Old Trafford Protests, Sunday May 2, 2021

[Stumpy Pepys]

heir debts predate Covid and are largely to do with their own incontinent business models, in Real Madrid's case assisted by a banking and political architecture that considers them too big to fail.

I agree with what you've written but, at the same time, Real Madrid is a supporter-owned club. While I'm in favour of a more German model, I don't believe it's the be-all and end-all.

[DCI Harry Batt]

The big clubs are NOT in debt because of Covid or stadium investments. Their debts predate Covid and are largely to do with their own incontinent business models, in Real Madrid's case assisted by a banking and political architecture that considers them too big to fail. Man Utd have been in massive debt since 2005 as a result of conscious business decisions that their owners are entirely responsible for. Covid has almost fuck all to do with it

It is indeed easy to cast billionaire owners as the villains. Because it's true. They are

All of this.

[NHH]

I agree with what you've written but, at the same time, Real Madrid is a supporter-owned club. While I'm in favour of a more German model, I don't believe it's the be-all and end-all.

"As much as I like German cheese, Spanish cheese's rancidness puts me off eating German cheese"

[Nesta]

But if you want to make your own cheese, you should want to examine what German cheesemakers are getting right, and what Spanish cheesemakers are doing that makes their cheese rancid.

[NHH]

Absolutely - and people have been doing just that for around a decade or more.

[Sporting]

Spanish cheese is very good, thank you, especially Cabrales.

[Patrick Thistle]

This is being shared on Twitter

[Lang Spoon]

Spanish cheese is very good, thank you, especially Cabrales.

Manchego man myself.

[ad hoc]

The countries whose cheese making we should be studying are those who don't make any. In the context of this metaphor, that's England I think. Unless we have to stick to the metaphor in which case I'll offer up somewhere like Laos.

But having now had the situation compared to cheese and biscuits I suspect next up is grapes or walnuts

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Which one's Harry Kane? A grape or a walnut? I'm totally confused now

[hobbes]

What's "brand infinity?"

[Auntie Beryl]

They might mean "brand affinity" I suppose.

Which is still bullshit, but bullshit with which I'm familiar.

[caja-dglh]

I think that Manchester United fans post kind of misunderstands the whole point of advertising. They had Chevrolet sponsor them for the past five years when 90% of Manchester United fans couldn't buy one of the damn cars if they tried.

There's a bunch more weird to it (desperate after 15 years cos Joel Glazer didn't attend a Fans Forum??!? Oh, my days) but, ultimately, the sentiment and motives are spot on. If you want change then you are going to have to fight for it in every which way you can. Sponsors, match protests (when that novelty of fans at games returns), banners, disrupting media revenues - whatever. It's either that or shrugging and going along with it all. Some in between isn't going to cut it.

[E10 Rifle]

Yep. You embrace all strategies. Some will hit, some will miss. But they'll still achieve more than if you did nothing

[NHH]

I think that Manchester United fans post kind of misunderstands the whole point of advertising. They had Chevrolet sponsor them for the past five years when 90% of Manchester United fans couldn't buy one of the damn cars if they tried.

There's a bunch more weird to it (desperate after 15 years cos Joel Glazer didn't attend a Fans Forum??!? Oh, my days) but, ultimately, the sentiment and motives are spot on. If you want change then you are going to have to fight for it in every which way you can. Sponsors, match protests (when that novelty of fans at games returns), banners, disrupting media revenues - whatever. It's either that or shrugging and going along with it all. Some in between isn't going to cut it.

I'm not sure why the snark about the non-attendance at the fans' forum; nothing perhaps better illustrates the contemptuous manner in which their ownership has viewed fans pretty much since the get go, so it's a free hit, in PR terms.

[Patrick Thistle]

Tbh I can't see protests achieving anything unless it's made personal about the Glazers. Banners about Epstein Island will get attention. As will chants linking Avi Glazer to the stuff that went on there. If every football match included loud chanting accusing one of the chairmen of something reprehensible then they might be provoked into leaving. But at the moment there is very little at stake for them personally.

[caja-dglh]

I'm not sure why the snark about the non-attendance at the fans' forum; nothing perhaps better illustrates the contemptuous manner in which their ownership has viewed fans pretty much since the get go, so it's a free hit, in PR terms.

After so long, with so much water under the bridge, it is that which is where the line is drawn. It is just feels very Franz Ferdinand, but maybe that is how these things often go.

[Satchmo Distel]

There has been no owner financing in this period

That can't be repeated enough. If owners are putting no money in but taking tons out whilst growing huge debts, how can that be allowed to continue?

[NHH]

Answers on a postcard to:

'Why the fuck did you let Rule 34 drop you shitheads'
c/o Ted Croker & Bert Millichip
The FA
Lancaster Gate
ondon:

[E10 Rifle]

Targeting sponsors would, and will be, a vital tool in the armoury should an actual breakaway ever go ahead.

[Sean of the Shed]

The game has been rearranged for next Thursday.

[Sean of the Shed]

That's just two days after Man United play Leicester

[Satchmo Distel]

I find that odd. I understood there was an opportunity to move Liverpool v West Brom from Cup Final weekend and slot this in there.

TV has presumably dictated it wants a Thursday when the fourth place and maybe title are more likely to be not decided yet.

[Satchmo Distel]

If Klopp is being quoted in context here, it's rather disappointing, although I can understand why he feels he needs to hold the establishment line as a management employee:

https://www.theguardian.com/football...ests-liverpool

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

What on earth are you talking about? All he's said is protest, but don't start smashing shit up and assaulting staff and the police. You think that makes him some kind of establishment lickspittle? Odd.