www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Wed Sep 09  EDT 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org

This Issue:
1. BBC: increased BSkyB bid accepted!
2. BBC: Fergie says players not distracted
3. Soccernet: United reach parts others dream of...
4. Football365: UNITED FANS DENY PROTEST IS IMMINENT

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This digest is available Daily at:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/digest.htm

Daily RED Trivia  Wednesday 9th September 98:

1922: Frank Barson made his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Renowned
as an aggressive Centre-half, Barson was said to have been sent off 12
times in his
career. He played in the side which earned promotion from the Second
Division in 
1925, and appeared 152 times for United between 1922-28, scoring 4 goals. 1 
England cap in 1920, the year he won an FA Cup winners medal with his previous
club Aston Villa. Barson moved to Watford in May 1928.     

1959: United thrash Leeds United 6-0 at Old Trafford in a Division 1 game
watched
by 48,407. Warren Bradley 2, Bobby Charlton 2, Albert Scanlon and Dennis 
Viollet netted for the Reds. Team was: Gregg, Cope, Carolan, Brennan, Foulkes,
McGuinness, Bradley, Quixall, Viollet, Charlton, Scanlon.

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Next 4 games: 
Index: http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm

Wed  9/9 Charlton  (H) PL   Wed 16/9 Barcelona (H) CL  
Sat 12/9 Coventry  (H) PL   Sat 20/9 Arsenal   (A) PL

Are you For or Against the proposed sale of Manchester United to BSkyB?
Register your vote ..... go to:
 http://www.red11.org/miva/survey.mv
For       ?     Against   ?
      
**INSTANT update on the voting as you register!

RESULT LAST WEEK:
Who will be UNITED's leading scorer this season?
Question opened 10:00 EST 31/08/98
Question closed 22:00 EST 06/09/98

Cole            62      48 %
Giggs           17      13 %
Sheringham       2       2 %
Solskjaer        8       6 %
Yorke           39      30 %

Total votes 128
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Vote now on Skyb, this issue is IMPORTANT!

UNITED Stats v Barcelona are here:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsbarcelona.htm Url
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsbarcelona.xls Excel File

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Subject: BBC: increased BSkyB bid accepted!

The board of Manchester United is reported to have
accepted an increased offer of £625m from BSkyB, the
satellite broadcaster controlled by Rupert Murdoch.

The club is the largest in the United Kingdom in terms of
support and wealth.

Its popularity has meant that it earns as much from
merchandise sales and advertising as from gate
receipts.

BSkyB, currently owns the rights to broadcast
Premiership games live until 2001.

In recent weeks Manchester United had unveiled plans
to launch its own television station.

The board stayed late on Monday night locked away in
a London business suite holding talks on Rupert
Murdoch's bid, amid opposition from fans and the
likelihood of an Office of Fair Trading investigation.

The club's share price soared on the UK stock market after
satellite television company BSkyB confirmed its interest
on Monday.

Traders added more than £100m to the club's value,
apparently believing media magnate Mr Murdoch would
invest his millions in new talent for the side.

Martin Edwards, United's chief executive and largest
single shareholder, is set to see his 14% stake in the
club increase in value to £87m.

The figure represents about £30m more than if he had
sold his shares on the open market on Friday.

Another winner will be non-executive director Maurice
Watkins who, according to the club's last company
report, owned around 2% of the club.

The stake would be valued by BSkyB under the deal at
just over £12.5 million, up from just over £8 million on
Friday.

But The Times newspaper said that a number of
directors believed the initial offer of £575m was too low.

Opposition to sale

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Peter
Mandelson, has said any offer would be examined "very
completely and extremely searchingly" by the Office of
Fair Trading.

FA chief executive Graham Kelly said United had to
explain the deal to its fans, adding: "We have to assess
the implications very closely indeed."

Key deal for Rupert Murdoch

The takeover project was driven by Mark Booth, Chief
Executive at BSkyB, in which Mr Murdoch's News
Corporation owns a 40% stake.

It sprang from a lunch with United chief executive Martin
Edwards, who himself stands to make £87m from his
14% stake in the club.

