Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer dies

Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer has died aged 85, his American NFL franchise the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have confirmed.

Glazer took over United through a series of deals between 2003 and 2005, and his handling of the club has been a controversial issue ever since. Suffice to say, it'd be quite difficult to find a United fan appreciative of his stewardship, which saw the club's debts soar.

However, one noted supporter is Sir Alex Ferguson, who told the BBC in 2010:

[The Glazers] have done the job well. I've never been refused when I've asked for money for a player. What can I do other than carry on the way we're doing it and the way I'm allowed to - I've no complaints.

The debt has come through by the club being bought out by an owner. You know full well that when a business is bought it's usually bought with debt Because it's a football club it seems to attract more negative reporting from the media and from the fan but Manchester United Football Club, when it went plc, it was always going to be bought. It was inevitable.

In practical terms, this probably means very little for United. Glazer didn't sit on the current United board, instead leaving things up to his sons and United co-chairmen Avram and Joel. His four other children are all club directors.