United big-wigs are business buffs but total football duffs

WHEN Jim Ratcliffe took his initial 27.7 percent share of Manchester United, the top line was that he would be taking charge of football operations.

- ANDY DUNN

Turns out “football operations” included sacking office staff and giving ticket prices a hike after a season that included EIGHTEEN Premier League defeats.

And, just for effect, news of the increases came on a day when the fixtures for the next Premier League season were published - a day that should be about hope and optimism and about wiping the slate clean.

Increasingly, Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group are becoming the embodiment of people who know how to make billions out of business, but are clueless when it comes to winning the hearts and minds of a football club's fan base.

Perhaps they are not overly interested in hearts and minds, perhaps they really are only interested in money.

After all, it will take many, many more years possibly decades of underachievement on the field of play before United lose their allure as one of sport's most iconic institutions.