Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United football board have been instructed not to enter the dressing room at Old Trafford, breaching a tradition dating back to Sir Matt Busby. 

Earlier on Tuesday, it was revealed that Ferguson’s multi-million-pound ambassadorial status had been revoked by the club’s new part owner, INEOS, as part of a broad cost-cutting exercise. 

And, in a further controversial move, Ferguson – the club’s most successful manager – will no longer visit the inner sanctum after matches as part of a policy change. 

United deny that Ferguson has been banned from the changing room, but insist there is now a ‘common agreement’ about who goes inside. 

For decades, dressing room visits have been an integral element of the club’s tradition. Ferguson and fellow football board members David Gill and Mike Edelson were always welcome, as were Sir Bobby Charlton and previous director Maurice Watkins before their deaths. 

Sir Alex Ferguson and other members of the Manchester United football board have been warned to remain away from the club’s dressing room.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is understood to have informed the club legend of his decision to make changes, including the end of his ambassadorial status at Old Trafford.

The practice of visits to the dressing room goes back to the reign of famous manager Sir Matt Busby (seen right in 1962).

Ferguson, who won 38 titles in 26 years, agreed to continue serving as a global club ambassador and director after retiring in 2013. According to United’s 2014 reports, Ferguson, 82, received £2.16 million for his efforts. 

United’s football board is seen as a ceremonial entity, distinct from the formal board, which contains the six Glazer siblings. 

INEOS has implemented a series of drastic adjustments after acquiring a quarter stake in the club earlier this year. According to Mail Sport, they made 250 redundancies across departments. Ferguson was notified of the modifications during a face-to-face meeting at Old Trafford with INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe. 

Ratcliffe, 71, a lifelong United fan, told the Glaswegian that due to the downsizing, the club was no longer willing to pay him his regular wage. Ferguson will continue to serve as a non-executive director, with a seat in the director’s box and an eight-person table for home matches.