2003September 26th - Malcolm Glazer informs stock market that he owns a 3.17 per cent stake in Manchester United.
October - Makes three separate share purchases, taking his shareholding to 9.66 per cent, second only to Cubic Expression, the investment vehicle of John Magnier and JP McManus.
November 28th - Spends £30 million to raise his stake to 14.31 per cent.
2004
February 16th - United placed in an offer period as Glazer ambiguously states he was "considering" whether to make a bid for the club.
February 24th - Increases his stake to 16.69 per cent. United now out of offer period.
April 26th - Buys another four million shares, taking his stake to 18.25 per cent. The shares were previously held by United director Maurice Watkins.
October 3rd - Another purchase brings the American to 19.17 per cent ownership.
October 4th - Manchester United confirm "preliminary approach" to Stock Exchange which subsequently proves to be from Glazer. Club goes back into an offer period.
October 14th - Majority shareholders Cubic Expression confirm to the Takeover Panel that they have broken off negotiations with Glazer.
October 15th - Glazer launches an aggressive stock market raid, raising stake to 25.3 per cent.
October 19th - Completes his final purchase, taking his overall spending over the previous five days to £65 million. He now owns 28.11 per cent of the club.
October 25th - United board break off negotiations with Glazer due to the large amount of debt his intended bid would require. November 12th - Having had access to confidential information on United's accounts denied, Glazer carries out his threat to remove three directors - Maurice Watkins, Philip Yea and Andy Anson - from the board at the club's agm.
November 12th - United release a statement saying they are "disappointed" by the action and indicate they will demand to know what Glazer's intentions are. Within two hours of the statement being released, Glazer is informed by bankers JP Morgan and public relations organisation Brunswick that they are no longer prepared to act on his behalf.
December 20th - United are placed back in an offer period after they confirm Glazer has approached them with "potential revisions" to his original offer. They state no further discussions will take place until Glazer puts forward a "definitive proposal".
2005
February 1st - The Glazer Family Foundation issues a statement distancing itself from informed speculation claiming Malcolm Glazer was about to launch a formal offer for the club.
February 6th - Man United confirm they have received "detailed proposals" from Glazer which could lead to a formal offer. February 11th - After detailed analysis of Glazer's potential 300p-per-share bid, United chief executive allows the American "limited" due diligence. He describes the price as "reasonable" but states Glazer's proposals are "aggressive" and "potentially damaging" to the long-term future of the club.
April 14th - Glazer formally launches his £800 million takeover bid. Presents a new set of proposals later the same day, turning up the heat on the United board.
April 28th - Glazer is told he has until May 17th to announce whether he intends to buy the club by the Takeover Panel.
May 12th - Glazer launches formal takeover bid for United after buying the 28.7 per cent stake of Irish racing tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus.