PLUS: Xmas cuts leave some staff almost nostalgic for the Glazer ownership
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By CHRIS WHEELER and NATHAN SALT and LIAM MORGAN
Published: 12:00 EST, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 12:01 EST, 10 December 2024
Sir Alex Ferguson has stepped in to make sure the family of legendary Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby keep their seats at Old Trafford, Confidential understands.
Busby passed away in 1994 but members of his family have always had complimentary season tickets in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand next to the directors’ box with access to a lounge.
However, there were concerns that the Busbys might lose their seats amid a lack of communication from United in the summer, and Ferguson made a personal plea to chief executive Omar Berrada to intervene. It’s understood the family now have different seats in the same stand.
The episode raises further questions over Ineos’ respect for United’s traditions since Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed a £1.3billion minority takeover a year ago.
Busby is an iconic figure at Old Trafford having led the club from the devastation of Munich to European Cup glory a decade later in 1968.
Despite successfully appealing on the family’s behalf, Ferguson was informed by Ratcliffe that he will lose his £2.1m-a-year contract as a club ambassador at the end of the season – a role he has had since retiring in 2013.
Sir Alex Ferguson has intervened in a bid to ensure that the family of Sir Matt Busby (right) keep their customary season tickets
Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) and Ineos have come under fire for not seeming to understand the side's heritage - with decisions including ending Ferguson's ambassadorial contract
‘There are two things you don’t touch at United,’ said one insider. ‘One is Fergie and the other is the Busbys.’
Former chairman Martin Edwards, ex-chief executive David Gill and long-serving director Mike Edelson have also been told that they are no longer welcome to visit the home dressing-room after games, as they had for years with Sir Bobby Charlton before his death.
United have been relocating spectators sat in the stand named in Charlton’s honour, with former players Norman Whiteside and Gordon Hill among those to complain about being moved.
Xmas cuts for staff
Staff morale has been on the slide at United for months due to the brutal cost-cutting by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.
It has also put a squeeze on Christmas with the annual £100 bonus, brought in by the Glazers, being replaced by a £40 M&S voucher.
The move has left some employees disgruntled. ‘It’s worse now,’ one disillusioned staffer said. Another added: ‘At least the Glazers prioritised families.’
Others have taken a more philosophical view in light of the 250 job cuts that have seen many long-serving employees leave the club and those left behind having to work harder on the same pay. ‘It’s £40 more than I thought I was going to get,’ one employee told Confidential.
It follows the decision to cancel the Christmas party with the club hierarchy deciding that it would be inappropriate after a year of redundancies.
The cuts at United under Ratcliffe have left some almost nostalgic for the Glazer era (Avram Glazer pictured left)
In recent years, United have held a party for their 1,100 staff – including the London office – in a marquis in the West Car Park at the stadium, at Old Trafford Cricket Ground and Victoria Warehouse.
As Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion minority takeover neared completion on Christmas Eve last year, the event was moved to a suite at Old Trafford. Now it has been abandoned altogether.
Club united in love for Kath
It says much for the way in which the United family rallied around beloved receptionist Kath Phipps in her final days that Sir Alex Ferguson’s chauffeur Steve Webb has adopted her West Highland terrier Maisie.
Webb took it in turns to ferry Ferguson and Maisie on regular visits to Kath’s house in Irlam to keep her spirits up before she passed away there last week at the age of 85. It was her wish that he had Maisie after she was gone.
Such was the large number of staff and ex-players who wanted to see Kath, there was even a WhatsApp group set up to monitor the flow of visitors. ‘Even in her last days she kept the United family together,’ said one member of staff.
David Beckham was among the stars who travelled to be at her bedside even though he was only in the country for a few hours. Beckham posted a poignant image of Kath’s hand in his.
Ferguson would phone on the days he couldn’t visit while Juan Mata made video calls from Sydney and Mary Earps from Paris. In his tribute, Eric Cantona said simply: ‘It feels like the club we know has gone forever today.’
Kath worked at United in a number of roles for 56 years, and it was typical that even a few days before her death she was worried about the post piling up at Carrington.
The club have opened a book of condolence there and many of United’s biggest names past and present will attend her funeral and celebrate the life of the much-loved employee.
The passing of Man United's receptionist Kath Phipps last week was deeply felt by all staff
David Beckham was one of a number of United stars past and present who visited her bedside
Elanga’s heartfelt tribute
Although the United players wore black armbands in memory of Kath and a minute’s applause was held before Saturday’s game against Nottingham Forest, players on both sides wanted to go even further to pay a fitting tribute.
On behalf of the United players, captain Bruno Fernandes helped to have a ‘Thank You Kath – United Legend’ banner made, which United’s players all posed with before kick-off.
On the Forest side, they received a request from former United youngster Anthony Elanga that he wanted to make a gesture of his own.
Forest pitched to United that both sides walk out with wreaths, which United were more than happy to do, and Elanga received special dispensation from the Premier League to lead Forest out given that he was neither the captain nor in the starting line-up.
The former United youngster also wrote the hand-written note that came with Forest’s wreath having grown up around Carrington with the support of Phipps and other staff members.
Fans face cup ticket hike
United fans are facing further ticket woe after the recent price hike as seats for the FA Cup clash at Arsenal are set to cost up to £90.
It is understood Arsenal plan to put the game on Sunday, January 12 in their highest price bracket – category A – where tickets cost £65 in the lower section and £90 in the upper tier.
The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust is working with their counterparts at the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust to lower the category to B, but Confidential has been told there has not yet been a resolution.