BskyB, Britain's most profitable broadcaster, has
invested heavily in sports programming.

It paid £670m for the right to broadcast live football
matchs in 1996.

But those rights run out in 2001 - and by then some of
the big clubs may want to sell their rights individually.

Looming over the deal is the question of pay-per-view
television.

By some estimates the bigger clubs like Manchester
United could share a bonanza of up to £2bn if fans had
to pay a fee to watch each match rather than a fixed fee
to BSkyB.

The deal would also secure BSkyB's position if a
European super League were to go ahead, combining
the best clubs in Europe.

Manchester United would be certain to be included in
such an arrangement.


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Subject: BBC: Fergie says players not distracted

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has insisted
his players will not be distracted by the battle for the
club's ownership when they face unbeaten Charlton on
Wednesday.

The game - United's third of the season - is likely to be
overshadowed by BSkyB's attempts to buy the club in a
£625m deal.

Ferguson has revealed even he was surprised by the
recent revelations, but claims he remains focused on
matters on the pitch rather than off it.

"It's been no problem," he said. "The game comes first
and we are all ready.

"We've chosen our team and played a practice match and
so we are raring to go.

"The players are looking good and hopefully we will get
our first win in the league."

While Ferguson maintains it is business as usual for his
players, United's supporters have been far from muted.

Many say they are steadfastly against selling out to
Rupert Murdoch's company and intend to vent their fury
during the game.

Record £12.6m signing Dwight Yorke is sure to make
his home debut, while Jesper Blomqvist will start on the
bench.

Blomqvist, who joined United in a £4.4m move from
Parma in the summer, has fully recovered from his ankle
problem and could make his debut after coming through
two reserve games.

Nicky Butt will sit out the clash against the Addicks,
who have already topped the Premiership this season
and who have yet to concede a goal, after he had
surgery to remove his wisdom teeth last week.

Gary Neville may figure after recovering faster than
expected from his hamstring strain.

Charlton are expected to name an unchanged side.



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Subject: Soccernet: United reach parts others dream of...

According to the statistics, 98 per cent of Manchester United fans have never
been to Old Trafford. According to the old joke that's because they don't realise
it's located in Manchester and, even if they did, wouldn't dream of venturing that
far north.

United's Supporters' Association claim 100 million supporters worldwide.
Around four million people in Britain claim an allegiance to the club, says
spokesman Kenny Ramsden. Even when the capacity of Old Trafford is raised
to 67,400 in two years, it would take more than three seasons for all United
fans in the country to see their team in action.

Around the globe the United crest can be seen in Australian bars, Turkish
bazaars and Indian street markets. In Johannesburg, it is alleged David
Beckham rivals the popularity of Nelson Mandela.

Indeed, the South African president himself turned up to watch United play
Liverpool in a friendly in the Republic. Then again, he probably saw it as no
more than common courtesy after posing with Victoria Adams and the rest of
the Spice Girls earlier in the year. The official Manchester United fan club
boasts 140,000 members worldwide - 200 branches in 24 countries. United
won't recognise any more because they are already unable to meet the demand
for match tickets.

Perhaps there are only two places in the world where you can truly escape the
reach of the club all other supporters profess to hate - a desert island or the
Kippax Stand at Maine Road - home of Manchester City. United reach parts
others dream of...


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Subject: Football365: UNITED FANS DENY PROTEST IS IMMINENT

UNITED FANS DENY PROTEST IS IMMINENT

The Independent Manchester United
Supporters Association has insisted
it is not organising a protest
against BSkyB's bid to buy the club
at Wednesday evening's game against
Charlton.
IMUSA officers were meeting behind
closed doors tonight to agree upon
their response to the proposed
takeover of United by Rupert
Murdoch's broadcasting company.
IMUSA is opposed to BSkyB buying the
club, but claims it is not planning a
protest demonstration at the match.
The fans' group, though, does expect
supporters to voice their opposition
to the move.
IMUSA chairman Andy Walsh said: "We
are not co-ordinating a protest at
tomorrow night's game against
Charlton Athletic.
"However we do fully expect United
fans to vent their anger in a
spontaneous manner to this week's
news."




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