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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Mark Critchley

Manchester United vs Chelsea: Fans fly #GlazersOut banner over Old Trafford before Premier League match

A group of Manchester United supporters stepped up their protests against the Glazer family with a flyover before their first game of the new Premier League season.

The Glazers Out Movement, which has led an online campaign against the club's owners this summer, flew a banner reading "#GlazersOut" over Old Trafford before kick-off against Chelsea.

The latest protest follows an open letter to the Glazers, which was released last month and posed 'five key questions' of their ownership regarding levels of debt and investment.

There was increased unrest among United's support this summer following a sixth-place Premier League finish last season and failure, once again, to qualify for the Champions League.

United can point to a £149m outlay on incoming transfers since, with Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James all joining the club as part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad rebuild.

The banner flown over Old Trafford (Getty)

The Glazers’ leveraged takeover of United in 2005 was financed by loans which loaded around £525m debt onto club, leading to protests, rancour and division among supporters, and the founding of phoenix club FC United of Manchester.

The Florida-based family have been accused of draining more than £1bn from United in interest, costs and dividends over the years since the takeover. As recently as March of this year, United’s net debt stood at £301.7m.

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