EXCLUSIVE: The funeral of Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton will have a few glaring absences following word the Glazer family intends to snub the send-off altogether
The Glazer family are set to swerve Bobby Charlton’s funeral (Image: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Manchester United owners the Glazers look set to deliver the ultimate snub to the club by not attending Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral.
United staff and supporters have been in mourning since Charlton died last month aged 86. The world of football will bid farewell to the England and United legend at an emotional service in Manchester on Monday.
And despite the great and good of the game being expected to attend the funeral, the Glazers will not be there.
The Glazers held talks with senior club officials – and decided the risk of getting abuse from supporters, to detract from the huge occasion, was too great. It’s understood the Glazers didn’t want to make unwanted headlines – and want all the focus to be on Charlton.
The Americans felt like being in a “no win“ situation. But the decision still represents the ultimate insult to United and Charlton – who is regarded as the club’s greatest ever player.
The Glazers had a relationship with Charlton, who was a director of the club and was regularly present at Old Trafford until his dementia diagnosis in November 2020.
If there was a late change of heart from the owners, Joel Glazer would represent them at the service.
Bobby Charlton died at the age of 86 in October (Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
The Glazer family took full control of Manchester United in 2005 (Image: Getty Images)
The Glazers’ reluctance to travel to England from America to pay their respects will deepen the hatred fans have for the billionaires.The Glazers have spent the last 12 months attempting to sell the club, but have failed to strike a deal with interested parties. The Floridians are rarely seen at Old Trafford due to how unpopular they are.And it seems even the importance of a seismic event like Charlton’s funeral is still not enough to lure them across the Atlantic.Thousands are expected to line the streets of Manchester to pay their respects to the 1966 World Cup winner.The funeral cortège will arrive at Old Trafford at 1.30pm, before making its way to Manchester cathedral. United have held several tributes to Charlton in recent weeks, but the Glazers haven’t attended any of them.