At Manchester United, Ratcliffe prioritizes trophies over financial considerations
Jim Ratcliffe has assured Manchester United supporters that under his ownership at Old Trafford, winning trophies will take precedence over financial gains. The British billionaire finalized the purchase of a 25 percent stake in United from the Glazer family on Christmas Eve.
The INEOS chairman is set to assume control of football operations at the Premier League club as part of an agreement anticipated to receive official approval in February.
The 71-year-old attended a Manchester United match in person for the first time since the deal, sitting alongside the club's legendary former manager, Alex Ferguson, during Sunday's 2-2 draw against Tottenham.
Ratcliffe, a lifelong United fan from the Manchester area, returned to Old Trafford this week for interactions with fan representatives and local leaders. He engaged with members of United’s Fans’ Advisory Board and leaders of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST), followed by a video meeting with the larger Fans’ Forum.
In contrast to years of criticism directed at the Glazers, United fans welcomed Ratcliffe's commitment to prioritize on-field success over boosting the club’s profits.
"His main message was that everything at United needs to be ruthlessly focused on creating winning teams on the field — something we are sure all fans will agree on," stated MUST.
Ratcliffe emphasized that he views the club as a 'community asset' and stressed that his investment in United is not primarily driven by financial gains.
"We were able to convey to Sir Jim what we believe the key priorities are — a clear plan to return to the top, implementing a football structure with the right personnel in the right roles, an investment strategy for both teams and the stadium, and fostering a genuine and robust partnership with fans that supports success."
"We are well aware that the path to recovery for our club is a lengthy one, and the true test lies in the outcomes. However, the recent indications from Ineos in the past few weeks are seen as positive by most fans."
Since 2013, Manchester United has not clinched the Premier League title, and their League Cup victory last season marked their first major trophy in six years.
This season, Erik ten Hag's team has faced challenges, currently occupying the seventh position in the Premier League. They were eliminated from both the Champions League and League Cup.
The meeting with MUST extended beyond an hour, featuring the presence of Ratcliffe, Dave Brailsford (INEOS director of sport), Jean Claude Blanc (INEOS Sport chief executive), and senior United officials.
Following the meeting, MUST chair JD Deitch posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, describing it as positive, mentioning that Ratcliffe's team "understand," but emphasizing that the true measure will be actions, not words.
Following discussions with fan representatives, Ratcliffe and his team engaged with various local leaders to explore United’s involvement in the community and the potential redevelopment of Old Trafford, which has shown signs of deterioration in recent years.
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