When the Glazers bought Manchester United, the American family’s advisers gave it a codename: Project Hampstead.
If anyone wants to know why there is a disconnect between a game that millions hold dear, that occupies a place at the heart of communities all over the globe and those who run and own it, the name says everything.
Hampstead, one of the most expensive residential areas in London, chosen to label the purchase of the world’s most famous football club, that has its roots in a railway workers’ side and plays its games in post-industrial Manchester. That one.
In my book* I explore how the Glazers acquired the club and their behaviour since.
Malcolm Glazer and his family – he had six children – started buying shares in the club on the market in 2003. The Glazers owned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL and were attracted to European football, which was poised for a boom in TV revenues.
At first, they were treated as friendly forces. The United board was more concerned with the friendship then enmity between Sir Alex Ferguson, the club’s manager and two major shareholders, the Irish billionaires John Magnier and JP McManus. Ferguson fell out with them over the ownership of the top racehorse, Rock of Gibraltar.
Malcolm Glazer steadily and quietly built a share stake. His past form in the US was to take a strategic holding and sell it at a handsome profit. On this occasion, he behaved differently. In 2005, the Glazers acquired the shares owned by Magnier and McManus, which gave the family control of the club.
They spent almost £800 million ($981 million). More than £500 million of that came from US hedge funds, loaned at onerous rates of interest and secured on Manchester United. The rest, the Glazers put in, but that was almost certainly borrowed as well, using their shopping malls in the US as collateral.
They took the club private. Subsequently, it floated again, this time in New York. For most of the past year, the Glazers have been engaged in protracted sale or funding negotiations which have valued United at north of £5 billion.
"Hampstead" was the project name their City advisers used, United was given the codename "Mercury" and the buyer was "Red Football".
Funnily enough, in my previous book, Too Big To Jail – Inside HSBC, the Mexican drug cartels and the greatest banking scandal of the century (Macmillan), code names also featured. That’s about how the US authorities wanted to charge bankers at HSBC for facilitating the laundering of billions of dollars in drug proceeds for the Sinaloa cartel led by El Chapo, and how a last-minute intervention by chancellor George Osborne saw them climb down and agree to a $1.8 billion fine, the largest in US history.
HSBC’s male bosses were desperate for their bank to be the biggest in the world, so they targeted an obscure Mexican bank to gain a presence in Latin America. No matter that the bank, Bital, was known for not adhering to compliance and was centred on northern Mexico, in the drugs country.
To galvanise their staff to get the deal done, HSBC chiefs, who clearly loved cowboy shoot-‘em-ups, called it "Project High Noon".
Of course, Hampstead may have been chosen because no one would suspect it related to Manchester United. But neither is it without sneery irony. There’s an underlying City machismo to the choice.
It was the same with another project involving the Glazers. This was "Big Picture". Again, apparently innocuous and ambiguous.
Project Big Picture was a plan put together by them and John Henry, the American owner of Liverpool FC. It appeared to be about making a fairer distribution of cash in the sport, giving £250 million to the lower tier English Football League clubs.
In return, the Premier League would be cut from 20 to 18 clubs and the Carabao Cup, the old League Cup, would be ditched. The voting structure of the Premiership members would be altered, so that just six votes were needed to pass changes in the regulations. The Football Association, which administers the game overall in England, would receive an ex-gratia payment of £100 million.
Closer inspection revealed the £250 million to the EFL clubs was not a donation but a loan; the Premiership clubs were to be allowed to sell their own TV rights for up to eight matches a season internationally, instead of them being sold collectively.
This would see the Big Six most powerful clubs – Liverpool, United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham – rake in more money from negotiating their own TV deals.
Reducing the size of the Premier League and scrapping the Carabao would remove fixtures against unglamorous teams that Liverpool and United could not sell hospitality against, free up the fixture list for more profitable European games should that competition widen and allow for more lucrative overseas pre-season tours.
Six clubs would determine the future of Premiership football (guess which six they would be). The other clubs saw through the scheme. At a Premier League meeting, 14 clubs voted down the plan.
