Manchester United

[mrbojangles]

I keep thinking to myself "If only we'd beaten Burnley in the first game, we wouldn't be 1 point behind now"

I keep on thinking "If only we had taken those 6 points off you"

Who let you in Jangles ? I thought I'd put snib on t'door, now all the riff-raff will be in blatherin' on.

Put wood in hole on yer way out....

Thole ken, thole. How many times

[StevieH]

i'm doing my superstitious routines ken. i just sacrificed a chicken at the altar of the rory delap long throw and stuck pins in my roberto martinez voodoo doll.

erm, that's not quite what I had in mind Stevie....

Where's your Lancashire solidarity mate ?...

wrong county tiger.

[dave111223]

Not the greatest season, but at least we went out on a good performance....all be it against Stoke who were pretty much already on the beach.

Well done to Chelsea they deserved it more than us this season, and to be honest it's surprising we were still in with a shout any way with the way we have played at some points this season.

Nice to see Berbatov missing headers from 2 yards out again....

Please buy a new striker over the summer SAF.

[bkkjames]

Let the silly season begin:

Out: Foster, Carrick, Berba, Owen, Park, Anderson, Tosic

In: Smailing, Chicarito (both done already), Dzeko, Gourcouff, Milner.

[carmine]

Let the silly season begin:

Out: Foster, Carrick, Berba, Owen, Park, Anderson, Tosic

In: Smailing, Chicarito (both done already), Dzeko, Gourcouff, Milner.

You'll be needing an aweful lot more than that to challenge for the title next season.

[bkkjames]

Let the silly season begin:

Out: Foster, Carrick, Berba, Owen, Park, Anderson, Tosic

In: Smailing, Chicarito (both done already), Dzeko, Gourcouff, Milner.

You'll be needing an aweful lot more than that to challenge for the title next season.

(Considering our financial situation) I will take all those listed above now and give it our best shot. Sadly, I see only Milner coming from that list.

[smokie36]

Let the silly season begin:

Out: Foster, Carrick, Berba, Owen, Park, Anderson, Tosic

In: Smailing, Chicarito (both done already), Dzeko, Gourcouff, Milner.

You'll be needing an aweful lot more than that to challenge for the title next season.

Its time for the Glazers to put some real money on the table or Utd will struggle next year. Chelsea will be just as strong, City can only get better(and probably much more so), Arse have a young side and likely to improve and hopefully we will buy wisely.

Utd and Liverpool look the big losers next season for me.

[bkkjames]

"BREAKING NEWS"

WAYNE ROONEY SIGNS FOR...

Tiger Beer signs Wayne Rooney as brand ambassador for regional football drive

by Kenny Lim 27-Apr-10, 14:22

SINGAPORE - Tiger Beer has become the first Asian beer brand to sign on international football icon Wayne Rooney for its latest regional thematic campaign - “The game never ends”.

“The game never ends” will roll out across regional markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Mongolia.

It complements the beer brand’s other football initiatives including its broadcast sponsorship of the Barclays Premier League in Southeast Asia.

The campaign, comprising of both print and television advertisements, will launch at the end of April as the Fifa World Cup football tournament in South Africa draws near.

On the campaign, Edmond Neo, director of group commercial for Asia Pacific Breweries, said: “Tiger and football are a winning combination. The beer brand has always leaned towards delivering and fascinating Asian fans with world-class football action and experiences.”

He added: “This time, Tiger is delighted and proud to be associating ourselves with Wanye Rooney, one of the world’s best football players known and admired worldwide. Rooney has demonstrated passion for excellence and determination to outperform himself every time he plays a match. His resolute will for winning and success, an attitude which Tiger pursues and embraces, makes him the ideal football champion of the campaign. Being an inspiration, his pairing with Tiger will certainly light up the screen during this World Cup season.”

Rooney added: “Working with Tiger has been really enjoyable. There is fun and humour in the commercial and it was completely unlike some of the other filming experiences I have had before. I am excited to be a part this Tiger beer campaign to heighten football fun and experience for Asian fans.”

In the TVC, the Manchester United star shows off his best moves as he manoeuvres his way through a bar to score the last ice-cold bottle of Tiger beer.

Off screen, Tiger will allow fans the chance to come face-to-face with Rooney in Manchester later this year through a series of activation programmes.

[StevieH]

great. another thing i have to bloody well boycott.

[bkkjames]

great. another thing i have to bloody well boycott.

Did you open your account at Standard to be Charged bank yet Stevie?

