There is not exactly a lot of good news coming out of Old Trafford in the wake of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of shares in Manchester United.
Or as Sky Sports reported today: Unpopular savings expected to increase at Old Trafford
A wave of brutal staff cuts at Old Trafford is expected to continue under the leadership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
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Manchester United came under Ratcliffe’s ownership in part last year when his INEOS group took control of the club’s football operations.
Controversial strategy
According to reports, Ratcliffe is willing to consider selling Ligue 1 club Nice to Saudi Arabia in order to increase his stake in Manchester United – a decision that is unlikely to be well received by supporters, who rightly question several of the decisions made during Ratcliffe’s rule.
The behind-the-scenes savings have been heavily criticized, and new reports suggest that another unpopular decision is on the way.
Kicked out after 47 years of faithful service
“Manchester United staff are shaken to learn that the club’s longest-serving employee – and their main point of contact with UEFA and the Premier League for match operations – has been told that her position is in danger of being terminated,” reports The Times.
The employee in question is Marie Marron, who has worked for United for a full 47 years since she started as a personal assistant to the club secretary. According to journalist Matt Lawton, she has become a “key figure in the logistics of first choice”.
“Marron was the main coordinator of United’s historic treble in 1999 and was among five long-term employees honoured by the club’s sponsors in 2013 for his ‘exceptional dedication and loyalty’ to United,” Lawton writes.
“But… The Times understands that the news was delivered to Marron in a face-to-face meeting, where she was told that she must expect to quit at the end of the season. She is reportedly devastated by the news, having been at Old Trafford since 1978.”
Supporters won’t be silent
Ratcliffe’s strategy follows typical billionaire thinking, but completely neglects football’s unique social and cultural role.
While there may be a financial justification for the brutal cutbacks at Old Trafford, Ratcliffe is playing with fire if he believes that football supporters are indifferent to how their clubs treat their staff.
United’s supporters have a strong sense of how matters should be handled in the “Corridors of Dreams” – and an impressive history of making their voices heard, especially when sporting results do not outweigh difficult decisions.
Massive downsizing underway
“Ratcliffe has made no secret of the need for significant savings to ease United’s financial woes, with extensive redundancies aimed at reducing the club’s total workforce from 1,250 to around 700,” Lawton adds.
The situation develops into a moral and cultural crisis for the club, where faithfulness and history are in danger of being sacrificed on the altar of profit.
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