Manchester United fans have called on their Glazer owners to finally deliver a fan share scheme to enable supporters to own shares with the same voting rights as them by 18 April.
Next month marks 12 months since the world of football was left reeling after the confirmation that 12 of the biggest clubs, spearheaded by the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’, had signed up for a new European Super League.
After the collapse of the breakaway competition just days later, United declared their commitment to building a better relationship with supporters and launched a fan advisory board in December.
The club also confirmed in November last year they were ‘in advanced talks’ with the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) about setting up a fans’ share scheme that would give supporters a ‘meaningful ownership stake’ in the club.
But after rejecting an initial proposal from the club despite ‘prolonged discussions with the club’, MUST said United had ‘not yet made a proposal to us that is sufficiently acceptable to us to allow it to go to the next stage, which would be a members’ ballot’.
The group then warned it is ‘inconceivable’ there is not definitive action before the anniversary of the bombshell announcement regarding the Super League, especially as Ralf Rangnick’s men ‘continue to decline’ on the field.
‘Negotiations on these matters can take some time, but we can’t allow them to drag on forever, particularly as in the meantime we continue to see our club decline on the field,’ it added.
Manchester United fans have called on their Glazer owners to finally deliver a fan share scheme
Next month marks 12 months since United were announced as one of 12 Super League clubs
‘We have now made clear to the club that we are looking for a resolution to this matter within the coming weeks.
‘One thing is sure – it is inconceivable that we do not have a definitive response by the time we reach the anniversary of the European Super League announcement.’
Sportsmail has contacted Manchester United for comment.
Sky claim around £7.5million ($10m) is understood to have been earmarked for fans by United, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Co-chairman Joel Glazer apologised in April last year over United’s role in the failed ESL and appeared at two fans’ forums to try and foster a better relationship with supporters, as well as agreeing to set up the new fans’ advisory board.
Joel Glazer declared his commitment to building a better relationship with fans after it failed
Joel Glazer then said last June the fan share scheme would be launched, adding that he hoped it would be set up and ready to go at the start of this season.
But the MUST communication showed half of the United fans surveyed fear the club may try to push through another a version of the ESL proposal.
The United fans surveyed were thoroughly against such a move by a four-to-one majority.
The share scheme is seen as the most significant gesture by the Glazers to improve relations with supporters, not least because it would involve a new class of fan shares each with the same high-vote rights as the B shares held by the Glazer family.
A club statement in November read: ‘We are in advanced talks with MUST about a fans’ share scheme which would open a path for fans to build, over time, a meaningful ownership stake in Manchester United.
A fan advisory board has been launched but MUST say no acceptable proposal has been made on a share scheme
‘This would give fans a strong collective voice within our ownership structure and help cement a new spirit of long-term partnership between fans and the club.
‘There are significant legal and regulatory complexities being worked through, together with MUST and expert advisers.
‘As well as making progress on the fans’ share scheme, we are also creating a fans’ advisory board as a new channel for board-level dialogue with supporters and this is close to launch.’
The news is yet a further headache for United, who have struggled on the pitch thos season.
MUST say a resolution is critical, particularly as Cristiano Ronaldo and Co continue to struggle
The club – sat sixth in the league table – are in danger of missing out on Champions League football next season, and were knocked out of this season’s competition by Atletico Madrid last week.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also replaced as boss this season, with Michael Carrick taking on a caretaker role before Rangnick was named interim boss until the end of the season.
The club have reportedly started their search for a new long-term manager with Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino among the favourites, while the futures of many of the clubs established stars including Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire are in doubt.
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