The moment the recession bit, the first premises to shut in our high street were estate agencies. Now there's confidence for you.
The function of estate agents is something of a myth. They publicise your house sale, they don't actually sell your house. When the market collapsed these masters of the universe accepted their limitations, packed up and went away until the bad times blow over.
Keith Harris, a banker with Seymour Pierce, has a reputation as a man who sells football clubs: except, in the present climate, he doesn't. Everton has been on the market for several years; Mike Ashley engaged him to sell Newcastle United without success; when Alexandre Gaydamak first wanted out of Portsmouth, he went to Harris, too (although he cannot subsequently be blamed for the succession of chancers that have marched through the door at Fratton Park).
Even when he could sell clubs, Harris's matchmaking skills were no guarantee of happiness. He helped place Roman Abramovich with Chelsea and Randy Lerner with Aston Villa – so far, so good – but also introduced Bjorgulfor Gudmundsson to West Ham United and Thaksin Shinawatra to Manchester City.
Now Harris says he has buyers for Manchester United and could oust the hated Glazers. To help him, he needs the supporters to do just one thing: kill the club.
"If enough people, and I'm talking about thousands, stop turning up to matches and do not renew their tickets, that does it," he says. "The supporters have to hurt the Glazers in their pockets. Supporters have to be galvanised to say: 'We will not come, we will not buy programmes and merchandise.' It's a risk, but that is what must happen."
A risk? Not to Harris, it isn't. Can you imagine the commission on a buy-out of Manchester United? The only risk for him is if the Glazers dig in their heels and do not sell. Then he gets nothing.
Harris says he is a Manchester United fan but has only been to Old Trafford twice since the Glazer takeover in 2005. "I won't go again now," he says, as if this is some great sacrifice or principled stand. More interestingly, Harris talks about his buyers raising the money to buy the club. So there has to be some residue of debt. Unlike the Glazer takeover, one presumes it will not be bolted on to United, but anyone who raises money has to repay it, and will presumably do so with profits made from investments and business interests. Like Manchester United.
The risk that Harris mentions occurs if, by deserting the club, supporters harm not only the business, but the team. There are already suggestions that Sir Alex Ferguson's transfer funds are limited, if the stadium is half-empty they could be non-existent.
The good news for Harris is that further impoverishment would drive the sale price down, meaning his buyers would not have to borrow as heavily. So everyone wins, except perhaps the team, or Ferguson, who may well decide he does not need this hassle at 68 and retire.
Still, it is a small price to pay when the soul of a club is at stake. Not to mention all that lovely commission, which you will notice Harris, rather shrewdly, never does.