Manchester United Files Lawsuit Against Anti-Glazer Supporter

Manchester United has taken the "extraordinary step of suing one supporter over action he took to oppose the Glazer family’s ownership" of the EPL club, according to Jonathan Russell of the London TELEGRAPH. Attorneys acting on behalf of the Glazers have "filed a writ at the High Court accusing Thomas McKenna of damaging United’s business by posting the names and addresses of 400 of its corporate clients on the internet." The case states that McKenna "published the list in a campaign to stop companies renewing their membership in an attempt to put pressure on the unpopular Glazers, who took over at Old Trafford in 2005, to sell their stakes in the club." ManU contends that it has "not identified who supplied" McKenna with the information, and now club officials are suing McKenna "for 'losses and damages' they claim the club suffered as a result of its client information appearing on the website wewantglazerout.com, the public face of anti-Glazer group United Supporters for Change." The website "published the list of 400 United corporate clients" in April '10. ManU officials "denied the information could have come from a senior executive, but admitted they had not identified the source of the leak." There is "no value set on how much the club expects to recover if its claim is successful" (London TELEGRAPH, 3/24).

MAKING PLANS FOR THE SUMMER? MLS Fire officials "were mum Wednesday" about reports that ManU's summer tour of the U.S. would include a game against the Fire in Chicago on July 23. A Fire spokesperson said, "Our summer plans, if any, are still up in the air and still being finalized." Likewise, a ManU spokesperson "would not confirm tour details, or even if a U.S. trip is being considered" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/24).