Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffes wealth has fallen by over 6 billion in the past year.
Just like the club, Ratcliffe has plummeted down the league table with the BBC reporting that he has dropped from fourth to seventh in the Sunday Times Rich List.
Fans will be reaching for the worlds tiniest violin at the news that the petrochemicals billionaires fortune has reduced by more than a quarter, given his cartoon villain approach to penny pinching at Old Trafford.
Since his Ineos Group acquired a 27.7% stake in United in February last year job cuts have been rife, ticket prices have increased and even the food portions in the canteens have been slashed.
Performances on the pitch have been similarly pathetic, with United 16th in the Premier League table and showing every sign of finishing the season ahead of only the three relegated sides.
There is a chance for a degree of redemption in next weeks Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, where victory would secure silverware and a Champions League place for next season.
Qualification for the prestigious competition would be a huge cash boost for the club ahead of one of the most pivotal transfer windows in recent memory.
Ineos, who assumed control of football operations as part of their buy-in last year, have it all to do in the transfer market as they look to furnish Ruben Amorim with the right tools to implement his high-energy 3-4-3 philosophy.
That United are in such a dire position is another black mark against Ratcliffe, whose football hierarchy heavily backed previous manager Erik ten Hag before sacking him and replacing him with a coach with a very different style of play.
Given the off-field chaos, fans can be forgiven a little schadenfreude as the 72-year-olds wealth slips from 23.519 billion to 17.046 billion.
Its not clear how big a part United have played in this decline, but Ratcliffe and Ineos sporting portfolio in general is not in good shape.
The petrochemicals company abandoned its sponsorship deal with New Zealand rugby early, and has since parted ways with Ben Ainslie after backing the Britannia Americas Cup sailing team since 2018.
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Joe Ponting Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