Project Big Picture, which died a quick death and received relatively little publicity, betrayed a mindset that collectivity and democracy, expressed in the principle of one club, one vote, were anathema to the instigators. Equally, they were not moved by the thought that to fans of lesser clubs a match against the likes of United and Liverpool, playing them in the Carabao, means everything.
A year later, and United and other large clubs came out with the European Super League proposal. This would comprise 20 teams across Europe taking part in matches against each other. There were to be 12 founding clubs who would be permanent members, not subject to relegation for the length of their commitment to the league. The Super League clubs would share more than E10 billion in "solidarity payments" and the founders would receive an extra E3.5 billion to support "infrastructure investment".
The rest of football, media, politicians, erupted. Prince William even tweeted his opposition. Prime Minister Boris Johnson came out and said he would drop a "legislative bomb" on the idea.
Ed Woodward, the United chief executive at the time, had visited Downing Street shortly before the Super League plan was unveiled. Johnson saw him and, somewhat incongruously, expressed his pleasure at seeing Newcastle on the way back. Newcastle were then in the throes of a takeover by the Saudi state Public Investment Fund.
Fifa, the world footballing body, has now announced that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. This, after intensive Saudi lobbying and Fifa machinations.
They awarded the 2030 tournament jointly to Spain, Portugal and Morocco; while South America would also hold three games to mark the centenary of the first competition, held in Uruguay.
That immediately meant Europe, Africa, South America and North America (location for the 2026 World Cup) were barred from bidding for 2034.
The Glazer family's ownership of Manchester United - in pictures
Asia and Oceania were then given just three weeks to submit expressions of interest for 2034. Saudi Arabia, which had been quietly working on a bid and pressing the flesh of Fifa delegates, said it would. Australia, which had wanted the 2034 World Cup, said it did not have enough time to formally prepare and withdrew. That left one bidder: Saudi Arabia.
As for football, it’s popularly referred to as the "beautiful game" and the "people’s game". But there’s little that is beautiful in the way it is administered and, likewise, the people do not count.
* Chris Blackhurst is the author of The World’s Biggest Cash Machine – Manchester United, the Glazers, and the struggle for football’s soul (Macmillan)
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
CONCRETE COWBOY
Directed by: Ricky Staub
Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome
3.5/5 stars
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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%3Cp%3ESix%20of%20the%20eight%20fast%20bowlers%20used%20in%20the%20ILT20%20match%20between%20Desert%20Vipers%20and%20MI%20Emirates%20were%20left-handed.%20So%2075%20per%20cent%20of%20those%20involved.%0D%3Cbr%3EAnd%20that%20despite%20the%20fact%2010-12%20per%20cent%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20population%20is%20said%20to%20be%20left-handed.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20an%20extension%20of%20a%20trend%20which%20has%20seen%20left-arm%20pacers%20become%20highly%20valued%20%E2%80%93%20and%20over-represented%2C%20relative%20to%20other%20formats%20%E2%80%93%20in%20T20%20cricket.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20all%20to%20do%20with%20the%20fact%20most%20batters%20are%20naturally%20attuned%20to%20the%20angles%20created%20by%20right-arm%20bowlers%2C%20given%20that%20is%20generally%20what%20they%20grow%20up%20facing%20more%20of.%0D%3Cbr%3EIn%20their%20book%2C%20%3Cem%3EHitting%20Against%20the%20Spin%3C%2Fem%3E%2C%20cricket%20data%20analysts%20Nathan%20Leamon%20and%20Ben%20Jones%20suggest%20the%20advantage%20for%20a%20left-arm%20pace%20bowler%20in%20T20%20is%20amplified%20because%20of%20the%20obligation%20on%20the%20batter%20to%20attack.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20attacking%20the%20batsman%2C%20the%20more%20reliant%20they%20are%20on%20anticipation%2C%E2%80%9D%20they%20write.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThis%20effectively%20increases%20the%20time%20pressure%20on%20the%20batsman%2C%20so%20increases%20the%20reliance%20on%20anticipation%2C%20and%20therefore%20increases%20the%20left-arm%20bowler%E2%80%99s%20advantage.%E2%80%9D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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