Shame to see him go; he's been and excellent chief exec.
Goodbye David Gill
- Thread starter Wumminator
- Start date
He's done a fantastic job for the club.
I've never got this hatred for Gill really. At the end of the day he had a job to do and a very well paid one at that I'd imagine, why would you shoot yourself in the foot just to look a bit better in the eyes of some of the fans. Maybe his quotes were misguided but I think some people fail to understand that to him it's a job. It's not like he's a die hard fan or anything. People say stuff in jobs all the time and they don't really mean it. If I made a comment about my work and then went back on it I'd probably be a hypcorite to, but at the same time I'd be an idiot to leave my work.
When it came it dealing with other clubs, Gill did a fair bit of running around for the fans. As for meeting with the fans I think it was a Glazer policy that prevented him from talking to us.
Don't worry mate... I got it!Edward Woodward?
Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more Equalisers then
We'll be fine with this fella in charge...
Did a good job. Fergie was happy working with him which was the most important thing and the Glazers appeared to be happy letting him get on with things without interfering.
Goodbye Gill!
Goodbye Gill!
'Debt is the road to ruin'
feck off Gill.
feck off Gill.
I liked him very much, its a shame he is stepping down. He has handled a very tricky situation superbly, not only did he help stabilise and reduce the debt, he played a huge part in Manchester United's continued success, by making Sir Alex Ferguson feel like he had absolute full control of anything at the club, thus keeping him happy and keeping him at the club.
Oh Feck. Not happy about this.
Seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and worked well with Sir Alex.
Seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and worked well with Sir Alex.
wood wood wood
This Edward Woodward character looks dodgy as sin.
So anyone know much about Ed Woodward ? Any pics ?
He seemed to be doing the conference call, i think.
He seemed to be doing the conference call, i think.
Gary Lineker @GaryLineker
Good heavens, my neighbour Ed Woodward is the new chief exec of Manchester United, taking over from David Gill, and he never said a word.
Good heavens, my neighbour Ed Woodward is the new chief exec of Manchester United, taking over from David Gill, and he never said a word.
Hounding Gill for the "Road to ruin" stuff doesn't really make sense
He said that when he was working under a different ownership structure. Of course when the new owners came he had to change that line completely. But he was acting professionally, doing his job with the club's interests at heart, each time. People who wanted him to roar out of the club and make a scene just have a different idea on what the best way to handle the situation was, but that doesn't mean it's fair to call him every name under the sun.
He said that when he was working under a different ownership structure. Of course when the new owners came he had to change that line completely. But he was acting professionally, doing his job with the club's interests at heart, each time. People who wanted him to roar out of the club and make a scene just have a different idea on what the best way to handle the situation was, but that doesn't mean it's fair to call him every name under the sun.
Joel Glazer on what's next for David Gill:
"I hope that the decision he has made will be to the benefit of the game in Europe as a whole, as he seeks election to UEFA’s Executive Committee.”
"I hope that the decision he has made will be to the benefit of the game in Europe as a whole, as he seeks election to UEFA’s Executive Committee.”
Gill seems to have the club at heart and you cannot fault our success while he was CE. Those who are abusing him over the debt, whats he supposed to do? give up his job and tell the owners where to stuff it?
Sir Alex Ferguson said:
“I have been at United for over 26 years and for 23 of those years my boss has been one of only two men: Martin Edwards, who brought me to the club, and David Gill. I have enjoyed working with both.
“David has been a magnificent chief executive. Of course, we have had a million arguments, but I have always enjoyed them because I know that David has two great qualities: he is straight and he always puts Manchester United first. No disagreement is ever personal with him. He always wants the best for United, whether it's the players, the training ground or the staff.
“Him stepping down is a big loss to me but the fact that he is staying on the board encourages me that the reason for his departure is heartfelt, that he believes it is time for the club to move on. If I could have found a way of persuading him to stay I would love to have done that. But he has made his decision and I respect him for it.
“He has been, and will continue to be, a fantastic success for Manchester United. He has all the qualities of successful people engrained in him: energy, honesty, integrity, personality and decision-making ability. I wish him well in whatever new challenges he will tackle in the future.”
