Glazer sons appointed to Reds board

June 07, 2005

MALCOLM Glazer's sons, Joel, Avram and Bryan, have been appointed to the board of Manchester United in a major reshuffle of the Old Trafford boardroom.

The Glazer family are already effectively in control of the Red Devils after increasing their shareholding in the club to 76% last month and are due to confirm their precise stake next Monday once all replies to their offer of '3 per share have been received.

It was only a matter of time before the Americans excercised their right to take a more hands-on role at United and today's announcement had been anticipated.

It is thought Joel will be his father's main representative at the club although he will be working without long-serving chairman Sir Roy Gardner, who confirmed his resignation this lunchtime.

Gardner's fellow non-executive directors Jim O'Neill and Ian Mutch have also quit, while commerical director Andy Anson has been reinstated after being voted off the board by Glazer at last year's annual general meeting.

United released a statement confirming the boardroom reshuffle.

It read: 'Following the unconditional mandatory cash offer for Manchester United plc made by NM Rothschild & Sons Limited on behalf of Red Football Limited on 23 May 2005, Sir Roy Gardner, the non-executive chairman of Manchester United plc, and Mr Ian Much and Mr Jim O'Neill, both non-executive directors of Manchester United plc, have each resigned from the board of directors of Manchester United plc with effect from 6 June 2005.

'Manchester United plc is pleased to announce the re-appointment to the board of directors of Andy Anson as commercial director and the appointment of Joel Glazer, Avram Glazer and Bryan Glazer as new non-executive directors. The appointments are effective from 6 June 2005.'

David Gill will be staying on as United's chief executive for the time being.

What do you think of the latest developments at United? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (26) |

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Manc Abroad, OT (07/06/2005 at 12:33)

Is this a football club or a party game of musical chairs. The sooner they tell the world what their business plan is the better. Must be some business plan for the banks to stump up thi kind of money. Could do with Gill hanging around though, otherwise their will be no body on the board who knows how to run a football club.

GARY, MANCHESTER (07/06/2005 at 12:43)

JIM ONEIL HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE BORD SINCE CHRISTMAS,A LIFELONG UNITED FAN, AND WELL RESPECTED BUSINESSMAN IN MANCHESTER, DECIDED TO RESIGN TODAY, AFTER WAITING YEARS TO BE ACCEPTED ON THE UNITED BOARD, HIS LIFE LONG AMBITION, HIS LOCAL HERITAGE, HIS DESIRE AND PASSION FOR MANCHESTER UNITED, SWEPT ASIDE BY 3 AMERICANS , WHOS ONLY CONCERN IS TO FINANCE THERE FATHERS POCKETS

Johnniejohn, tunbridge wells (07/06/2005 at 12:49)

If Gill does stay, he might as well get used to going to florida for board meetings then. If he had any sense of humour (never met an accountant who does though) Gill would arrive in a helicopter! The glazers are already putting their business plan into operation: buy ageing goalie on cheap (tick), buy asian player on cheap ahead of far east tour (tick) off load young centreback demanding a big payrise to pay first tranche of interest (tick). And it goes on.
BTW, if liverpool do get into next season's champions league, glazer will prob get less money from CL on account of way media payments are shared by country. That mountain of debt gets every more ominous by the day. Still 20 odd million for Rio will come in handy for the glazers, not forgetting the 30 odd mill in reserve earmarked for the stadium expansion.
So long suckers in the shearing shed, not my club. Forza FC United

A.R., Manchester (07/06/2005 at 12:55)

It was inevitable that after perpetrating a hostile take over, the gang of four were going to stripe the board room to cater for their needs. These men cannot possibly interested in United as a football club alone. I sincerely hope they have spotted a market opportunity know one else has. If not, their blind greed will either condemn the club to years of mediocrity or lead to bankruptcy. Another dark day.

