Manchester United fans angry and disappointed after 'shocking' Sir Jim Ratcliffe change

Manchester United fans are angry with a club decision to scrap European away ticket collections.

For fixtures in Europe, United fans have previously picked up their match tickets in the country where the fixture was being played, meaning club staff would be sent to designated collection points to hand out tickets to fans with valid identification.

It was viewed as a successful system that prevented fans from buying tickets to inflate their credits without actually attending the match. It also stopped supporters from buying tickets with the intention of immediately selling them for credits. But United have this season scrapped the system as a direct result of the decision by Sir Jim Ratcliffe to axe 250 jobs at the club.

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United fans are deeply unhappy with the change and challenged representatives from the club on the issue at the latest fans' forum, where it was a prominent discussion point.

In response, Jim Liggett, operations and maintenance director at United, said: "Over recent months, as a club, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our operating costs and prioritisation of critical activities and spend. This has resulted in amendments and reductions to budgets.

"We have also completed a redundancy programme that has resulted in a reduction in the number of personnel across the club.

"As a result of these two significant changes, it has been necessary to make some difficult decisions. Whilst we understand some fans value this service the cost of travel and accommodation for eight ticketing staff, two security staff, hiring a dedicated, conveniently located and accessible collection point is significant and it is not possible to continue at this time.

"We also need to consider the impact of eight staff being out of the office for three days, along with the pre and post-collection work that is required to be undertaken linked to this activity. The current situation this season is that given this is not a critical activity we no longer have the capacity to send personnel on an away trip into Europe."

The appendix of the fans' forum confirmed there had been 21 questions on European ticket collections and away returns and they were published in the full minutes of the meeting. The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) elected chair JD Deitch has said MUST will discuss it in their bilateral discussions with the club.

Fans have expressed their anger at the decision on social media. One tweeted "the cuts have gone too far," while another described it as "shocking."

Ratcliffe's cuts have been controversial and the decision to make Sir Alex Ferguson step down from an ambassadorial role he has held for the last 11 years recently made headlines. Ratcliffe scrapped most staff benefits when United made the FA Cup final at the end of May and charged staff £20 to travel to and from Wembley when it was previously free.

United had previously given tickets for cup finals to their 1,100 staff members with travel to Wembley, along with pre-match food and hotel accommodation included. Those benefits were scrapped and morale among the workforce is understood to have dropped markedly.

Ratcliffe pledged 'to put the Manchester back into Manchester United' when Ineos' bid was confirmed in 2023 but some decisions have clashed with that promise.