“Stand Up If You Hate Glazer”
January 25th, 2010
Angry Manchester United fans annoy Joe immensely. These guys have extraordinary nerve.
The Glazers have overseen Manchester United to three consecutive English titles and Europe’s most prestigious prize, a Champions League title in 2008 (runner up in 2009). And yet these fans complain about the team’s debt?
Why they give a crap Joe will never understand. They should be dancing in the streets. Yet again in 2010, their team is in first place in their 20-team league.
Imagine if the Bucs were working on three consecutive NFC South titles, a Super Bowl win and a runner-up finish in the Super Bowl last year. The Glazers would be heroes and there would actually be a real season ticket waiting list.
But back in England, the angry mob of Manchester United fans don’t care about winning. They care more about the Glazer’s monstrous debt.
The ugliness directed at the Glazers was kicked up a few notches this weekend at a Manchester United game, despite the pleas for unity by the soccer team’s head coach, so reports the reputable TimesOnline out of England.
A banner ironically sporting the words “Glazer — Forever in your Debt” was unfurled outside Old Trafford before kick-off as supporters staged a peaceful demonstration, but it was inside the ground that fans really made their feelings known, many pointedly waving green-and-gold scarves — the colours of Newton Heath, whom United were originally formed as in 1878.
Within a minute of the game starting, chants of “We want Glazer out” were heard and soon followed by chants of “Love United, hate Glazer” and “Stand up if you hate Glazer”, at which point about three quarters of the ground rose to their feet.
Disturbingly, the hard-core element of United’s support sang “Die, die, Glazer. F***ing die”.
If the Glazer hate continues from a seemingly growing segment of Manchester United fans, Joe has to wonder when it’s going to spill over into a demonstration at a Bucs game or training camp practice in 2010.
Joe suspects their whole “Stand up if you hate Glazer” routine might get some of the locals here joining in.
January 25th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I used to have respect for the Glazers. This whole coaching debacle has definately stained thier public image around here. The really sad part is that is likely to only get worse.
I just might have to stand up when it comes time.
January 25th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
I don’t think those Brits actually care about the debt. They just don’t like having bloody yanks own a national sports icon.
January 25th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Mike J,
I agree. This has nothing to do with debt and everything to do with the way the Glazers took over the team. If ManU winning three consecutive English titles and a Champions League title is what they consider being ruined then I wish the Glazers would ruin the Bucs like that as well.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
From the outside looking in, it may seem they Man U fans are acting ungrateful with the championships that have been won recently and their current standing but these fans are evaluating things a little deeper. They are looking at the long term health of the club and their ability to stay on top in the future. At this point, their are few more cash infused clubs than Man U (Chelsea – Owner- Roman Abromvich -Russian Billionaire Oil Oligarch) and Liverpool (Saudi Prince). Man U fans may feel their club is built on a house of cards right now and as soon as their Patriarch Sir Alex Ferguson steps down, they will be mired in the depths of mediocraty all because the Glazers supposedly are running the teams to the depths of credit debt hell. Watch this vid, it sheds a little more light on what these fans are feeling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD1B03Slk4g&feature=fvw
January 25th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
So, Dan, are you saying that the British football fans are fine with a foreign owner, provided he is sufficiently well-heeled??
I dunno, I’d think in all fairness people should wait until there is at least some sign of slippage before beginning a hate campaign. I know the Glazers sold a top player some months back, but doesn’t that sort of thing go on all the time among soccer clubs??
January 25th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
The Brits are just freakin loonie tunes! Who the hell care about the team debt when they win! God I WISH the Bucs had that problem.
Hey U Mann fans shove that tea and crumpet where the sun don’t shine and shut the hell up – if you don’t we’ll make the Bucs come over to your house and play a game in London every year! Yeah THAT’LL make you REALLY hate the Glazers.
PS I you all love Mann U sooooo much just buy the damn team. I’m sure Malcom will sell if the price is right.
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:35 pm
I’m a Manchester United supporter in England and the “Die, die, Glazer. F***ing die” chant is an embarrassment. Fortunately it is limited to 1% of match day fans. For 99% of people the antipathy towards the Glazers is not a xenophobic stance: Manchester United are valued at approximately £1.2bn and until the family took control they had no debt. United has approximately £770million debt attributed to it by the Glazer’s purchase, through their purchase model.
Given that United have benefited from capitalism it would be easy to suggest: “You live by the sword; you die by the sword”. I am certain that there could have been many, many worse owners and it is not personal but for one example, ticket prices have soared under the family.
Since their takeover in 2005 the club are in profit from transfer dealings, which although an alien concept from the draft system in the US these are virtually fundamental to success in our sport.
One of our international rivals spent £210million on new players last summer and one of our local rivals has spent the same in two years. United, although with the sport’s largest turnover and highest profitability last year sold the world’s second best player for £80million and spent only £20million replacing him. As a club we used to spend £25million each season on new players and now we have to sell players to buy new players.
It seems the club are re-calibrating the mechanism of the club and it feels that this includes a reduction in our expectations on the pitch. How have the Buccs been performing for the last few years?
40% of the club’s match going fans have taken to wearing a Green and Gold coloured scarf as opposed to the Red of the club. It is not as perverse as it sounds though, as Green and Gold are the colours of our original club (Newton Heath formed in 1878) before it was changed to Manchester United at the turn of the last century. It is intended to elicit awareness and evoke a love of tradition across all clubs.
I hope this may satiate your curiousity in the same way this blog and comments did for me.
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for the British feedback Matt!
March 11th, 2010 at 7:39 am
You can add A FA Cup, Two League titles and a World Club Title to that list of trophies as well. Glazers have spent no money on United, they have taken it out. Its not about wining its about getting the club back A club we love a live for but maybe AMERICA”S can’t understand the love we have for UNITED
LUHG
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers
Love United! Hater Glazers