Michael Knighton: The man who could have bought Man Utd for £10m but walked away
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
I remember that opening day like yesterday. Knighton was doing all his flick ups and smashing the ball into the net I front of a packed old Trafford (any Utd fans dream).
Utd battered Arsenal 4-1 (Neil Webb scored a great volley) and I thought we would win the league after that game.
Then the nightmare began….
Utd battered Arsenal 4-1 (Neil Webb scored a great volley) and I thought we would win the league after that game.
Then the nightmare began….
Yeah, the good old days.
Would have been a disaster had he taken over.
Would have been a disaster had he taken over.
I was there. Great day, thank god he didn't take over though. I feel like that was the day of the 20 man brawl on the pitch with deducted points, could be mixing memories though...
Did he even have 10 million? I thought he was supposed to be a chancer with nowhere near the cash to buy the club and rebuild the stand as required by the deal.
Damn I never knew 10 million was worth so much in the 80s and it was even in 1989, only 32 years ago. Shows how far capitalism has come in football.
I didn't know about this, hadn't even come across a reference. Very interesting and what regret he must feel
Interesting read. News to me as it's slightly before my time.
He was either a chancer or a visionary.
If you read his side of the story, he claimed he had the money. He also claimed he knew satellite TV would be massive for football and that Utd subsequently used his blueprint for the club to drive revenues for the next decade after he the deal was abandoned.
2 different matches - the brawl was the season after
He didn't personally have it but was raising money from investors/banks but they pulled out and that's why it fell apart
Bet they are kicking themselves now - £10m to £3bn
Nah, we leathered arsenal that day, 4-0 wasn't it?
He looks like an older Michael Cera.
Correct. Battered the champions. The future looked so rosey and optimistic...
Mark Hughes, what a player. Loved watching him play. Strength, touch, heading, passing, vision, finishing and a right horrible bastard too. His pass for Robins against forest in the FA cup. Just ridiculous.
Proper forward.
Marvelous, isn't it? Jumpers fer goalposts....
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He took over my local team Carlisle United and pretty much ran them into the ground. So glad he never took over us.
When I saw this on TV, I cant remember if it was the news or MOTD I thought I would have loved to have been there and that Knighton was just what we needed; Martin Edwards was hugely unpopular with supporters and the board too apparantly. The real truth of why Knightons bid failed may never be known; Edwards was to claim years later that he had no intention of selling but Knightons offer would mean Old Trafford could be renovated, especially the Stretford End. There are a couple of shadowy characters involved, including the owner of a newspaper and according to some Knighton was "warned off" Ive always been dubious about Martin Edwards claims he never wanted to sell United as Knighton wasnt the first or last person he discussed such a proposition with. Edwards revealed in 2017 that he knew he wasnt popular at Old Trafford. Of course, if Knighton had taken over Alex Ferguson would likely have been sacked. Once the deal fell through Knoghton was offered a seat on the board of directors fuelling the conspiracy theories surrounding the affair; was it to shut Knighton up, or was Edwards going to make a private deal? It could only happen at Manchester United!
And also started banging on about UFOs if I recall correctly
Perhaps he was related to David Icke!
A young Mickey Phelan
I remember being very excited about that season, a few new faces
I remember being very excited about that season, a few new faces
He also became a painter I think.
sounds like the Glazers
Dave Whelan was offered United but thought if he bought us, nobody would buy any of the other clubs shirts from JJB sports.
I remember that so well. It was hilarious to watch as an non united fan, up there with Delia's let's be having you!
$10M in the 1980s was some serious money so hard to fault the guy for passing it up. I wonder what we will say 20 years from now about $10B.
I always thought he simply didn't have the cash to pay for the club, not that he walked away. I know the article says he did have it, but there's nothing in the story to back that up, just a few words saying he did.
I was in the Stretford end that day , we battered the champions and it looked like we had the coolest chairman in the league.
Turned out he had less money than me and we ended up battling relegation. Ah good times
Turned out he had less money than me and we ended up battling relegation. Ah good times
Yeah he never had the money and it was more about the property and doing a deal etc where the land most likely would have been sold or used to fund the takeover and he was banking on Satellite coming in etc and over the years the story has been changed several times.
Players used to go pick up their wage packets by hand back then still.
Game has changed a lot.
£10m was a lot, but it was actually cheap, but also a good deal, as United were coming off a very bad season, less than 20k attendance average and Martin Edwards was hated and desperate to sell.
out of curiosity, are you saying that inflation only exists in capitalist societies?
It was a strange day. I had no idea who he was, and thought that it was Ken Knighton, the former Sunderland manager who was buying the club. Nightmare is about right. Lost a home to Norwich, beat Millwall, then got stuffed 1-5 at Maine Road. Rough times indeed.