Manchester United co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has threatened to leave the club if he experiences the same hostility from fans that the Glazer family has faced.
Jim Ratcliffe, 72, made headlines last year when he acquired a 28.94% stake in the club for £1.3 billion, which allowed his company, Ineos, to take charge of football operations.
In a recent interview with the Sunday Times, Ratcliffe mentioned that he is “not bothered by being unpopular,” highlighting his commitment to the club despite the challenges.
“I mean, I can put up with it for a while,” Ratcliffe said. “I don’t mind being unpopular because I get that nobody likes seeing Manchester United down where they are, and nobody likes the decisions we’re having to make at the moment.
“If I draw a bit of the ire, I can put up with that. But I’m no different to the average person. It’s not nice, particularly for friends and family.
“So, eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I’d have to say, look, enough’s enough guys, let somebody else do this.
“They can’t really come to a match, the Glazers. They’ve retreated into the shadows a bit now, so I’m getting all the stick.
“We bought in and I haven’t seen them since. It’s, ‘Thank you, Jim, you’re doing a really good job’.
“At the moment, I don’t have security, I don’t have to walk around like that. But it would defeat the object, wouldn’t it? You couldn’t tolerate it at that level, it just wouldn’t be fun.”
Last month, the club announced a second round of redundancies, which may affect up to 200 employees and the 250 layoffs from the previous year. Furthermore, there has been a mid-season increase in some ticket prices, impacting under-16s and pensioners, drawing mixed responses from the fanbase.
In an interview with the BBC, Ratcliffe assessed the current squad, stating that some players may not meet the club’s standards and are “overpaid,” and acknowledged that Manchester United faced financial challenges that could have endangered the club’s future.
Currently, Manchester United’s total debt exceeds £1 billion, which includes £300 million in outstanding transfer fees. In the last financial year, the club incurred £37 million in interest on this debt, raising ongoing concerns about its financial health and future direction.
Amid that, Ratcliffe recently revealed plans for a new £2 billion stadium with a proposed capacity of 100,000 to enhance the club’s facilities and experience for fans.