[StevieH]

great. another thing i have to bloody well boycott.

Did you open your account at Standard to be Charged bank yet Stevie?

no james. i did close my RBS one though.

[mrbojangles]

great. another thing i have to bloody well boycott.

Did you open your account at Standard to be Charged bank yet Stevie?

no james. i did close my RBS one though.

I haven't bought anything American for a long time now

[NADTATIDA1]

Why would we want to get rid of Park??

A consistant performer and one of the few players who actually had a great season.

[bkkjames]

Why would we want to get rid of Park??

A consistant performer and one of the few players who actually had a great season.

Park is great a running around the field and I will admit is useful when we want to shut down team's fullback. However, too easy to get off the ball, passing is questionable and finish is really non-existent.

Anyways, how about this UTD fans which I just saw on the Nation Website...

England soccer team led by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will play an international friendly with Thailand in Bangkok next year no more details than that I am afraid.

[NADTATIDA1]

Dimitar Berbatov vows to stay at Manchester United

Berbatov has endured a tough season with Manchester United and Bulgaria

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has rubbished rumours he will leave the club this summer, saying he "will fight to stay" at Old Trafford.

Berbatov has struggled to justify the £30.75m United paid Tottenham for him in 2008 and has been linked with Bayern Munich, AC Milan and a return to Spurs.

But upon announcing his international retirement, the 29-year-old Bulgarian said: "I am going nowhere.

"I have arrived where I wanted to be, I have reached the summit."

Berbatov has scored 26 goals in 65 appearances for United in the past two campaigns, but has come under fire this season from fans critical of his work-rate and profligacy in front of goal.

He did not start a single match in the Champions League knockout stages before United were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the last eight.

Critics have also suggested United lost the Premier League title to Chelsea in part because of his failure to act as an effective replacement for Wayne Rooney during the England striker's injury absence.

Berbatov, though, insisted he is determined to stay, adding: "United is the biggest team and I will fight to stay there until the end of my contract."

His current deal expires in two seasons' time in 2012.

While the Bulgarian appears content to shrug off criticism for his domestic performances, similar analysis of his international performances have played their part in his decision to quit the national team.

"I have decided to step down from the national team, starting today," he told a press conference in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, adding he wanted "to give younger players the opportunity to step out from my shadow".

Berbatov, Bulgaria's captain for the last three years, scored 48 goals in 74 international appearances and is the nation's all-time leading scorer.

But he said he was "discouraged" by Bulgaria's failure to qualify for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, adding: "At times I feel tired, even exhausted by the national team."

It means the front man's appearance in the 2-0 defeat in Poland in March was his last at international level.

Another star player - Dimitar Ivanov - also announced his decision to quit international football following that game in Warsaw.

Bulgaria have been drawn in the same Euro 2012 qualifying group as England and Wales.

[MSingh]

Anyways, how about this UTD fans which I just saw on the Nation Website...

England soccer team led by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will play an international friendly with Thailand in Bangkok next year no more details than that I am afraid.

How does The Nation know that he'll still be at the Club then ??

[mrbojangles]

Dimitar Berbatov vows to stay at Manchester United

I bet you were all delirious with that news, eh

[smokie36]

Dimitar Berbatov vows to stay at Manchester United

I bet you were all delirious with that news, eh

I'm as pleased as anyone that he's found some club loyalty. Stories like this warm my heart so they do.

[carmine]

Dimitar Berbatov vows to stay at Manchester United

I bet you were all delirious with that news, eh

I'm as pleased as anyone that he's found some club loyalty. Stories like this warm my heart so they do.

30.75m badge kissing pikey

[Jockstar]

Berbatov not leaving United, says Ferguson

By Soccernet staff

May 21, 2010

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Sir Alex Ferguson has said that striker Dimitar Berbatov will not be leaving Manchester United this summer.

GettyImages

Dimitar Berbatov has struggled for form this season.

• Fergie's Word Cup stars to be rested

• Hernandez ''living a dream''

Berbatov scored just 12 Premier League goals during the campaign and came under-fire for a series of below-par performances. Reports had suggested that United were willing to cut their losses on the £30.75 million Bulgarian, but Ferguson has now insisted that Berbatov remains a key part of his first-team plans.

"No, he will not - definitely not (be sold). There's a problem with Manchester United in terms of expectation and media attention," Ferguson told The Mirror. "There's speculation every year and we've got to live with that hype. We know Dimitar is a good player and he will be with us next year."

