hotfuns Thousands of Manchester United fans have staged the biggest protest against the club’s owners since Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a nearly 30% stake last year ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game against Arsenal, the BBC reports. hotfuns

    There were flares as fans chanted abuse and condemnation of co-chairman Joel Glazer and Ratcliffe, who spent £1.3billion to buy a 28.94% stake in the club. ( hotfuns )

    Under the deal, Ratcliffe will be given free rein to make key decisions about the running of the club. It

    was confirmed last month that the club will be facing a second wave of redundancies, which could see up to 200 people lose their jobs, on top of the 250 who were laid off last year.

    Fans also chanted about the mid-season decision to increase ticket prices to £66 without concessions.

    Ratcliffe said the decision, which he admitted was unpopular, was needed to reduce losses, which rose by £113million last year.

    Banners read: “We want our club back” and “£1billion stolen”, referring to the amount spent on repaying debts owed to United when the Glazer family bought the club in 2005.

    United’s total debt, including outstanding transfer fees of £300million, stood at more than £1billion last financial year. They paid £37m in interest on the debt.   

    The noisy protests reached Old Trafford and then moved into the Munich tunnel.

    The atmosphere was reminiscent of the August 2022 incident before a home game against Liverpool, when huge crowds of supporters marched almost a mile to Old Trafford. Ratcliffe

    believes that as a die-hard United fan he can turn the tables on the protests, but from a supporter’s perspective he is now becoming a shield for the Glazers.