14 Feb 2023 20:02:12
If Qataris buy us then that's me done with Manchester United.

1.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 20:59:03
Interesting, don’t think there is much will stop me supporting my club.

2.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 21:11:17
ManchesQatar United! Tbh they can’t be worse than the Glazers.

3.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 21:38:36
The club is bigger than any owner who owns us. As fans we unfortunately don't have a say who who owns us. If the Glazers wanted to sell Old Trafford brick by brick there's nothing we can do to stop them as they own the club.

If a consortium from Qatar buy the club and people want to stop engaging with the club, that's your own decision. As I said earlier, the clubs owners good, bad or heinous won't deter me from watching 11 men on the field trying to win a football match.

If their ultimate goal is to use the club to get an army of fans to sports wash their countries tarnished image, then I think they'll be surprised. We have no power in determining who the owners will be but we can control how we conduct ourselves as fans. We don't have to drink the cool aid and defend them blindly.

4.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 21:39:43
Everyone has their own personal feelings on this and that should be respected.

Personally while there are certain pote in owners that make me feel more uncomfortable than others ultimately I support the club and not the owners.

I have supported Manchester United all my life, including the past 17 years under the Glazer ownership while never once supporting the owners, what they do or what they stand for.

But like I said everyone has their own opinion and personal feelings about it and I respect that.

5.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 21:59:34
I'm with you shappy.
Everyone has their own views and I wouldn't try to convince anybody one way or the other.
I hope our new owners uphold the clubs traditions whilst bringing the club forward into the modern era.

6.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 21:59:40
I sent a long post on this a couple of days ago but it didn't make it on to the page.

Someone on here compared the UK to Saudi and Qatar suggesting human rights violations happened everywhere, which is stretching things somewhat. In the UK, you can worship who you want, you have freedom of expression, minorities are protected by law, women are equal to men, and here's the biggest thing, if we don't like the government, we can vote for a different one in free and fair elections.

That Newcastle fans embrace Saudi ownership so enthusiastically turns my stomach, and if the Qataris buy United then I will be torn. Violations of human rights, outlawing of homosexuality, discriminatory male guardianship rules all make me deeply uncomfortable. I wonder how our women's team would feel? To compare this to the current owners and 'what they stand for'is plain dumb.

Too many will simply shrug and hope for a big transfer fund which is their right, but I will struggle to support my team if the ownership passes to the Qataris, or several others.

7.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 22:33:31
People are of course free to make up their own mind about who they support and why, I have heard United fans being disingenious about United fans who don't go to games, are not from Manchester, not from North West, not from England many times.

Who owns United isn't my decision, nor do I want it to be, I just want good owners, I will support them no matter what, bloody hell if the merged with City or Liverpool I would still support the new club, although bi have no idea who we'd sing about then.

8.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 22:39:41
If anyone doesn’t like who owns us next they’re free to leave.

Speaking as a white, Christian, Englishman I think some people have exceptionally short memories when it comes to our own shockingly poor history when it comes to treating others. Qatar, Saudi, China - all of these countries and the billionaire owners within them may not be classed as anyone’s ideal owners now given their recent human rights record. But if that’s the case which country would you be happy with their countrymen owning us? An Englishman or an American would be at the back of the queue if it was judged based on atrocities committed against other nations.

If you’re looking for a perfect owner who’s worth at least £10b+ they are at best going to have a suboptimal past in how they acquired such wealth.

9.) 14 Feb 2023
14 Feb 2023 23:54:34
As a Liverpool fan I'm with you AJH, feel exactly the same about any potential buyer for us.
Halesini, acknowledging our own terrible history and treatment of others doesn't mean we accept it from others now, today in 2023. Empire building was seen as a natural progression for a country 300 years ago. We now judge current practices by current acceptable norms. If you accept beheadings, the ownership of women and the murder of homosexuals as ok because we were awful in the past, then I think you need to rethink the matter, respectfully.

10.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 01:03:51
Halesini, shappy and Ken, you make very good points. Am I missing something here? We live in a society that is very violent and I've seen it very close to home as the young lady who was murdered in my village might have been a hate crime. I worked in Abu Dhabi for 7 years and never saw any crime and felt completely safe.
We as a nation have ruled many others against their will. We don't have to look too far into history to see the huge mistake in invading iraq which resulted in over 500,000 deaths. So, who are we to preach to anyone about caring for humanity?
If the Qataris buy the club, invest in facilities, team and local area, then I'm all for it. Anyone thinking we're whiter than white, better look into our history and current affairs more closely.

