MUST, the independent Manchester United Supporters' Trust, have revealed today that it has submitted a nomination to Trafford Council for Old Trafford Football Stadium to be registered as an 'Asset of Community Value' under the "Assets of Community Value Regulations of the Localism Act (2011)", reports fcbusiness. The listing of Old Trafford Football Stadium as a 'Community Asset' by the council would mean that in any circumstance where the stadium's current owner were to look to dispose of it, the Manchester United fan community - led by the Manchester United Supporters' Trust - would have the opportunity to secure Old Trafford's future.

In its nomination to Trafford Council, MUST set out a number of reasons why Old Trafford Football Stadium qualifies as an Asset of Community Value. Manchester United delivers both social value and community benefit to Trafford, Manchester and Salford, and more broadly as an integral part of the local area.

Duncan Drasdo, chief executive of MUST said: "It is important to understand that a successful listing gives us the 'right to bid' rather than the 'right to buy'. However a listing reduces the chances that Old Trafford could be secretly sold off and worse still Manchester United FC move to a new location, as we've seen with such disastrous effects at several other English clubs - perhaps the worst example being Wimbledon/MK Dons."