While the majority of football fans are currently wrapped up in the World Cup, it’s easy to forget that it was all going on at Manchester United just a couple of weeks ago.
In addition to Cristiano Ronaldo leaving in an explosive fashion following his controversial interview with Piers Morgan, just days after his departure was confirmed, United finally got a whiff of the news they’d waited 17 years to hear as the Glazer family revealed they were open to selling the club.
With that in mind, it didn’t take long for the bookmakers to set the odds for who might come in next were the Glazers actually to agree to a sale and while there are some familiar names, others might come as a bit of a surprise.
As you can see, top of the list is no surprise: Failsworth-born billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe leads the odds with an estimated 25% chance of buying out Man United.
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Said to be one of the richest men in the UK, Ratcliffe has been seen as arguably the most serious bidder for some time now, despite being told the club was “not for sale” back in October.
Meanwhile, Michael Knighton — who previously hoped to head up a consortium bid involving Ratcliffe’s immense wealth and already tried to buy United more than three decades ago — sits in third, though he’s made it clear that any potential takeover would require help with financing.
Sat in second are the Dubai Sovereign Group, i.e. a state-run fund akin to Manchester City‘s Abu Dhabi Group, PSG’s Qatari owners or Newcastle’s new Saudi Arabia administration.
Dubai are yet to join the premier footballing fray when it comes to putting the wealth of an entire nation’s investment fund into a sporting franchise but it seems like only a matter of time before they do.
Then there’s Jim O’Neill, a.k.a, the Lord and Baron of Gatley, who previously tried to launch a hostile takeover back in 2012. He hasn’t been in the conversation for some time but given his Goldman Sachs background, could be a serious option.
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As for David Beckham, we imagine he’s too busy running Inter Miami and his part in Salford City via the Project 92 ownership group — though that Qatar money certainly won’t have hurt his chances. And, again, who knows, he could form part of a consortium.
Jim O’Neill (via GOV.UK)Credit: David Beckham (via Instagram)
On to US investors with the Harris/Blitzer Group, owners of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, as well as the Pagliuca/Tanenbaum Group, who run the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Both groups have expressed interest in buying Premier League clubs in the past and as we have seen with Chelsea’s recent takeover, there seems to be a growing interest from American businesses even if not everyone is convinced that their designs on English football are a great fit.
Then we come to ‘The Field’. For anyone unaware, this group is made up of inherited Red Bull owner, Mark Mateschitz, who not only owns the Formula One team but also RB Leipzig, Salzburg and several other sports teams. He is estimated to be worth more than $15 billion.
Beyond Mateschitz, the trio is completed by two of the richest men in the world, i.e. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. Yep, those guys.
This list is by no means exhaustive and, as always in football, who knows what’s going to happen next? Any one of these suitors could emerge as the leading candidate but there’s always a dark horse waiting in the wings.
Moreover, it isn’t just a case of ‘anyone would be better than the Glazers’ — nothing but trouble follows that way — so whoever the club decide to hand over the reins to, you can only hope they go through the proper vetting process.
Is there anyone else you think has an outside chance?
Tributes pour in following the death of beloved Man United Disabled Supporters’ Association secretary
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring following the news that Chas Banks, the Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association’s (MUDSA) long-serving secretary, has sadly passed away aged 74.
While he may not be a name known to most football fans in Greater Manchester, within the walls of Old Trafford, Chas Banks is just as important as any past player or manager, as his work helping develop disability provision, support and facilities at the club has been crucial for generations of fans.
Having been a part of the vital fan organisation ever since 1997, the year after he became disabled himself, the MUDSA legend and loyal servant “worked tirelessly to improve the experiences of disabled supporters not just at Manchester United but across our game in the years since.
Chas Banks MBE passed away following a short illness and Man United fans, along with those associated with the club, have been sharing tributes to “a true Red” through and through online.
"From cradle to grave… I was born a Red and I will always be one."
Everyone at United mourns the sad loss of beloved @MUDSAO chairman, Chas Banks.
Floored to hear Chas Banks has passed away aged 74. Vital for MUDSA, he did a huge amount for disabled supporters. I went to several games as his carer and tried to see what it was like for fans in wheelchairs. He was hugely supportive of UWS, of me and all we did. RIP Chas
Sharing the news in an official club announcement, United said they were “profoundly saddened by the loss of our longstanding friend.”