Ferguson has already said that he is not anticipating a major overhaul of the playing staff during the summer months as United attempt to re-take the trophy from Chelsea.

"We don't have a great deal to improve on. The one area of concern last season was that we had 16 players missing through injury,'' he added. "That impacts on the stability of the team as the season develops. But we always felt that when our back four was in place there was a sense of purpose and strength."

Ferguson also praised the Glazer family, who own the club, for the constant support despite much criticism.

''They've been great owners,'' he told Toronto radio station FAN 590. ''They have supported me every way I've asked them.

''There's no other reason to think they haven't supported me. If you look at any time I've wanted a player they've provided the money; if you look at what we've done this season - and people don't recognise this - we've spent over £20 million on young players.

''We've bought Chris Smalling, Mame Diouf and Javier Hernandez. People don't realise how we're structured and how we see our future of the club. We've always based it on a nucleus and foundation of young players developing in the club.''

[NADTATIDA1]

Yeah!!!

Thanks for that.

[Jockstar]

Yeah!!!

Thanks for that.

I thought you would be happy.

[craigm16]

Its never been the United way to go out and spash 50 to 60 million on a few players.

But i'm starting to think we may need to do soon or we will start to fall behind chelsea and hate to say it even city.

The centre of our midfield is weak Scholes cant do it forever and with the injury doubts over hargreaves and future fittnes it only leaves fletcher. Carrick goes missing too much and Anderson i dont think will make it ( as much as i do like him ).

And i think we will need a world class striker to go with Rooney , as our whole season fell apart for the 2 weeks he was injured.

[carmine]

Its never been the United way to go out and spash 50 to 60 million on a few players.

But i'm starting to think we may need to do soon or we will start to fall behind chelsea and hate to say it even city.

The centre of our midfield is weak Scholes cant do it forever and with the injury doubts over hargreaves and future fittnes it only leaves fletcher. Carrick goes missing too much and Anderson i dont think will make it ( as much as i do like him ).

And i think we will need a world class striker to go with Rooney , as our whole season fell apart for the 2 weeks he was injured.

I'm sorry craig but it has been Uniteds way to spend those sums on players, certainly in recent years, but no need to bore anyone with the list. People seem to forget the great crop of homegrown talent to hit the scene was what, fifteen years ago?!!

[smokie36]

^ Yes you certainly need to invest in some new players for your creaking squad.

I've seen plenty of press given to the fact your bank balance is a healthy £95m in the black but no mention of the amount your owners have taken out of the club this year. Anyone know this?

[craigm16]

Im not going to deny that we have not bought players for huge amount of sums over the past summers. IE Berbatov, Rio, Veron, Ruud etc..

But what im saying is i think its time to spend big on a few well known players and not just 25-30 million on 1 player.

As was said we are 95 Million in the Black and we still have a huge chunk of the Ronaldo money left.

The likes of Macheda, Gibbson, Cleverley and Da Silva twins are a good bunch of young players, But id be abit worried if they where to be first choice for the upcoming season.

[NADTATIDA1]

A statement from the Red Knights will be issued around 9am this morning (Weds 2nd June), but before it is we wanted to share this article from the Manchester Evening News with members. We believe this is probably the most accurate portrayal of the current situation we've seen in recent media coverage. There will be a great deal more said and written elsewhere, but remember to not always believe everything you read!

Red Knights keep up pressure on Glazers

James Robson, Manchester Evening News

June 01, 2010

The Red Knights face a crunch meeting on Tuesday when they are expected to reaffirm their determination to wrest control of Manchester United from the clutches of the Glazers.

But the mega-rich consortium of investors refuse steadfastly to meet the £1.5bn valuation of the club.

While that will not sound the death knell for their much-publicised bid for United, it means any offer could have to wait until after the World Cup.

Despite reports over the weekend claiming the Knights were on the verge of pulling the plug on their proposed bid to oust United's controversial Florida-based owners, they have let it be known their interest remains very much intact.

But they refuse to pay over the odds - even if that effectively rules out their hopes of a quick sale.

Instead - with financing in place - they would rather play the waiting game and see the pressure increase on the Glazers before making a bid in the region of £1.2bn. And that is what will be on the agenda when the Knights get together.

The Glazers insist United are not for sale at any cost - reiterating that stance last week.

In a statement they said: "The owners remain fully committed to their long-term ownership of the club. Manchester United is not for sale and the owners will not entertain any offers."

