Ain't going to happen – Nicky Butt dismisses Man Utd bid to win title by 2028
Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has dismissed Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ambitious plan to win the Premier League by 2028.
Project 150 is the co-owner's blueprint which involves, among other things, bringing the title back to Old Trafford within three years to celebrate the club's 150th anniversary.
However, Butt said after a 'disaster' of a season – United are currently 13th having lost 12 times in the league – such lofty ambitions were fanciful.
'That ain't going to happen. It's going to be a long way off,' he said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
'I think even if you got David Gill (former chief executive) and Sir Alex (Ferguson) back there, it's going to be a struggle for a long time.
'We're at the bottom of the mountain and there's a massive climb to get up.'
United last won the Premier League in 2013 and Butt, a former United Under-19 coach, said there was a chance that drought could easily extend into a second decade.
'I would never be naive to say it won't take that long because big clubs like Man United have done it before where they've had to wait so long,' he added.
'I hope not but I wouldn't bet against it. I don't think anyone's got a given right to go and win the Premier League.'
Butt's former team-mate Ryan Giggs was not quite as downbeat but accepts a lot needs to go right for things to turn around quickly.
'We're such a big club and had success for such a long time, you don't believe it but it does happen,' he said.
'It happened to us before we won the league (in 1992 after 26 years) and it happened to Liverpool (who had to wait 30).
'We do need lots and lots of players but you never know. It can happen in a short space of time, but you need a lot of things to go for you.'
On the club's controversial price hikes and plans to move season ticket holders from seats near the dugout in order to sell more lucrative corporate packages, Butt added: 'They're punishing the wrong people to try and balance the books.
'There are a lot of things I think they're doing wrong and it's sad to see. It's not the Man United that I know and loved.'
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