Man United ‘shock’ Keith Wyness with new ‘PR disaster’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted charity cuts at Man United are a “shock” and just the latest of several “PR disasters” under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted charitable foundations “should be a mainstay at a big club”.
According to Sky Sports (29 December), United will cut the funding it provides to its charitable arm as part of a purge of costs being overseen by Ratcliffe.
The club provided benefits of almost £1million last year and that figure will be cut from 2025 onwards.
Ratcliffe and his INEOS team have already attracted the ire of United staff by cutting bonus payments, while fans have also been angered by the hiking of ticket prices at Old Trafford.
On the pitch, the British billionaire has faced criticism with the Red Devils sitting 14th in the Premier League at the halfway point of the 2024-25 campaign.
Wyness ‘expects more from Man United’ after new blunder
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “Certainly, Ratcliffe is making a lot of PR blunders – it’s one after another.
“The foundation should be a mainstay at a big club. If you’re going to be a big club like Man United is, you’ve got to act like one.
“Certainly during my time at Everton and Aston Villa, I’ve ensured the foundations can go from strength to strength.
“United are a big community citizen, and I’d expect a lot more from them than cutbacks.
“It’s a shock and a PR disaster – just one to add to a few.”
In other news, 32-year-old one of two United stars “first out the door in January”.
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