Boom’s employment background is in finance. He is trying to ensure the financial side of the club is in order.

A profit in excess of £100,000 is forecast for the current year, a £350,000 improvement. But it is felt an annual surplus of £200,000 is needed to ensure funds can be found for essential work on and around the ground, as well as to allow the club to meet its loan repayments.

He estimates he spends 70 hours a week on club business, not bad for a volunteer who lives in West Yorkshire.

You can tell he loves it though. Whereas once Boom watched Manchester United win Premier Leagues, FA Cups and European trophies, now he is looking forward to a trip to Altrincham, currently in the National League play-off places.

The winners pocket £9,375 and would be guaranteed at least another £15,800 in prize money by reaching the first round. The loser gets £3,125. That money is important, although Boom says once the whistle blows, his focus will be on football not finance.

Twenty-four hours later, Manchester United head to Leeds, the next stop in a season of turmoil, which has triggered the type of fierce protests he was once a part of but now observes, even if a close relationship has developed with the 1958 Group, who have been at the forefront of recent protests.

“What has happened to Manchester United is an absolute tragedy,” he said.

“This is one of the world’s great sporting institutions, a football club with an extraordinary history, built on the achievements, sacrifices and loyalty of generations of people.

“Yet for more than 20 years it’s been treated increasingly as a financial asset by owners who appear completely disconnected from what the club means to its supporters.

“The Glazers’ ownership has been disgraceful. They acquired Manchester United through a leveraged takeover, burdened it with debt and have benefited enormously from something they did nothing to create. Meanwhile, the club has suffered years of decline and its relationship with supporters has been steadily eroded.

“I see very little evidence that Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS represent a fundamentally different philosophy. Ratcliffe might talk about restoring Manchester United but you cannot rebuild a football club by dismantling the very culture and community that made it great.”

Ratcliffe has implemented a number of controversial measures since agreeing a minority stake in United in December 2023, including two lots of redundancies. He has defended the action, saying it was essential to return the club to profitability.

“We have enormous respect for anyone continuing to protest,” added Boom. “It was particularly pleasing that, after more than 20 years, The 1958 Group reached out to FC United.

“We’ve developed a good relationship, and while we’ve taken different paths, we’re united by a belief that Manchester United and its supporters deserve better.”



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