Manchester United supporters unite in bid to unseat the Glazer family

United's fan base is huge, diverse and well organised through two main supporters' groups, and activists are seeking to use disquiet at the owners' plans to make the most of those contacts in the anti-Glazer cause.

The Manchester United Supporters' Trust is canvassing opinion on the way ahead with a view to eventually securing a change of ownership and a stake in the club. MUST believe that dismay at the Glazers' plans to take as much as £600 million out of the club's profits over seven years, revealed by Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, provides an opportunity to build momentum.

Among those who can expect to be approached is Jim O'Neill, head of global economic research at Goldman Sachs and formerly a member of the United board when the company was a plc, and bookmaker Fred Done, whose sponsorship of the club ended last season when he was outbid by Betfair.

MUST's intention is to try to build a consortium of wealthy, interested individuals so that they can take advantage of any opportunity to take a stake in the club.

There are significant hurdles, not least the Glazers' likely £1 billion-plus price-tag, but MUST spokesman Duncan Drasdo believes all avenues are worth exploring.

"We have been pointing out the problems with the owners for five years but now it is there for all to see in black and white, and already there is some momentum for change," he said.

"We are now exploring whether there are people out there who might want to participate, and we have people who move in that world making contacts.

"It could end with a consortium buy-out, perhaps with supporter involvement, or taking a stake in any public flotation of the company, which the Glazers do say is an option in their bond issue.

"There are enough United supporters out there to buy the club."

In the meantime, supporters opposed to the Glazers will make their feelings known by adopting the yellow-and-green colours of the original Newton Heath club.

United briefly sported the colours on an away shirt in the 1990s and the then owners, the Edwards, were criticised for profiteering from fans.

Now the colours will be reclaimed in protest against something similar from their successors.