The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) has called for the club’s co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and the Glazer family to leave the club following fresh comments by Ratcliffe about immigration and taxation in Britain.
Ratcliffe, who owns a 27.7 per cent stake in Manchester United and is the founder of petrochemical company Ineos, made the comments during an interview with the BBC on Saturday, September 19.
The billionaire reportedly argued that Britain was experiencing decline due to factors including high taxation and immigration, remarks which have triggered renewed criticism from the MUMSC.
The supporters’ group had previously condemned Ratcliffe in February after he said Britain had been “colonised by immigrants”. Ratcliffe subsequently apologised for the language, saying he was sorry for offending some people.
However, the MUMSC said it had expected the earlier apology to signal a change in his approach.
“We condemned those comments then,” the group said in its latest statement.
“He subsequently apologised for his choice of language. We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not.”
The group accused Ratcliffe of again making immigration and welfare recipients central to his explanation of Britain’s problems.
“This week, Sir Jim has again placed immigration and people receiving benefits at the centre of his explanation for Britain’s problems, arguing that nobody is ‘tough enough’ to deal with either.
“We find these latest comments deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable.”
MUMSC Defends Diversity At Manchester United
The supporters’ group also stressed the importance of diversity to Manchester United, pointing to the wide range of nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds represented among the club’s players, employees, stewards, security personnel and supporters.
According to the group, the diversity associated with the club should be regarded as part of its identity.
“Manchester United would not be Manchester United without them. That diversity isn’t a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United,” MUMSC said.
Manchester United had previously responded to Ratcliffe’s February comments by stating that the club “prides itself” on being “inclusive.”
Supporters Raise Other Concerns
Beyond Ratcliffe’s comments, MUMSC criticised the club’s ownership over several other issues, including rising ticket prices, the condition of Old Trafford and Manchester United’s performances on the pitch.
Ratcliffe acquired his minority stake in Manchester United in 2024, after which the club underwent significant changes to its operations and management structure.
Those changes included hundreds of job cuts, alterations to the club’s senior management and changes in the coaching setup.
MUMSC said some members initially viewed Ratcliffe’s arrival as a potential opportunity for meaningful change after years of ownership under the Glazer family.
However, the group said its concerns had now expanded beyond sporting performance to include issues surrounding the club’s ownership and direction.
Manchester United’s Poor Start
The latest criticism comes amid a difficult start to the season for Manchester United.
The club entered the weekend 13th in the Premier League after collecting four points from its opening four matches.
United also suffered an early exit from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday after losing 3-2 at home to Brighton.
The MUMSC statement therefore combines concerns over Ratcliffe’s public comments with wider dissatisfaction about the club’s ownership, ticket prices, stadium conditions and recent performances.
