Red Knights overreach with claim of support from Ferguson

The Glazer family believe the so-called Red Knights, who are mounting a bid to take over Manchester United, have discredited themselves with suggestions that Sir Alex Ferguson supports the venture.

Sources from the Red Knights' camp suggested at the weekend that Ferguson's "backing" for a probable £1.3bn bid, which would be needed to wrest control of the club away from the Americans, represented a "killer blow", but the club's manager immediately rebutted such suggestions. The likelihood of him offering support for the Red Knights is highly improbable, given that the plan to raise money to buy out the Glazers is at such an early stage and the owners have insisted they are not willing to cede control.

There is a feeling among some who want the Knights to succeed that the number of messages coming from the camp at such an early stage risks undermining the plan in the eyes of fans. Last week, details of the initial meeting with the Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill, one of the so-called Knights, and members of the Manchester United Supporters' Trust, the expressions of financial support that has generated and questions about the money needed to be raised have all assumed an air of great significance.

In reality, the task of finding up to £1.3bn is a huge one which might not be accomplished in years, let alone months, and as The Independent reported last week, initial plans drawn up by the Red Knights anticipate fans actually having to commit themselves financially to the project.