Soon America will own the UK

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May 16, 2005

Glazer Assumes Control Of Manchester United
By ALAN SNEL
[email protected]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer assumed control of the famed Manchester United soccer team Monday by raising his stake in the world's richest sports club to more than 75 percent.
By acquiring a 75 percent stake, the Palm Beach billionaire, who bought the Bucs a decade ago, can delist publicly-held Manchester United from the London Stock Exchange if he chooses. Also, he can make business decisions for the team without other shareholders' approval.

Glazer has not made clear his plans.

On Friday he raised his stake in Manchester United to 74.81 percent. Some fans in the United Kingdom have voiced concerns that Glazer's $1.47 billion takeover effort relies too much on borrowed money.

The NFL, which usually frowns upon cross-ownership, isn't sure if its rules would prevent Glazer from owning a foreign club. The league's finance committee will discuss it during spring meetings in Washington next week.

Glazer is expected to submit a formal document to shareholders on Wednesday.

Reaction to Glazer's takeover has been mostly negative and defiant. Fans fear Glazer will sell off the club's 67,000-seat Old Trafford stadium and raise prices. They also oppose foreign ownership.

Fans groups are calling for a boycott of Manchester United sponsors and planning demonstrations at the FA Cup final against Arsenal on Saturday in Cardiff, Wales.

''We won't do anything that endangers safety, but they may have to draft in the army to police the match,'' said Oliver Houston, a vice chairman of Shareholders United.

''We are calling on all supporters to wear black in Cardiff on Saturday,'' said Mark Longden of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association. ''If they can get hold of black flags, they should wave them because it represents what is happening to the club.''

The group is also calling on fans not to renew their season tickets, to cancel subscriptions to Manchester United's in-house television station, and boycott sponsors Vodafone, Nike, Budweiser and Audi.

Financial analysts said Glazer could soon raise his stake to 90 percent. At that level, remaining shareholders would be required to sell their stocks to Glazer.

Glazer told the stock exchange Friday he would borrow $490 million to fund the takeover.

Glazer said the bid also included $503 million of his own money, and another $509 million to be generated by issuing preferred securities to large investors.

Glazer's ownership reached 56.9 percent on Thursday after he bought out joint majority shareholders J.P. McManus and John Magnier, Irish racehorse owners. He previously owned 28.1 percent of the club.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story can be found at: http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGBYKYOVS8E.html

Are you Britt's angered at this?

Do you think this could be a begining to a UK US State?

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Do you think this could be a begining to a UK US State? Answer :- No.
For an American Corporation to be buying things in Britain at this time, it would probably be too expensive because of the weak Dollar and strong Pound. In actual fact, I am pretty sure that the investment is going the other way at the moment....the UK is buying lots of American bits and pieces.

As a lifelong Arsenal fan (and most fans of other football clubs in Britain would probably agree), I raise a quiet smile at what has happened.

Manchester United has dominated English football over the past decade, mainly because of their Bank Account. They have been arrogant and have not endeared themselves to English football fans with their high handed ways.

However, with Roman Abramovitz's recent acquisition of Chelsea (he is a Russian Oil Billionaire....very dubious in my opinion) and now Glazer buying United, the future does not bode well for the grass roots supporter in England.

Glazer will no doubt be looking at the massive marketing potential in the USA, regarding United, and to achieve this goal (excuse the pun) he will have to make sure that United are successful. That will mean spending big money on some new "star" footballers. So in the end, the rebelling United supporters will come round and behave themselves, after a few minor scurmishes.
It is poetic justice in a way......if the Club had not been so succesful and dominant, Glazer would probably have looked elsewhere for a profitable acquisition.
In the meantime, the supporters can demonstrate all they like, it wont make a scrap of difference.
Just so long as Arsenal manage to stuff them 4-0 in the Cup Final next weekend!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!

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Which America are you talking about? North America, Central America or South America? There's no such country called America.

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Duke of Lancaster wrote:

Which America are you talking about? North America, Central America or South America? There's no such country called America.

"Oops, I meant the country of Lancaster!"

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ConstitutionalGirl wrote:

Duke of Lancaster wrote:
Which America are you talking about? North America, Central America or South America? There's no such country called America.
"Oops, I meant the country of Lancaster!"

What a shame.....you don't even know the name of your own country.

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Update
Jun 28, 2005

Glazer Assumes Total Control Of Man. U
A Tribune wire report

LONDON - Malcolm Glazer told Manchester United's remaining shareholders on Tuesday he owned 98 percent of the club and had the power to buy them out.
Also the owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Glazer had already taken the club off the stock market and issued a statement saying he had passed the 97.6 percent threshold needed to make a compulsory purchase of all shares in famous soccer club.

Although fan groups have pledged to oppose Glazer and have even set up a rival club called FC United, Glazer's latest announcement leaves them with little chance of getting any say in how the team are run.

Glazer has nominated his sons, Joel, Avi and Bryan, onto the board of directors at Old Trafford.

Glazer became majority shareholder of Manchester United on May 16 in a $1.47 billion buyout - most of it borrowed money - of the world's richest soccer club.

