Shareholders Blast United's Handling Of Beckham Sale

A pressure group of Manchester United shareholder-supporters – Shareholders' United – has accused the company's board of "taking leave of their senses" in agreeing to sell David Beckham to Real Madrid for £25 million.

The agreement with Real followed last week's provisional deal struck by the plc with Barcelona president-elect Joan Laporta, said to have been worth around £30 million.

Shareholders United greeted the news of the Beckham-to-Real deal with incredulity.

Group spokesman Oliver Houston said: "The key thing for us as supporter shareholders is that any money for any player is re-invested properly."

"It is re-invested in facilities for the supporters, it is re-invested in building up the youth team and in providing the manager with enough resources to strengthen the first team."

"If this was a decision to get the biggest cash windfall they could get clearly the plc have failed in their duty."

"As David Beckham is the jewel in the crown many people will be sad to see him go."

"Supporters put up with the fact that Beckham was being sold in the belief United would get a significant windfall. That doesn't appear to be the case."

"I don't know who has taken leave of their senses at the plc. Someone has taken their eye off the ball at Old Trafford."

"To get someone in of Beckham's calibre is going to command a fairly high transfer tag and significant wages demands."

"We assumed some master plan was at work but that is not the case. It is bizarre. They seem to have shot themselves in the foot."

"It was amateur hour when they decided to publicly accept this punitive bid from a man [Laporta] who wasn't even in a position to close the deal, " said Houston.

"The moment that happened it became almost inevitable he was going to go to Real Madrid and became equally inevitable the ball was in their court."

"They could clearly match personal terms and clearly provide Beckham with more of what he is looking for."

"He was obviously not going to Barcelona, who are not playing Champions League football."

"Madrid must have been falling off their seats with joy when United accepted that bid."

"To see a deal involving United being done so publicly was very unusual," Houston added.