Sports letter: Over the line
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Manchester United Plc 2 Manchester United supporters 0. The score- line following last week's announcement that Manchester United reported pre-tax profits of pounds 11.1m in the six months prior to January 1999, compared to pounds 15.4m for the same period last year.
United Plc's first goal came from an own goal.The chairman and chief executive of Manchester United, Martin Edwards, asked a question about the defensive ability of the supporters. Their response was: "Sorry, you are only making a healthy profit of pounds 11.1m".
United Plc doubled their lead, with a clever intricate move. The ball was transferred into their opponents' box, and there was Edwards to finish clinically with a swift pounds 2-a-match increase in ticket prices.
The game was dead and buried at this point, and supporters were left contemplating relegation.
It is strange to remember that on 25 February the joint manager of the plc and supporters teams, Alex Ferguson, went on the attack over player pay demands, warning that, "the very future of football is on the line unless we get back to wage negotiations".
A more relevant quote from Ferguson would have been, "the very future of football is on the line unless we stop chairmen, encouraged by their plc status, squeezing money from the supporters".
After all, on 2 February this year, Manchester United were named the world's richest club in an unofficial poll, with a turnover of pounds 87.939m, some 50 per cent larger than Barcelona in second place at pounds 58.862m.
GARY JACOB
St Catherine's College,
Oxford
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments