Manchester United-eierne har ikke møtt supporterne på 16 år, men etter protestene i våres skjedde det endelig fredag. Da stilte Joel Glazer opp i et fanforum.
Glazer skal ha sagt ja til et rådgivende fanstyre, og sa seg også villig til å sette opp det som kalles «Fan Share Scheme», en aksjeordning for supporterne.
Annonse
Det nye fanstyret vil jobbe med sentrale klubbledere.
United har også innledet en direkte dialog med MUST (som Supporterklubben nå samarbeider med) for å få til en for begge parter fornuftig aksjeordning, der stemmerettighetene skal være de samme som Glazer-familien sitter på.
Glazer lovet også investeringer i Old Trafford og Carrington.
Det ble også bestemt at fanforumet skulle utvides, for å speile flere supportere. Glazers godtok også å selv betale alle eventuelle kostnader ved at Superligaen gikk i vasken for dem, og de lovet å investere i førstelaget denne sommeren.
Joel Glazer forsvarte imidlertid utbyttet eierne har tatt ut av United, og han ville ikke love å fjerne gjelden som nå ligger på klubben.
Rick Milnes, som var til stede på møtet, skriver på Twitter at han er forsiktig optimist etter møtet, men at det vil være detaljene i videre samtaler som er avgjørende.
Overall a positive meeting which left me cautiously optimistic. More detail is needed against the proposals as devil will be in the detail. Headlines include: pic.twitter.com/km4srfI57W
Dette sa Joel Glazer (engelsk tekst bevisst beholdt) i møtet:
Annonse
Our goal is to win every competition we compete in, and we will continue to invest in our Academy and in the transfer market to support the manager in an effort to meet the club’s goals.
As a club we have devoted a lot of time and resources over the last several years updating and further developing our vast global scouting network to adapt to the modern football environment. This is a project that should provide a foundation for long-term success in the years to come.
In addition, as you all know, we have also been focused on growing and developing our women’s team in line with the traditions and values of the club, and we are committed to continuing that process.
Old Trafford is at the heart of Manchester United and while we have spent over £100m over the last 10 years on infrastructure projects, we will now accelerate the process of planning much more significant investment and upgrades to the stadium…rest assured, we will consult with supporters throughout the process to end up with a result we can all be proud of.
The same goes for our training ground. Preliminary planning work is already under way and there will be significant funding available to further enhance our facilities and ensure they remain world class.
Etter møtet sa han følgende:
I was pleased to join the Fans’ Forum to listen to the views of supporters, address their questions, and share ideas on how we can improve the way we work together.
As owners, we want exactly the same thing as the fans – a successful team and a strong club – and we want to work in partnership to achieve those objectives.
Annonse
Fans are the lifeblood of Manchester United and I am personally committed to ensuring that they are given an enhanced voice, through the creation of a Fan Advisory Board and a Fan Share Scheme.
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.
