Manchester United's Muslim Supporters' Club has renewed its call for co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to step down, branding his recent comments on the UK's decline as unacceptable. The group stated it has lost all confidence in the current ownership structure after what it called years of broken promises and failure.

In a statement, the MUMSC said, "Enough is enough. It is time for change. The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must go." The demand follows an interview Ratcliffe gave to the BBC this week where he described the United Kingdom as a country "on the slide". He blamed high immigration and taxation for the national decline, arguing that politicians were not "tough enough" to deal with the issues.

"We find these latest comments deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable," the supporters' club said. "He subsequently apologised for his choice of language. We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not." The group had previously challenged Ratcliffe earlier this year after he told another broadcaster the UK was being "colonised by immigrants", a remark for which he later apologised.

Ratcliffe's remarks spark backlash

In the BBC interview, Ratcliffe reflected on Britain's past. "We had the greatest empire in the world. We were a great people. We won two world wars. We’re good, honest folk," he said. "But unfortunately, at the moment, I think the UK is on the slide. It’s quite difficult to see how we arrest it." He claimed the tax environment was encouraging wealth creators to leave and reiterated his view on immigration being a central problem.

The MUMSC highlighted the stark contrast between these views and the makeup of the club it supports. "Our players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters come from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds," the statement read. "Manchester United would not be Manchester United without them. That diversity isn't a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United."

Growing fan opposition to ownership

The call adds to longstanding fan unrest directed at Ratcliffe since he acquired a 27.7% stake in the club in 2024. His tenure has been marked by a major restructuring that included 450 staff redundancies, significant ticket price increases, and a crackdown on ticket touting that revoked hundreds of season tickets. These actions have made the billionaire, who has been a tax resident of Monaco since 2020, deeply unpopular with a large section of the Old Trafford faithful.

The off-field turmoil coincides with a difficult start to the season on the pitch. Erik ten Hag's side sit 13th in the Premier League standings with just four points from their opening four games, having lost their last two matches. They have conceded 8 goals while scoring only 5, a form that leaves them eight points behind early leaders Manchester City.

With several key players including Luke Shaw and Manuel Ugarte currently sidelined, the pressure is mounting on all fronts. The MUMSC's forceful statement ensures the spotlight will remain firmly on the club's ownership as the season progresses.

The report in full is at The Guardian Football