This story can be found at: http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGBW1Q8GIAE.html

If the team comes to Tampa, I want a job there, so I can bed the hot Britt's. Twisted Evil

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I'm pretty sure Manchester United will not move to Tampa.

Also: Fans ask for takeover probe: "FANS group Shareholders United have asked the government to block Malcolm Glazer's takeover." (Good luck, I say ...)

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Malcolm Glazer is an arse. Sralex Ferguson is an arse. ManU fans are arses, with a few noteable, if misguided exceptions.

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Glazer family (new American owners) needed police protection in Manchester yesterday when they paid their first visit in person to their new acquisition.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/4635727.stm

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Lord E I am laughing my guts out. As a boy I used to go to Highbury to watch Arsenal. And as a boy I played soccer (football) on the very grounds that hosted the original Woolwich Arsenal teams I think I even used the original changerooms ("I am not worthy!"). ManUre deserves it and Ferguson should be exiled to Elba.

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This looks very interesting. I hope it works out for the fans.

Things have moved on a bit since this article, and most of the fans have now sold their shares. I wonder if they chucked the proceeds into this scheme?

The idea is to sell their individual shares at top price, and then but them back when Glazer goes bust and the shares plummet.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/sport/football/manchesterunited/s/161/161223_fans_launch_phoenix_plans.html

The first part of the "fightback" is for all Man United fans to totally boycott products of the teams sponsors, thereby encouraging them to pull out of any deals. This would mean a massive reduction of money paid to the club for advertisements on their shirts etc.
Another part is to stop buying any of the hugely overpriced Manchester United team strip, which again would lead to a dramatic loss of revenue.

It seems that Glazer has accomplished this takeover, using highly dubious loans, which will prove to be extremely costly to pay back. Compound interest, high interest rates etc., means that he has to get a massive cashflow coming into the club, in order to survive.

I sincerely hope that Glazer goes down the tubes, and loses a lot of money. This will discourage other tycoons from coming in and doing this sort of thing in the future.

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goodfielder wrote:

Lord E I am laughing my guts out. As a boy I used to go to Highbury to watch Arsenal. And as a boy I played soccer (football) on the very grounds that hosted the original Woolwich Arsenal teams I think I even used the original changerooms ("I am not worthy!"). ManUre deserves it and Ferguson should be exiled to Elba.

Nice one, GF......... My grandad was born within spitting distance of the "old ground", and was present in the crowds during their first "glory days", when instead of chanting "Arsenal", they chanted "England", as about eight or nine of their players at the time, made up the English team.
Alas, the same cannot be said nowadays, and some think that the "F.C" after Arsenal, should stand for "Frogs and Clogs", as the majority have been made up from French and Dutch players in recent times.

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Lord Ellpus wrote:

This looks very interesting. I hope it works out for the fans.

Things have moved on a bit since this article, and most of the fans have now sold their shares. I wonder if they chucked the proceeds into this scheme?

The idea is to sell their individual shares at top price, and then but them back when Glazer goes bust and the shares plummet.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/sport/football/manchesterunited/s/161/161223_fans_launch_phoenix_plans.html

The first part of the "fightback" is for all Man United fans to totally boycott products of the teams sponsors, thereby encouraging them to pull out of any deals. This would mean a massive reduction of money paid to the club for advertisements on their shirts etc.
Another part is to stop buying any of the hugely overpriced Manchester United team strip, which again would lead to a dramatic loss of revenue.

It seems that Glazer has accomplished this takeover, using highly dubious loans, which will prove to be extremely costly to pay back. Compound interest, high interest rates etc., means that he has to get a massive cashflow coming into the club, in order to survive.

I sincerely hope that Glazer goes down the tubes, and loses a lot of money. This will discourage other tycoons from coming in and doing this sort of thing in the future.

If that happens, then surley they'll be moved to the states. "I can't wait!" Twisted Evil

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People should stop panicking about this. Manchester United will continue to be a rich & successful football club. :wink:

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I would hardly use the word "Panic", Liam.

A quiet hope that it all goes "pear shaped", and the Club will be taken over by either the fans, or at least some tycoon that has a genuine passion for Football, as opposed to seing Man U as just another business venture.

Good luck next season, and welcome to A2K.

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Liam_W wrote:

People should stop panicking about this. Manchester United will continue to be a rich & successful football club. :wink:

Welcome to A2K, Liam, I try to make your stay here pleasurable. :wink:

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ConstitutionalGirl wrote:

Liam_W wrote:
People should stop panicking about this. Manchester United will continue to be a rich & successful football club. :wink:

Welcome to A2K, Liam, I tried to make your stay here pleasurable. :wink:

Did you indeed! Details....we want Details....no, wait......Photos....we want Photos!

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And when you're gonna make my stay here pleasurable, ConstitutionalGirl? <he said with smoldering eyes and promise in his voice>

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Liam_W wrote:

People should stop panicking about this. Manchester United will continue to be a rich & successful football club. :wink:

Welcome to the Able2kknow Forum Liam.

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Why are you advertising that German artistic and historical stuff on your signature line?
I've been on the Danube and we had very nice sausages in Regensburg....could have been wurst.

Strangely, this was Liam's first post on A2K....so I am surmising he was searching for anything on ManU at the time.

Some people are beyond help. Smile

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Soon America will own the UK

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