IMUSA News
Keith Harris tempts fans with golden share
27th February 2010
IMUSA has made its support for any bid conditional on the new owners agreeing to engage with the fans as meaningful stakeholders in the club.
We therefore wish to make it clear that we welcome the following report and that we are available to talk more about this with Mr Harris at his earliest convenience (comms@imusa.org).
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Ian Ridley
The Mail
27th February 2010
Manchester United supporters will be offered a 'golden share' in the club so they can approve or veto future owners should a group of investors seeking to wrest control of the club from the Glazer family succeed.
The 'Love United Hate Glazer' green-and-yellow scarf protest is likely to confront the American owners at the Carling Cup final between United and Aston Villa at Wembley today, if they belatedly choose to attend, and the pressure on the Americans will increase with this carrot being dangled to fans.
Keith Harris, United fan and a stockbroker with Seymour Pierce, has been assembling a group of investors, along with other well-connected Old Trafford devotees Jim O'Neill, of Goldman Sachs, and Phillip Marshall, of Marshall Wace. They say they have pledges of funds totalling £1billion to buy out the Glazers should they agree to sell.
The new group of owners would then negotiate with fans groups Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association and Manchester United Supporters' Trust to give them representation on the board and a 25.1 per cent shareholding. 'It will in effect be a golden share,' said a bid insider.
'It will mean that supporters will have a decisive say in the future on whether any possible new owners would be suitable or not.'
Harris, who brokered the deal for Roman Abramovich to take over Chelsea, and his group have had no indication from the Glazers that they are willing to deal but believe that, if dissent among fans escalates, the Florida-based family could relent.
As well as the scarf protest, more empty seats have appeared at Old Trafford as unrest grows.
