Sir Jim Ratcliffe has stated that while he “doesn’t mind being unpopular” at Manchester United, he would walk away if subjected to the level of abuse faced by the Glazer family. The 72-year-old co-owner, who purchased a 28.94% stake in the club for £1.3bn, has initiated significant staff and spending cuts since assuming control of football operations.
Efforts to increase revenue have included mid-season ticket price hikes affecting under-16s and pensioners. Ratcliffe has also voiced his dissatisfaction with player performances, labeling some as “overpaid” and “not good enough,” leading to a response from club captain Bruno Fernandes. His comments came in the same week United announced plans for a new 100,000-capacity stadium, projected to cost £2bn.
Ratcliffe acknowledged the challenges of ownership, stating, “I can put up with it for a while. Nobody likes seeing Manchester United struggle or the decisions we’re making. If I draw criticism, I can handle it. But I’m no different from anyone else. It’s not nice, especially for friends and family. If the abuse escalates to what the Glazers faced, I’d have to say: ‘Enough’s enough, let someone else do it.’”
He pointed out the Glazers’ absence from matches, noting, “They can’t really attend games anymore. They’ve stepped back, so I’m taking the heat. Since we bought in, I haven’t seen them. It’s: ‘Thank you, Jim, you’re doing a great job.’ I don’t have security, and I don’t want to. But if it reached that level, it wouldn’t be fun.”
Ratcliffe, who sat behind Ed Glazer during the recent 1-1 draw with Arsenal, has also attended games with Joel Glazer. He described the family as “decent people” but suggested Joel lacked the ruthlessness needed for the role, which contributed to past failures.
He criticized former club executives, stating, “I wouldn’t have tolerated Ed Woodward or Richard Arnold. Richard was a rugby man; he didn’t even understand football. Ed was a merchant banker, an accountant. He wasn’t the chief executive.”
Ratcliffe also questioned the decision to appoint David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor in 2013. “I like David Moyes, he’s a really good manager, but replacing Ferguson with Moyes wasn’t the right move. Moyes stepped into the shoes of someone who won the Premier League 13 times and the Champions League twice. He had never managed big players or won major trophies. He didn’t necessarily have the personality to command that dressing room.”
United head into their weekend fixture against Leicester following a positive week. They secured a 1-1 league draw against Arsenal and progressed in the Europa League with a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad.