11.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 06:51:01
BS, I'm here fingers-crossed hoping the Qataris succeed.

Stay on your moral high horse and ride into oblivion.

Can't remember Qataris lying about weapons of mass destruction and annihilating millions of civilians in Iraq or Libya just for resources or hegemonic dominance.

Yet those that did that a revered in the West, knighted or given coloured hearts of national significance.

If the people from the collective West (Europe, and USA) ie NATO alliance countries could hear what the rest of the world says about them they'd be shocked to find out they're the monsters they keep thinking they're fighting.

Reminds me of the 2015 movie Hidden.

12.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 07:33:50
Burkeyboy, Don't get too concerned. Nobody is interested in buying your club ? ? ?.

13.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 07:56:45
For those of you referring to the past crimes of the British, there is just one major flaw in your logic; the British Government aren't interested in buying Man Utd so what the British have or haven't done over the years has zero relevance to this discussion.

What we are talking about is whether we can accept owners (the Qatari government) who indulge in modern day slavery, imprison homosexuals, abuse human rights and coercively control women - Shappy, I'm pleased to read you are at least 'uncomfortable' with this.

So please stop deflecting, give over with the whataboutery and focus on the actual issue.

Are there any heinous activities from future owners you won't accept? Rape, murder, genocide? or are they all also ok because other people did bad things as well? Attack attack attack, Halesini, Yaz?

14.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 08:54:41
Its the same debate like we have for players signing. If i like the player then he is the best, if not then there wasnt a worse player. Its irrelevant to the other person. I am in favor of whoever runs the club well. I see no issues how City or PSG are being run so i don't see how we won't be run well either. As for Qatar vs Jim Ratcliffe i am in favor of Qatar simply because they have more wealth which can be used to give us better stadium and facilities. Ratcliffe doesn't have that.

15.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 08:59:13
What Yaz said. Get off your moral high horse.

{Ed001's Note - having morals is now seen as being on a high horse? Wow no wonder the world is such a mess. I would say that having morals should be applauded and respected, even if you disagree with them.}

16.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 09:16:58
Mancman asks a great question, to those of you who are only interested in the wealth of the owners, where do you draw the line, or do you not care at all? Some seem willing to ignore the suppression and control of women, the imprisoning of people for being gay, the lack of free speech. So what wouldn't you accept, or does the size of the transfer kitty override any morals you may have?

17.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 09:31:37
If morals was the only consideration for potential new owners, the club will probably never get sold.

18.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 09:33:21
MancMan, I think there needs to be something morally wrong with a person not to feel uncomfortable knowing what goes on in other parts of the world (or even in your own part of the world) .

Any association of atrocities committed by other people/ states/ organisations with our club will obviously be of concern to fans, and again uncomfortable to live with.

However, we have absolutely no power to stop these things happening, we have no power to dictate who buys and owns our club.

Personally I am able to separate the club I love from the people connected to it. I don't like the Glazers, I don't support their actions. That would be the same no matter who the owners are. Personally I feel more uncomfortable with Mason Greenwood and Ryan Giggs, players I have cheered and supported, and now we know what sort of people they are and what they have done to other people. Their connection to the club is far stronger than any owners. That also makes me feel uncomfortable. But again that is the acts of an individual and not the club I support.

I feel like cutting your nose off to spite your face never achieves anything positive. I won't deprive myself of something I love, especially as it won't make any difference in the grand scheme of things. But I appreciate others feel differently, and I respect their right to feel that way and support or remove their support from the club in their own way.

19.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 09:38:58
Again no criticism. For anybody.
Mancman do you live in an occupied state?
I do. The British still rule part of my country against the will of the people.
Last time England hosted a wc it was a criminal offence to be gay.
Gay peoples rights to marry was only passed a few years ago in UK and later than a lot more progressive countries.
Who is to say that the more the people in the middle east are exposed to western cultures that they won't embrace some of our cultures, who is to say that things won't improve over time in the middle east? They did in Britain to a large extent but not fully as per my first few lines.
I've worked there and know lots of people who live there.
While I don't align with some things others are fantastic over there and the English could learn plenty from them just as they can learn plenty from this side if the water.
Do you want to just cut that part of the world adrift until they align with your thoughts and morals.
You think it is OK for the British to invade or still occupy countries they invaded years ago. If that's where your moral compass is that's your perogative.

20.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 09:51:03
The Glazers have run down the club with mismanagement for over a decade now. Would fans of the club rather the Glazers continue wrecking the club than say, a middle east investor comes and introduces the club to the 21st century?

