Man Utd fans blast Sir Jim Ratcliffe after he cuts £40k donation to charity helping club icons despite £23bn fortune
MAN United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been dubbed Scrooge after cutting funding for a charity helping former players.
United previously gave £40,000 a year to the trust, which fears it will fold without the lifeline.
Supporters said it was a “kick in the teeth” following £23billion tycoon Sir Jim’s ticket price rises and a Christmas do ban.
It follows a series of petty penny-pinching measures by Sir Jim, Britain’s richest man who is worth an estimated £23billion.
The club had previously given a yearly sum to the Association of Former Manchester United Players, which was set up in 1985 to help footballers from bygone eras who earned nothing like the megabucks of today’s superstars.
It puts on four events a year where ex-players can rub shoulders with others who signed professional forms with the club but never made a first-team appearance.
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But when the charity contacted Old Trafford after two quarterly payments of £10,000 failed to arrive, it was shocked to learn it plans to end all funding as part of Sir Jim’s cost-cutting drive.
Trustee Jim Elms, 84, who played for United’s youth team and reserves from 1957 to 1960, called the move “ridiculous”. He said the charity does “so much good for the club for so little”, and has urged it to reconsider.
He told The Sun: “We sent a letter to say we’ve not been paid. Nobody came out and told us so we had to send another letter.
“That’s when we started hearing things that it was going to be the end of us.”
He told how United’s chief executive Omar Berrada called him just days before Christmas.
Jim, who played with Bobby Moore for an England youth team, said: “It didn’t go too well.
“Omar was non-committal. He’s going to meet us again in January but he said he couldn’t see it changing.
“He didn’t seem to think that we were a necessity.”
Jim, of Bramhall, Cheshire, added: “We’ve ran it since 1985.
“Keeping the old players together. Looking after the ones that couldn’t pay for funerals.
“I just can’t understand them myself. It’s ridiculous.”
He added that each event was held at Old Trafford’s Manchester suite, which they pay to hire out.
He said: “After a summer where United spent £101million net and continue to pay incredibly high wages, the savings from this latest cut are a drop in the ocean, and are a kick in the teeth for many of the club’s former greats, who were not paid the excesses today’s footballers receive.”
A source added: “Everyone knows the club needs to save money but some things just shouldn’t be cut.
"Some of the players who benefit from this organisation never earned a penny from football and aren’t in the best financial circumstances.
“Sir Jim has been clear that United need to save money, but this move has left him looking like a Christmas Scrooge.”
Party scrapped
The chemicals tycoon, 72, has launched a ruthless cost-cutting drive since his minority takeover of the club was announced 12 months ago.
More than 250 employees have been made redundant, while managerial legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2million-a-year ambassador role has been axed.
Staff have also seen their traditional Christmas party scrapped and their bonus cut.
Employees no longer receive free tickets for the FA Cup Final and had to pay for their own transport to Wembley in May this year.
Ticket discounts for youngsters and over-65s were also scrapped.
A club source said United “greatly appreciated” the role of AFMUP in maintaining relationships between former players and would continue supporting events.
They added: “We are no longer able to make charitable donations to AFMUP while the club is making significant losses.
“Our focus is on putting the club back on a sustainable financial footing so that we are in a position to invest in our priorities of achieving success on the pitch, and renewing our infrastructure.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's first year at Man Utd
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE'S minority takeover at Manchester United was announced on Christmas Eve in 2023 - and a lot has happened at Old Trafford since...
December 2023 - Man Utd confirm Ratcliffe's takeover on Christmas Eve, vowing to invest £245m into Old Trafford
January 2024 - Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford photographed meeting Erik ten Hag during tour of Carrington
January 2024 - Omar Berrada poached from Man City as new CEO
February 2024 - Ratcliffe's £1billion, 27.7 per cent takeover officially completed
February 2024 - Former CEO Richard Arnold quits board as Ineos pair John Rees and Rob Nevin added
March 2024 - Ratcliffe bans words "awesome" and "lukewarm cappuccino" in bizarre move
March 2024 - Matt Johnson appointed head of women's football
March 2024 - Ratcliffe announces plans to build "Wembley of the North" to replace Old Trafford
March 2024 - Man Utd NYSE share price drops to $13.73 on March 21 - down from $20.52 immediately after Ratcliffe takeover in December
April 2024 - Senior staff club credit cards and private cars cancelled
April 2024 - John Murtough quits as football director
April 2024 - Jason Wilcox appointed technical director after compensation package agreed with Southampton
May 2024 - Ratcliffe turns Carrington "toxic" after sending email to employees slamming "disgraceful" lack of cleanliness
May 2024 - Work finally starts on leaking Old Trafford roof
May 2024 - Man Utd finish eighth in Premier League, worst-ever finish
May 2024 - Ratcliffe gives employees just one week to decide if they want to accept redundancy
May 2024 - Staff forced to pay for own transport to FA Cup final and only given one ticket
May 2024 - Pre-match party and hotel for senior staff before FA Cup final axed
May 2024 - Man Utd shock rivals Man City to win FA Cup despite suggestions Erik ten Hag will be sacked regardless of result
June 2024 - Man Utd announce £50m plans to upgrade Carrington training ground
June 2024 - Ratcliffe introduces strict "back to work" policy forcing staff to come into office
June 2024 - Ratcliffe scores own goal with comments about women's team
July 2024 - Man Utd finally agree deal to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Newcastle, who received £3m in compensation
July 2024 - Erik ten Hag signs shock new contract extension until 2026
July 2024 - Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake appointed assistant managers, Andreas Georgson first-team coach and Jelle ten Rouwelaar goalkeeper coach. Darren Fletcher's role changes from technical director to first-team coach. Steve McClaren, Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy depart.