The Glazers even claim they rejected a £1.5bn offer from a mystery Middle East investor last year. [note - which we have good reason to believe wasn't £1.5bn at all, and in any case is irrelevant as it was before the supporters' Green & Gold campaign]

But the Red Knights - led by Goldman Sachs banker, Jim O'Neill, and backed by the hugely successful Green and Gold campaign - believe the gritty American businessmen can be tempted to sell, despite all their public assertions to the contrary.

While a bid before the World Cup has not yet been ruled out, it is becoming increasingly likely it will now happen after the showpiece tournament, which starts on June 11 - especially if they are determined not to meet the £1.5bn valuation.

[NADTATIDA1]

MUST statement sent to press today:

MUST welcomes the statement from the Red Knights group that they remain determined and committed to achieving the ultimate aim of a supporter-owned club.

MUST also supports the Red Knights reinforcement of their position that they will not pay above fair value for Manchester United. This is in the best long term interests of Manchester United FC and its supporters.

Rather than lining the Glazers pockets with yet more of our money, we want to invest instead in squad strengthening, stadium improvement, rewarding loyalty with fairer ticket prices and paying down the debt - not to mention the fact that if supporters are going to be able to afford a decent chunk of the shares in the second phase of the Red Knights takeover, then an inflated valuation will significantly impact on that. Haven't the Glazers taken enough money off supporters already?

Our understanding is the collective net worth of the Red Knights far exceeds that of the Glazers. It isn't about a lack of resources. It is about fair value and doing what is right the Football Club.

We understand the intention of the statement from the Red Knights is to remove the time deadline pressure and set more realistic expectations with regard to a bid. There is no rush – the pressure is building on the Glazers with matchday revenues declining and the need for huge investment in the playing squad over the next few seasons, especially when Sir Alex retires. There is increasingly fierce competition both domestically and in Europe especially from Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona, along with new challenges even for Champions League qualification coming from Spurs and Manchester City. This will increase competition for the best players and consequently the costs associated with maintaining the club's current position and revenues.

In the meantime MUST and the Red Knights will continue to go about our preparations and be ready when the Glazers are prepared to take a realistic view on the valuation of the club.

A MUST spokesperson said:

"We completely support the stance of the Red Knights group not to pay a ridiculous premium price to the Glazers. We want to see investment in the club – not more money going into the Glazers pockets. After the damage that they have already inflicted on our club many supporters would feel sickened to see them walk away with a huge profit."

"In addition to the huge debt they’ve dumped on a previously profitable club they also wasted £443m in interest and fees – far more than the total (£398m) received from supporters in payment for tickets during their reign."

"So they’ve wasted every single penny we’ve paid for tickets over the entire 5 year period. No wonder so many supporters are considering switching from a season ticket to match by match attendance or delaying season ticket renewal until the Glazers agree to sell."

"Under a future structure where ownership is shared with supporters, compared to the current regime, there is the opportunity to tap into huge potential growth in revenue resulting from the enhanced affinity between the supporters and the club. We want to see that revenue reinvested into the club. There is no reason why Manchester United should not be able to compete for the very best players in the world and play in the best stadium as well as work towards the things that many supporters care about - rewarding the loyalty of its supporters with fair ticket distribution and pricing while working for the best matchday atmosphere, safe standing and fair treatment of our away support."

GLAZER COSTS SINCE TAKEOVER

Professional fees £80m

Loss on closing interest rate hedge £41m

Cash interest paid £216m

Management and consultancy fees £13m

Loans to Glazer family members £10m

Rolled up PIK interest £83m

Total £443m

TICKET REVENUE SINCE TAKEOVER

Ticket revenue 2005/06 to 2009/10

Total £398m

Total wasted £443m minus total ticket cost £398m = £45m

£45m divided between 56,000 Season Ticket holders = £803 lump sum

So supporters could have attended every game for the last 5 years free of charge and on top of that each season ticket holder could have been given a cash lumpsum of £800.

That is the cost of the Glazer ownership.

[bkkjames]

Revealed: truth about Glazers business empire beyond Manchester United

• US shopping centres are mortgaged to £392m

• Other interests unlikely to pay off United's debt

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• David Conn
• The Guardian, Monday 7 June 2010
• Article history

The Glazer family's non-sporting business has been severely affected by the recession. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA The only significant business owned by the Glazer family besides Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been severely hit by the recession and is carrying over half a billion dollars in debt.

An investigation carried out by the investment analyst Andy Green in conjunction with the Guardian and the BBC's Panorama programme reveals for the first time the financial health of the family's business interests in the US.