Love how Sir Alex excludes Kenyon.
“I have been at United for over 26 years and for 23 of those years my boss has been one of only two men: Martin Edwards, who brought me to the club, and David Gill. I have enjoyed working with both.
“David has been a magnificent chief executive. Of course, we have had a million arguments, but I have always enjoyed them because I know that David has two great qualities: he is straight and he always puts Manchester United first. No disagreement is ever personal with him. He always wants the best for United, whether it's the players, the training ground or the staff.
“Him stepping down is a big loss to me but the fact that he is staying on the board encourages me that the reason for his departure is heartfelt, that he believes it is time for the club to move on. If I could have found a way of persuading him to stay I would love to have done that. But he has made his decision and I respect him for it.
“He has been, and will continue to be, a fantastic success for Manchester United. He has all the qualities of successful people engrained in him: energy, honesty, integrity, personality and decision-making ability. I wish him well in whatever new challenges he will tackle in the future.”
Love how Sir Alex excludes Kenyon.
Whatever anyone thinks about Gill he has always backed Ferguson 100% which is all you can ask and hope for in a Chief Executive.
He is still a Director so his influence will continue to be felt. There are some big decisions to be made in the next few years and I would feel better knowing he will retain some influence over proceedings.
He is still a Director so his influence will continue to be felt. There are some big decisions to be made in the next few years and I would feel better knowing he will retain some influence over proceedings.
the equaliser!
What about criticising and openly admitting a move would be bad for a club, before bending over backwards and accepting 600+ milllion pound debt despite his intense 'love for the club'. Thanks for the stability Dave!
Not only that, but he has been active in cutting all ties with fan groups, and in the last two years since the green and gold campaign, has pretty much banned any dialogue whatsoever.
Also presiding over the ridiculous 'ACS' ticket scheme.
I would say good riddance, but the only problem is the new fella will probably be a feckload worse
Is his full name actually Edward Woodward? 'Ed' by itself can't be a name can it?
Granted, I don't know how it is at other clubs, but I really like how Gill is almost always in the stands during reserve games.
Sad to see him go.
Sad to see him go.
Yeah, the thing i liked about him was he was a United fan and also knowledgeable about Football.
Hope this Edward Woodward guy is not a proper finance guy tbh as he will have a large bearing on the appointment of Sir Alex's successor now remember.
Hope this Edward Woodward guy is not a proper finance guy tbh as he will have a large bearing on the appointment of Sir Alex's successor now remember.
Come on man, this is a pretty simplistic way of looking at it.
Do you think the club would be in a healthier position today if Gill had said "feck the Glazers, I'm out of here" in 2005?
So what was he supposed to do? Leave, kick up a big fuss in the media for a few weeks before they move onto some other story and have the Glazers appoint their own yes man. Or stay and play a part in stablising for club, reducing the debt, and helping us to possibly our most successful period ever?What about criticising and openly admitting a move would be bad for a club, before bending over backwards and accepting 600+ milllion pound debt despite his intense 'love for the club'. Thanks for the stability Dave!
Not only that, but he has been active in cutting all ties with fan groups, and in the last two years since the green and gold campaign, has pretty much banned any dialogue whatsoever.
Also presiding over the ridiculous 'ACS' ticket scheme.
I would say good riddance, but the only problem is the new fella will probably be a feckload worse
So, what was he supposed to do ? Leave and what would that have achieved ?
He indeed is leaving the club in a much better state financially, than what it was feared.
And what exactly did the green and gold fans want dialogue about when they wanted to harm the club financially to force a takeover ?
Sorry to see him go, I think he's been a boss CEO
We should organise a mosaic for the Madrid game in his honour.
lol
lol
Why would a business have dialogue with groups openly calling for a hostile takeover? It makes no sense.
A supporters group which did not have those ambitions may have more luck in talking to the club.
Don't think G&G was around back then but in recent years various supporter groups have tried to contact Gill but he has refused to talk to them which is why I can understand supporter who dislike him.
Whatever..
