Manchester United is a loss-making company, yet 250 people have paid the price for losing their jobs

Most Manchester United fans are looking forward to the new season. The shiny new signings and the brand new shirt have helped, and those signings have been made efficiently without the delays and soap operas of previous transfer windows.

The aftermath of the FA Cup victory continues. As part owners of Manchester United, INEOS is enjoying tremendous support, and the level of support it sponsors for the America's Cup will also be pleased. It helps that Sir Jim · Ratcliffe's company is not the Glazer family, but it also helps when fans see the investment in Carrington Training Ground.

Eric · Ten Hag also stayed, much to the delight of most people, and the addition of new staff including Luther · Ruud van Nistelrooy was another plus in favor of INEOS as he was a legendary former striker who turned down a management position in favour of becoming an assistant coach at Old Trafford. Dan · Ashworth could begin his role as director of football, and a well-received new CEO, Omar · Bellada, has also been appointed.

Is everything good? Many fans thought so, but the United staff said it had been the worst weeks of their careers.

About 250 people will lose their jobs as a result of the club's restructuring. The uncertainty that ensues, while inevitable, is still stinging. Livelihoods are at stake. Employees were told in June that their jobs were in danger and then had to work hard for weeks until they heard their fate. Regardless of which players are signed, the atmosphere in the workplace has changed. After a few delays, most people brutally heard the news this week.

INEOS was very successful, but also very ruthless. Maybe that's what United need, as several departments have become too bloated.

I support Sir Jim's bid for Manchester United, not the bid led by Sheikh · Jassim of Qatar. Online, however, many fans seem to be more inclined to Qatar's bid. I've noticed that some of the fans who used to criticize Sir Jim are now cheering him on because some of the staff are losing their jobs and these layoffs are being misinterpreted as getting rid of the 'useless talents'. ”

But they are not useless talents. Many are competent and professional employees. They gave it their all at Manchester United. They are respected and committed to the success of the club.

For example, Anthony · Martial's wasted millions of dollars in wages, or Manchester United's eighth place in the Premier League, or a billion pounds spent on players, are not their fault. They worked for a club that had been taken over by the Glazer family in a controversial and highly leveraged manner in 2005, which resulted in a further £1 billion in interest payments. In some cases, they worked there long before that, with wages far lower than the players they helped support.

Manchester United may look like any other big, characterless corporation, but at the heart of the club, hundreds of people, including players, have been telling me over the years that there's a sense of family here. Although the staff roster has grown from 150 to 1,150 over the past 40 years, making this family atmosphere difficult to maintain, United have done their best to maintain it.

Because with the success of the team and the globalization of the Premier League, revenues have increased and so has the number of employees. Sir Alex · Ferguson's biggest change during his tenure was the size of his own staff.

Although there have always been staff changes in the past, people have often chosen to leave on their own terms as the club's business continues to grow. But now the situation is different.

I grew up in Manchester and Manchester United was a big employer. People are proud to work at the club and many are big supporters of the club. Half of my mother's friends work in clubs.

Over the past 35 years of covering Manchester United, I've seen people take pay cuts in order to be able to work at Manchester United, and I've seen some people feel so much pain from losing their jobs that they can barely watch Manchester United play anymore. The staff are well aware that Manchester United is not a charity and they know that there is no guaranteed lifetime commitment to working here. However, the sheer scale of this latest layoff has come as a shock to many.

I spoke with an employee who received an email asking him to attend a meeting. During the meeting, which lasted about 10 minutes, he was told that he had lost his job. I looked back at my past correspondence with him: Two years ago, he was still telling me, 'There have been a lot of changes this summer, and there will be more in the future.'" In the past two weeks, eight people have left.

But 2024 is different. The harsh reality is that despite having millions of fans and revenue, Manchester United has turned into a loss-making company. It's not the fault of those employees who lost their jobs. It's not INEOS' fault either. This is a reality that we must face and change.

When I first interviewed Ed · Woodward, former executive vice-chairman of Manchester United, in 2013, he was very confident in the club's commercial prowess. When I asked him: "Will Manchester United lose players in the future like they did with Cristiano · Ronaldo for Real Madrid?" He replied, "We don't lose out on price."

Manchester United are now moving away from that period of commercial self-confidence, and the staff paid a heavy price for it – losing their jobs. Some were happy to be able to leave with a sum of compensation. However, many people are now in a stage of struggle between anger and acceptance. In the workplace, tears and shocked expressions can be seen.

Yes, they should be hoping to find other job opportunities in this thriving city, but please don't expect them to be happy or celebrate anything related to Manchester United in the current situation. As for those who remain – some may be thankful for their luck, while others may feel guilty for surviving – they will all face the uncertainty that comes with the new work structure. It's been a difficult time for Manchester United.

The above is the content of the column written by Andy in TA, and Brother Hai wants to talk about his feelings.

The news of Manchester United's layoffs is undoubtedly a major shock to the club. When the news came out that the layoffs were to save costs to invest in the first team, it was perhaps emotionally difficult for us as big supporters of Manchester United to fully accept it. Haige's speech in the group reminds us that this is a serious issue related to the livelihood of many people, not just the adjustment of the club's operation strategy.

Yes, on the one hand, Ratcliffe's INEOS as the new operator has streamlined and optimised the club, which seems to be a positive sign that the club is moving in a more efficient and competitive direction. However, as Haige emphasizes, there are two sides to every coin. The departure of those veteran staff who have been quietly dedicated to the club for one or two decades, or even thirty years, is not only a personal loss, but also a loss of part of the club's history and culture. When Brother Hai saw such news, he couldn't help but feel heavy in his heart.

We, as Manchester United fans, are also hard-working ordinary people in this society. When we strip away the identity of fans, each of us is a worker who is running for life and working hard for his dreams. Therefore, we should not just look at this layoff from the perspective of the fans, but rather understand it more comprehensively and deeply for everyone.

Layoffs, while they may be necessary in business operations, represent real life stories, uncertainties about the future and reluctance to give up on the past. We should treat each and every one of those affected with compassion and understanding, who were once an integral part of the Manchester United family and whose efforts and contributions deserve respect and remembrance.

In these times of change, let us not only cheer for the future of Manchester United, but also send our best wishes to everyone affected by this change. May they find new opportunities and continue to shine in their respective fields. At the same time, we also hope that Manchester United can usher in a more brilliant tomorrow after this adjustment.