Ex-United chairman Edwards backs fans opposing £2bn new stadium as Carrick's side sit 17th

Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards has publicly backed supporters who are protesting against the club’s plans to build a new £2 billion stadium, insisting the struggling side’s on-field problems must take priority over any construction project.

Edwards, who ran the club from 1980 to 2002 and famously appointed Sir Alex Ferguson, made his views clear on the Keys & Gray Unleashed podcast. His comments come as United continue to press ahead with plans for a 100,000-seat ground that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has described as the ‘Wembley of the North’, with ambitions to host the Women’s World Cup final there in 2035.

Fans made their feelings known during Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Roma — a 3-2 win — chanting “You can stick your new stadium up your a***” as part of wider protests against the Glazer family and Ratcliffe. Edwards, 81, said he understood exactly where those supporters were coming from.

“The crowd have been vociferous about what they could do with the new stadium. And I tell you what, I can sympathise with that,” Edwards said. “You can talk about new stadiums and everything else but the most important ingredient is always the players and what’s happening on the field — and success. The last thing the United fans want to hear is a new stadium when they’ve got a team that’s languishing 17th in the league, below Coventry.”

Edwards was direct about where the club’s spending should be directed. “The priority has to be the team. Concentrate on getting that right. United now needs investment — they probably need investment on the stadium itself. But the team definitely needs investment, doesn’t it? When I look at the team sheet, I think, why isn’t it performing? There are some good individuals on that. It’s down to choice. Did they need midfielders? Do they need a left-back or centre-forward?”

United have won just three of their 14 league games this season under manager Michael Carrick, who faces a potential sacking if the club lose to Aston Villa on Sunday. Edwards was cautious about whether dismissing Carrick would be the right move, noting that those on the outside rarely have the full picture. “I can’t judge — you need to be inside to know. I was on the inside. I had knowledge the supporters didn’t, which enabled me to make the right decisions,” he said.

Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910, and the proposed move remains deeply contentious among a fanbase already frustrated by years of underperformance.