The billionaire talked up his Manchester links after purchasing the club, but has alienated fans and employees as well as making some big mistakes
When Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his partial takeover of Manchester United in 2024, there was a great sense of hope among supporters on a number of levels. After almost two decades of neglect from the Glazer family, there was belief that a the club would be heading back in the right direction under a man who had years of experience in elite sport. There was also hope that they would be able to identify with the club once more.
Ratcliffe grew up in a council estate in north Manchester, had been to Old Trafford with his father as a child and had attended the 1999 Champions League final in Barcelona. There was genuine feeling that he was going to put the Manchester back in Manchester United and listen to supporters' concerns rather than show them contempt.
And yet it has taken little more than a year for Ratcliffe to show his true colours. GOAL runs through 10 moments that have demonstrated that he cares as little for the club, the people that work for it and its supporters as his co-owners from Florida…
Getty ImagesFA Cup final faux pas
The week before an FA Cup final is normally one of great excitement, but United's top brass chose to spend it sounding out potential successors to Erik ten Hag. That United wanted to replace the Dutchman was totally understandable after he had overseen the club's lowest league finish, but the news that the club had been speaking to Kieran McKenna in addition to other candidates completely overshadowed their preparation for the final against Manchester City and undermined Ten Hag ahead of the biggest game of the year.
As it turned out, the situation ended up being a rallying cry for Ten Hag and the team as the Dutchman out-smarted Pep Guardiola at Wembley, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo firing United to an unforgettable victory over their local rivals. However, the fact that talks with other managers had taken place behind Ten Hag's back left a sour taste, and Ratcliffe remained silent when asked whether or not Ten Hag would be staying.
The Dutchman's moment in the sun was thus spoiled, and his post-game press conference, which should have been a moment of celebration, was dominated by questions about whether or not he would be sacked.
AdvertisementAFPTen Hag's new contract
United's victory over City at Wembley did leave Ratcliffe and his colleagues in an awkward situation, but the general consensus among pundits and supporters was that one great result could not erase an embarrassing season and that Ten Hag still had to go. So there was a huge amount of surprise when, one month after the cup final and after further discussions had been held between United and Thomas Tuchel, it was announced that Ten Hag was not only staying in charge, but had been offered a contract extension.
Ten Hag was then backed in the transfer market as the club spent close to £200 million on five new signings, with Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt having previously played under the manager for Ajax. But the fact that the club had come so close to sacking Ten Hag undermined his position, and when the team got off to a rocky start, losing three of their opening six league games, including being thrashed at home by Liverpool and Tottenham, it felt like a matter of when he would be fired, rather than if.
Getty ImagesRound of redundancies
There had been a steady stream of stories regarding Ratcliffe's cost-cutting measures following his arrival, some of which many supporters agreed with, such as cancelling credit cards and private cars for senior staff. But the most impactful measure was the July announcement that 250 employees would be losing their jobs.
Among those cut were long-running media officer John Allen, who had been at the club since 1999, as well as historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex Wylie, who had each been working at Old Trafford for 40 years.
Getty ImagesEnding Sir Alex's ambassadorial role
Another bombshell landed in October when it was revealed that Ratcliffe had decided to end Sir Alex Ferguson's role as a club ambassador at the end of the 2024-25 season. Ferguson had held the position since retiring in 2013, and while the Scot could no doubt take the financial hit, the move felt hugely insulting given that he single-handedly turned United into the global phenomenon they are today.
It was also a statement of intent from Ratcliffe. As Rio Ferdinand put it: "If Sir Alex can be taken out, then no one is safe at Man United. Anyone can get it now." Eric Cantona was a bit less diplomatic when he heard the news. "Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies," the legendary former United striker wrote on Instagram. "Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of sh*t!"
