Brutal Reality for Manchester United Staff as Sir Jim Ratcliffe Cuts Back for Europa League Final

Tottenham Show Staff Appreciation, While Manchester United Workers Are Left Watching from Home

As Manchester United prepare for their Europa League showdown against Tottenham Hotspur on May 21 in Bilbao, the excitement among supporters is palpable. But behind the scenes at Old Trafford, there’s a very different atmosphere — one marked by disappointment, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of being left out.

In what many see as another blow to staff morale, reports have emerged that Manchester United employees will not be receiving complimentary tickets to the Europa League final — a sharp contrast to Tottenham, who have reportedly offered free seats to all 700 of their full-time employees.

No Ticket to Bilbao – Just Drink Vouchers and a Screening

While thousands of United fans are scrambling for the limited allocation of 15,000 tickets for the final, club staff have been told that only a “small number” will be made available for internal distribution — and most employees won’t be getting one.

Instead, United workers have been invited to watch the match at a screening event back in Manchester. As a consolation, they’ll be given two drink vouchers. Guests are allowed, but will need to pay for their own drinks — a detail that hasn’t gone unnoticed by those feeling increasingly undervalued inside the club.

“It just feels like a kick in the teeth,” one staff member told us off the record. “We work around the clock all season, and when the team makes a final, we’re treated like we don’t matter. Meanwhile, Spurs are showing what appreciation really looks like.”

The Ratcliffe Regime: Transformation or Takedown?

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has become an increasingly controversial figure at Manchester United / Visionhaus/GettyImages / Europa League

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who took over as co-owner earlier this season, has promised to transform Manchester United into a leaner, more sustainable operation. But for many inside the club, the so-called “transformation plan” has felt more like a cold corporate takedown.

Over the past few months, the club has seen a wave of cost-cutting measures. Approximately 450 jobs have been slashed in what was described as a financial restructuring. Staff lunches? Gone. The annual Christmas party? Cancelled. Support payments to charities linked with former United players? Pulled.

Now, even the simple gesture of rewarding hard-working staff with a ticket to a European final is off the table.

“It’s been one thing after another,” said another source. “We’ve always known United is a big business, but it used to feel like a family too. That’s just not the case anymore.”

Contrasting Cultures: Spurs Set the Bar

Across North London, Tottenham Hotspur are showing a very different approach to staff treatment. Despite being ranked ninth globally in club revenues — compared to United’s fourth — Spurs have reportedly allocated a free ticket to every full-time employee for the final in Bilbao.

It’s a gesture that’s gone down incredibly well among the workforce at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “It’s about making people feel valued,” said one Spurs employee. “This club gets that football isn’t just about what happens on the pitch — it’s about everyone who makes the matchday magic possible.”

The contrast couldn’t be clearer. At Tottenham, the final feels like a shared moment of celebration for everyone involved with the club. At United, for many, it feels like yet another reminder that the new regime is willing to prioritise profits over people.

Ratcliffe: “United Would Have Run Out of Money”

Manchester City v Manchester United – Emirates FA Cup Final Getty Images Sport / Europa League

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has defended his aggressive cuts in a series of recent interviews, insisting that the club was on the brink of financial crisis.

“Manchester United would have run out of money at the end of this year,” Ratcliffe told reporters back in March. “November this year, the club runs out of cash.”

It’s a bold claim for a club that boasts the fourth-largest revenue in world football. But according to Ratcliffe, United’s books were a mess — weighed down by bloated spending and unsustainable management decisions under previous ownership.

Whether or not fans and staff buy that explanation is another matter entirely. Many are still struggling to reconcile the club’s apparent financial desperation with the fact that a Europa League triumph could bring in as much as £100 million in prize money, commercial gains, and — crucially — Champions League qualification.

A Season of Highs and Lows

It’s been a strange season at Old Trafford. On the pitch, United have often looked like a team in transition — and not always in a good way. Ruben Amorim’s squad have battled inconsistencies, injuries, and a string of forgettable domestic performances. But in Europe, they’ve delivered.

A convincing 7–1 aggregate win over Athletic Club in the semi-finals sealed their ticket to the final — a much-needed bright spot in an otherwise turbulent campaign.

Yet while fans have dared to dream of silverware and Champions League nights returning to the Theatre of Dreams, those inside the club’s back offices are finding it harder to share in the joy.

“There’s this growing disconnect between the people running the club and the people working in it,” said one long-serving employee. “It’s sad because we all want United to succeed — but we also want to feel like we’re part of that success.”

Looking Ahead: A Pivotal Summer

Win or lose on May 21, this summer will be pivotal for Manchester United — both on and off the pitch.

The club’s transfer policy, internal restructuring, and future commercial deals will all be shaped by the outcome of the Europa League final. Victory would secure a return to the Champions League and an influx of much-needed revenue. Defeat would leave the club facing another season outside Europe’s elite — and raise fresh questions about the direction Ratcliffe is taking.

What’s already clear, though, is that morale inside the club is fragile. Staff members who once wore their badges with pride are now feeling like anonymous cogs in a ruthless machine.

“People aren’t asking for the world,” one employee added. “Just a little recognition. A bit of appreciation. A seat at the table — or in this case, in the stadium.”

As the Red Devils chase glory in Bilbao, the spotlight will rightfully fall on the players. But away from the bright lights and TV cameras, there’s another story unfolding — one about values, culture, and how a football club treats its own.