Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly intervened to ensure that the family of Manchester United legend Sir Matt Busby retained their seats at Old Trafford amid controversial changes under the INEOS hierarchy. Busby, a legendary figure at United who managed the club from 1945 to 1969 and won 13 major trophies, passed away in 1994.
His family have had complimentary season tickets at Old Trafford ever since. However, the change of ownership to INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe in February led to a breakdown in communication over the summer regarding their tickets.
The Daily Mail reports that Ferguson felt compelled to reach out to new chief executive Omar Berrada to ensure that the Busby family kept their season tickets. He was successful, with United finding them different seats in the same stand.
This move prevented INEOS from scoring a PR own goal, although they have done so on several other occasions this year. Ferguson himself is no stranger to the ruthless edge of the new hierarchy, having lost his lucrative club ambassador role in the restructure implemented by Ratcliffe.
Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe took a hard line on cost-cutting measures at Manchester United after acquiring a significant stake in the club. The petrochemical magnate, who met with Alex Ferguson back in October to convey the termination of his lucrative consultancy role, has been steadfast in his resolve to reduce overheads following his £1.3 billion purchase of a 27.7 per cent share this February.
Since his assertive takeover, he's wielded the axe on 250 positions and called off the seasonal festivities for staff, scrapping not only the Christmas do but also scrapping complimentary tickets to the May FA Cup finale.
"Manchester United has become mediocre," declared Ratcliffe in a blunt appraisal shared with the United We Stand fanzine just last week. "It is supposed to be one of the best football clubs in the world. We have to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. If you shy away from the difficult decisions, then nothing much is going to change."
This new regime under Ratcliffe’s stewardship hasn’t come without collateral damage. Reports highlight that Old Trafford stalwarts such as ex-chairman Martin Edwards, previous chief executive David Gill and veteran director Mike Edelson are now barred from the sanctity of the dressing room post-match.
Furthermore, club legends Norman Whiteside and Gordon Hill are none too pleased with their relocation within the stadium to facilitate an expansion in executive seating - an issue inflamed further when Denise Whiteside derided the club as a "disgrace" on social media this February, protesting the treatment meted out to her spouse, though the club has refuted such claims.
Ratcliffe faced backlash for hiking ticket prices to £66, to which he retorted: "We need to find a balance – and you can't be popular all the time either," adding, "Here, we are talking about 3 per cent of the tickets. I don't think it makes sense for a Manchester United ticket to cost less than a ticket to see Fulham."