While Premier League away tickets are capped at £30, there are no such regulations in place for cup matches, allowing clubs to charge higher prices. United themselves have taken advantage as Barnsley fans had to fork out £42 to watch their 7-0 drubbing in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford in September.
United are also still awaiting confirmation of their allocation. Under FA Cup rules, the club is entitled to 9,000 tickets, but that is likely to be reduced by police and local authorities.
Ruben follows Erik’s train of thought
It's interesting to note that Ruben Amorim is following the lead of his predecessor Erik ten Hag by electing to train at Carrington before Europa League games.
United travel to the Czech Republic on Wednesday ahead of facing Viktoria Plzen on Thursday.
And while United’s recent European opponents – PAOK and Bodo/Glimt – trained at Old Trafford prior to the game, Amorim is continuing with United’s preference to avoid prying eyes away by having the pre-match workout in Manchester.
Like his predecessor Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim (pictured) is keen to maximise time at home
Ten Hag was a stickler for training before jetting off to the continent and it appears that Amorim, who will have just one more European jaunt on the schedule before the knockout rounds begin, is of a similar mindset as he looks to get his tactics across.
Onana blots his XG copybook
Andre Onana won’t have enjoyed seeing a replay of Nottingham Forest’s second goal in United’s 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday, but it was only a small blemish on the Cameroon goalkeeper’s record this season.
Going into the Forest game, Onana led Europe’s top five leagues in goals prevented with a score of 5.7 per game according to XG.
It made Onana’s error in failing to keep out a shot from Morgan Gibbs-White all the more surprising, but Ruben Amorim backed his No.1 afterwards.
‘He saved us a lot of times so we have to find a way to turn it around and score two goals to help our keeper for the way he, for example, saved us at Ipswich,’ said United’s head coach.
Hake’s fond farewell
Much has been made of Dan Ashworth’s brief 159-day stay as United’s sporting director, but some of the club’s more recent appointments didn’t even last that long.
The coaching team brought in to help Erik ten Hag in mid-July were gone four months later by the middle of November when Ruben Amorim arrived with his own backroom staff.
Ruud van Nistelrooy and goalkeeper coach Jelle ten Rouwelaar have already started new jobs at Leicester, and Rene Hake posted a heartfelt message to United at the weekend as he prepares for the next chapter of his coaching career.
Former assistant coach Rene Hake (left) has said farewell to the club ahead of his move away
‘It has been a wonderful experience serving as assistant manager of Manchester United and, while it has ended sooner than I would have liked, I am leaving with nothing but good feelings about this great football club and its brilliant fans,’ wrote the Dutchman.
‘I would like to thank Erik ten Hag for giving me the opportunity, and all the players and staff for the strong connection and co-operation during this period. We tried so hard to get us on the right track this season, and we felt we could get there – but that’s football.
‘Now it’s time for me to rest and recharge before the next challenge, while wishing everyone at Manchester United all the success for the future.’
Utd take a look at US starlet
United have invited US prospect Nimfasha Berchimas to train with the club at Carrington.
The Burundi-born winger made his MLS debut for Charlotte FC two days after his 16th birthday in February and is attracting interest from a number of European clubs, including Bayern Munich who gave him a trial in 2022.
Last year Berchimas became the youngest US player to score at the Under-17 World Cup since Freddy Adu two decades earlier as he finished the tournament with three goals, and has since graduated to the Under-20 national team.
It’s understood that the offer to train with United came before Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag, but the youngster will be given a chance to impress United’s coaching staff.
Chido enlists one-to-one coach
Star academy striker Chido Obi-Martin, who has told United staff internally that he just wants to be referred to as Chido Obi, has followed in the footsteps of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford by enlisting the help of a popular one-to-one coach.
The 17-year-old forward, who recently penned his first professional deal with the club, headed to the ground of non-league side Ashton United to team up with Ryan Hopper, who runs RH Elite Coaching.
United academy starlet Chido Obi (left) is looking to up his game with the hiring of a one-on-one coach
Hopper is a popular figure among a number of United’s first-team stars, which also includes Diogo Dalot, while his reputation at United has also seen him work much more closely with academy starlets such as 15-year-old Kai Rooney.
Obi’s development is accelerating and on Saturday he became the record scorer at U18 Premier League level, overtaking former Everton and Man City youngster Ellis Simms.
His 37 goals – the most recent in a 3-0 away win at Stoke City, came in just 23 games – at a ratio of 45 minutes per goal.
Obi is still being integrated into various age groups at United, with hopes he will get his first taste of European football this evening in the UEFA Youth League qualifying second leg at home against AZ Alkmaar. He was unused in the first leg in the Netherlands.
Curley handed new contract
Speaking of academy news, 19-year-old midfielder Ruben Curley has signed a new deal to commit his future to United.
Curley has been one of the youngsters who has had the chance to feature in first team training since Amorim arrived and the academy star, who was awarded Scholar of the Year last season, has been rewarded with a new deal.
The teen is seen as an exemplary role model to peers in the academy set-up. Despite limited minutes in recent weeks, he will look to rediscover the form that saw him central to the U18s Treble win last season.
Ruben Curley has been rewarded with a new deal as he eyes a spot in Amorim's first team
U18s get a fresh scent
Finally, a number of United’s U18 scholars have finished a project combining football training with a business apprenticeship.
Jacob Devaney, Tyler Fletcher, Zach Baumann and Victor Musa, all took part in a programme led by Carvansons which tasked players to research the creation of a kit cleaning product – such as a boot cleaner – and develop a proposal for how they would bring that product to market, which included the scent they would use for their product.
Players last week gave their final product pitches at Carrington to the company’s fragrance evaluator Anthony Wilcock and commercial manager Shaun Warrington.