Thatâs an evisceration of his countryman by Murray
Those definitely not âsafeâ from a Jim Ratcliffeâinspired austerity drive are the 250 United employees made redundant as the club looks to claw back ÂŁ10m a year. The average saving there is ÂŁ40,000 per head. Staff were told during a 15-minute meeting about the nature of the belt-tightening. At that point, it is actually staggering Ferguson didnât make a beeline for Ratcliffe (if he had, we would surely have heard about it) and offer to give up his stipend, which has been paid since 2013.
It should have been plain that paying a managerial legend close to ÂŁ200,000 a month to gladhand and spread the good word of all things United was completely superfluous. That applies to Ferguson as much as to United themselves, who doubtless feared negative headlines from the likes of Cantona if they cut ties with the man who revolutionised their on-field fortunes. What would the young Ferguson, an ardent trade unionist, have made of a scenario where ÂŁ2m was bestowed on someone who is essentially retired as those on low incomes were deemed dispensable? Ferguson turns 83 in December; it is legitimate to ask whether he thought he could simply receive the United wage in perpetuity or whether this devout socialist has had a form of political reawakening?