It's now 18 years since Manchester United fans have had to put up with the Glazers as owners. Nearly two decades of decline and decline for their club. Nearly two decades of protests and vitriol.
The American family has saddled the club with debt, lining their own pockets and overseeing one of the most lamentable chapters in the club's history as their slide from the pantheon of European heavyweights continues to accelerate.
It's anything but amusing for those who fill Old Trafford week in, week out. It's funny that their government is said to have come about thanks to a private joke between Sir Alex Ferguson and shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus.
That's just one of the stunning revelations in a new book about the Glazers and their time in charge of United. 'The World's Largest Cash Machine' is written by Chris Blackhurst, a former journalist who has sifted through the details of the past two decades and beyond to understand how one of the world's largest brands ended up in the hands of a little-known family. in Florida.
The book explains how Ferguson and his associates, after an initial decline from the rarified world of horse racing, devised an elaborate ruse to allow the then United manager to speak at an owners meeting.
A new book describes how the Glazers came to power at Manchester United eighteen years ago
Sir Alex Ferguson won his last title under the Glazers and unwittingly helped them seize power
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That plan included removing Sir Alex as owner of Rock of Gibraltar, the legendary horse whose success would eventually lead to an irreparable dispute between the Scot and his Irish acquaintances.
It was this dispute that created the perfect storm, allowing the Glazers to swoop in and seize control from United.
“The Glazers actually took advantage of a moment in time,” Blackhurst says. “The story of how they actually got the shares is an incredible story.
“The more I looked at it, the more unbelievable it became, you know, which actually started as a joke.
“In order to make the after-dinner speech, (Ferguson) had to be registered as a racehorse owner. It started with a bit of fun from John Magnier, who was annoyed that they had rejected Ferguson as speaker.
'So they started looking for a horse for him. And of course the problem was that the horse was too good.'
Blackhurst's extensive research for the book saw him seek out the thoughts of United's most fervent and vocal supporters as he tried to understand their disdain for the Glazers – and their lack of success in getting their message across.
Blackhurst points to the fact that there were plenty of other owners within the Premier League with a similar profile who had strong links with the fan bases of the clubs they had bought.
Sir Alex Ferguson was close friends with stakeholders John Maigner and JP McManus (left)
The Glazers have been the target of protests from United fans since the day they arrived
But there was one key element that set them apart in the eyes of the Old Trafford faithful.
“When you get to the heart of it, a fan said to me, 'They don't care, they don't care.'
'That really gets to the heart of the matter, that they don't come to the matches. Roman Abramovich was unevenly funded at Chelsea and they were in debt, but he showed up for the games. He was there.
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'It is true that football has a place, a special place in the community. Every town in Britain, every village in Britain has a football field. It may just be a field, but kids play on the field and adults play on the field.
'The Glazers never made that connection. They never understood that, but they never bothered to take it to heart either. They never bothered to find out.”
While supporters have their own issues with the owners, Blackhurst does note one area where he believes the Glazers have certainly let the club and themselves down.
Avram, Joel and their siblings have been successful in many things, but their inability to seek advice from those already immersed in the world of football is a decision the author struggles to get behind.
'Suppose a five-star hotel became available to me and I thought, “Right, I've always wanted to own a hotel.”
'I have no idea about running a hotel, so what's the first thing I would do? Appoint people who know how to do it. Don't assume I know how to do it myself.
'That's where the Glazers went wrong. It was the football side. Why didn't the Glazers say, “Guys, we don't know anything about football?”
Better late than never, it looks like the Glazers will finally move on to a more experienced player in football.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to take a 25 percent stake in Manchester United in a deal worth £1.25 billion.
The British billionaire has extensive experience in the sporting world and already owns Ligue 1 side Nice and Swiss side Lausanne.
Not that his record at those clubs should inspire much confidence among United supporters, Blackhurst emphasizes.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to have his purchase of a stake in the club confirmed soon
“If you look at his record in the sport, it is bad, very bad,” Blackhurst said.
'Lesser people would have packed it up and thought about it by now. I messed up one place, I'm not going to continue with it.
'Nice and Lausanne have never happened before in football. He buys the top cycling team and they are no longer the top cycling team.
'At some point I expect Ratcliffe to own Manchester United. What condition is the club in then? Don't know.'
The World's Largest Cash Machine: Manchester United, the Glazers, and the Struggle for Football's Soul by Chris Blackhurst is published by Macmillan and available now for £22