The fallout of Malcolm Glazer's takeover of Manchester United followed the team to Hungary yesterday when Alex Ferguson and the club's chief executive David Gill were verbally abused on landing in the capital.
Gill refused to get involved when a fan accused him of "selling us out", but Ferguson became embroiled in a heated exchange that left him in no doubt that many supporters are deeply unhappy about his refusal to take a stand against the club's new owners.
Ferguson has been criticised by supporters' groups for not backing their campaign against Glazer and, before tonight's Champions League qualifier against Debrecen, that anger manifested itself as he was waiting for his luggage beside a group of travelling fans at Ferihegy airport.
Ferguson might have won 17 trophies at Old Trafford, but that did not save him from a barrage of insults. One fan berated him by saying: "You should have spoken out about it. Why didn't you speak out?" The sight of Britain's most successful football manager being confronted by one of his own supporters and told that he was "out of order" was a reminder of the animosity still felt towards the new regime.
The Glazers' appearance in the directors' box at Old Trafford and the absence of any massed protests at their last home match have projected the image that things are calming down. But Ferguson was taken aback to find himself being harangued.
To his obvious embarrassment the ensuing argument took place in full view of the club's directors and his backroom staff, as well as the entire media corps and
around 30 of the club's sponsors.
The more vociferous anti-Glazer protestors had expected him to resign once the takeover was completed, and Ferguson, who stood his ground with typical defiance, was even moved to defend his own position.
As the supporter continued to demand answers the manager butted in: "I've got a job to do and 15 staff. They come first." "Don't the fans come first?" retorted the supporter. "What about the supporters who are being priced out of the game?"
Earlier the same supporter had confronted Gill over his decision to team-up with the Glazers, saying: "Gill, I can't believe you sold us out." Gill did not reply.
Ferguson is known to have been against a takeover of any kind, although his sympathisers could argue that it placed him in an invidious position and that it would have done him no good to antagonise Glazer shortly before his move into power.
Either way, it was a distinctly uncomfortable beginning to what should otherwise be a routine expedition bearing in mind that United have a 3-0 advantage from the first leg.
Roy Keane has been excused duty, meaning that Alan Smith will continue his metamorphosis into a midfield player in the Ferenc Puskas Stadium. Ferguson also intends to rest either Wayne Rooney or Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Ryan Giggs will captain the team on his first appearance of the season, having recovered from a chest infection, and Wes Brown and Gabriel Heinze will replace Mikael Silvestre and John O'Shea, who were injured in Saturday's 1-0 defeat of Aston Villa.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
DEBRECEN (4-4-2): Csernyanseky; Nikolov, Mate, Eger, Szathmari; Dombi, Sandor, Vukmir, Halmosi; Bogdanovic, Kerekes.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-2-1): Van der Sar; Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Heinze; Fletcher, Smith, Scholes; Ronaldo, Giggs; Van Nistelrooy.
Referee:
M Busacca (Switzerland)
Guardian Service
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