Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United football board have been asked not to enter the dressing room at Old Trafford – breaking a tradition that stretches back to the days of Sir Matt Busby.
Earlier on Tuesday it emerged that Ferguson had seen his multi-million pound ambassadorial role stripped by the club’s new part owner INEOS, as part of a wide-ranging cost-cutting programme.
And Mail Sport can reveal that in a further, controversial move Ferguson – the most successful manager in the club’s history – will no longer enter the inner sanctum following matches as part of a change in policy.
United deny that they have directly banned Ferguson from the changing room but say there is now a ‘collective understanding’ over who goes inside.
Visits to the dressing room have been part of the club’s culture for decades. Ferguson and fellow football board members David Gill and Mike Edelson were always welcome, as were Sir Bobby Charlton and former director Maurice Watkins, before they passed away.
Sir Alex Ferguson and other members of Man United’s football board have been told to stay away from the club’s dressing room
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is believed to have told the club legend of his decision to make changes – including the end of his ambassadorial role – at Old Trafford
The tradition of visits to the dressing room dates back to the era of legendary manager Sir Matt Busby (pictured right in 1962)
Ferguson, who won 38 trophies in 26 years, signed a deal following his retirement in 2013 to continue as a global club ambassador and director. In 2014 accounts United said Ferguson, 82, was paid £2.16m for his services.
United’s football board is seen as a ceremonial body and is separate to the official board, which includes the six Glazer siblings.
INEOS have launched a series of swingeing cuts since they took a quarter share in the club earlier this year. As Mail Sport revealed, they made 250 redundancies across departments. Ferguson was informed of the changes in a face-to-face meeting at Old Trafford with INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Lifelong United fan Ratcliffe, 71, told the Glaswegian that, given the cuts, the club was no longer willing to pay him his previous salary. Ferguson will remain as a non-executive director and will retain his place in the director’s box and table for eight which he hosts at home matches.