Statement on Jim Ratcliffe’s Manchester United investment

FC United notes the Glazer family has finally sold 25% of Manchester United Football Club to Jim Ratcliffe and he has promised to provide more than £230 million of desperately needed investment.

We’ll wait to see what, if any, significant difference this change of structure and investment will bring to the club we all love. Even though Ratcliffe’s involvement could see some positive changes, we do not believe it will be enough to change the deep-rooted issues at Manchester United or in modern football where supporters are regularly treated with disdain. 

We are mindful that the Glazer family will still hold a controlling stake in the club, so they will be free to continue extracting large dividends whilst ignoring supporters’ views.

Unmitigated disaster
The Glazers’ ownership of Manchester United has been an unmitigated disaster with almost £2 billion taken from the club and its supporters. Thousands of Reds fought against Malcolm Glazer’s hostile takeover in 2005 and his sons remain unwelcome today.

We hope Ratcliffe’s involvement will mean that Manchester United and the fans are treated with the respect they deserve, which has been sadly lacking during the Glazer regime.  

Respect the fans
For decades, Manchester United and numerous other football clubs across the UK have become playthings of rich benefactors with dubious morals and ethics. These people do not value or respect the fans, who are – and always will be – the lifeblood of the game. 

We believe that football as a whole should be owned and led by ordinary match-going fans. We strongly advocate clubs being fully owned by their supporters. As an absolute minimum, there should be better supporter engagement across football so that they have a meaningful voice on important issues. 

As well as having money stolen from their clubs, most fans have no say in the decision-making process. Their views are widely disregarded, and they are regularly subjected to extortionate ticket prices, anti-social kick-off times, and poor treatment on match days.    

100% fan-owned
Due to this, the fight continues. Regardless of who owns Manchester United, FC United will continue to be 100% owned by our fans whilst offering affordable football for everyone at our fan-funded Broadhurst Park ground. We remain committed to our one-member, one-vote ethos and our mission of working with and supporting the communities of Moston, north Manchester and beyond. 

We welcome anyone who shares our vision and wants to be involved in our journey to see football, fans and the community united. We urge supporters to become a member today and we ask that any likeminded, community-focussed businesses consider how we can work in partnership together.