How Manchester United came a cropper on 'The Rock' (A Christmas Boardroom Tale)

[Phil Jones Face]

Thanks for that. Very interesting read.

 

[Tincanalley]

Yea, I see it now; the Upstairs Downstairs theme is the key. Magnier saw Ferguson in the same way as Edwards or Gill saw him. Like a top Jockey, a face for the operation, he might be a social friend, but in business terms, he was, still, an ‘employee’.

Magnier wanted to own the club. Ferguson - taking it all far more personally that he ought to - thought Magnier wanted to give him a horse.

 

[Keefy18]

@Tincanalley

Brilliant, brilliant read and thankfully someone pieced this together and showed that the Glazers are not not an anomaly in using the club for financial gain, nor are they the only owners that saw the club in huge debt.

These sentiments don't sit well with the Glazer hating kind.

 

[Sassy Colin]

It seems to me, with SAF running around telling anyone who would listen, that he owned half a horse. Either he's being rather naive, or Magnier is being somewhat underhand.

In any case, the Glazer ownership, and Woodward's stewardship, has made the club into the marketing machine and financial powerhouse that we see today. Which can, more or less, compete with the plastic clubs.

Would it have panned out the same way if they hadn't sold their shares?

 

[Tincanalley]

It seems to me, with SAF running around telling anyone who would listen, that he owned half a horse. Either he's being rather naive, or Magnier is being somewhat underhand.

In any case, the Glazer ownership, and Woodward's stewardship, has made the club into the marketing machine and financial powerhouse that we see today. Which can, more or less, compete with the plastic clubs.

Would it have panned out the same way if they hadn't sold their shares?

The what-ifs are great fun to contemplate. The Magnier, McManus et al group had major plans in a marketing sense, according to reports at the time, well in line with what the Glazer's have implemented. They were/are also massively wealthy. Of course some other accountant would have played the role of Woody; and it is doubtful if that person would have wound up with the gig of MUFC CEO.

Arguably that version of the club would have been closer to the fans, but let's be fair, there are a whole raft of imponderables. I do not believe Magnier was being underhand; there was a cultural fault, that both parties tripped up on. And yes, perhaps SAF was a little bit naivé, a little bit seduced by wearing the tall hat in the winner's enclosure.

 

[Bastian]

Most enjoyable read on the Caf this year. Superb work!