Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ruthless Sir Alex Ferguson decision has divided Manchester United fans

Manchester United fans are split on Sir Jim Ratcliffe's decision to ask Sir Alex Ferguson step down from his role as an ambassador for the club at the end of the season.

Ratcliffe has introduced significant cost-cutting measures since acquiring a minority stake and 250 members of staff have been made redundant in a club-wide restructure. The British billionaire's review of the club's operations found United had the highest employee count in the Premier League but his cost-cutting changes have been controversial.

Good, hard-working people who have served United for decades have lost their jobs and not even the legendary Ferguson, who assumed an ambassadorial role after he retired as manager in 2013, has been immune from the cuts, a decision that has rubbed some fans up the wrong way.

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United have decided they can no longer afford Ferguson's £2.16million salary and some supporters feel that is disrespectful to the man who led the club to become a modern powerhouse. "You don't f*** with Fergie," was a tweet from a fan reacting to the initial story when it broke, but another section of supporters have argued it's a sensible decision from Ratcliffe and his board.

Ferguson is certainly not short of cash and Ineos paying him more than £2m each year for an ambassadorial role would contradict their decision to make 250 members of staff redundant. And importantly, club sources have stressed the decision was entirely amicable and that Ferguson, United's most successful manager, will always be welcome at Old Trafford.

It seems the decision has been approached sensitively by Ratcliffe, who emerged