'The end of football as a sport'

There has been a massive reaction to the prospect of Manchester United FC being owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch.

In an attempt to gauge public reaction, BBC News Online's Talking Point asked whether Mr Murdoch was good for football.

Andrew Mitchell, UK, summed up the feelings of many fans of the game.

"NO NO NO NO!!!!" he says. "It will be the end of football as a sport, confirming that it is only a money-spinning media spectacle."

Brian Nolan from the USA is more upbeat: "The sale of Manchester United to Rupert Murdoch is potentially fantastic news. But then, I am a Liverpool supporter!"

Those who e-mailed us talked about Mr Murdoch's effect on the team, on football, on the fans and on television coverage - and nearly every comment was pessimistic about the future.

Mr Murdoch's reputation in the UK led some users to be sceptical about his intentions. R J Whitticase says: "Why not be done with it and let him buy the House of Commons?"

Reaction from abroad was also broadly against the proposal and those who e-mailed us were very specific about why.

One of our Australian users says he has experience of the way Mr Murdoch works:

"Rupert Murdoch is great for TV but lousy for sport.

"Here in Australia, this year has been a year of reconciliation between the Australian Rugby League and Murdoch's Super League after a bitter two years of destruction.

"Murdoch's vision did nothing but rip the very heart out of Rugby League and left the game in tatters. Rupert is good for one thing - Rupert," says Rob Thomson.

A fellow antipodean backs up Mr Thomson's view but with a more apocalyptic vision: "The sell off of United to Rupert Murdoch will mean the absolute end of football as the people's game," saysJohn Hallsworth from Melbourne.

Football in quarters

Marcus Daniel from the USA says Mr Murdoch's commercial interests will change the way the game is played.

"He's an enormous threat to the integrity of the game. A few years of Murdoch ownership at Man Utd and I'll bet we will all be watching football with four 15 minute quarters and loads of commercial breaks."

Andrew Wharf, UK, says the prospect of this deal is only part of a larger malaise in the sport: "This move confirms the fact that the supporter is becoming less and less important to the big league football clubs."

One dissenting voice in a chorus of discontent comes from Lee Mansell who says the deal could benefit the club: "The sale may not be a bad idea but only if he is going to put money up for buying new players."

'I'll stop supporting Man U'

Gordon Wilson from Queensland, Australia, is a lifelong supporter of Manchester Utd and says if this deal goes ahead he will quit being a fan.

"It's dreadful. Too much power, size or influence in any human affairs for one individual or entity is almost universally bad. It's almost blasphemous to me that someone like Murdoch with tentacles in so many places should have anything to do with a football club once the domain of Busby, Edwards, Byrne, Chilton, Carey, Colman, Whelan and Gregg and so many others."

The passion of supporters is called on by A J Ramsey, UK: "Football supporters are loyal and passionate people , so let's stand up for the game before we all end up watching football at home because the stadium is full of corporate allocated seats.

'Keep the red flag flying'

Rob Cooper also from the UK implores Martin Edwards, who has a 14% interest in the club, to "keep the red flag flying":

"Mr Murdoch should NOT be allowed to buy a club that is such a worldwide institution and be allowed to exploit the fans."

From the other side of the world, Jonathan Lee from Singapore wants to keep the game for the fans:

"Football should remain a game which every football fan can enjoy. It should not be about money and every thing that goes with it. And Rupert Murdoch is the epitome of ruthless monopolisation of sport - especially football."

But for all those dismayed at the prospect of a Murdoch buy-out, Dave Conlin has a solution.

"Football as we know it is doomed. Let's start again and watch our local players doing their stuff."