Man Utd staff 'forced to eat in a TOILET' as Sir Jim Ratcliffe's financial review sparks more brutal cost-cutting measures

INEOS chief Ratcliffe, who is Britain’s richest man, now owns a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils after reaching a deal with the Glazer family at the end of a long-running investment saga. One of his first pieces of business was to conduct a wide-ranging financial review.

That process led to 250 redundancies, with the matchday experience now falling under the microscope. The Daily Mail reports on how agency staff no longer receive a complimentary lunchbox for their shift – which used to include a sandwich, cereal bar, bag of crisps and soft drink.

Some have claimed that they were offered leftovers from the food served to corporate guests during United’s 2024-25 Premier League opener against Fulham. The Red Devils say that was not the case, with extra food being made for staff – with the lunchboxes previously offered often going uneaten.

One worker has also said that they were “forced to eat in a toilet”, with it claimed that: “They’ve set up a dining table next to four toilet cubicles. You come out of the cubicle and someone is sat in right front of you, eating.” United insist there is a separate dining room, with some choosing to eat in a quieter staff area that has an adjoining bathroom and shower room.

It has also been revealed that fans filling private boxes are being given just five matchday programmes for a party of 10. One guest said: “Given the money we pay, to not even get a programme each seems miserly in the extreme.” United say anyone requesting a programme will be given one, after many were found in bins after games.

Among the other areas to be targeted by Ratcliffe are private chauffeurs and company credit cards, while unfortunate headlines were made after it was revealed that some staff had to pay their own way to the 2024 FA Cup final – with perks such as a pre-match party, lunch after the match, and hotel accommodation being scrapped entirely.