MANCHESTER UNITED have axed their longest-serving worker after 47 years as part of the latest wave of job losses at the club, according to reports.
The would be lost as part of a further cost-cutting initiative started last summer, which saw 250 staff made redundant.
A statement at the time said the cuts were to help “transform”; the “corporate structure as part of a series of additional measures to improve the club’s financialsustainabilityand enhance operational efficiency.”;
However, the decision to make the club’s longest-serving employee, Marie Marron, redundant has left staff “shaken”; at and Carrington.
According to The Times, Marron was told in a face-to-face meeting that a decision had been made to relieve her of her duties at the end of the season.
It is a decision which is said to have left her “devastated”;, having worked for Man Utd since 1978.
But she travelled ahead of the team, as she always has done, for their semi-final clash against Athletic Bilbao in , which ‘s side won 3-0.
Marron originally started out as the personal assistant to the club secretary at the time, Ken Merrett.
She eventually became a key figure with first-team logistics, acting as the club liaison to , the Premier League, the FA and opposing teams before matches.
Marron was also the chief co-ordinator for United’s historic Treble in 1999 and was one of five staff specially honoured by club sponsors in 2013 for “exceptional dedication and commitment”; to the team.
However, sources are said to have told the Daily Mail that the decision is provisional and the start of a process.
Marron’s long service to the club is only eclipsed by much-loved receptionist, Kath Phipps, who worked at the club for over 55 years before passing away in December.
Other long-serving staff members to be given the boot as part of the brutal cuts include , and former comms officer John Allen – SunSport revealed how club captain
An made by the club.
Ineos chairman and minority owner, without the cuts, which have also stretched to .
A fresh report from earlier this week claims the , with Suadi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – who also own – “seriously considering”; an offer.
SunSport understands that any potential cash raised from a sale of Nice would fall well short of that needed to fund a full Ineos takeover of Man Utd.
The petrochemicals company now owns 28.94 per cent of the club after an injection of £79.3m last year, with the much-maligned Glazer family still owning the majority of the shares.
With the team on the pitch bringing in the worst season in the club’s Premier League history, United are facing a in Bilbao on May 21.
Winning the competition will be worth £50m on its own through qualification and £25m in gate receipts for four home games in the league phase of the competition.
There is also an additional £30m in bonus and prize money if they can reach the last 16, and a £10m bonus they will receive from kit sponsors, Adidas, which is taken away if they do not qualify for Europe‘s premier competition.
Their likely opponents for the final currently look set to be Tottenham, who have a 3-1 advantage following a home win over Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt.
The second legs of the Europa League clashes take place next Thursday, with Spurs travelling to Bodo’s artificial pitch at the Aspmyra Stadion and United taking on Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford.
Fans have already been drawing up travel plans, a huge surge in demand and prices.