Sydney, Australia (07/06/2005 at 13:17)

Fans? Come on. That's just pathetic. Do you think true Arsenal fans would leave the club if it was taken over by a foreign owner? What about Liverpool? Bayern Munich? Real? AC Milan? I have supported the club for 15 years because of its history, players and what it represents on the field. To be honest, as long as the team plays well and is successful I don't give a damn who owns it. And even if it's not successful, so what. Either you support a team or you don't. Obviously these 'fans' really are true supporters if they can switch teams so easily. I hope you win the PL in 2035 with your new club, provide you ever make it out of your amateur league.

George, rhyl (07/06/2005 at 13:18)

Buying Van der Sar is viewed as a good move by supporters.Park; I know nothing of, but again most seem to think buying him would be a good move.Even if Glazer was not arriving SAF would still have to work within a certain budget. It is very early days yet and if UNITED get off to a good start next season that would settle a lot of sponsors nerves.Although beaten in the cup final they were the better team and the reserve teams did very well.The future could actually look very bright even if RIO went for 30mil and Van Nis went for 20mil.

jumpers for goal posts, Didsbury (07/06/2005 at 13:45)

Gary from Manchester - what a muppet. If you buy 75% of a football club you choose who sits on the board - fact!

red junior, Manchester (07/06/2005 at 13:55)

Good bye Johnniejohn! As it is no longer your club please take your comments to the FC United page( Is there one?) I hope the rest follow you. You and others who feel like you should just go. I and many others are going to continue to support this club. I am a season ticket holder who has supported United for 50 years. I have never given one moments thought to the owner. However in this instance it is my opinion the Glazer's will do a good job. Time alone will tell who is right!

bill, london (07/06/2005 at 14:44)

welcome aboard my yankie friends, welcome to the gravy train!!
great to see people running the club that actually support and care for the club instead of creaming the profits!!

LOL arf arf !!...................

BlueBoy, Manchester (07/06/2005 at 15:20)

What do I think of the latest developments at United? Hilarious, since you ask!

A.R., Manchester (07/06/2005 at 15:27)

On what we know about Glazer, how on earth can anyone think that he will do a good job. Every move he has made is has been to the negative. He does not care about fans. He does not care about football. He only care about money. He even took his own family to court over his mother will. How low is that? Take a reality check, there is no silver lining to this guy.

Johnniejohn, tunbridge wells (07/06/2005 at 15:40)

Ha, red junior, you are a glazerite already! Anyone who disagrees should be silenced. Right now I am going through a painful divorce and in a grieving process from a relationship that begin the early 1960s when my granddad took me to the Cliff. I may be in the process of divorce, but there is a lot of untangling to do and there are certain things I need to get off my chest. An ugly old american dwarf may have run off with the erstwhile centre of my affection, all flashy front with promises of untold riches, but it is all based on a giant pyramid of debt that will come crashing down sooner or later. As is often said at shotgun weddings, it will end in tears. And it will.

Sammy, Middleton (07/06/2005 at 16:01)

"I have never given one moments thought to the owner"

Precisely the reason Manchester United is in this sorry situation red junior. Maybe you will give a thought if the club is struggling to pay its debts. You'll be the first on here whinging that something must be done.

Alias Smith, over the moon (07/06/2005 at 16:02)

red john, you are quite right. Some of the comments here are nothing short of xenophobic.

Frank, Whalley Range (07/06/2005 at 16:11)

It's easy to be neutral about the Glazer take-over from Australia isn't it Sydney? You're not the one who'll be paying through the nose to get into the Nike Trafford Bowl all for the pleasure of repaying Uncle Malc's debts for him.

