Manchester United fans mount protest against US owners ahead of Liverpool game
Hundreds of Manchester United fans, protesting against the club’s US owners, invaded the pitch at Old Trafford stadium on Sunday — in what the Premier League described as a “security breach” — ahead of the game against Liverpool.
Many Manchester United supporters are unhappy over the club’s failed attempt to join the European Super League last month. The Glazer family, which also owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, runs the club.
“After the security breach at Old Trafford we can confirm the Manchester United v Liverpool match will not kick-off at 16:30 BST,” said the Premier League’s live blog.
“The safety of everyone at Old Trafford is paramount. At present there is no revised kick-off time.”
Manchester United and Greater Manchester Police did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
“Hundreds of fans have been on the pitch and many are now exiting through gates across a road that normally allows the team buses through,” wrote BBC reporter Simon Stone, who is at Old Trafford.
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Manchester United — and Liverpool — were two of the 12 clubs that last month announced their intention to breakaway from the current UEFA competition format and create their very own European Super League, before the project quickly unraveled.
“We are disgusted, embarrassed and angry at the owner’s actions in relation to the planning, formation and announcement of the European Super League,” said the Manchester United Supporters Trust at an emergency fans forum meeting on Friday.
“Once again this clearly demonstrates that the club’s owners are only interested in maximising their own profits and do not care about or respect the views of Manchester United fans.”
At that meeting, outgoing Manchester United Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward said the club do not “seek any revival of the Super League plans.”
“I know that you will feel angry and let down by the lack of consultation and by the way the proposal failed to recognise the vital principle of open competition. Proper discussion would have helped us avoid the mistake we made,” added Woodward.
“As Joel [Glazer] said … we failed to give enough weight to the essential principles and traditions of sporting merit which are so vital to football not just in domestic competition but in European competition since the mid-1950s.”
