Arnold meets former Reds chief to chew over the fat
RICHARD Arnold met with former United chief executive David Gill at a restaurant in Cheshire yesterday.
Arnold, United’s incumbent chief executive, met with Gill at Cibo in Hale on Tuesday afternoon, three days after he spoke with protesters at his local pub after hearing of a planned protest outside his home.
The 51-year-old could have been comparing notes on the job with Gill after the events of Saturday, with Gill having spent 16 years working at Old Trafford, including 10 as chief executive, before leaving in 2013.
But Gill remains a non-executive director at United and is a regular in the directors’ box at Old Trafford. It is understood Arnold and Gill have a good relationship and often meet for a catch-up.
Gill, 64, was initially replaced by Ed Woodward, who assumed the title of executive vicechairman before Woodward handed power to Arnold in February.
Since leaving United Gill has served on the UEFA executive committee and held a term as Britain’s FIFA vice-president. His departure from Old Trafford in the same summer as Sir Alex Ferguson was considered as a major reason why United have struggled in the preceding nine years.
Arnold has made a positive start to his tenure and change has been afoot at the club since he replaced Woodward on February 1.
That includes handing football director John Murtough more responsibility and in his recorded conversation with protesters on Saturday he stressed that Murtough and manager Erik ten Hag were in charge of football operations this summer.