6 of the worst things Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have done at Man Utd

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS purchased a 27.7% stake in Manchester United last year and took control of the club’s football operations, fans hoped it would mark the beginning of a new era – one that would finally steer the club away from the mismanagement of the Glazer years.

However, rather than a fresh start, United have only sunk deeper into crisis.

On the pitch, the team’s performances have deteriorated further. After spending £14.5m in compensation to sack Erik ten Hag and replace him with Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils have won just four of their last 15 Premier League games at the time of writing, slipping as low as 15th in the table as we approach March.

Off the pitch, Old Trafford remains in a state of disrepair, while Ratcliffe has implemented a ruthless cost-cutting regime in an attempt to rescue the club from the financial mess left by the Glazers. Staff have been let go, departments have been streamlined and even basic amenities have reportedly been scaled back.

While some would argue that these measures are necessary to stabilise the club, Ratcliffe’s hands-on approach has caused friction between INEOS and the club’s fans, who once believed his arrival would usher in a period of much-needed stability, but are now questioning whether his leadership is doing more harm than good.

Here, we list some of the worst things Ratcliffe has overseen at the club since joining, from brutal decisions to embarrassing faux pas.

1

Ordering mass redundancies

Since taking charge at United, Ratcliffe has cut the club’s workforce by almost a quarter.

In July of last year, approximately 250 members of staff were made redundant across all departments. At the time, reports suggested that Ratcliffe and his football operations team implemented mass redundancies to redirect the savings into the club’s transfer budget.

More recently, United announced that a further 150-200 people were to be made redundant in an effort to “return the club to profitability”.

“We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. This cannot continue. Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money,” Omar Berrada, Manchester United’s CEO, said in a statement.

According to BBC Sport, United’s canteen staff are among those facing job losses, as the club plans to shut it down. In its place, the club will offer a free piece of fruit for employees as part of the cost-cutting measures.

2

Ending Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract

In October, Sir Alex Ferguson became the most high-profile casualty of Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures at Old Trafford when his lucrative contract as a global ambassador was terminated.

The legendary manager, who led United to 38 major trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, had been receiving a multi-million-pound salary from the club since his retirement in 2013.

Club sources claimed Ferguson accepted the decision amicably after a direct conversation with Ratcliffe, but United icon Eric Cantona was far less diplomatic, calling the move “scandalous”.

“Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies,” wrote the Frenchman on Instagram. “Such a lack of respect.”

3

Matchday cuts

Even those still employed at United have felt the impact of Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures.

According to a Daily Mail exclusive from last August, funding for various matchday services was significantly reduced. Agency staff, who were previously provided with lunch, were instead told to eat leftovers from the food supplied to corporate guests.

Some workers even claimed they were forced to eat near toilets. “They’ve set up a dining table next to four toilet cubicles,” one said. “You come out of the cubicle, and someone is sitting right in front of you, eating.”

Additionally, matchday programme distribution was scaled back, with corporate suites receiving only five programmes per box – despite each suite accommodating 10 fans. United defended the decision, stating it was made to reduce waste.

4

Cancelling the staff Christmas party

If there’s one surefire way to lose the goodwill of your staff, it’s by cancelling their annual Christmas party – and that’s exactly what Ratcliffe did last year.

According to The Athletic, the decision was part of a broader crackdown on what Ratcliffe considered unnecessary staff expenses. Other cost-cutting measures included revoking club credit cards from senior executives and scrapping free staff travel to May’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.

5

Cutting charity funding for ex-players

According to reports in December, Ratcliffe made the controversial decision to halt Manchester United’s annual £40,000 donation to a charity supporting former players.

The Association of Former Manchester United Players, established in 1985, provides financial assistance to ex-players who didn’t benefit from the lucrative salaries of the modern game. Among the 300 former footballers it supports are club legends like Bryan Robson and Denis Irwin.

Jim Elms, an 84-year-old trustee who played for United’s youth and reserve teams between 1957 and 1960, called the decision “ridiculous”.

“We sent a letter to say we hadn’t been paid. Nobody informed us, so we had to send another letter. That’s when we started hearing rumours that it was the end for us.”

6

Snubbing the women’s team

Ratcliffe appears to be highly focused on every financial detail at Old Trafford, but when it comes to Manchester United’s women’s team, he seems largely out of touch.

According to The Telegraph, during a tour of the women’s training facilities shortly after completing his takeover, Ratcliffe failed to recognise Katie Zelem, the club’s then-captain, despite her being with United since the age of eight. When he asked her what her role was, Zelem had to explain that she was the team’s skipper. Zelem has since left the club.

Ratcliffe’s lack of engagement with the women’s team was further highlighted in May, when he came under criticism for opting to watch the men’s Premier League clash against Arsenal rather than attending the women’s FA Cup final, where United triumphed 4-0 over Tottenham.

This is in stark contrast to when he raced over to Wembley for the men’s semi-final win over Coventry City in April moments after completing the London Marathon.