A chill wind whistled down the shady side of Old Trafford yesterday as more than 2,000 Manchester United fans - fewer than predicted - gathered with grim faces to vent their fury at Malcolm Glazer.
"He doesn't know anything about football," said Kate Fox, whose mother has been a Red for 60 years. "He doesn't know the history of the club, he doesn't know the fans. He's just in it for the money. I don't think he would dare to show his face here. If he does, he will have to shave his beard off."
Other fans had rather more violent ideas about what should happen to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner. "He's going to die, he's going to die," they sang, "Malcolm Glazer's going to die. How I'll kill him I don't know, cut him up from head to toe, all I know is Glazer's going to die."
At first, they had stood in gobsmacked quiet, muttering about what the future might bring and glancing at banners strung from railings, from which many would also like to have strung Mr Glazer: "The scabs sold out; the fans never will"; and, with reference to a possible boycott: "No customers, no profit".
"See that man up there?" said Ritchie Farman, looking up from under his undertaker's black top hat to point at the statue of Matt Busby. "That man will be turning in his grave tonight." Then the serious chanting started: "United, not for sale; United, United not for sale." The crowd gathered round a long thin banner with the blunt message: "Not for sale." Someone had seen a gate open, it was said; the fans were going to storm the pitch.
But the steel shutters had been down for ages. So the crowd marched round the perimeter of the theatre of nightmares (can this season get any worse?).They did another lap and set fire to a Glazer effigy with a noose round its neck. A couple of hundred, including a toddler in a Rooney shirt, marched down to Chester Road, one of the principal routes out of the city, and sat down in the middle of the road causing traffic mayhem in both directions.
Then it was all over. With a bit of luck, Mr Glazer will get the message that the fans are not happy.
On Red Issue's website last night there was a simple but profound message from one of the longest-standing fanzines in football. "Manchester United RIP, 1878-2005," it read. "The body has gone, the soul lives on."
The mood was largely of resignation, but Malcolm Glazer and his sons Joel and Avi should think again if they believe the spite and acrimony will have died away when, with a deep breath, they take their seats in the directors' enclosure at Old Trafford for the first time.
Greater Manchester police will be dreading that day already and Shareholders United, the organised and determined pressure group that has co-ordinated much of the anti-Glazer campaign, is not about to accept defeat quietly.
"We conducted a survey recently and if all the pledges are kept there are at least 20,000 fans who would be willing to boycott the club's matches and merchandise, as well as anything connected with the sponsors," said Nick Towle, the organisation's chairman. "For example, I'm giving up my season ticket and I will also be cancelling my mobile phone contract with Vodafone (United's shirt sponsor). Because of the huge numbers involved we calculate this form of action would cost the club and sponsors £18.5 million a year."
The difficulty for Shareholders United is that the club's support base is so immense that Glazer's profit margins would not be eroded even if several thousand supporters refused to renew season tickets. United being United, there is a waiting list going back many years.
"The rate they are going the only people inside Old Trafford will be Japanese tourists," said Towle. "I still love the club but I refuse to put a penny more into the company and I believe as many as 20,000 fans will leave Manchester United. All the hard-core supporters will refuse to go and then what kind of atmosphere will there be?"
One group, the Manchester Education Committee, has a background of violence and has already released a statement threatening the Glazers with physical harm. There will be a concerted effort to locate them among the supporters' internet community.
"Coolmore have sold the Manchester United heritage," said Mark Longden of the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association. "They have proved that they were never ever interested in Manchester United, or football. If he takes over there will be no customers in the ground."
The extreme option of an AFC Wimbledon-style breakaway club was also being considered. Jules Spencer, chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, said: "If he does get control then we will do what we said, which is up sticks and form a new club which will continue the traditions and heritage and the legacy of 125 years of Manchester United. We don't want Malcolm Glazer, we want a club run for the fans - and that is what we will do."