Having been attending the Theatre of Dreams since 1957, much of Banks’ life has been spent in and around the club and after being named the MUDSA secretary in 2016, his work with the Supporters’ Trust, Manchester United Foundation and the wider local community has been vital for so many.
“Chas always sought to improve the environment for fans and MUDSA members”, the statement continues; “he helped shape and drive forward the club’s £11 million investment in the stadium’s accessible facilities that created 118 new wheelchair positions and 158 new amenity seats, doubling the capacity of these sections in Old Trafford.
“As part of this project, the South Stand platform and Ability Suite were also upgraded and this is where Chas would often be found on matchdays and where he held many of his famous MUDSA events.
As for the Disabled Supporters’ Association themselves, they shared a brief but heartfelt statement on their website, expressing their “great sadness” as well as asking fellow Reds to respect his family’s privacy during this difficult time.
They went on to add: “Chas worked extremely hard for MUDSA as well as many other organisations he was involved with and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. This Friday’s MUDSA Annual Dinner would have been Chas’ 25th [anniversary], and it will go ahead in his honour.”
Club COO Collette Roche added: “This is truly devastating news for all of us at the club who knew and worked with Chas. He was an important figure within our fan community and represented MUDSA with integrity and passion, as well as playing a significant role on our Fans’ Forum for almost a decade.
“Chas was a relentless advocate for the interests of fans with disabilities and played such an important part in driving forward the development of our accessible facilities at the stadium.
“We send our sincere condolences to Chas’s family and friends. The best tribute we can pay to Chas is to continue strengthening the bond between the club and MUDSA and continuing his hard work to make our game accessible for all.”
As a token of observance, a special wreath will be placed in the Ability Suite ahead of kick-off against Leicester tonight (Wednesday, 30 October) by fellow club legend turned ambassador, Denis Irwin, in remembrance of Chas and his great contribution to MUDSA and the United family as a whole.
Rest in peace to an important fan figurehead who will be fondly remembered and whose contribution to disability support at the club will never be forgotten.
A brand-new half marathon and running event is coming to Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
For those of you who love running or are simply looking to set yourself a challenge in the new year, a brand-new half marathon and community event is coming to Greater Manchester and Media City, specifically, this coming February.
Created by RunThrough, the UK’s largest and Europe’s fastest-growing running events company, the inaugural Media City Half Marathon is set to land right in the heart of Salford Quays and is tipped to be one of the fastest routes in the region.
The organisers have already delivered the increasingly well-attended Run Media City series in the area, which sees Mancs and more smash 5 and 10k races on the last Thursday of every month, but this will be the first race of this length to be hosted there and is sure to prove just as popular.
As for the first-ever Media City Half Marathon, it’s taking place on Sunday, 16 February and if you fancy notching a new personal best, this one is for you.
This brand-new event will offer runners a super fast, closed-road course, ideal for setting records, all while through the Media CityUK scenery and surrounding path of Salford Quays.
Clocking in at the required 13.1 miles distance for a half marathon (or 21.1km if you prefer metric like us), the run will feature two flat and scenic laps, beginning and ending at the home of BBC’s Northern hub and the historic Manchester Ship Canal, before winding through the heart of Salford and Eccles.
It’s also worth noting that this is a closed-road race complete with clearly marked kilometre signs along the way and designed to support runners of all abilities, so don’t be scared off by the distance if you’ve never done it before.
Plus, marshals and event staff will be stationed along the course to help cheer participants on as they make their way to the finish line and we sincerely hope that once word gets out, there’ll be plenty more locals lining the running route and showing their support.
Matt Wood, co-founder of RunThrough, said: “We’re thrilled to bring a half marathon to such an iconic location in Media City.
“This event showcases the best of Salford, and we’re excited to welcome runners to experience the new course in 2025.”
Registration for the debut Media City Half Marathon is now open, with limited spots available for what is already a highly anticipated event. For further details and to secure a place, with prices starting from just £32 visit the official event website HERE.
With 270 events set to be delivered by RunThrough in 2025, attracting over a quarter of a a million participants across local landmark races such as the Run Tatton series and many more, let’s just say it’s going to be a good year for the kudos.
Danny Jones -
30th November 2022 
