Manchester United fans vs the Glazers: A 20-year unfriendly relationship

The Glazer family become majority owners of Manchester United back in 2005 through a leveraged buyout, which put the club into debt through their takeover. The family bought United through loans, which led to huge problems. Instead of paying off the debts from the loans to purchase Manchester United themselves, the Glazer family put the debt onto the club.

During their two decades as owners of the football club, fans have been in uproar over their handling of the club. While supporters from other clubs have often criticised Manchester United fans for blaming problems on the ownership, do United fans have a point?

When the club were winning league titles and cup trophies, they were still protesting against the owners, although opposition fans believe United supporters turned sour when the club’s success started to decline.

The view externally has been that the Old Trafford faithful are entitled, considering their history and that all blame cannot be put on the ownership, whereas United fans are fuelling their anger towards the hierarchy.

Cristiano Ronaldo criticised the Glazers back in 2022 by saying, “The owners of the club, they don't care about the club. As you know Manchester is a marketing club, they will get money from the marketing, but with the sports they don't really care in my opinion.”

They bought the club through a leveraged buyout back in 2005, and the Premier League has now banned owners from acquiring clubs through loans, the way the Glazers did.

What do you think of the Glazer ownership of Manchester United and are they as bad as United fans are making out to be?