RATCLIFFE CUT 'LEAVES CHARITY IN DOUBT'

SIR Jim Ratcliffe's decision to withdraw United's annual £40,000 donation to the Association of Former Manchester United Players (AFMUP) has reportedly put the charity's future in doubt.

- By ISAAC SEELOCHAN

The AFMUP, established in 1985, utilised this funding to organise dinners and golf days that raised over £2m for former players, families, and charities. And the iPaper claim that the withdrawal has placed the association's future in jeopardy, citing the cancellation of two events last year due to venue and catering expenses.

John Aston, 78, a pivotal figure in the 1968 European Cup triumph, recently suffered a stroke and remains hospitalised. Former players reportedly collected £5,000 for a wheelchair, which the club matched, but the AFMUP lacks resources for additional assistance.