Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Man Utd investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already done something club staff didn’t expect
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made an incredible impression at Man Utd after years of Glazers misery.
Man Utd are making huge changes ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming into the club | Football Digest
Manchester United staff will have grown used to a stringent lack of communication and a lingering sense of uncertainty over their futures under the Glazer family's unpopular 19-year ownership. Less than two weeks into Sir Jim Ratcliffe's involvement at Old Trafford, that has already changed.
United supporters have a plethora of reasons to aim ill-feeling towards the Glazers - from the controversial nature of their 2005 buyout to taking millions more out of the club than they have put in, creating over £1billion in debt in the process.
But the American family's lack of presence at Old Trafford and the club's Carrington training complex has also been a significant point of criticism.
Avram Glazer showed his face at last season's Carabao Cup final and both men's and women's FA Cup finals at Wembley Stadium.
However, Joel Glazer hasn't attended a match at Old Trafford since a 1-0 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2019, almost five years ago.
Sir Dave Brailsford has already attended two since Christmas Eve, when United announced Ratcliffe's £1.3billion investment had been agreed.
The INEOS chief watched United's thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day before sitting alongside Sir Alex Ferguson for the 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest last Saturday.
Click here to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive Man Utd news.
READ MORE Man Utd can use Mason Greenwood to unlock Gutierrez transfer as Real circle [TRANSFERS]
He was at Carrington the day after that dismal day out at the City Ground and was present again this week when Ratcliffe touched down in Manchester for visits of his own.
Representation of the club's ownership at matches has been a refreshing change. And United's staff likely didn't expect to be sitting in the same room as Ratcliffe so soon after that festive announcement.
On Thursday, The United Stand released an image of the 71-year-old tycoons meeting with staff at Old Trafford.
Sat alongside Brailsford, Ratcliffe looked to be fielding a question from MUTV presenter Helen Evans as a seated crowd watched on in front of the stage.
DON'T MISS
Luke Littler hits back at Sky Sports question after darts heartbreak [QUOTES]
Erik ten Hag details Sir Jim Ratcliffe talks and when to expect Man Utd change [PRESSER]
Erling Haaland makes Jadon Sancho feelings clear with Man Utd spell set to end [SOCIALS]
?????? EXCLUSIVE: The United Stand understands that Sir Jim and Brailsford are conducting an all staff meeting at Old Trafford with sources confirming some of the audience are in person and the rest are on teams. Staff are said to have “enjoyed” listening to Sir Jim’s plans, with one… pic.twitter.com/WnsFM3P1pG
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) January 4, 2024
According to The Athletic, the session was met with applause from those in attendance, and many staff members were left inspired and motivated by Ratcliffe's words.
The INEOS duo reportedly made five promises that heavily hint that the miserable Glazer family regime could well and truly be over in M16.
Among them included addressing the drop in standards, investment in infrastructure and a pledge to relay further communication once the Premier League ratifies the £1.3bn deal.
That is expected to arrive next month. Then, the real work will begin.