POLICE have launched an investigation into threats issued by extremist Manchester United fans against the club and its directors following the takeover by US tycoon Malcolm Glazer.

The Greater Manchester force has revealed it has drawn up contingency plans to deal with "all manner of demonstrations and disturbances" relating to the '790m buyout.

A group calling itself Manchester Education Committee has released a statement which accuses board members at the club of deceiving fans and threatened to make the club "ungovernable".

Board members, including club chairman David Gill, were also named as potential targets in the lengthy message, posted on a supporters' website yesterday.

The statement warns: "Certain elements of United's support are currently being kept in check, but the Committee can give no guarantee of this in the long term. All senior figures within the club are considered `fair game'."

Police confirmed they are investigating the comments. Chief Superintendent Andy Hold, Trafford's divisional commander, said: "We take all reports of threats against members of the public very seriously and anyone thinking about making such threats should be aware of this.

"All reports will be investigated fully and GMP will do everything possible to ensure that the people making these threats are brought to justice."

He added that GMP has drawn up contingency plans to deal with any trouble that may arise from the Glazer takeover.

Other supporters' groups which are opposing the takeover, such as Shareholders United, have distanced themselves from MEC which has previously threatened members of Glazer's family.

'Threat'

A spokesman for the club said they were aware of the message but refused to comment on the statement or the apparent threat aimed at Mr Gill.

Despite calls from several supporter groups opposed to the Glazer takeover for Mr Gill to step down, he has so far refused to relinquish his post as chairman, which last year saw him earn '900,000.

Many analysts believe he will stay on if the Glazer family can convince him they can make United an even more prosperous commercial venture. It is no secret that former accountant Mr Gill previously objected to what he called "the aggressive" Glazer business plan, which has landed the club with more than '500m of debt.

But in what was seen as a olive branch from the Glazer family to members of the United board, former commercial director Andy Anson was recently re-appointed to his position.

Mr Anson originally lost his job after being voted off the board by Glazer at last year's annual general meeting.

Mr Gill joined the United board in late 1997 as finance director and along with former chief executive Peter Kenyon is seen as one of the architects of the club's massive commercial success.

Little is known about the shadowy Manchester Education Committee but the group hit the headlines in February last year when they disrupted a race meeting in Hereford with protests against shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus who were involved in a dispute with manager Sir Alex Ferguson over the racehorse Rock of Gibraltar.

And around 30 protestors from the militant fans' organisation invaded the pitch at Moss Lane, Altrincham, during United's second string match against Birmingham last October.

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