21.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:02:33
Isnt this similar to what AJH alluded to in his post just below this one. If the British are so morally sound then why the chants in the stadium? Where are your morals there?

22.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:09:21
I’ve said this before. Supporting your football club is not the same as endorsing those who own it. I don’t want a state owned, or some horrific people in charge. In an ideal world we would be fan owned. But that’s not possible.

My emotional attachment will not leave the me. It’s part of me. We all knew the type of people who would come in for us if the glazers ever sold. Jim Ratcliffe is talking about another takeover loaded with debt backed by the American banks. Ideally he would have the funds and would take us over, but if it’s not possible, it’s not possible.

23.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:15:50
Funny thing is Britain hasn't stopped.

It's sells and buys arms from Israel, it has troops on ground in Syria together with USA stealing oil and other resources.

Likewise African countries like Somalia, DRC etc where the pretence of "peacekeeping" is accompanied by covert exportation of the obvious (natural resources) .

Look at how West treats its own who stand up for truth vis the incarceration of Julian Assange, Edward Snowden and many of their ilk who decided to expose the rot in governance etc. I'm sure Seymour Hersh will be next.

I can keep going on and on but unfortunately, lots have been brainwashed by western MSM propaganda and see their countries as beacons of light shining and liberating us with their "democracy" and cleansing us from filth.

24.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:17:40
Tony, I think that's a little unfair to assume those who continue to support the club do so indifferent to the suffering in other parts of the world due to a "large transfer kitty".

There are people who have generational seats at Old Trafford, one family owning the same seats for 40, 50 or 60 years or more. There is an emotional connection with the club, it's not like picking your favourite car manufacturer or brand of cola.

Asking or expecting those people to turn their backs on that is unfair.

I don't think think it has anything to do with how much money the new owners spend. But everything to do with a deep connection. For some people watching their football team is the only joy they will have all week, the bright point in an otherwise difficult week. Should they deny themselves that?

Everyone supports the club differently and in their own way. I don't except that someone born in the shadow of Old Trafford is a better or more important fan than someone who grew up on the other side of the world. Some fans buy every bit of merchandise and watch every game, others watch games when they can. Some people have a very deep connection with the club and it's a big part of their life, others have less deep connection and engage with the club when it suits them.

At the end of the day we are all fans, but how we support the club is personal to each of us. That needs to be respected, and I don't feel attempts to question that or shame people for any reason progresses anything or is the best way to conduct ourselves.

For some fans the potential Qatari ownership will be too big a problem for them to continue to support the club. Others will feel deeply uncomfortable about it but won't turn their backs on the club, others won't care at all. Everyone is entitled to their point of view, whether we agree with it or not.

25.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:22:04
Great Post Yaz. And yes you could go on and on and on and on.

26.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:23:07
Amen, AJH, great post.

27.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:23:58
This is a football page nothing to do with politics.

As for the new owners that’s another thing we have no control over.
As someone mentioned earlier they will all have a skeleton or two in the cupboard as you don’t get to be a billionaire without stepping on a few toes.
I will support Utd no matter what.

28.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 10:50:00
Same boat as AJH. The purchase of United would be part of Qatar’s sports washing strategy. Images of United players and fans, the club’s history and tradition would be directly used to sanitise the mass abuse of women, lgbt, and a whole host of groups that are oppressed in Qatar. As bad as the Glazers are, the end goal was their personal wealth, not normalising abuse and oppression.

29.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 11:36:16
Agree with Ed001 and a few others. Seems a lot of people are prepared to leave their qualms about the most basic of human rights abuses at the door, just because they support a football team. It's not getting on a moral high horse to be uneasy about the thought, it should be the default position for most right-thinking people.

30.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 11:59:08
Slight alteration to your post Stevie. It would the default position for most "west" thinking people.

Unless Qatar oppresses women in Manchester, you shouldn't worry about it. don't claim to be saints when the devil lives in your own backyards.

31.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 12:26:06
Bang on UA. Try living in an occupied state for a while run by the British and you'll know all about it.

{Ed001's Note - whataboutery at its finest. No one here is involved in that, they aren't claiming its right either, so why use that as an excuse? It is completely unrelated to the subject of whether someone can be happy or otherwise with regard to who your owners are. Well unless it was someone involved with those things, in which case they stop being whataboutery and become relevant details. Otherwise, stick to the actual argument.}

32.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 12:29:50
So human rights abuses are ok, if they're not in Manchester? You can't be concerned with things happening in other countries? If that was the case, South Africa would probably still have Apartheid. An appreciation for basic human rights should not be considered just a 'west' thing.

