Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold says he hopes the arrival of new manager Erik ten Hag will change the attitude of United fans protesting against the team, however, he said he respects fans’ right to protest at Old Trafford. United are licking their wounds after an abysmal campaign, which Arnold admits fell well below expectations and only saw them finish sixth because West Ham gave away a lead to lose their final game.
Matches at Old Trafford at the end of the season were characterized by noisy protests, with some fans arriving late and others leaving early at specific games to mark 17 years of ownership by the Glazer family. Arnold said he hopes United has ushered in new dawn under new manager Ten Hag, who has signed a three-year contract with the club. He said: “We understand fans are frustrated and want to see change and improvement,” said Arnold at a recent Fans’ Forum. “Suffice to say, we are not happy with where we are in terms of performance on the pitch.”
The United chief also said: “Football is a game of passion and we fully respect fans’ right to make their feelings known, as long as this remains legal and peaceful at all times.” “But I would very much hope that all fans within Old Trafford approach next season with renewed optimism and confidence as we look forward to a fresh start under Erik ten Hag.”
It was gathered that the Fans’ Forum minutes were published on the same day as United released their third-quarter results, and the publication revealed that the club’s net debt is now £495.7m. A cash dividend of $0.09 per share will be paid on 24 June, which means more funds going out of the club, mainly to members of the Glazer family. These are the things that are making the fans protest.
However, United insiders argue the dividends and what they see as ‘low-cost debts’ account for a small fraction of revenues and do not stop investment in the team.