Like a Rat out of Hull he’s gone!
SUPPORTERS of Hull City could be forgiven for feeling like they have missed out on a footballing crock of gold.
Because multi-billionaire businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe was once a ballboy at Boothferry Park, watching on in awe of his 60s Tigers heroes such as the free-scoring Ken Wagstaff, Chris Chilton and Ken Houghton.
A few months before England won the 1966 World Cup, Ratcliffe had witnessed at first hand Hull’s promotion under manager Cliff Britton from the old Third Division.
His pocket money came from selling ‘Golden Goal’ tickets at the ground – his first venture into business.
Now at the age of 70 and having founded super rich chemical firm INEOS, Ratcliffe is hoping to become the new owner of Manchester United with his fledgling years following Hull City a distant memory.
Ratcliffe will see owning Manchester United as his latest and probably biggest challenge.
He already bankrolls Nice in France and FC Lausanne in Switzerland, while running the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team and having a partnership in the Mercedes F1 team.
Any spare time has been spent running marathons or joining expeditions to the North and South Poles.
In 2018, he was knighted for services to business and investment – not bad for someone who admitted his years at Beverley Grammar School were dominated by his passion for sport – and football, in particular.
“I just played football, really,” Ratcliffe admitted.
“That was all I was interested in at school. I did have this inkling that I wanted to be successful, that I wanted to become a millionaire one day.
“I can’t think of anything I set out to do which has not been completed.
“If you’re going to do something, you either go all out – or you don’t do it at all.”