Manchester United Supporter's Trust issue statement after meeting with Prime Minister

The Manchester United Supporter’s Trust has held a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the Super League proposals put forward by the club.

United have put forward proposals to breakaway from the Champions League and move into a locked-in Super League from which they are guaranteed entry every single year.

The plans have received huge opposition, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has voiced his concerns already, and has now held talks with MUST.

(Photo Dario Cantatore/Getty Images via NYSE Euronext)

In a series of tweets, MUST say ‘we were struck by the sense of commitment from the Prime Minister’, while also acknowledging action will speak louder than words.

The group also plan to meet with opposition leader Keir Starmer, expressing hope of cross-party backing on the issue of football club governance.

1/ We went on to explain to the Prime Minister that when the Superleague is stopped we need to find a permanent solution to the ownership conflict which is at the heart of these recurring moves to grab more cash and power for club owners.
— M.U.S.T (@MU_ST) April 20, 2021

3/ He also promised that the football governance review being led by @tracey_crouch will be swift and look at issues such as Supporters owning shares in their club, supporters on Boards, and 50+1. It was encouraging to hear that the Government wants change.
— M.U.S.T (@MU_ST) April 20, 2021

5/ There is a united mood on this matter in political circles and we hope to see cross-party support for decisive action now followed by real reform of the ownership and governance of our clubs
— M.U.S.T (@MU_ST) April 20, 2021

Overdue action

Successive Governments have been too weak on football owners, often but not exclusively from overseas, and have let the clubs and league become a billionaire’s playground, or run roughshod with bad management and neglect.

In United’s case, the Glazers were able to take over the club in 2005 based on huge leveraged debt, without having the capital to buy the club outright.

It was a decision which should never have been allowed, and the leagues and Government are now dealing with the snakes in charge who have been allowed time to plan and plot a carefully devised overhaul of football as we know it.

Hopefully Government intervention is not too little too late. This could be a turning point for fan ownership models like the ones which exist in Germany

This is a chance for Johnson et al to bare teeth, and show they are not all talk. We have heard his words, and so have MUST, and now it is time for action.

MAILBOX: Have your say on this topic or anything relating to Manchester United – E-mail us now [email protected]