'They're not funding Wayne Rooney or Gary Neville's petrol' - Former Man Utd defender rips into Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS for cutting funding for ex-players' funerals and those 'struggling to live'

Neville launched a scathing critique of his former club, claiming that they should do more to support struggling ex-players who might not be able to afford their own funerals. The former Red Devils captain criticised United's priorities, highlighting the disparity between extravagant spending on players and a lack of support for those who had contributed to the club's legacy.

Neville's comments shine a light on the often-overlooked issue of player welfare, particularly for those whose careers predate the modern era of multi-million pound contracts. With Ratcliffe's recent cost-cutting decisions - which included removing a £40,000 payment to the Association of Former Manchester United Players - under scrutiny, the club's treatment of ex-players adds another layer to the debate about ethical responsibility within football.

Speaking on the latest episode of Stick to Football, Neville said: "It’s difficult running a football club, you make mistakes – sack management when you shouldn’t and appoint people where you go on to think, ‘Why have I done that.’ I understand its difficult.

"I rang up the club about the former players trust and the employee food thing, I rang the communications people and as a journalist I was entitled to ring them. I thought they weren't right [decisions], there are solutions around it. You can't be spending £1 million a month on one player and take away food from staff – optically its terrible.

"The £40,000 for the ex-players, these are players from the 1960s and 1970s and they were funding some of these players' funerals who can't afford it. Players who have played for United 10, 15, 20 times and can't afford their funerals, that's what they're funding, they're not funding Wayne Rooney or Gary Neville's petrol for their cars. These are players from 50 years ago who are struggling to live."

Neville's comments are sure to resonate with fans and former players alike, putting pressure on United to re-evaluate their commitment to those who have shaped the club's history. It remains to be seen whether Ratcliffe and INEOS will address these concerns as they continue to try and get the club's finances back on track after years of mismanagement under the Glazer family.