Manchester United fans can have their gripes with the way the Glazers ran the club over the past decade, but they knew just how important Sir Alex Ferguson in a ceremonial role in the board.
United owe the Scotsman a great debt and would not be the global force they are today without his success at the helm over a 26-year period.
An ambassadorial role with the club after retirement was the least Ferguson deserved and his presence for home and away games still resonates with United fans all over the world.
Ferguson reportedly earned £2.16m from his ambassadorial contract, but that was seemingly too much for Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Throughout Ferguson's time as a global ambassador, he would have roughly cost the club around £24m.
Pennies compared to United's outlay in the transfer market since Ferguson's retirement in 2013.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has terminated Sir Alex Ferguson's contract
PAThe club have spent around £2billion on transfers trying to build a squad capable of getting them back to the top of English football.
Ratcliffe and INEOS can't take most of the blame with the majority of that spending coming under the Glazers' stewardship.
But the British billionaire's hands are far from clean with United's woes growing by the day.
Erik ten Hag has led United to their worst-ever start to a Premier League season despite being given £200m to spend on new signings this past summer.
That's all on Ratcliffe's shoulders, who took over football operations at United as part of the 27.7 per cent stake he bought in February.
It was clear from the outset that Ratcliffe was planning to make wholesale changes at Old Trafford in a bid to get them back on track.
United staff were informed this past summer that the club was intending to terminate 250 jobs to try and cut costs.
Ratcliffe hired consultancy firm Interpath Advisory to review the club's outgoings with an eye to find more cost-cutting measures.
It was reported the club expect to save around £10m a year from the job cuts with United announcing last month a £113m net loss in the year to June 2024.
That put them perilously close to the Premier League's £115m three-year loss limit.
Ultimately, United have been made to pay the price for missing out on Champions League football once again.
They were embarrassingly knocked out of the group stages last year and finished eighth in the Premier League table to miss out on European football altogether this season.
Ratcliffe and co kept faith with Ten Hag to turn things around this season, but that trust has not been repaid with United in an even worse position than they were a year ago.
Sir Alex Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles during his time at Man UtdPABut the biggest issue of all for United has been their woeful record in the transfer market.
Around £200m was spent on Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui this summer with none of them currently living up to their price tags.
Not even last year's recruits - who cost a further £200m - have managed to win over critics.
The £83.5m alone used to sign Antony has arguably been the worst investment made by United in the club's history.
Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly earned £2m a year as an ambassador
PASo to make Ferguson a scapegoat in trying to cut corners in saving money at United is almost laughable.
The 82-year-old took United back to the pinnacle of world football in his 26 years in charge, winning 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups and four League Cups amongst others.
His legacy is the sole reason United are still seen as a juggernaut in the Premier League despite their woeful track record since his retirement.
By terminating Ferguson's contract, Ratcliffe has risked tearing up the very fabric of the club he's looking to rebuild.
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Manchester United have had a dreadful track record in the transfer market
PAThere's a sense of injustice and disrespect in picking out Ferguson's £2m contract as one of the disposable items to help them desperately cut costs.
United's wage bill alone is said to be around £170m a year - the second-biggest in the Premier League behind Manchester City.
In terminating Ferguson's contract, Ratcliffe has effectively said that every single one of United's current crop of failures holds more value than the legendary manager.
Even in an ambassadorial role, not one of United's players can hold a candle to Ferguson's legacy and importance to the club at this present time.
Ratcliffe has now made a rod for his own back and all eyes will be on the January transfer window to see where the £2m a year they're going to save from axing Ferguson will be spent.