A club in flux: Manchester United's staff and supporters feel the impact
Job cuts and their impact on supporters have been raised with the club, says supporters' trust.
For Manchester United’s non-playing staff, the badge doesn’t feel quite as secure as it used to.
In the last few months, off-field, 250 employees were made redundant. On-field, the club has had its worst start in a Premier League season in 35 years.
The torrid start, coupled with the recent exits, must surely have set up an uneasy atmosphere among United staff, especially those who support the club.
After seven games, the Red Devils are joint second to bottom for the least number of goals scored in the Premier League.
While it can be frustrating to see a team with massive wages failing to find the net, staff at the club are working hard under a new regime to ensure that business continues as usual, at least off the field.
Manchester United has the third-highest wage gap between its players and non-playing staff in the Premier League, a new analysis has revealed.
The Red Devils have a pay ratio of 205:1, with players earning £6.46 million on average annually, compared to £31,500 for staff, revealed KingCasinoBonus.
Brazilian midfielder Casemiro tops United’s payroll, earning £18.2 million a year.
“Player salaries are a function of market forces, supply/demand, in the unique market for elite footballers,” a Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) spokesperson told The Asterisk.
“Whilst there are lots of questions about how well the club has been run and performed in the transfer market, broadly speaking, elite footballers’ salaries are what they are.
“I’m not sure framing it in terms of a ratio of players' salaries is the right way to look at it.”
New leadership, tough decisions
Earlier this year, petrochemical billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS took charge of football operations at Manchester United.
The new part-owners are committed to bringing the club back to its former glory days.
While performances have been poor on the pitch since the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, finances have also been in the red in recent years.
Manchester United has reported losses in each of its last five financial years.
Ratcliffe’s takeover of club operations was supposed to breathe fresh life into Old Trafford. However, some of the new hierarchy’s decisions included cutting down the workforce.
Last year, The Guardian reported that 300 jobs were under threat as Ratcliffe called for an assessment of Manchester United’s structure and expenditure.
In July, the club cut 250 jobs across all departments as a ‘cost-savings’ measure ‘with the intention of creating a leaner, agile, and more sustainable structure.’
“The club expects to realise annualised cost savings of approximately £40 million to £45 million, before implementation costs of £10 million,” Manchester United said in its latest annual report.
The £10 million will include severance packages and other restructuring costs.
“Due to timing and other contractual obligations, the club expects to realise these savings over fiscal years 2025 and 2026,” it added.
In simple terms, the club expects to save between £30 million and £35 million in 2025 and 2026.
‘Major changes needed’
In 2022, former Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick stated that the club would need an “open-heart surgery” to compete with the very best.
Supporters are now aware of the sweeping changes required at the club that once dominated English football.
“Fans recognise that the new leadership team at United need to make major changes to return the club back to where it belongs,” the MUST spokesperson said.
“There is significant concern that ordinary club employees might pay the price, and in particular that fewer staff in roles like the ticket office could impact on the ‘service’ provided to fans when dealing with the club.”
“Moreover, the savings from cutbacks affecting ordinary employees are relatively modest compared to the overall spending levels at a club the size of United.”
The group, which is one of the largest supporters' trusts in the UK, has played an instrumental role in holding power to account and ensuring fans have a voice within the walls of Old Trafford.
“The issue of job cuts and the impact on supporters has been raised with the club in recent meetings and will continue to be,” the MUST spokesperson said.
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