How Red Issue got on the front foot in Rock of Gibraltar row

Story bySir Alex Ferguson (left) and jockey Mick Kinane, with Rock of Gibraltar after winning the Irish 2000 Guineas in May 2002 []Simon Stone - Manchester United reporterThu, December 18, 2025 at 11:27 AM UTC·2 min readThroughout Thursday, we are bringing you highlights from our Man Utd reporter Simon Stone's interview with former Red Issue editor John-Paul O'Neill. One of the most controversial issues to affect Manchester United during Red Issue's time was Sir Alex Ferguson's dispute with then club owners John Magnier and JP McManus over the stud rights to record-breaking racehorse Rock of Gibraltar. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFerguson part-owned Rock of Gilbraltar with Magnier's wife, Susan, and watched it win a record seven Group One races as a three-year-old. However, his name was dropped from the list of owners when the colt went to stud. Ferguson contested the decision, prompting a dispute that had major repercussions at United. Following the outbreak of hostilities, Magnier and McManus criticised Ferguson's behaviour, with regard to transfer deals, in a letter to the club's board. The move put pressure on Ferguson but also led some United fans to protest against Magnier and McManus at a number of race meetings. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMany still think the dispute, which was eventually settled out of court, sowed the seeds for the Glazer family ownership of United. Magnier and McManus eventually sold their stake in the club to the American family, who have attracted such hostility since 2005. Red Issue was at the forefront of the story. John-Paul O'Neill recalled how they found out about it."We tried to keep abreast of everything, know what was going on and not miss anything," he said. "It must have been about 2002 and there was this little item in a political gossip column about this dispute over a horse."It was just half a paragraph but no-one else picked up on it.