'I rejected chance to buy Man Utd' - Whelan

[Nosferatu]

'I rejected chance to buy Man Utd' - Whelan

Wigan owner Dave Whelan has revealed he once turned down the chance to buy Manchester United.

Whelan, whose side face United in the Carling Cup final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium tomorrow, felt buying the Old Trafford club would damage his business.

He does not regret his decision, despite Malcolm Glazer playing more than £800million for the club last year.

'When Martin Edwards' £11million deal with Michael Knighton fell through in 1989, he came to me and asked me to take it over,' Whelan told the Daily Express.

'I could have bought United there and then but I am happier being at the final as owner of Wigan.

'I had three or four meetings with directors Bobby Charlton, Maurice Watkins and Martin but came to the conclusion that if I bought United, which Liverpool fan would want to buy shirts from my business, JJB Sports?

'In fact, it would have alienated the whole of the country except United supporters.'



Soccernet

[viking]

**** off pie eating ****.

[Nosferatu]

To be honest Yatta, he's better than Edwards who had no interest in the club except to make money. They did become a massive success under his reign but he never was a Utd man. Suppose you can't say it about the Glazier's either. Sad really. People running the club have had no real interest in it for a long time other than a financial interest.

[kopdude]

500 million in debt says it all.

[grandrake]

Pretty sure they're recycling old news. This was reported at least a month ago? Think it first came out when Wigan visited Anfield?

[viking]

500 million in debt says it all.

David Gill, Uniteds chief executive said they were around 200 or sommat.

And with us being the worlds most profitable club and a world record sponsorship deal seeming on the horizon we wont have any problem servicing those debts.

So take a hike copdude.

[kopdude]

There is no real profiit if you're in debt.  You'll soon be owned by some slumlord in Siberia, a la Chelski.

[viking]

Whelan got what he deserved, I respect their team but I can't stand this attention seeking ****.

[kopdude]

Pot, Kettle Back

[Nosferatu]

As long as they are generating the cash they are generating they are fine. However the early exit in the CL will not have helped and tv revenue will not be as high as it once was. So these sorts of things could have a major effect on them. But they are about to sign the biggest shirt deal ever according to reports so as long as they are doing that and 75,000 people are turning up they are doing okay.

But the question of how far you can push a brand like Utd or Real Madrid when they are not winning major trophies remains to be answered. But they have done the best work off the pitch.