Liverpool, Man United fans protest against American owners

By STEVE DOUGLAS
April 24, 2021

Fans of Liverpool and Manchester United called for the removal of their clubs’ American owners during protests outside their stadiums prompted by the ill-fated European Super League project on Saturday.

“£nough is £nough FSG Out” and “Henry, You have blood on your hands,” were the words on some of the banners held up by Liverpool supporters outside Anfield before the team drew with Newcastle 1-1 in the English Premier League.

That’s a reference to Fenway Sports Group and principal owner John Henry, who was one of the instigators of the controversial breakaway league featuring some of Europe’s elite clubs which was aborted on Tuesday — two days after it was launched.

While the protests on Anfield Road were muted — there were an estimated 150 fans there ahead of a match played in an empty stadium because of the pandemic — more than a thousand United fans were estimated to have gathered on the concourse outside the club’s Old Trafford stadium to protest against the Glazer family, which has owned the 20-time English champion since a debt-leveraged buyout in 2005.

“We want Glazers out,” chanted United fans, who had banners and scarves with “Glazers Out” on them. Yellow and green-colored smoke bombs were let off — the colors synonymous with the anti-Glazer protest movement at the start of the ownership’s tenure.

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