Thousands of Manchester United fans joined the biggest protest against the club’s ownership since Sir Jim Ratcliffe took a near 30 per cent stake last year before Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Arsenal.
In scenes reminiscent of those in August 2022 before a home game against Liverpool, huge numbers joined a near mile-long march to Old Trafford.
Scores of flares were set off as fans sang pointed and abusive songs towards Co-chairman, Joel Glazer and Ratcliffe, who has spent £1.3bn for a 28.94 per cent stake in the club.
As part of the deal, Ratcliffe has been allowed the freedom to make significant decisions over the running of the club.
Last month, it was confirmed there would be a second round of redundancies at the club, which will result in up to 200 people losing their jobs in addition to the 250 who departed last year.
Fans also sang about the mid-season decision to increase the price of matchday tickets to £66, with no concessions.
Ratcliffe says the decisions, which he accepts are unpopular, are necessary in order to slash losses, which last year exceeded £113m.
After the 1-1 draw with Arsenal, United manager, Ruben Amorim, said: “I think this club will never die, that is clear. You feel it in the streets, not just in the stadium.
“This is a big business and maybe all the fans around the league feel it’s harder to go to the game and pay for the tickets. In the Premier League we receive a lot of money and they have to address that.”
Banners saying “we want our club back” and “£1bn stolen”, referring to the amount spent on servicing the debt loaded on to United when the Glazer family bought the club in 2005, were on display at the protest.
United’s current total debt, including £300m in outstanding transfer fees, is in excess of £1bn. In the last financial year they paid £37m in interest on the debt.
The noisy protest arrived at Old Trafford at 16:05 GMT, then made its way under the Munich Tunnel.
The scenes were the kind it was thought Ratcliffe, a self-confessed Manchester United fan brought up in nearby Failsworth, was going to solve when he bought into the club.
But Chris Haymes, of the 1958 group that organised the protest, said Ratcliffe is being tainted by his association with the Glazer family.
“Sir Jim has to make some tough decisions but he seems to be a shield for the Glazers at the moment,” he added.
“It seems to be a real issue. He had one chance to make a good impression and I am not sure that is what he has done.
“This protest has nothing to do with football and it hasn’t been for 20 years. The way the Glazers bought the club has been a burden on our backs for 20 years. Jim Ratcliffe has been making people redundant but United also paid £37m to the Glazer debt.
“The solution is the Glazers leave the club. Jim Ratcliffe will never seal his legacy at this club unless he removes the Glazers. It is as simple as that.” —BBC
