Man United to keep £40,000 budget for their disabled supporters' association - after club chiefs considered slashing payment in half
Man United to keep £40,000 budget for their disabled supporters' association - after club chiefs considered slashing payment in half
Share:
Manchester United will NOT cut the budget of their disabled supporters’ association, Mail Sport understands. In November, we revealed how bosses were considering slashing the £40,000 they hand to the group in half amid a series of cost-saving measures. However, it can now be disclosed that they have now decided against what would have been a highly-controversial move. Following the arrival of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS last January, officials at Old Trafford launched a wide-ranging review aimed at identifying areas where savings could be made, with the club losing hundreds of millions despite record revenues. As Mail Sport revealed, 250 redundancies were triggered as part of that process.
![[Mail Sport understands the budget will now not be cut following a review]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/04/11/92081939-14358603-Manchester_United_are_considering_halving_the_amount_of_money_th-a-65_1738668745753.jpg)
The £40,000 handed annually to the Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association (MUDSA) was highlighted as one potential cut, as officials sought to free up cash to be spent on improving the first-team. That money is spent on hosting events such as a Christmas party and a bowling day for the group, which is one of the oldest disabled supporters’ associations in the country. The party, which sees many of the club’s star players attend and sign autographs, has been an institution at United since 1989.
![[The controversial move being considered was unpopular with fans, while Ruben Amorim's side are also struggling on the pitch]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/04/11/94842627-14358603-image-a-79_1738669147857.jpg)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been looking to cut costs at Man United, and slashing the budget given to the club's disabled supporters' association was considered. Mail Sport understands the budget will now not be cut following a review. The controversial move being considered was unpopular with fans, while Ruben Amorim's side are also struggling on the pitch. Some of the funds are also spent on the annual MUDSA dinner, which sees tickets subsidised at a cost of £35 per person and carer. Denis Irwin was the guest speaker at the latest event. MUDSA also works with the Manchester United Foundation, the club’s charity arm, to deliver community sporting events for people with mixed abilities.
At the time, the revelation prompted a significant backlash with one insider branding the prospect ‘nothing short of a disgrace’. ‘The figures they are talking about are a drop in the ocean and the optics would be horrific,’ they added. ‘It feels like the club has lost touch with its soul. The disabled supporters’ club has always been a big part of Manchester United and when you see how much money is being wasted on paying off managers and bringing in players who aren’t good enough, something like this will be very difficult to justify.’.