July 2024 - Ex-Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell joins on short-term basis as interim director of recruitment
July 2024 - Jean-Claude Blanc added to Man Utd board
July 2024 - Man Utd cut down number of staff on US pre-season tour to 125
July 2024 - Ratcliffe makes 250 redundancies including popular media man John Allen, historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex Wylie
August 2024 - Man Utd splash out £199m in the summer transfer window
August 2024 - Matchday staff lunchboxes scrapped and some forced to eat beside toilet
October 2024 - Man Utd stop paying £2m-a-year ambassador salary to Sir Alex Ferguson
October 2024 - Staff Christmas party cancelled
October 2024 - "Back to work"; policy costing Utd fortune to convert hospitality suites into temporary offices between home matches
October 2024 - Erik ten Hag sacked with club 14th in Premier League table, costing club £15m
November 2024 - Ruben Amorim appointed new Man Utd manager on deal until 2027 after stumping up £10m release clause
November 2024 - Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy axed by new manager Ruben Amorim
November 2024 - Man Utd chiefs locked in blame game over summer shambles including Erik ten Hag situation and transfer signings
November 2024 - Ratcliffe reportedly set to half £40,000 budget paid to Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association
December 2024 - Ratcliffe admits "mediocre" Man Utd "still in last century"
December 2024 - Fans protest after OAP and children concessions tickets ditched and minimum home ticket cost up to £66
December 2024 - Dan Ashworth sacked after five months as sporting director
December 2024 - £100 staff Christmas bonus ditched for £40 M&S voucher
December 2024 - Ceiling starts leaking during Ruben Amorim's press conference after 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth
December 2024 - Reports of a mice infestation at Old Trafford as rodent droppings found in food kiosks and plush suites as food hygiene ratings drops to just two stars
December 2024 - SunSport reveals Ratcliffe cuts £40,000 funding donation to Association of Former Manchester United Players charity
The move comes at a turbulent time on the pitch, with new manager Ruben Amorim overseeing four defeats in their last five Premier League matches.
There were fan protests against ticket price rises at last month’s game against Everton at Old Trafford, with banners reading “Stop Exploiting Loyalty”.
A spokesman for supporters group MUST said asking them to pay their “fair share” after decades of mismanagement was “offensive”.
He went on: “We have done everything we have been asked. We’ve cheered the players on even in the face of substandard performance.”
But United have defended their penny-pinching, saying: “We have been focused on cost saving to put us on a stronger financial footing.”
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Sir Jim has also insisted “hard choices” are needed. He added: “I want to be free for us to buy really good footballers, not spend so much of the money on infrastructure.”
United were approached for comment.
RUTHLESS RATCLIFFE
By Sarah Ridley
SIR Jim Ratcliffe’s savage cuts even shocked United skipper Bruno Fernandes.
He was “taken aback” when staff lost their traditional free FA Cup Final ticket, travel, food and accommodation. Fernandes offered to pay himself but was rejected.
Some 250 staff were then made redundant in the summer. The club also stopped Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2million-a-year ambassadorial salary, cancelled the staff Xmas party, and axed company credit cards and private chauffeurs.
The cost of disabled parking bays were also hiked by 20 per cent. Sir Jim has also considered halving the annual £40,000 budget for the club’s Disabled Supporters’ Association.
Earlier this month fans protested at a rise in ticket prices, with the club abolishing discounts for kids and OAPs.
The Old Trafford roof is also leaky while water came though the ceiling during manager Ruben Amorim’s press conference last week.
A mice infestation has also seen United’s food hygiene rating drop.