Manchester United's demise over the last 12 years has been well documented, but just in case you weren't up to speed, overly the past couple of weeks, the Daily Mail have been taking a deep dive into the fall of English football's biggest club.
While there have been plenty of contributing factors towards the club's failures since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson retired, the one constant throughout it all have been the Glazer family.
Match-going Man Utd fans have protested against their ownership since talk of a leveraged takeover first reared its head in 2005. They have fought tirelessly ever since to remove them, and it's only in the last few years that other football fans have started to understand why.
The club's debt is past the 1bn mark, and despite having been the owners now for two decades, not one member of the American family has invested a single pound or more into the club.
After heavy rainfall during Man United vs. Arsenal, the roof was seen leaking at Old Trafford 🌧️😳
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 12, 2024
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Club employee bemoans the state of Old Trafford
The demise of Man Utd has coincided with the demise of Old Trafford. Once considered the best stadium in English football, it has been left to rot by the Glazers over the past 20 years.
In 1996, it hosted a semi-final at the European Championships, and in 2003, it hosted the final of the UEFA Champions League. Fast forward to the present day, and it has been snubbed by the FA for Euro 2028, and UEFA wouldn't even consider it for another Champions League final.
In the latest piece by the Daily Mail, which focuses heavily on Old Trafford, a club employee is quoted as saying:
“Why would you wish to hold a major international here? I walk around the place every day. It’s out of date, bits of it are falling down, the roof has had leaks, and there are mice.
“It needs money spent on it and has done for ages. I am a United fan, and I used to be proud to work here. Now I just feel embarrassed.”
FGG says: A new stadium will merely paper over the cracks
While Man Utd's new 100,000-seater stadium may turn out to be a thing of architectural beauty, it will only mask the ongoing issues behind the scenes at the club. As long as the Glazer Family are in charge, a return to top of European football is impossible.