Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United fans pointed the finger of blame at the club’s owners, the Glazer family, for a miserable start to the season in a protest march towards Old Trafford ahead of Monday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool.
Defeats to Brighton and Brentford in new manager Erik ten Hag’s first two matches in charge had left the Red Devils bottom of the league for the first time in 30 years before this weekend’s matches.
Hundreds of fans chanted “we want Glazers out” as they marched behind a sign reading ‘United for $ale.”
Many were decked in scarves and flags in the green and gold colours of Newton Heath, the club founded in 1878 that eventually became Manchester United 24 years later, which have become a symbol of protest against the Glazers reign.
However, a social media campaign encouraging United fans to “empty Old Trafford” by boycotting the match did not materialise.
United have not won the Premier League since legendary former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and have failed to win any major trophy since 2017.
The Glazers have owned United since a controversial leveraged takeover in 2005 saddled the club with hundreds of millions of pounds worth of debt.
As the English giants have paid off huge interest payments, amounting to over £800 million ($946 million) in the last 17 years, the Glazers have still regularly drawn out millions in dividends from their shares.
The most notable moment of the protest movement came in May 2021 when Liverpool’s visit was postponed as supporters stormed the pitch in the wake of the failed attempt from both clubs to form a European Super League.