Steve, Brussels (07/06/2005 at 16:34)

Heritage made way for business a long time ago EVERYWHERE in football. Arsenal are in debt and about to play in the Emirates stadium, Leicester for Walkers crisps. It is the way of the world. It happened to United a long time ago with Edwards. Tried to sell out to Knighton, took Utd public and took the ride of the premiership and Sky. United become a marketing behemoth and being public is ALWAYS for sale. Glazer wants it .. he got it when the Irish sold out. He has 75% and is on the way to having it all so it is inevitable his sons would be on the board ... he owns it. He doesn't care about football or the club and just wants the money .... probably true. But is that any worse than Edwards as a supposed fan from a generation of fans doing everything to sell out the 'heritage'? No ... same thing, bigger scale. The bad thing is the scary debt-level not the suit or suits that own it. The heritage is and always was the blood and passion out there on the pitch and in the dug out. It is the only thing the fans ever cared about as to a fan that is "the club" not who has the exec parking space. I don't like this thing one bit ... I just pray that an aggressive plan may actually work and our club survives

Danny Gillan, Bolton (07/06/2005 at 18:14)

It's great news to hear the Glazer bro's have joined the United board. Althopugh i am dissapointed that Paul Michael Glazer AKA David Starsky didn't get on. I have always been a fan of Starsky and Hutch.

sloggernobber, Toronto (07/06/2005 at 18:58)

Carrying that much debt while still feeding a giant like Man U is going to put the pressure on the gate cost and every other associated line of revenue. I hope the Glazer's have some passion for the game and the fans to avoid the North American way of quick revenue - ticket price increase. Having purchased the club and sticking your kids and the family dog on the board just makes me puke. No surprises there though. Prove me wrong Mr hot shot Glazer but don't underestimate the Mancunians.

Blue John, Melb. Oz. ( ex M/19 ) (08/06/2005 at 04:25)

Great news but wich one will be captain and will the other two share taking the penaltys?

Hamed Raman, Vancouver, Canada (08/06/2005 at 04:29)

Bravo Sir Roy for holding on to your principles and not bowing to the Glazers. David Gill next!!!

red junior, Manchester (08/06/2005 at 08:21)

Is this the same Sir Roy who has been chairman since 2001? Mmmm just happens to coincide with our decline. Good riddance I say. Now we have got people in charge to whom it REALLY matters whether we win or lose. I am delighted to see them in charge. I see Sir Alex has had a warning already. Win the League or else. EXCELLENT! That means when we turn up for a league fixture prior to a European game we might see some first team players for our money.

George, rhyl (08/06/2005 at 08:57)

A news report last night suggested the Glazers wanted to increase UNITED revenue by pushing the brand stronger overseas and then when the company has reached a certain stature to refloat the club on the stock market selling half their shares.In effect they hope thru their business acumen to own half the club having got their money back and settled their debts.They obviously believe this can be done.They are big business people and have put a lot of faith in the name Manchester United.The debt is a calculated risk;something which is normal in business.Let's hope they do make UNITED worth more.Because that would mean success on the pitch which is what most are concerned about.There are positives and negatives in the situation we'll see how it pans out.The United Anarchist are in the minority "no doubt about that"(to use a Fergie-ism)

Mary, SALE (08/06/2005 at 09:18)

Its not so many years ago Houston would have been subject of AN FBI witch hunt.I like many supporters are sick and tired of seeing him on the News bleating his stupidity as if he represents the normal and decent supporters,because he oes not.
Also he is jealous because nobody would turn down the oppertunity to own United,and Sir Alex having less influence Is a good thing.

Maurice Setters, Chatsworth Hall (08/06/2005 at 09:39)

The real reason United were taken over, is the direct result of poor management by Alex Ferguson who had the club on a rapid decline.His head had got to big,he made mistake after mistake.To get a team playing well you should play your best team for every game no matter what the competition thats how they play as a unit.He makes more changes than a weekend display at Tescos.United need to purge themselves of this old school before they can move on,like Frank said 11 average midfilders!

Sammy, Middleton (08/06/2005 at 09:52)

"The debt is a calculated risk;something which is normal in business"
Great argument George from Rhyl / Tampa. Basically you are saying
"OK, I know you guys had B#40 million in the bank and are one of the most successful football teams of all time, and I know that United is a 127 year old community institution, but why don't you cross your fingers and hope that this bloke who has put you up to B#700m in debt has a master plan. Oh, and while your at it, find yourselves another hobby because you won't be able to afford to watch the football any more."

()

Report

Manchester United