“They don’t care…” Paul Scholes rips into INEOS’ Manchester United ownership in frank reply to Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Paul Scholes has ripped into INEOS’ ownership of Manchester United so far following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s admission surrounding ticket sales.

It has been just over one year since Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirmed his 27.7% stake in Manchester United, investing around £300 million into the club during his first 13 months at the club.

During his first summer transfer window, United signed Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte, totalling the gross expenditure at over £200 million.

However, they also offloaded the likes of Willy Kambwala, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Mason Greenwood, making nearly £100 million on departures.

But, there have been many off-field problems that have prompted United’s fans to display great discomfort surrounding the new co-owner and his INEOS delegation.

Scholes fumes at INEOS ticket sales decision

One central turning point with the fans surrounded ticket sales. United decided to scrap all concession tickets that allowed children, elderly, and disabled fans to attend games at reduced prices amid their crippling financial situation.

Former United midfielder Paul Scholes has since blasted INEOS and Ratcliffe for the decision, explaining that all they have done is contribute to the negativity surrounding the club.

“[INEOS] have been in charge for nearly a year now and everything is still negative. I can’t think of something positive that they’ve done for the football club,” said a candid Scholes on The Overlap.

“Things are getting worse on the football pitch so couldn’t they have just said that they’d do cheaper tickets – couldn’t they just give us something positive. How can you ask Manchester United fans to pay more money with what’s on the football pitch. £66 for a ticket is ridiculous.

“If you think of Manchester, there are so many deprived areas and Sir Jim Ratcliffe himself is from Failsworth – which is a deprived area. If you take one kid with you, that’s £120, if you take a family, you’re looking at £300-400 – it’s not right.

“Where do these owners get the front to put ticket prices up? For the value – we’re probably having our worst ever Premier League season and they’ve got the cheek to put the prices up.”

Scholes then added: “There is nothing positive happening with that football club. The team look bang average. They’re not doing anything for fans. If we’ve got Sir Jim Ratcliffe, compared to all these American owners, who’s been a United fan since growing up in an area in Manchester – he’s still hiking prices up. It just shows that they don’t care.”

Ratcliffe’s response to ticket sale anger

Scholes’ comments come in part as a reply to what Ratcliffe himself declared in December.

The British billionaire sat down with United We Stand magazine and said of the anger at the ticket price rises: “I understand that. I was brought up on a council estate in Manchester, I absolutely get that.

“I don’t want to end up in a position where the genuine local fans can’t afford to come, but I do want to optimise the ticketing. We need to find a balance. And you can’t be popular all the time either. Here, we’re talking about three per cent of the tickets. That’s not the issue.

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“The issue, as you say, is whether this is the thin edge of the wedge. I don’t think it makes sense for a Manchester United ticket to cost less than a ticket to see Fulham.”

This comment continued to anger fans who explained that the average wage in London was higher than in Manchester, to which he replied: “I get that. I’m not sure there’s an answer that keeps everybody happy, but we need to keep the majority happy.”

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