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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Manchester United fans planning anti-Glazer protest ahead of Erik ten Hag's first home match

Manchester United supporters are planning a peaceful protest against the Glazer family's ownership of the club in pre-season.

The Manchester Evening News has been told a group of supporters will look to protest outside Old Trafford ahead of the final summer friendly fixture against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday July 31.

It is understood supporters will arrive at United's home stadium a number of hours before kick-off for the demonstration and will come together to voice their anger at the club's controversial ownership model.

READ MORE: United pay £11million to shareholders as Glazers slammed

A number of fans are angered by the owners' decision to take biannual dividend payments from the club on Friday, with six Glazer family members who hold shares in the club receiving roughly £8milllion of the near-£11m payout.

Many United supporters believe the Glazer family should have refused the payment out of respect for the club following their worst ever Premier League campaign as they enter a summer of massive change at the club.

The Glazers have regularly taken sums of money out of the football club, and last month it was confirmed that United's debts had risen to nearly £500m in their latest financial accounts, an increase of 11.8 per cent from last year.

The timing of the dividend payment has also not gone down well with fans as United chase their first summer signing under new manager Erik ten Hag, while there is also a clear need for investment in redeveloping Old Trafford as a venue.

Earlier this week, United great Gary Neville voiced his anger at the Glazer family for profiting from the club despite their disastrous season.

Neville called on the Glazer family to pump "every penny" that United make back into the club amid their ongoing interest in Christian Eriksen.

Taking to Twitter, the former United full-back uploaded a screenshot of Sky Sports' story about Eriksen and said: "That's why Dividends have to stop for a period. Every penny has to go back into the club until it becomes attractive again.

"The club has become a graveyard for players. Culturally for owners to take [money] out of a poorly performing business is demoralising!"

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