Glazer's own-goal at Man U

SHARES in Manchester United will come under pressure after the apparent collapse of a controversial £780m bid by American sports mogul Malcolm Glazer.

Glazer's plans to buy the world's biggest football club were effectively shattered on Friday night when his investment bank JP Morgan and spin doctors Brunswick both quit.

JP Morgan pulled the plug in protest at Glazer's decision to use his 28.1% stake to vote off three United board members - commercial director Andy Anson and non-executives Maurice Watkins and Philip Yea - at the club's annual meeting.

Analysts say Glazer will find difficulty recruiting another bank to back his highly leveraged proposals.

CHELSEA Football Club is in talks with leading hotel and restaurant groups to take over the running of sites at its Stamford Bridge complex.

Potential partners are thought to include Marriott and Hilton for the two hotels, and fish-and-chip chain Harry Ramsden's for one of the restaurants.