'Feels like one club again' - Man Utd Women's boss Marc Skinner hails impact of Sir Jim Ratcliffe & INEOS as he defends training facilities

The British billionaire shelled out £1.3bn for a 25 per cent stake in United, which gives him full control of the footballing operations of the club. Since Ratcliffe and INEOS completed the minority takeover, there has been talk of a major infrastructure upgrade which will see Old Trafford undergoing a major renovation and the training facilities at Carrington also boosted.

The £50 million overhaul of Carrington’s facilities has led to some logistical challenges for the women’s side, who, instead of being shifted to another permanent location, had to spend time at the prestigious St. George’s Park before being relocated into temporary establishments within Carrington. However, Skinner emphasised that the current arrangement is not a downgrade and brushed aside rumours that the women's team was suffering due to their temporary housing.

"What is reported on the outside honestly could not be further from the truth. Everyone in our club has moved. They have all moved to incorporate the growth of Carrington," he said.

"We went to St. George's Park which was a brilliant experience as we got to gel together. But our training pitches that we will have every day are better than St. George's Park. Ours are newer. You would eat your breakfast off our pitches -- they are incredible.

"[People say] 'We're training in barracks,' we're not training in barracks. We are training in a facility that has been built on site for our players. It has all been branded up today and the girls will move into it tomorrow.

"I didn't know what it would be like at first but knowing we're not downgrading any facilities -- we've actually had an upgrade -- and we would be seeing all of the teams, it feels like one club again. That's a really strong movement I think we needed and we've got it now."

Ahead of the 2024-25 season, United appointed Omar Berrada from Manchester City as their new CEO and Dan Ashworth as sporting director after prising him way from Newcastle United. Skinner has lavished praise on both Berrada and Ashworth for their dedication to the women’s team in their first few months at the club.

"When Dan [Ashworth] first came in, I met him in the dinner hall with all the other members of the staff from men's first team and we spoke for an hour," Skinner said. "Nobody interrupted him in our conversation. When you've had a year of that relationship, it's hard to stop that. They all say hello and relationships are built by seeing each other more often. I hope that continues. Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada have been fantastic and have both come in with real energy to speak to the group. I cannot tell you how personable and authentic those conversations were. They genuinely love women's football and have a real burning ambition for it to be at the forefront of their direction. That will only improve."

As United Women's team prepare for the upcoming Women’s Super League (WSL) season, they will be looking to start on the right foot against Tottenham this Sunday. With renewed optimism, upgraded facilities, and the backing of strong leadership, Skinner and his squad are eager to make their mark in the league this season after finishing fifth in 2023-24.