I am a Manchester United season ticket holder and this is why INEOS have already lost fan optimism

When it was announced that INEOS had completed the transaction to take a 25% stake in Manchester United, a wave of optimism was felt within the fan base as it felt that after 18 years of misdirection under the Glazers, footballing change was on the horizon.

At the time, there wasn’t the naïve belief among the supporters that United were suddenly going to rocket up the league table and win every piece of silverware on offer, but instead that there would be a clear focus on getting the footballing affairs of the club in order.

United fans had endured a difficult period of frustration with Ed Woodward as vice-chairman of the club in which decisions were made in terms of transfers by someone who lacked pedigree in football and had a personal background of business affairs.

For the first time in a while, it appeared that football was the priority of those in control of the club with the appointment of Omar Berrada as CEO being a warmly welcomed move, especially as he had chosen to cross the city from the blue side of Manchester.

Berrada’s appointment was soon followed by the news that Dan Ashworth was to become sporting director with this head-hunting approach by INEOS making it appear as if they had a solid plan in terms of assembling a board structure that would help to create some degree of success on the pitch.

After a summer window that saw the club sign multiple targets favoured by then manager Erik Ten Hag, results on the field reflected poorly against the seemingly positive trajectory that was projected to occur when INEOS took control.

Ten Hag was soon sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim, a young coach with a style of play which was an element of the Dutchman’s management that was evidently lacking.

However, one of