Man United’s cuts risk disabled fans’ safety; Ratcliffe accused of “not caring.”

Manchester United's cost-cutting measures are putting the safety of their disabled supporters at risk, according to concerned fans.

Dave Wood, a wheelchair user, said he is 'genuinely terrified' about what would happen in the event of an emergency after club stewards were replaced by agency staff at Old Trafford.

The 47-year-old, who sits in the disabled section with around 90 others at the top of the Stretford End, has claimed that standards have fallen alarmingly – and that the two lifts that take disabled supporters to ground level no longer exist. manned, which he says is a serious breach of security.

He also accused Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, who have overseen extensive cuts since taking a minority stake in the club in January, of putting savings ahead of the welfare of some of the club's most vulnerable followers.

United say they are deploying more stewards than necessary in the area, have been given the highest possible Premier League rating in their latest audit and are investigating all concerns raised.

But Dave believes standards have dropped significantly. “Until this season we had club stewards who were a big part of the matchday experience,” he explained. 'They were direct employees of the club, well trained and became our friends. We were greeted as soon as we stepped off the elevator and taken care of. They knew us. A few years ago I went to a game alone for the first time and the supervisor noticed right away and came over to chat about football, but he was essentially doing a welfare check.

“There are two elevators that are our only way down and they are always manned. That meant that there was never any overcrowding or overloading.'

Dave, who has been in a wheelchair for five years after treatment for cancer in his youth left him with severe arthritis in his hips and back in adulthood, said that's all gone.

“The stewards we knew have been fired, moved or left the club in disgust at what is going on,” he explained.

'Now it's the agency staff who seem to change every game and don't seem to know what they're doing. Honestly, they're kids, but communication is a nightmare. A number of times they have spoken to my PA (personal assistant) instead of me, which is humiliating. There have also been issues with them trying to move people in wheelchairs without asking their permission. They clearly have no training in disability awareness and often go AWOL during the game.

'To make matters worse, the elevators are no longer manned. At the final whistle it's essentially a free-for-all. I am honestly afraid of what would happen in an emergency situation. You are not supposed to use an elevator in the event of a fire, but we have no choice. There must always be someone with specialist training present and that no longer happens.'

Dave, who has set up a petition to raise awareness, says he has written to Chief Operating Officer Collette Roche and asked her to come to the top of Stretford End to witness the problems. “She doesn't want to respond yet, let alone come and meet us,” he added.

'The club has also increased parking for disabled fans by 17 per cent this season, claiming they 'must' ensure this is the same for all fans. They appear to be completely ignoring the 'reasonable adjustments' section of the Equality Act 2010.

'They just don't seem to care anymore and it makes us no longer feel safe. We cannot allow cost-cutting measures to jeopardize fan support and safety.”

Club bosses are also reportedly considering halving the budget they hand over to the disabled supporters' association, from £40,000 to £20,000 per year. No decision has been made yet.

A Manchester United spokesperson said: 'We are very proud of the facilities and services we provide to all disabled fans who attend matches at Old Trafford.

'Our strong commitment in this area is reflected by the fact that the Premier League, which monitors every match, has verified that our activities are of the highest standard.

“We meet regularly with the Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association to discuss how we can continue to provide the best matchday experience for our fans with disabilities. The last meeting will take place on Thursday.'