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 ++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========+++++++9+ 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. ******************************** 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 ___________________________ 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 ++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++ 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. ++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++ 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. ++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++ 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... ++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++ 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." ++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++ Keep The Faith-------------------------------Red Til We're Dead --------------( http://www.red11.org )--------------- -------Manchester United for life not just for Christmas------- _______________________________________________________________