Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been accused of secretly canceling old Manchester United payments to a charity which provides support for the club's former players.
Ratcliffe has overseen a series of controversial cost-cutting measures. A large number of redundancies followed with increases in ticket prices and reductions in the annual staff Christmas gift.
Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorial role has also been terminatedwhile staff were not given free transport to last season's FA Cup final and the Christmas party was cancelled.
Now, a trustee of the Society of Ish Manchester United The players (AFMUP) have accused the club of withholding their payments – believed to be £40,000 a year – to the charity, which first started in 1985, without even informing the charity.
“We sent a letter to say we haven't been paid,” trustee Jim Elms said sun. “Nobody came out and told us so we had to send another letter. At that point we started hearing things that it was going to be the end of us.
“Omar (Berrada, CEO) was noncommittal. He will meet us again in January, but he said he couldn't see the difference. He didn't seem to think we were a necessity.
“We've been running it since 1985. Keeping the old players together. Taking care of those who couldn't pay for the funerals. I just can't understand them myself. It's ridiculous.
“We give around £10-20,000 to charities, mainly children's charities in the local area. We've had £20,000 this year but not the rest.”