It centres on First Allied Corporation, the Glazer company which owns and rents out shopping malls across the US. First Allied is registered in New York and Delaware, where private companies do not have to make their accounts public, but Green found publicly traded mortgages on 63 of the 64 shopping centres First Allied lists on its website.

The insight those mortgages provide into First Allied's difficult financial position makes it clear that the Bucs and United – which is £717m in debt as a result of the Glazers' takeover – represent the family's principal businesses and sources of cash, now and in the future. It makes clear that there is very little chance the family's other businesses will contribute to clearing United's debt, and raises the possibility that family members will need to continue drawing loans and consultancy fees from the club – they have done so to the tune of £22.9m so far – to finance their lifestyles.

Analysis of mortgage documentation has revealed that four First Allied shopping centres have recently fallen insolvent due to low occupancy. Receivers have been appointed to sell those malls in Columbus, Ohio; Denton County, Texas; Roswell, Georgia and Cobb County, Georgia. One further centre, Lakeview Crossing in Dallas, Texas, fell behind with its mortgage last month.

The mortgages were almost all for loans taken out against the shopping centres with Lehman Brothers, the US investment bank which collapsed in 2008. Twenty-five were remortgages taken out in 2004, the year before the Glazers bought United. Those deals released $83m in equity, with a further $29m equity freed from remortgages in 2006 and 2007. A Glazer family spokesman declined to comment about whether this was how the family raised part of the £272m cash paid to buy United. The Glazers borrowed the other £559m to buy the club, £275m of it in high-interest "payments in kind" from hedge funds, and have made the club responsible for paying it all off.

The public trading of the mortgages means detailed financial information about the shopping centres is disclosed monthly by the trustees of the mortgage packages, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo. The latest figures, to the end of last month, show that besides the four shopping malls which have gone into receivership and Lakeview Crossing now shown to be in default, 28 – 44% of the remaining centres – are on a "watchlist", meaning the banks are concerned about whether the rental income will be enough to service the mortgages. Seventeen centres receive rent insufficient to cover the required mortgage repayments. The First Allied portfolio is heading for a major further challenge because the mortgages on 30 of the 63 centres are on interest only periods which end this year.

Centres elsewhere are enjoying full or almost-full occupancy and making a profit above their mortgage repayments. The analysis shows overall that the Glazers have $567m (£392m) outstanding in mortgages, and the total rent First Allied received from its tenants meant the company cleared $9.7m before tax last year. First Allied is still above water, therefore, but that total for earnings is nothing like the income required if the Glazers' £202m, 14.25% interest, "payment in kind" loans at United were to be repaid from this outside business.

"The picture of First Allied revealed by the mortgages shows that although we have always been told the Glazers are very successful business people, they do not have a business besides the Bucs and United – which they bought with debt – generating much money at all," concludes Green, who is also a United fan severely critical of the Glazers' debt-laden takeover.

The Glazers are understood to accept their property business has been badly affected by the economic downturn, although they point out that $9.7m does at least represent a profit in a sector which has seen spectacular collapses, in the US and here.

In the prospectus launched by the family in January to borrow £500m in bonds for United, First Allied Corporation was the only "principal outside business interest," besides United and the Bucs, listed by any of Malcolm Glazer's six children, all United directors.

Edward and Kevin Glazer said they were officers of First Allied; Avram, Joel and Bryan Glazer listed only United and the Bucs, while Darcie Glazer-Kassewitz, Malcolm's daughter, said she was co-president of the Glazer family's charitable foundation, which is associated with the Bucs.

The absence of other businesses may explain why the Glazers remain so determined to hold on to United – they believe the club's commercial income will continue to boom – despite the family's deep unpopularity with supporters due to the debts their takeover has loaded on to the club to pay.

The Glazer camp, supported by United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill, have stressed in recent months that United is financially secure despite interest payable last year of £69m, and the total in interest, fees and charges since the takeover, of £460m.

The spokesman for the family pointed to United's increased earnings – up to £278m last year – and significantly improved sponsorship deals, stressing that the club has generated substantial cash and its priority is to provide Ferguson with money to strengthen the squad.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust has called on its members to delay renewing their season tickets until the Glazers sell up, and these revelations of First Allied's position highlight how much the family needs United fans to keep paying their money over. Only by United remaining commercially successful can the family pay their debts, and earn a return from what was the world's richest, debt-free club.

[smokie36]

Shocking.