Confirmation of Greater Manchester-born Sir Jim Ratcliffe's interest in buying Manchester United from the Glazer family has meant that some of the dark clouds circling above Old Trafford have started to disperse, even if very slowly.
Although Ratcliffe's interest is nothing more than that for now, with nothing yet in the pipeline to suggest that the Glazers are ready to cut ties with United completely, it is news that has, unsurprisingly, gauged an excited reaction. United's supporters are desperate to see the back of the Glazers, who purchased the club in 2005, and are planning to hold another protest against them ahead of Monday evening's clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Discontent towards the American-based ownership has reached an all-time high over the last few weeks, with supporters understandably furious with the transfer business United have conducted so far this summer - or lack of. A tally of just three new signings, one of which was a free addition, was not the idea of a reset that the fans had in mind.
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The club is in desperate need of new ownership and has been for several years. Although you can easily point the blame at United's players, who continue to let the fans down, as proven at Brentford last weekend, a fish rots from the head. The Glazers are continuing to oversee a period of misery and unacceptable standards. They also felt brave enough to enter the farce that was the European Super League in April last year.
For many United fans that was the final straw. Joel Glazer, following that debacle, emerged from the shadows and penned an open letter to the supporters, apologising for the decision to join the breakaway league, as well as vowing to "rebuild trust with the fans". United's supporters don't trust the Glazers one bit, especially after this summer, even though they still have time to improve the squad.
With supporters united against the ownership, it is not a healthy environment for success to be achieved. Monday evening's clash with Liverpool will see another anti-Glazer protest take place, while it remains to be seen if the social media campaign to 'empty Old Trafford' will have the desired impact. When the team needs their supporters most, thousands will be venting their justified anger at matters off the pitch.
As legendary United manager Sir Matt Busby once said, and rightfully so, football is nothing without fans.
Through the eyes of Ratcliffe, who is the founder and chairman of Ineos, the fourth-largest chemical company in the world, meaning he has the financial capability to complete a successful takeover, the fans are the fabric of any club, meaning he has a firm understanding of just how important it is to have their backing and everyone pulling in the same direction. He values them and understands their role in making a football club tick.
The 69-year-old recently penned an open letter to the fans of OGC Nice, the French club that he owns, and said: "Ineos have been the proud owners of OGC Nice for the last three years. I have always recognised any football owner is only ever a custodian of a club on behalf of current and future generations.
"Managers and players inevitably pass with time but the love of the fans endures. Ownership is temporary. The club is forever.
"And every owner, during the time they have the privilege of looking after a club, carries the responsibility of seeking to strengthen it and to help create lasting memories."
A statement like that will be music to the ears of every United fan. While every owner is capable of producing a message of similar meaning, in a bid to earn the fans' support and trust, Ratcliffe, who has owned Nice since August 2019, would mean it from the heart if he was to purchase United.
He is a lifelong supporter of the club and understands the meaning of United to its fans and the city of Manchester as a whole. United need an owner of that type; someone who cares deeply about the club, understands what it stands for and enjoys the responsibility of attempting to deliver success for the fans to revel in. He strikes as being everything the Glazers aren't.
Nice have made progress under Ratcliffe's ownership, qualifying for Europe this season, a year earlier than he had projected. Should he get the opportunity to purchase the club from the Glazers and get his hands on it, his ownership, and rightfully so, would be judged by his actions and the level of success United achieve under him, not open letters.
However, Ratcliffe strikes as being an individual that would hit the right notes with the fans. Time will tell if his ambition becomes a reality.
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