By Andy Hampson, PA
A large majority of Manchester United fans are unhappy with the way the club is being run, a survey has found.
78 per cent of respondents to the newly-published ‘United Voice’ study by the Manchester United Supporters Trust said they were “dissatisfied” with those at the Old Trafford helm over the past year.
More than three-quarters (77 per cent) from the sample of 19,956 supporters also said they lacked confidence the club have “a clear strategy to return to the top”. This represented a huge increase from the 36 per cent that said they lacked confidence the previous year.
The survey was conducted between October and December 2021 and reflects a 12-month period in which the club was involved in the doomed European Super League project.
On the Super League issue, 56 per cent expressed fears the concept could be resurrected in future, with only 21 per cent confident that it would not. If the idea did resurface, 83 per cent said they would oppose it.
The findings reflect continuing unease with the Glazer family, the club’s owners, within the fanbase.
The Super League episode last year sparked a fresh wave of protests against the Glazers, who responded by promising to improve dialogue with supporters and launch a share scheme in which fans could obtain a stake in the club.
MUST said in its statement: “In the wake of the ESL debacle and inconsistency on the playing side, satisfaction with how the club is being run, and confidence in its strategy to return to the top declined significantly from an already low base.
“The Glazers and the new CEO need to deliver on their recent commitments this year to start to reverse these results.”
The share scheme is yet to be set up but the survey concluded that it was “encouraging” that 51 per cent of respondents were familiar with the proposal despite “limited communication of any detail”.
Other significant findings of the survey related to the current state of Old Trafford itself, with 80 per cent calling for improvement of the stadium in some form. Only 17 per cent preferred the building of a completely new stadium.
72 per cent said they lacked confidence in the owners to provide the necessary investment for stadium redevelopment, however.
MUST said: “Supporters want to see a major redevelopment of Old Trafford with expanded capacity and much improved facilities. They need reassurance that this will now happen and (to) be fully engaged in its design and delivery.”
The PA news agency has contacted United for a response.
