Jim Ratcliffe is gunning for Mike Ashley's title as worst club owner in history

Mike Ashley certainly didn't top any popularity polls during his time as Newcastle United owner. In fact over three years on his name is still uttered in hush tones around Newcastle.

The Sports Direct owner used Newcastle as his own personal advertising board for his discount sports stores with very little regard for the club itself.

Newcastle fans were subjected to two relegations under Mike Ashley and there was an obvious lack of ambition shown by the club during his reign with managers told to focus solely on staying in the Premier League and to forego the cups.

It was an awful time to be a Newcastle fan, but hey, he kept our balance sheet looking good. What a guy.

We dare bet Jim Ratcliffe has switched all of Man United to one ply toilet paper

It seems that Jim Ratcliffe has seen Mike Ashley as an idol given the moves he's been making since buying his way into Manchester United.

The INEOS chief wasted no time in cutting jobs while ending all working from home for those who kept their positions.

Amid endless bitching to the media about not being able to do simply do what he wants and rigorous cost-cutting exercises, those of us on the outside are looking at him and wondering just what is going on.

Jim Ratcliffe has booted out the man who made Manchester United what they are

Today, Newcastle sponsor Fun88 has posted on X that the latest cost-cutting exercise by Ratcliffe may have just tipped him over Mike Ashley's high bar.

"INEOS have cancelled a multi-million pound annual payment to Sir Alex Ferguson who will cease to be a global ambassador for the club at the end of the season.

"Sir Jim Ratcliffe informed Ferguson in-person last week."

Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe to sack Sir Alex Ferguson?

What stones the man must have to essentially SACK Sir Alex Ferguson. That club still lives on the legacy that Sir Alex Ferguson built. Without him and what he did they'd be nowhere near what they are.

Manchester United have been nothing since he left but because of what Ferguson did, they are still a powerhouse in the game and big players still want to go there because of that legacy.

It's actually astonishing what Ratcliffe has done and if I didn't hate Manchester United so much I'd actually feel bad for them, but I do so I don't.