Manchester United Muslim Supporters Demand Ratcliffe, Glazers Leave Club

The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) has called for co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family to leave the club because he said Britain was in decline due to a combination of high taxes and high immigration.

Ratcliffe, one of the UK’s richest people and founder of petrochemical company Ineos, made the remarks in an interview with the BBC earlier today, September 19.

The comments have drawn renewed criticism from MUMSC, which previously condemned Ratcliffe in February after he said the UK had been “colonised by immigrants”. Ratcliffe later apologised for “offending some people” with his language.

In a statement of no confidence in Manchester United’s ownership, MUMSC said it had hoped Ratcliffe’s previous apology would mark a change in his approach.

“We condemned those comments then,” said the Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) earlier today.

“He [Ratcliffe] subsequently apologised for his choice of language. We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not.

“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.”

Manchester United responded to Ratcliffe’s previous remarks in February by saying the club “prides itself” on being “inclusive”.

MUMSC stressed the importance of diversity at Manchester United, highlighting the different nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds represented among the club’s players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters.

“Manchester United would not be Manchester United without them. That diversity isn’t a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United,” the group said.

The supporters’ group also criticised the ownership over higher ticket prices, the deteriorating condition of Old Trafford and the team’s performances.

Naija News recalls that Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in 2024 and has since overseen major changes at the club, including around 450 redundancies, changes to senior management and the dismissal of two managers.

MUMSC said its members had initially hoped Ratcliffe’s arrival would “finally signal meaningful change” after years under the Glazer family’s ownership, but said their concerns now extended beyond the pitch.

Manchester United entered the weekend 13th in the Premier League after taking four points from their opening four matches. They were also eliminated from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday after a 3-2 home defeat by Brighton.