hull City.

Apology

He is demanding an apology and a refund for the game they did not see.

Father-of-three Michael Wilcock , 37, said he and his 11-year-old son Jack were thrown out at the Portsmouth game last weekend.

He claimed he was politely asked to go under the stand to the concourse by stewards who then turned on him.

“We were surrounded by four or five stewards,” he said.

“They were just shouting at me. Jack was really shaken and upset. They confiscated one of the tickets and told us we would have to take it up with the ticket office.

“I'm 37 now and have been coming to United since I was a kid. I've been all over Europe and I've never had anything like this happen.”

“I was singing the same songs as 90 per cent of the rest of the ground I juts think I was an was an easy target. I was shocked to the core.”

A spokesman for United said both fans were ejected for not complying with ground safety rules.