Sport

‘I’ll be more relaxed’: Outgoing Manchester United chief exec David Gill looking forward to a fan’s life

By Alex Bysouth

Out-going Manchester United chief executive David Gill admits he is excited to get back to being a Red Devils fan and catching up with the papers’ transfer gossip.

Gill has played a role at Old Trafford since 1997 and promoted to his current post in 2005 but, moving on to be a director, will pass his role to Ed Woodward at the end of June.

And with long-standing boss Sir Alex Ferguson also on his way out, Gill is looking forward to watching Woodward and David Moyes’ wheelings and dealings from afar.

“Maybe I’ll be more relaxed when celebrating,” he told the club website. “We’ll see.

“I’m leaving at the end of June so that’s another four weeks and it’s been a great, great ride and I’ve enjoyed it. I’ll still be a director so I’m coming to the games but it’s now David Moyes and Ed Woodward doing the player stuff.

“I can read the papers and think, ‘Is that really happening?’ you never know whether it is and it’s often not the case, it’s just in the papers.

“It’s been brilliant and anyone who works for this club really cherishes it and enjoys it. That’s been the case for me and I’m looking forward now.”

Gill was talking after the club’s Red Heart United game against Real Madrid, which the visitors won 2-1, and hopes it will become a regular tradition between the two European powerhouses.

“I think we will look to do it every couple of years probably,” he added. “That’s our plan. We don’t want to do it every year but we can do something every two years.

“It was a beautiful event and a beautiful occasion. It raised a lot of money for a great cause so we’re delighted.

“The crowd and the players really enjoyed it – people like Ruud van Nistelrooy coming back and scoring a great goal at the Stretford End – a lot of great work was put in behind the scenes to make it the day it was.”

Image courtesy of SimplyReds, via YouTube, with thanks.

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