By Chris O'Brien
November 23 2005

Manchester United shirt sponsors 'Vodafone' have pulled the plug on their current contract in a move that could cost the club £18million. The mobile phone giants have decided to concentrate on sponsorship within the Champions League, but did the Glazer takeover play its part?

With Champions League qualification hanging in the balance, the money-men at Old Trafford have been left reeling at Vodafone's decision to end their sponsorship affiliation with the club.

The Mobile phone giant has had its company name emblazed across United's jerseys since 2000, but have made the shock announcement that they will be terminating their deal with the club with two years left to run on the current contract. It will now expire at the end of the current campaign, costing the Red Devils £18million in finance and leaving the club to find a new sponsor for next season's shirt.

A statement from Vodafone claimed it now wants to focus on Champions League sponsorship, as both a leading partner and the official mobile network of the competition. However, rumours suggest that the changing face of MUFC, including fan's boycotting club and sponsor products after the Glazer takeover and the recent controversy of Roy Keane's departure, has prompted the company to end it's deal with the club.

Any new shirt sponsor will be the third in Manchester United's history. Japanese electrical giants Sharp sponsored the club shirt for 18 years before Vodafone took over. Perhaps the Glazer brothers, taking the club into millions of pounds of debt, should follow the lead of Brighton & Hove Albion and invite shirt sponsorship from record label 'Skint'!