Police arrested two people involved in protests as Malcolm Glazer's sons visited Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium for the first time since their father bought the world's richest soccer club.
A 19-year-old man was charged with a public-order offense and possession of a CS gas canister, Greater Manchester Police said yesterday.
About 200 people protested on Wednesday outside the stadium as Joel, Avi and Bryan Glazer toured the stadium as part of a 48-hour trip to England.
PHOTO: AP
"We want to confront them. They have been speaking to everybody else since their arrival in the UK, apart from the most important people -- the fans," said Mark Longden of the independent Manchester United Supporters Association. "This is a peaceful protest but we intend to get our message heard."
The Glazers also had meetings with United's sponsors. On Tuesday, the Glazers met with the Football Association and Premier League, as well as sports minister Richard Caborn and Manchester United chief executive David Gill and discussed television rights, among other things.
"There's been a lot in the UK press about us in the last 18 months and this has been an invaluable chance to tell the men who run the game what the truth is," Joel Glazer said in a statement on Wednesday.
Malcolm Glazer became majority shareholder of Manchester United on May 16 in a US$1.47 billion takeover -- most of it borrowed money. The billionaire owner of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not travel to England with his sons, whom he appointed to United's board on June 7.
Malcolm Glazer, who has refused to answer questions, will speak for the first time today in a prerecorded interview with Manchester United television.
On Tuesday, Glazer said he controlled 98 percent of United's stock. United has already been taken off the London Stock Exchange, after years as a publicly traded company.
"On the matter of collective selling of our television rights, we have received an unequivocal commitment to continue on the current basis," Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said.
"Since the formation of the Premier League, Manchester United FC has played a key role in shaping its fortunes and I am confident that the club and its new owners are committed to continuing this," he said.
FA chief executive Brian Barwick was also positive after meeting the Glazers, saying it was a "constructive meeting in which the Manchester United officials addressed the many important questions we had to ask them."
Caborn hosted the Glazers in the House of Commons, telling them of United's responsibilities to the professional game, the local community and in enhancing England's status across the world.
"I asked them directly if they thought football was being badly run but they said in their view, the Premier League was the best league in the world," Caborn said.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Manchester City on Monday completed the signing of left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported ￡31 million (US$41.8 million). The 24-year-old Algeria international has signed a five-year contract and will be available for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins later this week. Ait-Nouri is expected to be just one of a trio of new City faces for that tournament with deals close to completion for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Rayan Cherki. After missing out on a major trophy in the recently completed season for the first time since 2016-2017, City are hoping
Hulking Italian sprinter Jonathan Milan on Monday surged away from the pack to win the second stage of the Criterium de Dauphine in Issoire, France, to take the overall lead from Tadej Pogacar. The 1.93m, 87kg Milan had to battle to keep up on a hilly 204.6km run through central France from Premilhat. When the pack hit the home straight, he rocketed away from his rivals to collect a 10-second victory bonus and the yellow jersey. “That was really tough,” Milan said. “I was dropped at one point, and I was really on the limit, but I have to say
HEARTBROKEN: Oman dashed Palestine’s hopes of a first appearance at the finals with a last-gasp draw, after Palestine conceded a penalty deep in stoppage-time Brazil on Tuesday booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America with a lackluster 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of Carlo Ancelotti’s reign, while in Asia, Australia qualified. Five-time world champions Brazil punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the US and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr. The Real Madrid star poked in from close range in the 44th minute in Sao Paulo after a cross from new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha. It was the perfect gift for the Italian Ancelotti on his 66th birthday, having seen his new side held 0-0 by Ecuador
RSS