Manchester United co-owner Joel Glazer met with fan representatives online in early June.
A host of pledges were made, from improvements in the stadium to investment in the team, to deliverance of a new share scheme for fans.
While there have been a couple of new signings, and Old Trafford may have had a lick of paint ahead of the new season, the share scheme appears to be behind target.
Quoted by Manchester United’s official website, Glazer said he wanted the new scheme in place before the start of the 2021/22 season.
Glazer said: “The club has been in discussions with MUST regarding a fan share scheme for a number of months and has already sought external legal advice on options. Discussions will now intensify, with the aim of agreeing a plan before the start of the new season.”
Well, here we are with the new season starting in one day’s time, and no plan has been agreed.
Behind target
Glazer’s aim to get this up and running before the new season was always ambitious, given the complex nature of any financial scheme. But these were his own words.
Supporter group MUST said in June that they were wary on the share scheme, whether it would be an acceptable one to supporters.
A statement read: “MUST is cautious about whether this Fan Share Scheme will meet their own tests before they give it approval as despite the huge concession on voting rights that this proposal signals as ever the devil is always in the detail.
“In particular, despite Joel Glazers’ assertion that this will be “the largest fan ownership group in world sport”, MUST is concerned that there is a risk that the scheme will limit the number of such Fan Shares made available so reducing the opportunity for this to achieve a meaningful collective fan ownership stake – and ultimately with the potential to result in a change in control of the club.”
More than 70,000 fans have agreed to a Sign For United campaign launched by MUST, in which supporters tentatively registered interest in finding out more.
Further details will be released when more is known, but the exact detail of any proposals remains unclear and under discussion.
The plan for the share scheme is still alive, it just won’t be ready before the new season as Joel Glazer said he hoped it would be.
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