This week may well see the demise of Portsmouth Football Club. FA Cup champions of 2008, members of the Football League since the 1800s and an abused plaything for a series of international businessmen. The significance of a top-flight team, and recent trophy winner, facing oblivion cannot be overstated.
Portsmouth as a place and footballing institution does not occupy the warmest of places in my heart but their story so horrific that I see it as a shot across the bow for any football team currently carrying debt. For example, Manchester United
Should the south club team cease to exist all of their results will become null and void making some mathematician’s life difficult for a while before the other clubs carry on. But surely they cannot carry on as before.
The accepted thinking is that despite United’s absurd level of debt and repayment that the brand is too strong to crumble completely. This could well be true, however, the last time I checked I was not in possession of a crystal ball and more to the point, if General Motors and Lehmann Brothers and big enough to fall so are Manchester United.
It is no secret that the number of people on the planet (without the surname Glazer) who are happy with our current owners is very low. Some of us want rid of them anyway possible, perhaps hoping for the elusive Saudi oil baron or perhaps Pandoran Unobtanium firm to come in and save the day. This would solve nowt.
The reality is that Manchester United is a hugely successful enterprise and people who are not connected to the club in emotional terms merely see dollar signs when they look at it. What we need, as so eloquently pointed out by the Independent Manchester United Supporter’s Association (IMUSA) are owners with the best interests of the club at heart.
 Looking for a club to own. ©Catlapa 34 at FlickrCcoms |
After the recent figures were released during our bond issue I did a few calculations and decided that it would be impossible for the fans to buy the club back. Thankfully, I was wrong.
As many of you will have read, the London based businessman and die-hard red Keith Harris has organised a group, the Red Knights, who are preparing a bid to buy a controlling stake of the club and eradicate the debt.
He is deadly serious about this and has constructed a plan which will require the financial input of both wealthy reds and the common supporter. Being run in tandem with the Green and Gold campaign and supported by the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) it is the best bet we have of getting the club back into safe hands.
Many of you will have read about this, but how many have joined the campaign and pledged forward some cash? If you can, now is the time. Join MUST here.
Cheers
Mark
Follow Markjpayne@twitter.com and www.thedevilinme.co.uk
Photography by Catlapa 34 at FlickrCcoms