Manchester United fans attack Ed Woodward’s house with flares in latest sickening protest

Posted Wednesday, January 29, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Manchester United fans attack Ed Woodward’s house with flares in latest sickening protest
Man Utd fans have attacked Ed Woodward's house (Image: GETTY/TWITTER)

Manchester United fans have launched flares and smoke bombs at Ed Woodward's house

Manchester United fans have attacked Ed Woodward’s Cheshire home with flares and smoke bombs in their latest sickening protest against the Glazers’ ownership of the Old Trafford club. Between 20 and 30 United fans dressed in balaclavas went to Woodward's mansion as a protest turned ugly ahead of the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash at Manchester City on Wednesday.

Several flares were launched at the property with graffiti also reportedly sprayed on the fences.

At least one of the flares ignited but Woodward and his family were thankfully not at the house at the time of the attack.

Those responsible for the protest are known as 'The Men in Black' - a group of United fans who have a preference for dark clothing.

United have released a statement promising to ban any fans identified for life after the incident.

It read: “Manchester United Football Club have tonight been made aware of the incident outside the home of one of our employees.
“We know that the football world will unite behind us as we work with Greater Manchester Police to identify the perpetrators of this unwarranted attack.

“Anybody found guilty of a criminal offence, or found to be trespassing on this property, will be banned for life by The Club and may face prosecution.

“Fans expressing opinion is one thing, criminal damage and intent to endanger life is another. There is simply no excuse for this.”

Protests against Woodward and the Glazers have escalated in recent weeks with the club’s inactivity in the January transfer window.

United supporters were heard chanting against the board in the 6-0 win at Tranmere in the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend.

One sickening chant went: “Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put the Glazers on the top, put Ed Woodward in the middle and burn the f***ing lot.”

Another was: "Gonna die, gonna die, Ed Woodward’s gonna die. How we kill him, I don’t know. Chop him up from head to toe. All I know is Woodward’s gonna die."

Since the Glazers took over at the club it is estimated they have taken more than £1.3billion out of Old Trafford in dividends and to service loans.

And since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, United have struggled for success and find themselves miles away from their rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.

United have finished in the top four just twice since then and have gone through David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho as managers.

United’s more militant supporters have made house calls in the past when unhappy with certain players.

Rio Ferdinand was targeted outside his home in 2008 when he was refusing to sign a new contract.

And Wayne Rooney dealt with similar protests when his contract stand-off was looking like he might join Manchester City.

There was better news for United earlier on Tuesday evening though as an agreement was struck with Sporting Lisbon over the transfer of Bruno Fernandes.

Woodward has agreed to pay £46.6million up front, with an additional £8.5m in realistic add-ons the Portuguese club are happy with.

Fernandes and agent Miguel Pinho are due in Manchester on Wednesday to conclude the move ahead of Friday’s 11pm deadline.

United will pay the creative midfielder a contract worth £150,000-a-week.

And he could be the natural replacement for Paul Pogba if the World Cup winner leaves United in the summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also given an update on potential arrivals ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline.

He explained: “Well, we've got players here that are working hard to get back as well and if there is something out there then the club are pursuing that and looking at it and of course it is the difficult window, it's always been.

“I can't remember how many good ones we've brought in, good deals that we've brought in during January. Henrik was good, Nemanja and Patrice, they were [good ones] too. Henrik was a loan. It's hard, it's very hard.

“The clubs don't want to lose their best players, so Alexis will come back in the summer and prove you all wrong.”