United Not for Sale?


By Robnaldo
December 7 2004

Then why is our own chief executive selling his own shares? After all speculation of a takeover bid at Old Trafford, Manchester United Chief executive David Gill has pocketed a cheque for 530,000. How? Well you know Manchester United plc is not for sale, well he has sold part of it. Hobbs in Trouble

United Not for Sale?

Then why is our own chief executive selling his own shares?

After all speculation of a takeover bid at Old Trafford, Manchester United Chief executive David Gill has pocketed a cheque for 530,000. How? Well you know Manchester United plc is not for sale, well he has sold part of it. Gill had exercised two lots of share options this week on the open market to boardroom ally Jim O'Neill. In doing so, he added 500,000 to the 9000,000 he earns annually at OT.

Does this seem right? He didn't sell to Malcolm glazer but made money from the takeover speculation. Glazer's interest has inflated the market price and while gill may rubbish the hostile ambitions of United's top shareholder, he is clearly not averse to making a few quid off his back.

Maurice Watkins got the bullet, the bird from supporters and two tins of paint on his car, for cashing in on Glazer's interest, but Gill has learned a lesson.
He manipulated the situation to make maximum profit, while ensuring the safety of his car. No he didn't sell to glazer but as the shares went on open market, he could not absolutely guarantee that.

It does seem that business is business and if money can be made quickly, who cares how the deal gets done? The suggestion is that gill ensured his shares fell into friendly hands. O'Neill, an economist with Goldman Sachs, is a non-executive director at United and sceptical of a Glazer takeover.

Glazer could not have got the share options had Gill kept them or let them expire. Instead he cut and ran and undermined the basic argument that United means more than a means to make rich men richer.

United is for sale and will always will be, as it remains a PLC. And as the chief executive banks his latest dividends, he more than anyone knows this.

The future of united may once again be questionable as an event from high position as Gill could do this. Does David Gill sing the song he believes the fans want to here, honesty is needed from him. Source: News of the World - forwarded by Robnaldo.

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Source: News of the World



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