Manchester United is one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football. A record 20 Premier League titles, 3 Champions League titles, and a whopping 21 FA Community Shields. A total of 67 trophies makes United a subject of great interest to millions of fans worldwide.
As successful and rich in history as the club is, those trophies have dried up since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The legendary Scotsman was the last manager to win a Premier League title for United. Since then, David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have all been given full-time appointments as club managers.
Over a billion dollars have been spent on players since 2016. Expensive players like Paul Pogba, Angel Di Maria, and Romelu Lukaku have come and gone. The Glazer family has been blamed for the club’s decline in performance, irrelevant spending, and lack of fan engagement.
When Did the Glazers Buy United?
Malcolm Glazer first came into play in 2003 when he acquired a 3.17% stake in the club. By the end of that year, the stake had gone up to 15%. The takeover was rounded up in 2005, leaving the family complete control over the club.
Fans protested the decision to leave the Glazers at the helm of the club, with many saying the family was never interested in the club’s progress but rather in how much money they could make from it. The club has been drowning in debt, with the Glazers reportedly taking more money from it than they inject.
Why Manchester United Fans Hate their American Owners
The club has undeniably achieved success since the Glazers took over completely in 2005. That famous rainy night in Moscow where United beat Chelsea to win their third Champions League trophy. Consecutive Premier League titles followed, but David Gill’s and Sir Alex Ferguson’s departures exposed the club’s flaws.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59909683/168612336.jpg.0.jpg)
Since 2016, Manchester United have spent close to $1 billion on players, a chunk of that money on players that haven’t lived up to expectations. Some off-field decisions have had a massive impact on the team’s performances on the pitch.
Ed Woodward’s time at United also frustrated many fans. An accountant left to run a football club left many fans disappointed.
Imminent Qatari Takeover to Turn Fortunes of Record PL Winners
The Glazers put the club for sale last November, much to the fans’ excitement. The investment group led by Qatari billionaire Sheik Jassim bin Al Thani leads the race to complete the club’s takeover. The group reportedly gained exclusivity from the club to leave other bidders out of the race. Once the takeover is complete, fans hope the club can return to its glory days.
