Manchester United’s part owners Ineos have hit the headlines over recent months for committing to drastic spending cuts.
In an interview earlier this year, owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe argued that the club was on its knees financially and needed to cut spending.
Staff cuts
Ineos have carried out numerous measures such as introducing various rounds of staff redundancies that have seen hundreds of employees laid off.
The scouting department has also been slashed from around 100 employees to just 10, with much greater reliance on technology and databases.
Ineos have also taken the decision to reduce portion sizes in the canteen and cut funding to ex-players, whilst eradicating Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial role.
Fans have been less than sympathetic to what the new owners have been trying to do and numerous recent surveys have shown that they are growing disillusioned with how Ineos are running the club.
In the context of these cuts, the owners have once again raised ticket prices, which has also understandably irked a large section of the fanbase.
Newest cost-cutting scheme
TalkSPORT have revealed that Ineos have implemented a new way to cut costs by abandoning “traditional gift-giving as part of their pre-season plans.”
The outlet states that “rivals believe it’s a cost-cutting measure, although United sources insist it’s a move away from needless ceremony and pomp, especially when facing English opponents.”
It is tradition that clubs usually exchange gifts and pennants when they play teams in pre-season but Ineos have decided this will not be necessary against Leeds United in Stockholm on 19th July.
United are also unlikely to be giving gifts to West Ham United, Everton and Bournemouth during the Premier League Summer Series in the United States in July and August.
TalkSport elaborates that “the exchange of the pennant, and usually the gifts, tends to happen before the match, and is sometimes done in front of the cameras.”
Nonetheless, “Manchester United plan to instead put some budget towards hosting rival executives, starting with a planned drinks reception with Leeds officials in Stockholm.”
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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Alex Browne
Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Gary Neville. Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden, with little success.
