Manchester United staff have been left stunned by the “brutal” dismissal of the club’s long-serving head of team operations as part of the restructuring by Ineos at Old Trafford.
On a day when it emerged that further redundancies are
planned, with more than 100 staff now at risk of losing their jobs, The Times
has revealed the shock decision to part company with Jackie Kay after almost 30
years serving the club.
Kay, from a United-supporting family, has worked at the club
since 1995, initially as executive assistant to David Gill, the former chief
executive, before taking charge of first-team logistics for more than a decade
at the Carrington training ground.
She was promoted to head of team operations in October 2023,
only a few months before Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos became co-owners, and
was a hugely popular figure with the players as well as a succession of
managers. One insider described Kay as “the oil in the machine”, the conduit
beyond the manager and the players.
The terms of Kay’s departure have yet to be agreed, but she
was informed last week of a decision that is part of a wider performance
overhaul under the guidance of the Ineos head of sport, Sir Dave Brailsford,
and the technical director, Jason Wilcox. Staff were said to be “upset” by the
decision, making the point that Kay had “given her life to the club”.
Ineos are being forced to make some difficult decisions
against the backdrop of heavy financial losses, a misfiring team now under the
guidance of Rúben Amorim and an Old Trafford redevelopment plan that could cost
billions.
There has been a series of cost-saving measures and a clear
directive to reduce staff numbers. Prior to Ratcliffe’s arrival, the total
number of United employees had ballooned to 1,112.
Last year there was a move to reduce that figure by 250 and
now a further 100 employees are in jeopardy, with United recently announcing
losses of £300million in the past three years.
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