The American owners of Manchester United have been criticised by a group of the club’s fans after they announced a sizeable payout to shareholders despite a poor season on the pitch
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Manchester United fans have branded “indefensible and totally unacceptable” a dividend payment of £11million paid to the club’s owners the Glazers.
The Glazers, including executive co-chairmen Joel and Avram, are set to receive the bulk of the £11m payment, which was made to United shareholders yesterday. The huge pay-out comes at the end of United’s worst season in Premier League history, one in which they finished sixth, missing out on the Champions League with their lowest ever points total.
United have also failed to make a signing so far this summer, despite promising to back new manager Erik ten Hag with the necessary funds to make the team competitive again.
The £11m payment is the latest in a series of dividends taken by shareholders, of which the Glazers hold a majority stake. The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) criticised the pay-out at a time when the club is arguably facing its biggest crisis of the modern era on the pitch. A statement issued by MUST said: “Today the Glazers pay themselves the lion’s share of an £11m dividend at the end of one of the worst seasons in living memory.
“Reward for failure is poor practice in any business, and totally unacceptable given the current state of things at United. MUST is advocating and pursuing a strategy of engagement with the club and its owners, to get a stronger voice for fans, but this payment is indefensible. We will be making this point, and demanding answers, in our direct meetings as well as through our representatives on the fans’ advisory board and fans’ forum.”
While United have failed to make any signings this summer, arch rivals Manchester City and Liverpool have made big statements with the respective additions of strikers Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez. Fans believe United, who have not won the league since 2013 and not lifted a trophy since 2017, are set to fall further behind City and Liverpool, as long as the Glazers keep taking cash out of the club. Former United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville called on the Glazers to stop taking dividends for three years and use the money to improve the squad and facilities at the stadium and training ground.
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“The Glazer Family should not be taking £11m in dividends this Friday,” Neville tweeted. “It isn’t right with the investment needed in the team, stadium and training ground. The club’s cash position is low compared to previous years. An announcement is needed to halt it for the next three years minimum.”
Meanwhile, United striker Mason Greenwood has had his bail extended, Greater Manchester Police have confirmed. The striker was suspneded by United in January following his arrest on suspicion of rape, assault and making threats to kill. A statement from GMP read: “Following a hearing yesterday (Thursday 23 June 2022), a 20-year-old man arrested on suspicion of rape, assault and making threats to kill on Sunday 30 January 2022 remains on bail.”
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