Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United football board have been asked not to enter the dressing room at Old Trafford, breaking a tradition that dates back to the days of Sir Matt Busby.
Earlier on Tuesday it emerged that Ferguson had seen his multi-million pound ambassadorial role removed by the club’s new co-owner INEOS as part of an extensive cost-cutting programme.
And Mail Sport can reveal that in a further controversial move, Ferguson – the most successful manager in the club’s history – will no longer enter the inner sanctum after matches as part of a change in policy.
United deny they have directly banned Ferguson from the dressing room but say there is now a ‘collective understanding’ of who goes in.
Visits to the locker room have been part of club culture for decades. Ferguson and fellow football board members David Gill and Mike Edelson were always welcome, as were Sir Bobby Charlton and former director Maurice Watkins before they died.
Sir Alex Ferguson and other members of Man United’s football board have been told to stay away from the club’s dressing room
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to have told the club legend about his decision to make changes – including the end of his ambassadorial role – at Old Trafford
The tradition of dressing room visits dates back to the era of legendary manager Sir Matt Busby (pictured right in 1962)
Ferguson, who won 38 trophies in 26 years, signed a deal after retiring in 2013 to continue as the club’s global ambassador and director. In 2014, United said Ferguson, 82, received £2.16 million for his services.
United’s football board is seen as a ceremonial body and separate from the official board, which includes the six Glazer siblings.
INEOS has made a series of major cuts since acquiring a quarter of the club’s shares earlier this year. As Mail Sport revealed, they have made 250 redundancies across various departments. Ferguson was informed of the changes during a personal meeting at Old Trafford with INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Lifelong United fan Ratcliffe, 71, told the Glaswegian that given the cuts, the club was no longer prepared to pay him his previous salary. Ferguson will remain as a non-executive director and retain his place on the directors’ box and table for eight years, organizing home games.