Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s “colonised by immigrants” have caused ‘alarm’ among the Manchester United players, who believe the Red Devils co-owner is ‘out of touch’ and have ‘noted’ the double standards at play.
United co-owner Ratcliffe made the misguided statement in a scathing interview about the immigration system and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in which he claimed the UK will face huge economic problems as pressure increases on the welfare state to aid incoming foreigners.
The 73-year-old was given the full c-word treatment in the Mailbox after he also made clear his respect for Reform party leader Nigel Farage in his interview with Sky News.
READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe goes full Farage in worst of 20 mistakes as Man Utd owner
After coming under severe scrutiny and with Starmer himself insisting the comments were “offensive and wrong”, Ratcliffe offered a half-baked apology before Manchester United released their own statement, which the Daily Mail claim ‘was worked upon for hours and involved a delicate balancing act between all parties’.
The statement read: ‘Manchester United prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club.
‘Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home.
‘Since launching All Red All Equal in 2016, we have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do.
‘We remain deeply committed to the principles and spirit of that campaign. They are reflected in our policies but also in our culture and are reinforced by our holding of the Premier League’s Advanced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard.
‘Over the course of this season, we have participated in events and initiatives at our men’s and women’s games marking mental health, LGBTQ+ inclusion, No Room for Racism, violence against women and girls and homophobic chanting.
‘We have also celebrated our supporters’ clubs’ events, including our Disabled Supporters’ Association’s Christmas Party and our Jewish Supporters’ Club’s Chanukah event. In the weeks and months ahead, we will be supporting further initiatives in these areas.
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‘This all sits alongside the incredible work which the Manchester United Foundation undertakes in and around Manchester on a daily basis.
‘Manchester United reflects the unity and resilience of all the communities we are so privileged to represent. We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.’
But the Daily Mail add that ‘some of the players were alarmed’ by Ratcliffe’s comments and ‘one insider warned it wouldn’t sit well within the dressing room’, which features 17 overseas players.
It’s claimed those players ‘put the controversy down to a 73-year-old who is out of touch’ and they’ve ‘noted that Ratcliffe is unlikely to face the same action from the FA or the club as one of them if they made similar comments in public’.
