Fans can also have shares in the action

Business of Sport:  If JP McManus and John Magnier can do it so can you. Although the racing tycoons' shareholdings in Manchester United are out of most people's price-range, it is still possible for ordinary soccer fans to own a piece of their club, writes Daire Whelan.

Oliver Houston, spokesman for Shareholders United, a supporters group which was founded in 1998 in the wake of Rupert Murdoch's attempt to buy the club, has called on Irish Manchester United fans to invest in the club to "stop it falling into the hands of sugar daddies".

While Chelsea fans may be delighted at their new-found riches under Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich, Houston has a dim view of businessmen taking control of a club for either financial or leisure reasons.

"These guys are gamblers and currency speculators, so it is unlikely they are looking to make a slow and steady return on their investment over a 25-year period. If that were the case they would be better off putting their money in a building society."

"They are perhaps hoping that a full scale takeover bid will emerge, either from the existing crop of large investors such as Malcolm Glazer, who has close ties to Rupert Murdoch, or from elsewhere abroad as has been mooted. They are looking to be well placed to make a killing if that is the case. We are uneasy that anybody would use our club to make a fast buck in such a way."

United fans are now being called upon to stem the rumoured takeover talk by getting in on the action themselves and buying a piece of the club for themselves and for the future of the club.

"Any such full-scale takeover bid would have to take account of the wishes and interests of the fans and supporter shareholders or else it would be doomed to failure," Houston added.

"Sugar daddies get bored, die or go bust and it is not healthy to have the fate of a 125-year-old community asset like Manchester United resting with a single individual or entity other than a Supporters' Trust. That's why United fans everywhere should join the Trust now and safeguard our club from exploitation and takeover by those solely interested in short-term profit."

Since their highly successful campaign to stop Rupert Murdoch buying Manchester United, Shareholders United has continued to campaign to maintain the independence of Manchester United through ownership of shares by supporters of the football club. Membership of Shareholders United automatically entitles you to one free share and from there you can take part in their monthly membership share scheme for as little as £10.

Supporter trusts, such as Shareholders United, have been recognised as a means by which supporters can gain more recognition by their club through a pooling of shares into a block vote, even electing representatives to the board of football clubs.

So if you're looking for that extra special gift for the Man United fan for Christmas why not give them their own share in the club? And while Man United might not be to their liking the other Premiership clubs with supporters' trusts are Aston Villa, Leeds, Tottenham and Wolves.