INEOS billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe may soon find himself in interesting company as a man that tried and failed to buy Manchester United. There has been speculation that he won’t meet the Glazers’ asking price.
“What you don’t want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently,” Ratcliffe told the Wall Street Journal. It remains to be seen whether the 70-year-old businessman will submit an increased second bid for the club he grew up supporting.
Here are six failed Manchester United takeover bids.
Robert Maxwell
The controversial former Labour MP, father of disgraced Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, tried to buy United in 1984.
However, he did not meet then owner Martin Edwards’ asking price and that was that. He ended up acquiring Mirror Group Newspapers that year instead.
Probably for the best, given that whilst chairman of Oxford United he tried to merge the club with Reading and call them ‘Thomas Valley Royals’.
Manchester City Red Devils, anyone?
Michael Knighton
In 1989, real estate developer Knighton put together a consortium alongside former Debenhams chief executive Robert Thorton and Parker Pens owner Stanley Cohen.
They pledged a £20million bid and Knighton – donning a full kit – even made an appearance doing kick-ups on the Old Trafford pitch at half-time of a match against Arsenal.
So close was the deal that many, including Martin Tyler, believed it to have been done – he introduced Knighton as “the new owner of Manchester United” in a pitchside interview. But not long after the move collapsed. Three years later the Premier League era began and United’s value skyrocketed. Ouch.
Michael Knighton – ‘The new owner of Manchester United’ big “soccer enthusiast” apparently. pic.twitter.com/yKMJVwuILb
— When Football Was Better (@FootballInT80s) January 20, 2023
Rupert Murdoch
Maxwell wasn’t the only media mogul interested in getting his mitts on Manchester United.
In 1998, Murdoch’s BskyB corporation reportedly tabled a bid worth £623million. It’s said that the Australian billionaire was keen to buy shares in various Premier League clubs.
The reports caused widespread uproar and protests among the fanbase, and they got their wish when the move was blocked due to broadcast regulations.
“The MMC’s findings are based mainly on competition grounds where they concluded that the merger would adversely affect competition between broadcasters,” read a…
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