Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal cost-cutting efforts have paid off, but they have also caused reputational damage

Manchester United has always been more than just a football club, and that’s why this process has hurt despite the Red Devils announcing a series of positive financial results.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal cost-cutting efforts off the pitch have turned Manchester United’s finances around. But the question will always remain whether the ruthless decision, which included cutting 450 jobs, was worth the reputational damage to the club.

According to the club’s accounts, United made an impressive operating profit of £32.6 million in the first half of this year, in stark contrast to a loss of £3.9 million in the same period last year.

This is some degree of turnaround, with United CEO Omar Berada describing it as a “transformation” from a “profitability” perspective.

But United has always been more than just a football club. It’s a monster in the British game, but it’s also a huge part of society and communities in Manchester and beyond.

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Don’t ignore 450 as a number. In it, it’s about family and life. It is important and should never be ignored.

When layoffs were made, employee benefits were cut, and ticket prices increased, it hurt because United always felt like it was a people’s club.

That idyllic vision probably disappeared long ago, not just for United but for all clubs, but United struck a chord with more people because they are the biggest club in English football.

You can argue all day long about who is the biggest. You could argue that Manchester City are the best. Or Liverpool. Or Arsenal. But United are the biggest players.

That’s why United’s cuts resonate so strongly and raise some questions: Did they really need to do it? Would that have happened under Sir Alex Ferguson? Is it a football club or a business?

The answer is probably yes to all three, whether we like it or not. The world of football is currently in a situation where even clubs backed by billionaires are not allowed to pour money into their clubs even if they want to.

They need to make a profit, meet financial requirements and get into the line. It still feels impossible to justify, even if it means long-serving staff from tea ladies to program sellers losing their jobs.

With Ratcliffe now public enemy No. 1, United made a tough decision. This is because fans like tradition, they like hierarchy and they want the club to maintain standards.

But ultimately, the biggest barometer is on the pitch. And while the club is failing on the pitch, the unpopular decision looks even worse. What’s the point if both sides are failing?

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Now, we are finally starting to see some improvement, at least on the pitch. United insist they have always put football first and have invested heavily in both the men’s and women’s teams.

The economic turnaround means they are in a good position to return to the Champions League.

And soon they will be chasing a top-four spot thanks to Michael Carrick’s incredible turnaround.

Although the cut was painful, the results came back. On and off the pitch – even if it took an incredible amount of pain to get here.

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