33.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 13:01:24
Nou, I would assume 99% percent of fans given the choice wouldn't choose Qatar as our owners. The majority on here would have a decent moral compass and don't disregard any of the heinous acts their regime has done. The quandary with me lies in "what can we do as fans? ".

As Danny pointed out above, they're doing this to get an army of fans to defend them and they actions. We can control that part of the social contract and simply not do it.

There are some super posts in this thread but when you start looking deep into football and our club, the skeletons in the closet should have drove most people away already.

We take sponsorship money from States that have human right violations. So is it alright to take their money as sponsorship but not if they own us?

The Greenwood saga too is making many fans question if they'll continue to watch if he's reinstated. Yet we have a statue of Best outside the ground who has a very checkered past. We sing songs from the terraces of Giggs name.

I'm only playing Devils Advocate here with these questions and I know there is a tipping point for some people. But for me, I just want to watch some football. Qatar owning the club won't make me treat anyone else differently, I won't make me become a cheerleader for them.

The horse bolted a long time ago for football. Morals are to be applauded of course but if you looked deep into any industry, you wouldn't watch T. V or film ever again, you wouldn't enjoy a nice steak, you couldn't listen to your favourite 80s rock band, you wouldn't heat your house or drive your car.

Unfortunately everything stinks so hold your breath and try to leave the place nicer than when you found it.

34.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 13:32:02
Mumbles, honestly, I'd be genuinely torn. This club have been an important part of my life for 45 years, and it would be extremely difficult to flick that love off just like that.

I know the modern world is a minefield and nothing is squeaky clean, but I hate whataboutery as well. Just because someone else does something bad, shouldn't mean we can't call out basic abuses that are staring us in the face. I protested against the govts position on gay rights years ago, and I did the same over the Iraqi war, so I'm under no illusions what western govts are capable of. But the basic rights to live and love as you choose should pretty much be non-negotiable.

{Ed001's Note - that is a great post.}

35.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 13:32:55
Spot on Ed001.

36.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 14:09:40
I'm on the same side of the fence Nou. I hope my post didn't come across like I was making excuses for them as owners, I'm not. I guess it's the old adage "how much difference can one person make".

I'm in Ireland, I'm at any protest I can get to because our government are crooks. Mainly on the issue of a right to housing. Iv been at protests with 25000 and been at protests with 100. Very hard to keep going and I don't blame people for stepping back because sometimes you feel like you can't make a difference, so u don't blame fans for just continuing as they are

As you say, it would be incredibly difficult to stop watching United. From my grandad, to my dad to all my siblings, united has been a constant in my life.

Qatar want fans to back them. We know that's what the con is so it's up to us to not turn into that fan base. That's how I rationalise it anyways.

37.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 14:02:45
I just don't understand that whataboutery attitude, Ed001.

It's rife in modern life, unfortunately.

I see people sticking up for bent politicians in the party they support, by claiming the other side are just as bad. And? Your politician is still bent.

It's a cop out. No country would ever be pressured into changing outdated practices, if we all just went, 'we're bad as well, so leave them to it'. I used Apartheid as an example. Should nations like the UK, France, USA, not have put pressure on that abhorrent regime, because 'we're bad as well'?

Anyway, I'm away to wrestle with my conscience ?.

{Ed001's Note - good luck with that wrestling match mate!}

38.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 14:17:54
No, not at all Mumbles. I thought your post was thoughtful, reasoned and considered. A few on this thread, not so much.

39.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 15:07:40
Whilst I don't agree with a lot of the things the Qataris have done, I look at the club differently.

I assume the people saying they won't support us if the Qatari's buy also don't own iPhones, shop at ASOS, Primark and others to name a few. A lot of companies are guilty of poor human rights violations but this gets overlooked because its not in the spotlight currently.

If you are sat reading this on an iPhone and are saying you won't support United, I think you need a take a look at your moral compass.

40.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 14:19:09
One unmentioned elephant in the room is how would the moral minority feel if Qatari money bought Liverpool and we continued to drift further behind city and subsequently Liverpool and Newcastle?

41.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 16:30:56
Allan, I suppose that depends where football ranks in their priorities.

42.) 15 Feb 2023
15 Feb 2023 17:49:15
We already know the answer, the same as we do for fans of all clubs not owned by such owners. Everyone would cry morale outrage just as everyone do now bar City, Newcastle and PSG fans.

Of course it doesn't mean they are morally outraged at all, they just have found a reason for a dig at an opposing side.

There are very few dissenting voices at City Newcastle and PSG and I believe it would be the same here, at Liverpool or any other club with such owners.