According to the Mail, Manchester United shareholder Sir Ratcliffe paid another visit to Old Trafford and Carrington training base on Monday. In order to ensure that the arrival of this important shareholder did not cause any discontent, United's staff carried out a comprehensive cleaning exercise to keep everything in order. The move stems from an earlier unpleasant experience when the Daily Mail reported in May that Sir Ratcliffe, after visiting the training ground and stadium with club directors Sir Brailsford and Jean-Claude, expressed his strong displeasure at the messy scenes left by players and staff. In a critical email, he bluntly stated, "I was struck by the scenes of disarray in many areas, particularly in the IT department, which is a disgrace, and the situation in the U18's and U21's changing rooms is no better." Sir Ratcliffe further emphasized, "These standards are nowhere near the level we expect at Inrix, and we are just a chemical company. Manchester United is an elite sporting organization and this situation is unacceptable in many ways. If an organization does not have standards and discipline then the club will not be successful."
Upon learning of Sir Ratcliffe's impending return visit, staff acted quickly, believing it was a task that had to be completed before their arrival in order to avoid further criticism. Fortunately, after Sir Ratcliffe chaired Tuesday's board meeting, no further critical emails were sent to the inboxes of United staff, which seemed to indicate that he was favorably impressed with the visit. The hard work and preparation of the United staff managed to avoid potential embarrassment and dissatisfaction, creating a more positive environment for the club's image and future development.
