'Scrooge' Ratcliffe blasted now for cutting charity funding to ex-Man Utd players

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been blasted for being a "Scrooge" after cutting funding to a charity supporting former Manchester United players.

The club previously contributed £40,000 annually to the Association of Former Manchester United Players (AFMUP), which now fears closure without the financial lifeline.

Fans have described the decision as a "kick in the teeth," especially following Sir Jim's controversial cost-cutting measures, including ticket price hikes and the cancellation of the staff Christmas party.

AFMUP, established in 1985, aids ex-players who never earned the high salaries of today's stars.

It organizes four annual events, allowing former players to reconnect, including those who signed professional forms but never made the first team. The charity also supports players struggling financially, such as helping cover funeral costs.

When the charity realized two quarterly payments of £10,000 had not been received, they reached out to the club.

According to trustee Jim Elms, 84, who played for United's youth team from 1957 to 1960, the response was disheartening.

“We sent a letter to say we’ve not been paid,” Jim said. “Nobody came out and told us, so we had to send another letter. That’s when we started hearing things that it was going to be the end of us.”

Jim recounted a phone call with United’s CEO, Omar Berrada, just days before Christmas. “It didn’t go too well. Omar was non-committal.

He’s going to meet us again in January, but he said he couldn’t see it changing. He didn’t seem to think we were a necessity.”

He continued: “We’ve run it since 1985—keeping the old players together, looking after those who couldn’t pay for funerals. I just can’t understand them myself. It’s ridiculous.”

The events, hosted in Old Trafford’s Manchester Suite, have around 300 members, including Bryan Robson, Denis Law, Alex Stepney, Denis Irwin, and Frank Stapleton.

Jim added: “We give away around £10,000 to £20,000 to charity, mostly children’s charities in the local area. We’ve had £20,000 this year but not the rest of it.”

Jim has written a follow-up letter urging the club to reconsider. “We do so much good for the name of MUFC for so little. Please look again,” he wrote.

Supporters have heavily criticized the cuts. Dan Coombs, editor at United In Focus, said: “After a summer where United spent £101 million net and continue to pay incredibly high wages, the savings from this latest cut are a drop in the ocean.

"It’s a kick in the teeth for many of the club’s former greats, who were not paid the excesses today’s footballers receive.”

Another source remarked: “Some of the players who benefit from this organization never earned a penny from football and aren’t in the best financial circumstances.

"Sir Jim has been clear that United need to save money, but this move has left him looking like a Christmas Scrooge.”

The decision follows a series of unpopular cost-cutting measures under Sir Jim’s INEOS regime.

These include making 250 staff redundant, axing Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2 million-a-year ambassador role, scrapping employee Christmas parties, cutting bonuses, and removing free FA Cup Final tickets.

Discounts for young fans and over-65s have also been eliminated.

A club source defended the decision, saying United "greatly appreciated" the role of AFMUP but could no longer afford charitable donations while facing "significant losses."

They stated: “Our focus is on putting the club back on a sustainable financial footing to invest in our priorities of achieving success on the pitch and renewing our infrastructure.”

Sir Jim has also justified the cuts, insisting, “Hard choices are needed. I want to be free for us to buy really good footballers, not spend so much of the money on infrastructure.”

The move has sparked backlash among fans, with protests at recent matches against ticket price hikes.

Banners at Old Trafford read, “Stop Exploiting Loyalty.” A spokesman for supporters’ group MUST said the cuts were “offensive,” adding, “We have done everything we’ve been asked, cheering the players on even in the face of substandard performance.”

Despite the backlash, the club maintains its stance. “We have been focused on cost-saving to put us on a stronger financial footing,” a spokesperson said.