MALCOLM GLAZER seems determined to get his hands on Manchester United. But all those connected with the club are equally determined to stop him. Why? Glazer says it’s a mixture of xenophobia and naive sentimentality. But according to United legend Eric Cantona, it’s because “if Glazer were to come here, we would lose everything”.

The stakes could hardly be higher. And so, despite the mistaken impression that fans have no place meddling in the realms of high finance and corporate law, Shareholders United, the independent supporters’ trust, is prepared to exhaust every possibility to protect our club’s heritage. But ensuring United remains independent and free from the threat of takeover is not an end in itself; it is simply a prerequisite for the wider aim of gaining a say for supporters in how the club is run.

Fans don’t want shares for their own sake; neither do they want them for the meagre dividend a small holding provides. Indeed, many simply reinvest their dividends in more shares. And they certainly don’t hold them just to cash in by selling out to a predator like Glazer. The true value of the shares lies in what they represent and in how they can be used.

Attempts by Glazer to assure fans that they will still have an input are seen as mendacious, given that when he tried to buy FC Zurich three years ago, he told its president, Sven Hotz: “When I take over, nobody has a say apart from me.”

Glazer’s bid to buy United is based on huge amounts of borrowing, and his need to service his debts gives supporters an opportunity to put pressure on his lenders. The United board described his wildly optimistic profit assumptions as “aggressive”, insisting that “the direct and indirect financial strain on the business could be damaging . . . particularly if Glazer’s business plan was not met”.

This expert appraisal was based on where United are currently, without factoring in the inevitable customer backlash by an angered fan base, the exploitation of which would be vital to ensuring that Glazer’s sums add up. The board’s initial reaction forced him to change his plans, but for all the financial smoke and mirrors, he cannot disguise the simple fact that he is trying to get United fans to pay for his takeover. The board has every right to stick to its guns and recommend an outright rejection of his bid.

But even if he were tabling his own money, Glazer’s track record is worrying. When he took over the Buccaneers, the Tampa Bay Tribune accused him of “using the city like his personal urinal”. Bill Poe, the mayor at the time, warns: “He has taken every advantage that he could have taken and put very little back in.” Even his own sister says: “If he gets his hands on United, the only one who will benefit is Malcolm.”

The idea that he knows how to run successful sports franchises is a myth based on the fact that his Buccaneers have won a single Super Bowl in the 10 years since he has been their owner. They’ve been pretty dire ever since, but ticket prices continue to rise.

Glazer’s PR machine ignores the fact that the fan- owned Green Bay Packers have a much better record, not to mention United’s own impressive trophy haul over a similar period. Bottom line: we don’t want or need Glazer.

We hope his backers will pull out when they see the black hole that fans can tear in his financial model. Or Cubic Expression will refuse to sell, recognising that United will give it healthy returns over time. Or the courts will find in favour of disenfranchised shareholders and place too many obstacles in his path.

Should a hostile bid materialise, we may need money for a single large purchase of shares to try to block it. Special testimonial matches, fundraising mobile phone tones and wristbands that even Gary Neville would be proud to wear would be a start. Perhaps even the players will be prepared to do their bit. United, we can be a powerful force.

For more information, see www.shareholdersunited.org

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