Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made a number of radical changes since completing his minority takeover of Manchester United, but some decisions remain highly unpopular among the fan base.
1,100 fans expected to travel to Old Trafford (Image: Getty Images)
A Manchester United fan has been left “helpless” after being forced out of the seat his family has defended for 77 years. Tony Riley, 76, is a lifelong Red Devils supporter and travels from the Midlands for every home match.
The seat he sits in has been held by Riley’s family since 1949. His name is engraved on the seat, and his father-in-law, Rory Cassidy, played at the club in the 1940s and 1950s.
Despite his loyalty to United, Riley was moved elsewhere at Old Trafford. The decision came after Sir Jim Ratcliffe launched plans for new hospitality seating in the Bobby Charlton Stand, costing between £315 and £425 per match.
Around 600 fans have already been relocated, with a further 500 supporters expected to follow. Commenting on the move, Reilly told the Guardian: “I feel this is unfair, not just to us but to everyone else. I’m really sorry. I feel helpless and hopeless.”
Following a complete overhaul of Old Trafford, Riley now sits next to a group of supporters he has dubbed the ‘prawn sandwich brigade’. He added: “I’m happy to be sitting next to them now.
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“I don’t hate them,[but]they spend more time taking selfies than anything else. They’re not big supporters. It’s more like American football.”
Mr Reilly is now forced to separate from his son as they are not guaranteed a seat together, and his daughter Catherine, a pensioner, is frustrated by the decision. She accused United of being “completely incapable of understanding, let alone understanding, the fans who flock to support their team no matter the weather, day of the week or game.”
He added: “I know that Premier League football is now a business, perhaps more than a sport. But I am furious at the treatment of my father, who is not ‘rich enough’ to justify holding on to the seats he earned through lifelong support of a club that is literally part of his family’s history.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made a number of controversial decisions at Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)
Ratcliffe, 73, has made a number of unpopular changes since arriving at Old Trafford. However, in recent remarks, he asserted that the changes have gone a long way to solving the club’s financial problems.
“I’ve seen this quite a lot at football clubs,” said the INEOS owner. “If you’re going to do something difficult, we felt we had to do it at Manchester United… but we felt it was the right thing to do. But you become very unpopular for a while.
“Well, I was very unpopular at Manchester United because we’ve made a lot of changes at Manchester United. But from my perspective, things are going in a good direction. And I think we’re starting to see evidence within the football club that that’s starting to pay off.”
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