Angry Manchester United supporters have launched a blistering attack on the club's leadership, demanding a formal vote of no confidence and branding co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe an 'incompetent clown turning the club into a circus'.
A Club in Chaos: The Sacking That Sparked Fury
The explosive reaction comes in the wake of United's decision to dismiss manager Ruben Amorim after just 14 months in charge. The club is now set to turn to former favourites Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick to share interim duties until the season's end.
Protest group 'The 1958', which boasts a membership nearing 100,000, issued a scathing statement and announced plans for a major demonstration at Old Trafford. The protest is scheduled to take place before the Premier League fixture against Fulham on Saturday, February 1.
'A Laughing Stock': Fans Condemn Leadership Failures
A spokesman for the group delivered a damning verdict on the current state of affairs at the 150-year-old institution. 'After lurching from one disaster to another, Ratcliffe comes across as an incompetent clown turning the club into a circus', the statement read. 'Instead of best in class we're a laughing stock.'
The criticism extended far beyond Ratcliffe. The group took direct aim at football director Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada, highlighting their relative inexperience. The spokesman alleged that Amorim's exit was triggered not by poor results but by a heated exchange with Wilcox, who has only nine months' experience as a director of football at Southampton.
'This decision was allegedly endorsed by Omar Berrada, a CEO with no prior experience in the role, listening to the complaints of a close ally rather than exercising independent leadership', the statement continued. 'We are once again witnessing Manchester United being run by executives learning on the job.'
The Final Straw: Protest Planned as 'Time is Up'
The group's fury encompasses both the Glazer family, who continue to own a majority stake, and Ratcliffe's INEOS group, which holds a significant minority share. They accuse the partnership of 'running one of the biggest clubs in world football like a local corner shop'.
'Jim Ratcliffe has betrayed the hope and faith many supporters placed in him', the spokesman said. 'He was supposed to be change. Instead, he has become the perfect Glazer shield.'
With plans for the protest now public, the group issued a final rallying cry. 'For Ratcliffe and the Glazers the game is over. Time is up. We can take no more and urge as many fans as possible to join us in a massive protest', the statement concluded, framing the action as a necessary step to protect the club's soul and history.
