Amazon.co.uk Review
On 9 September, 1998, the plc board of Manchester United Football Club decided to accept BskyB's takeover bid. This book charts the campaign waged by both fans and shareholders of the club against the bid made by the Rupert Murdoch-owned broadcasting company, until its eventual rejection at the hands of the Monpolies and Mergers Commission and the DTI on 9 April, 1999. From being told "You're tilting at windmills", after seven months those behind the campaign had the last laugh. Brown and Walsh examine in detail the bid itself and the events which followed, whilst keeping the proposed deal and the campaign fought against it in a wider context than solely the club and corporation in question. The outcome is a work with focus for detail but awareness of a broader scenario. The many supporters of Manchester United, all around the world, will no doubt be interested and the story told will no doubt enlighten most of them on the real working of the club. For the rest of us, the minutiae may not be so relevant. However, the principles remain important. What if it was your club? As the implications of this particular episode take on ever greater importance, this report will for some time remain a document of importance for those involved and interested in the issue it confronts. --Trevor Crowe

Synopsis
Describing in detail how the audacious attempt by Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB television company to buy Manchester United was halted, this book draws on a variety of sources to track the events following the announcement of the bid. It examines the reaction of both the media and the football world to the astonishing outcome. After seven months of hard campaigning and a coalition of forces centred around the independent Manchester United Supporters Association, the British Government was forced to block the bid and save the club from becoming another of Murdoch's many conquests.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews   2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: Brilliant account of events in the failed BSkyB bid, 14 Feb 2000 By A Customer If you want the low down on what really went on during the failed BSkyB takeover of Manchester United then this is the book. I must admit I didn't think I'd find it so interesting but after opening the book I couldn't put it down. I've lent it to 4 or 5 friends - some United fans - some not. Every one of them has come back with the same responses. Wow - I didn't know that was what was happening, more funny and more interesting than I expected. The story is both personal but also an academic account of the events - reflecting the authors and contributors backgrounds. Hilarious events and truly emotional situations. A "must read" for all "real reds" and also those interested in the future of football for traditional supporters.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?