Glazers' first Old Trafford visit - Riot vans, barricades and tunnel escape
The Glazers endured a forgettable first visit to Old Trafford some 19 years ago with fans attempting to barricade them in the stadium before pelting them with rocks as they tried to exit.
Anger among supporters had heightened after Malcolm Glazer had completed his majority takeover of Manchester United, which plunged them into huge debts. Malcolm's three sons - Joel, Avi and Bryan - headed to the Premier League ground for the first time and were exposed to the hatred they would face throughout their tenure.
On a weekday in June 2005, the trio headed to Manchester but were met with aggressive and violent scenes, which eventually saw them smuggled down the players' tunnel and out of the ground in two police tactical aid vans for their own safety.
United fans though placed themselves in the road, which forced the vans to stop. A portion of the 400 supporters then began hammering the vehicles with stones which led to police officers using dogs and batons to clear a path.
The club's officials had originally attempted to pour water on the idea that the Glazers would be visiting Old Trafford during their visit from America. Fans began gathering through when the three brothers, the chief executive David Gill and the commercial director Andy Anson arrived at the ground the night before.
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The Glazers were in the country to have talks with the sports minister Richard Caborn and officials from the Premier League and the Football Association before the visit turned sour.
Supporters sang angry chants of "Die, die Glazer" and "We'll be running round Old Trafford with his head" while the Glazers had a stroll around the Old Trafford pitch and met various members of staff. They spent four hours inside the stadium and, with their exit blocked, the new American owners were rushed up the tunnel and put into police vans.
Joel, Avram and Bryan Glazer visited Old Trafford for the first time in 2005Joel had planned to speak to the club's fans via MUTV before the violent scenes took place. "Joel Glazer will be recording a full interview with MUTV, broadcast at 6pm on Friday," said their spokesman.
Despite the mass fan anger senior figures in the English game had spoken up the Glazers and their plans for the Premier League's most successful club.
Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, said the Glazers had given "an unequivocal commitment" to continue the league's agreement on the collective selling of TV rights. There had been concerns that the American owners would seek alternatives - this some 16 years before the attempted Super League breakaway, that sought to create their own broadcast agreement.
"There was an open exchange. They detailed their motives and aspirations for the club and we shared our strategic objectives for the Premier League," Scudamore said. "There is a great deal of common ground between us."
Fans made their anger known and have continued to protest against the AmericansUnited continued to win with regularity under Sir Alex Ferguson, who very much acted as a shield for the Glazers. His exit though exposed the club's deficiencies and incompetence. Despite that, five years after their takeover, Scudamore said on the American owners: "I don't fear for Manchester United as a club.
"I understand the pain of the green-and-gold brigade - I hear it, I read it - but I don’t feel it. Manchester United is absolutely one of the best-run clubs in the world. If you take a step back from the emotiveness of it, it’s a fantastic job they [the Glazers] have done."
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has now completed his minority takeover and is expected to watch a game at Old Trafford for the first time this weekend - where he can expect a much warmer reception.
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