Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has insisted that one special Manchester United memory in his heart is “all emotion” and it had a major impact on him.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a boyhood Manchester United fan and the 72-year-old British billionaire has spoken candidly about his admiration for the Red Devils’ rich history.
The Ineos boss, who was previously linked with buying Chelsea, became co-owner of the Red Devils in 2023 after Ratcliffe purchased a minority stake in United.
Ratcliffe’s Ineos team took control of football operations as part of the deal, which was ratified by the Premier League and the Football Association (FA) in 2024.
Ineos have been met with criticism during their reign at the Premier League club amid a slew of financial cost-cutting measures put in place at the Red Devils.
Ratcliffe has staunchly defended his different decisions at the Red Devils, including raising matchday tickets for United fans, making redundancies and axing staff meals.
What Sir Jim Ratcliffe said about special Man Utd memory
Sir Jim Ratcliffe said that Manchester United completing their treble in the 1998-99 campaign with their Champions League final win was a special moment for him.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men famously completed a 2-1 comeback win over German side Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final at the Camp Nou.
Teddy Sheringham came off the bench in the final and the United legend found the all-important equaliser from a David Beckham corner in stoppage time.
A second corner from David Beckham in second-half injury-time was then turned in by super-sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and sealed United’s win to complete the treble.
Speaking on United’s history, Ratcliffe told BBC Sport: “Anywhere I go in the world people want to talk to me about Manchester United. It affects their lives.
“You think about those emotional moments we went through in the game yesterday [a 1-1 draw with Arsenal] – that goal should have been at the end but wasn’t – you don’t get that in any other part of your life than sport, do you? So, it’s immensely emotional.
“One of the moments in my life I will never forget was in 1999 when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored in extra time [in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich]. You never forget those moments. That’s all emotion.
“But there is a business side and we need to get that right. Because if on the business side you are on shaky foundations you can’t achieve the sporting excellence that you want to.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe sends clear-cut message to Man Utd fans about Red Devils
Ratcliffe dismissed the idea that United were being run in the same way as Ineos amid the cost-cutting measure and did not downplay the club as an institution.
“I sort of understand the point, but we fully recognise that an element of Manchester United is a business and if you have a business you have to run it well,” he said.
“It’s clear that it is has not been run well and we are going to be in difficulty if we don’t sort that out, and we will sort that out. But at the end of the day it’s an emotional entity, Manchester United.
“We are custodians of Manchester United – it’s owned by the fans. Emotionally to the fans – and I’m one of them – it’s a really important part of their lives.
“Your Monday morning is heavily affected by how the team performed at the weekend.”
United are back in action on Thursday evening when they host Real Sociedad at Old Trafford for their second-leg round-of-16 Europa League match.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/1Dt7WIz