The Glazers: Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on hated Man Utd co-owners

• Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family own more than 95% of Man Utd between them
• United fans regularly protest against the Glazers
• Ratcliffe surprisingly called the controversial US family “the nicest people on the planet”

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe delivered a surprisingly passionate defence of the Glazer family, the club’s hated majority shareholders.

While blaming Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold for the demise of the historic giants.

Ratcliffe invested more than £1.2bn last season to buy 28.94% of United and guarantee control of sporting decisions. The Glazers, who have had a controlling stake in the Red Devils since the late Malcolm Glazer completed a leveraged buyout in 2005, boast 67.9% of shares.

The US family, which is fronted by brothers Joel and Avram, are despised by United supporters. As recently as last weekend, thousands แทงบอล UFABET ราคาดีที่สุด ไม่มีขั้นต่ำ of fans marched through the streets in protest. Banners demanded “we want our club back” and “£1bn stolen”. Reference to the debt loaded onto the club by the loathed owners.

As Ratcliffe outlined in his interview. He has urge to refrain from taking a positive stance on the Glazers. “The people who advise me say the fans don’t want to hear it. So I’ve got to cautious,” he warned. But the British billionaire couldn’t help himself.

“I get a lot of criticism if I support the Glazers, but the fact is they’re really decent people. They’re East Coast, you know – that old East Coast America, they’re very polite, they’re very civilised, they’re the nicest people on the planet. I mean, there isn’t a bad bone in Joel Glazer’s body. I mean, part of the problem is there isn’t a bad bone in his body.”