30-01-2010, 05:31 PM
Keith Harris, a football financier, claims to have been approached by wealthy investors regarding the possibility of taking over reigning Premier League champions Manchester United and, in so doing, ousting the unpopular Glazer family from their position as owners.
Manchester United's Supporters' Trust have staged meetings with leading club supporters, and have been in discussion with Harris about a supporter-led purchase of the famous club. However, those involved in the potential takeover have yet to be named, and have been labelled by Harris simply as "the Red Knights".
"Yes, we have been approached," Harris is quoted as saying by the BBC.
"We can lend our weight to doing something for the good of United and for the good of football - none of the takeovers that I have been involved in have involved any debt," Harris said, in an allusion to the escalating debt that has come to typify the Glazer family's involvement with the Old Trafford outfit.
"They've been takeovers by people who've wanted to be involved for reasons other than money."
He continued: "A number of people have been to see me and I've had long chats with them. I know there are one or two people in senior positions in the financial services that have access to capital. We don't know if the Glazers can be made to listen, but there is serious intent on the part of people who have support in their hearts.
"The time feels right."
In a refinancing effort, the Glazers recently revealed a £500 million bond had been issued. The mounting debts, believed to be in excess of £700m, have therefore been temporarily appeased. Yet this has done little to dilute the vitriol levelled at the current owners by certain sections of the club's support.
Harris added his voice to the criticism of the Glazers' management saying: "[The Glazers] are playing with an icon of football, one of the most respected brands in the world, and it is in danger.
"Seventy-five pence of every pound [fans] are spending is now going to the Glazers either for themselves or to pay debts.
"If these rumblings become a revolution and [fans] stop going - as difficult as it is for them not to go - and the pounds stop coming in, there is real peril."
United maintain their stance that the club is, as reported by BBC, "the most profitable football club in the world".
Regarding a sale, Harris said: "It depends on the Glazers' attitude but we've got to think that their businesses in America haven't done well - nobody's businesses in America have done well - and they're probably highly geared to those businesses.
"If this is an opportunity for them to take money and go then you have to think they would listen to that."
Manchester United's Supporters' Trust have staged meetings with leading club supporters, and have been in discussion with Harris about a supporter-led purchase of the famous club. However, those involved in the potential takeover have yet to be named, and have been labelled by Harris simply as "the Red Knights".
"Yes, we have been approached," Harris is quoted as saying by the BBC.
"We can lend our weight to doing something for the good of United and for the good of football - none of the takeovers that I have been involved in have involved any debt," Harris said, in an allusion to the escalating debt that has come to typify the Glazer family's involvement with the Old Trafford outfit.
"They've been takeovers by people who've wanted to be involved for reasons other than money."
He continued: "A number of people have been to see me and I've had long chats with them. I know there are one or two people in senior positions in the financial services that have access to capital. We don't know if the Glazers can be made to listen, but there is serious intent on the part of people who have support in their hearts.
"The time feels right."
In a refinancing effort, the Glazers recently revealed a £500 million bond had been issued. The mounting debts, believed to be in excess of £700m, have therefore been temporarily appeased. Yet this has done little to dilute the vitriol levelled at the current owners by certain sections of the club's support.
Harris added his voice to the criticism of the Glazers' management saying: "[The Glazers] are playing with an icon of football, one of the most respected brands in the world, and it is in danger.
"Seventy-five pence of every pound [fans] are spending is now going to the Glazers either for themselves or to pay debts.
"If these rumblings become a revolution and [fans] stop going - as difficult as it is for them not to go - and the pounds stop coming in, there is real peril."
United maintain their stance that the club is, as reported by BBC, "the most profitable football club in the world".
Regarding a sale, Harris said: "It depends on the Glazers' attitude but we've got to think that their businesses in America haven't done well - nobody's businesses in America have done well - and they're probably highly geared to those businesses.
"If this is an opportunity for them to take money and go then you have to think they would listen to that."
Basically the same thong but from a different perspective, I'm hyped about this.