Manchester United supporters’ club calls for ownership change
Manchester United’s Muslim Supporters Club has declared it no longer has confidence in co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe or the Glazer family, demanding both leave the football club, reports BritPanorama.
The statement, published on Saturday, was prompted by Ratcliffe’s recent BBC interview, in which he blamed immigration and the welfare system for Britain’s problems. Ratcliffe, who acquired a 27.7% stake in United in 2024, made the controversial remarks during the BBC’s “Big Boss” interview, marking the second time this year his views on immigration have sparked backlash from the supporters’ group.
The Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) stated: “After careful consideration of the current direction of Manchester United, the way the club is being run and recent statements made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, we wish to issue a statement of no confidence.”
In the interview, Ratcliffe, 73, asserted, “We had the greatest empire in the world. We were a great people. We won two world wars. We’re good, honest folk. But unfortunately, at the moment, I think the UK is on the slide. It’s quite difficult to see how we arrest it.” He further claimed, “Nobody’s tough enough to deal with the immigration problem. Nobody’s tough enough to deal with the benefits problem. But somebody needs to do it.”
MUMSC expressed dismay at Ratcliffe’s remarks, branding them “deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable,” and noted that the earlier apology he issued had failed to effect any lasting change. “We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not,” the group observed.
The supporters’ club emphasized that Manchester United’s identity is intertwined with its diverse community. “Our players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters come from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds,” the statement read. “That diversity isn’t a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United.”
MUMSC pointed to what it considers a glaring hypocrisy in Ratcliffe’s welfare rhetoric, highlighting that the UK government committed over £120 million in public funds to support an INEOS operation, while Ratcliffe himself could choose to relocate his tax residency from Britain to Monaco.
Adding to the turmoil, Manchester United currently sits in 13th place in the Premier League, having collected just four points from their first four matches. A recent 3-2 home defeat to Brighton resulted in an early exit from the Carabao Cup.
Just days prior, United faced Manchester City at Old Trafford, losing 1-0 despite the visitors being reduced to ten men. In response to the club’s performance, supporters unfurled a banner reading “the way you treat us is a disgrace.” MUMSC contended that the pattern of failure extends beyond any individual manager, saying, “Managers have changed. Players have changed. Coaching teams have changed. Executives have changed. The cycle hasn’t.”
Furthermore, rising ticket costs amid a dilapidated stadium have led to feelings of frustration among supporters, who feel they are being asked to pay more while receiving less. MUMSC has directed its sharpest criticism toward the ownership model itself, stating that the Glazers have overseen years of institutional decline and asserting that Ratcliffe’s entry has yet to bring the desired change.
The group boldly stated: “Manchester United does not belong emotionally to investment funds, shareholders or billionaires. It belongs to the generations of supporters who inherited this club from their parents and grandparents and who will one day pass it to their children.”
In closing, MUMSC emphasized that their concerns transcend individual matches and are fundamentally about the club’s direction and identity. “This is bigger than one defeat. Bigger than one manager. Bigger than one season. It is about the direction, leadership and identity of Manchester United Football Club,” they declared, concluding with a clear message: “Enough is enough. It is time for change. The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must go.”
As the embattled club navigates these turbulent waters, the echoes of discontent among its supporters serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of ownership, identity and performance in a footballing landscape fraught with expectation.
