Man United Muslim Fans Group Demands Jim Ratcliffe Resign
MUMSC calls Ratcliffe's BBC comments on British empire 'completely unacceptable' and urges the billionaire co-owner to step down.
Manchester United's Muslim Supporters' Club (MUMSC) has publicly demanded that club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe resign following remarks he made during a recent BBC interview that the group characterized as "completely unacceptable."
Ratcliffe, the British billionaire who holds a co-ownership stake in the Premier League club, described the United Kingdom as a nation "on the slide" from its era as what he called "the greatest empire in the world." The comments drew swift condemnation from MUMSC, which represents a significant segment of the club's global fanbase.
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The supporters' club stopped short of elaborating on specific remedies beyond Ratcliffe's departure, but the public call for a co-owner to step down marks a notable escalation in fan pressure at one of world football's most high-profile clubs. Ratcliffe, who built his fortune through the petrochemicals group Ineos, completed his stake in Manchester United earlier this year and has since taken operational control of football matters at Old Trafford.
The episode underscores the broader scrutiny now facing wealthy investors who acquire ownership stakes in elite football clubs, where diverse and globally dispersed fanbases hold strong expectations around public conduct and values. Comments touching on colonial history carry particular sensitivity given the multicultural composition of Premier League supporter communities worldwide.
No response from Ratcliffe or Manchester United to MUMSC's demand had been reported at the time of publication. Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.