Vandals have daubed red paint over the Jaguar of Manchester United director Maurice Watkins.
The attack took place at Watkins' ex-wife's house in Heaton Moor, south Manchester, and appears to be the latest twist in the on-going row about ownership of the Old Trafford club.
The 61-year-old is thought to have been in the house when the attack occurred, with paint also being sprayed on an Audi and over parts of the house.
Watkins was unavailable for comment this morning but it is thought the attack is part of a concerted campaign to prevent American business tycoon Malcolm Glazer taking control of the Red Devils.
Watkins is the largest individual shareholder on the United board, owning a 1.9% stake, valued at approximately '13million.
Respected
He is a long-standing member of the Old Trafford board, is also the club's legal adviser and is widely respected in the football world having worked extensively with UEFA and FIFA drafting the new transfer regulations. He was also the man who publicly announced United's intention to fight Rio Ferdinand's eight month ban for a missed drugs test.
However, he attracted the ire of United fans in April when a million shares he put up for sale ended up in Glazer's hands.
Even though Watkins had no prior knowledge of who the shares would be sold to, fans have accused the solicitor of selling United's heritage and aiding Glazer's attempts to purchase the club.
Glazer, who is also owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL franchise, is widely believed to be behind the `preliminary approach' to buy the club, which was confirmed to the Stock Exchange yesterday morning.
Opposed
United fans' groups are opposed to any takeover. They have vowed to fight a 'dirty war' to keep their club out of Glazer's clutches and it appears Watkins could be the first victim.
Their previous tactics included staging a racecourse protest at Hereford earlier this year in response to the intervention of major shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus, who will be pivotal to Glazer's chances of taking control.
The Irish racing duo knew nothing of yesterday's announcement but with their own stake standing at 29.3% agreement is essential for Glazer to stand any chance of succeeding in his aim.
United are currently waiting for clarification of the initial proposals, which saw the club placed into an `Offer Period' for the second time this year.
At some point, Glazer will either be forced to announce he has made a bid or inform United he has not, which would preclude him from making another attempt to seize control for a further six months.
Aren't such attacks completely unacceptable? Have your say
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Where can I make a donation to help with the cleaning costs!
I am all for protests but this is a bit too far.
Committing a criminal offence is not the right way to protest and who ever carried this mindless act out is nothing more than a moron.
I am glad they chose red paint as it is the best colour. I can understand why people have done this, to be honest. We should not sell out to this american fool, please think about the club. I love you United. Ruud Ruud Ruud
This is not the way to go about a protest. it makes the club and its supporters appear as bad as the thugs who are attempting to buy and ransack United
As I see it at present two immediate courses of action we can take
1 Ask all US United fans in the Tampa bay area to protest outside any Buccanears' matches
2 Call on all United fans to join Shareholdres United and but at least one share. After all we are supposed to number around 52,000,000 and if everyone bought just one share that would be 50.000,00 shares. While I don't know exactly how many shares there are I'm sure that 52,000,000 would be at least the 10% needed to prevent a compulsory purchase and withdrawal from the stockmarket. get joining todAY! TOMORROW MAY BE TOO LATE!
NO. IT IS NOT COMPLETLY UNECCEPTABLE. EVERYONE AT OLD TRAFFORD HAS TO BARE IT IN MIND THAT IF THE TAKEOVER GOES THROUGH, IT WILL BE THE BEGENING OF THE END FOR OUR BELOVED MANCHESTER UNITED.
WHO IS THIS MR GLAZER ANYWAY? FOR SURE HE IS NOT A BORN LIFE LONG MAN UNITED FAN. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE CALLS IT A DAY OR HE'LL PASSES AWAY? NO, NO , NO. THIS AND OTHER TAKEOVER BIDS HAS TO STOP ONCE AND FOR ALL.
Looks more like red sauce to me.
Stacey, again women have no place in football. I can assure you that it is definitely not red sauce. If this happenend in Cloughy's days he would have clouted the so called fan round the head. United should become a less money making machine a maybe sometimes donate a few million to little clubs in the area like Bury or Rochdale. This would make them more pr friendly, also if players are coming back from injury and need a few games surely league 2(in old money divison 3) is better than the reserves so they should been loaned to bury, I can see it now, for one game only Saha and Rooney up front at gigg lane. Anyway violence does not solve any situation, apart from a violent one.
Mindless, thats what this is. Neither Watkins or anyone else can stop this IF Glazer comes up with the money. From then, he can do what he wants with the club. Scary times