Manchester United supporters have launched a social media campaign in an attempt to encourage Sir Jim Ratcliffe to buy the club from the Glazer family.
Fans have been urged into action after ex-United director Michael Knighton announced that he's planning to buy the club. The 70-year-old businessman, who famously came close to buying the club in 1989, hopes to submit a formal bid as part of a consortium.
As part of his announcement, Knighton mentioned that Ratcliffe – who, as owner of chemical powerhouse Ineos, is Britain’s richest man – coming forward would "solve all our problems”. He said: "My consortium is ready and waiting. The funds are pledged. The offer document is being drawn out and it will be presented... Until Jim comes, my consortium will be placing their bid very shortly, that I can guarantee you."
Knighton’s statement of intent over a “hostile” takeover has excited a section of United fans, who are desperate to see an end to the Glazers' tumultuous 17-year-old reign. The American family are hugely unpopular among fans, who marked the start of the Premier League season with an anti-Glazer protest before kick-off at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Many supporters have now taken to social media to show their support for Ratcliffe, who made an unsuccessful bid to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in April for £4.25billion. The 69-year-old was born in Manchester and is a United fan. He is already heavily involved in sport as owner of Ligue 1 side Nice, professional cycling team Ineos Grenadiers and Sir Ben Ainslie's sailing team, Ineos Team UK. Ineos are also one of the sponsors of the Mercedes Formula One team.
How would you spend Ratcliffe's cash if he completed a United takeover? Let us know your top three priorities in the comments below.
“Please save the club Sir Jim Ratcliffe,” tweeted one fan in a post which has over 5,000 likes. “Sir Jim Ratcliffe I just wanna see my club win one more UCL and Premier league,” added another. “The only man that can save us. #JimRatcliffeIN #GlazersOUT,” wrote another with a picture of a grinning Ratcliffe.
“If Sir Jim Ratcliffe becomes the owner of Man Utd it'll be over for the rest of the prem,” said another. “If anyone has great connections with Jim Ratcliffe and his consortium, encourage him to buy United now! #GlazersOut,” wrote one United fan.
According to the Forbes 2022 billionaires list, Ratcliffe is worth around £13.48bn ($16.3bn) – a wealth that makes him the 111th richest person in the world. He is yet to comment on Knighton’s proposal, but has previously distanced himself from the idea of buying United from the Glazers.
"[Ineos] never wants to be the dumb money in town, never, never," he told The Times in 2019. "[United] haven't got the manager selection right, haven't bought well. They have been the dumb money, which you see with players like Fred. We won't look elsewhere until we have had a good run here (at Nice). We need to find out how to be successful before you ever want to write a big cheque. It's quite difficult."
