Manchester United have told club ambassadors, including legendary captain Bryan Robson they will have their salaries slashed, talkSPORT understands.
As well as Robson, 1999 treble winning legends Denis Irwin and Andy Cole are also among those who will have their earnings reduced in the latest round of cost-cutting – a move driven by new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
There has been a flurry of cost-cutting among United bosses in the past yearGetty Robson, right, was there when Man United ended a 26-year wait for a league title in 1993GettyRobson, nicknamed ‘Captain Marvel’ by United supporters, has been an official Global Ambassador for United since 2011 and his responsibilities include appearing at events around the globe to promote the club.
Irwin and Cole hold similar roles and there are a plethora of other former Old Trafford stars who host sponsors and hospitality guests at home games.
talkSPORT has been told the fee for matchday ambassadorial duties can range from £500 to £1,000 and many of the ex-players involved rely on the money, having missed out on big wages in their playing days.
Sources close to United declined to comment on contractual arrangements with their ambassadors and legends.
Ratcliffe has set about a mission to streamline expenditure at United since buying a 27.7 per cent stake in the fallen giants in December 2023.
The highest profile victim of the savage cuts has been iconic former manager Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles and the Champions League twice. He was asked to forego his lucrative £2m ambassador salary as of the end of this season.
Billionaire Ratcliffe has also made 250 non-playing staff redundant and replaced Christmas bonus payments of £100 per employer with £40 vouchers.
He caused uproar by stopping the annual £40,000-a-year donation to The Association of Former Manchester United Players, which maintains a social network among ageing former players.
Irwin joined United in 1990 and left in 2002 having been part of their biggest wins in recent times such as the 1999 treble winning sideGetty - ContributorThe Manchester United charity Foundation is also reportedly facing a funding cut, while the cost of tickets for children and pensioners has been increased to a minimum of £66-per game.
Sources close to the club insist the brutal cuts are necessary to stay on the right side of PSR rules and help fund a squad rebuild after recording losses of £113m last year.
Ratcliffe has already ploughed in $300m of his personal fortune on top of what he spent on his initial shares with the money intended to help fund the new stadium project and feared that cash will be swallowed up by losses without taking drastic cost-cutting action.
Robson scored 74 goals in 345 league games for United and is regarded as one of their greatest ever players.
Irwin and Cole were both key members of the team under Ferguson that became the first English team to win the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup in the same season in 1999, but neither earned the mega-money United players do today.
Robson joined United in 1981 for a then record £1.5m and also played 90 times for England. David Beckham and Steven Gerrard are just two players who looked up to him when they were still dreaming of being footballers.
Fans have been disgruntled with some of the decisions that have been madeGetty - ContributorRobson and Irwin were both key members of the team under Ferguson that ended United’s 26-year-wait to be crowned champions of England in 1993 but they didn’t earn the mega-money United players do today.
United’s decision-making off the pitch has increased tension around the club amid their poor performances on it.
They are 13th in the Premier League with only seven wins from 22 matches, ten of which have ended in defeat.
A 3-1 loss at home to Brighton led to head coach Ruben Amorim saying that this is ‘maybe the worst team’ in the club’s history.
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