Manchester United supporters directed their anger at co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family during a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, reviving a promise the INEOS billionaire made to walk away from the club under sustained hostility.
Michael Carrick's side suffered a third defeat in a row and a ninth consecutive game without a win in all competitions. The travelling fans at Stamford Bridge aimed familiar furious songs at the Glazer family over the decline of the former English football powerhouse, with resentment now extending to the British tycoon.
Fans turn on Ratcliffe at Stamford Bridge
United are languishing in 17th place in the Premier League in their worst run of form since 1988. Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer scored for Chelsea, while Lisandro Martinez was sent off.
Supporters chanted "You can stick your new stadium up your a***", "Sell United and f*** off home", and "Just like the Glazers, Jim Ratcliffe's a c***" during the match.
Ratcliffe's walk-away promise
The 74-year-old has been a divisive figure since buying a 25% stake in United in December 2023, later boosting his shareholding to 28.94% by February 2024. Multiple waves of job cuts among club personnel and rising ticket costs have sparked outrage amongst supporters.
Ratcliffe, who reportedly gets on well with his American partners, is committed to reviving his childhood club but confessed in a Times interview last year that he would not put up with the vitriol the Glazer family has faced over the years.
"I mean, I can put up with it for a while," he said. "I don't mind being unpopular because I get that nobody likes seeing Manchester United down where they are, and nobody likes the decisions we're having to make at the moment."
"If I draw a bit of the ire, I can put up with that. But I'm no different to the average person. It's not nice, particularly for friends and family. So, eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I'd have to say, 'Look, enough's enough guys, let somebody else do this.'"
Pressure mounts ahead of Roma clash
Ratcliffe added: "They can't really come to a match, the Glazers. They've retreated into the shadows a bit now, so I'm getting all the stick. We bought in and I haven't seen them since. It's, 'Thank you, Jim, you're doing a really good job.' At the moment, I don't have security, I don't have to walk around like that. But it would defeat the object, wouldn't it? You couldn't tolerate it at that level, it just wouldn't be fun."
Whether the mounting pressure will drive Ratcliffe away remains to be seen. United have the chance to turn things around on Tuesday when they host Roma in the Champions League at Old Trafford.