Fergie might call him his "boss" but we all know who the real boss is at United. The huge initial Glazer debt and his compliance is still fresh in my memory.
Fergie might call him his "boss" but we all know who the real boss is at United. The huge initial Glazer debt and his compliance is still fresh in my memory.
Whilst I share your loathing of the Glazer takeover, Gill was powerless to prevent the shareholders selling. All he could do was attempt to influence them. It's obvious he didn't agree with the takeover at the time, but he stayed on and became influential to the Glazers and backed Ferguson in everything thereafter. He is a football man, he loves the game and I would rather he stayed on in 2005 than give way to some toxic American executive with no idea about how football clubs are run in England.What about criticising and openly admitting a move would be bad for a club, before bending over backwards and accepting 600+ milllion pound debt despite his intense 'love for the club'. Thanks for the stability Dave!
Not only that, but he has been active in cutting all ties with fan groups, and in the last two years since the green and gold campaign, has pretty much banned any dialogue whatsoever.
Also presiding over the ridiculous 'ACS' ticket scheme.
I would say good riddance, but the only problem is the new fella will probably be a feckload worse
There are some people who will never forgive Gill and indeeed Ferguson, for their stance during the takeover.....it divided fans and that was always going to be the case. Whatever you think of him as a public person I can only judge him on his performance as Chief Executive, and under his tenure United have been hugely successful both on and off the pitch. He has always been Ferguson's link to the owners, and at times I imagine, his voice.
Considering what we've seen happen at other Premier League clubs after takeovers recently I think Gill has managed the situation well. He was clearly opposed to the Glazer takeover but once it became inevitable he found a way to win their ear and as a result, unlike certain other clubs, we haven't had to suffer having for a CEO a clueless yes man who leads the club in a strange direction. His most important contribution has been ensuring stability between the PLC and post PLC era.
That and to infiltrate the FA again, some of these refs are being too hard on us, and we paid good money for them.
Sad to see him step down though, as Cina said he's always had United at heart.
I'm sure he'll still help in the decisions somewhat. What's this Ed guy like?
He's done a fantastic job as CEO and Woodward has some big shoes to fill.
The criticism Gill gets is fecking stupid.
The criticism Gill gets is fecking stupid.
I can never understand this train of thought Starkie. He's a red, he advised against the takeover because of the debt but it went through anyway, the worst thing he could've done then was leave the club due to his principles, we (and SAF) needed him then to do his job more than ever.
Great servant.
The point isn't whether he was "supposed" to quit when they came in etc. It's actually perfectly possible that his praise for the Glazers is genuine, and it was prior to their arrival, when he came out with the above, that he was expediantly putting his own principals on hold.
The point is that he is demonstrably not a man who can be trusted to say what he really thinks. He completely changed his opinion based on the situation, taking anything he says at face value is foolish.
Of course, this is all the mark of a succesful businessman, very few of whom have got where they are today by a policy of honesty and openness.
But it doesn't make him the loveable hero some make him out to be.
So what was he supposed to say once the takeover went through?
"We're fecked, we're fecked", or... "It's manageable". He didn't want the takeover but it came anyway & then instead of crying like a fecking baby he put his head down and worked on it, showing that actually, it was manageable after all, just as he said and just as MUST, Anders etc told us it wasn't.
What's the point in sticking to one stand in a Evolving situation ? Don't get what is Dishonest about that either ?
The whole hypocrite thing is harsh for me.
He'd been working at the club he loves for years before that. You're trying to say you'd respect him more if he didn't stay on and not try to help stabilise the impending debt?
Look at Di Canio, resigns on principle when he could've taken Swindon Town up again. Whilst he may have reasons to get out, I don't believe in giving up before a job is finished. As an outsider, do you respect him or think he's let the fans down?
He'd been working at the club he loves for years before that. You're trying to say you'd respect him more if he didn't stay on and not try to help stabilise the impending debt?
Look at Di Canio, resigns on principle when he could've taken Swindon Town up again. Whilst he may have reasons to get out, I don't believe in giving up before a job is finished. As an outsider, do you respect him or think he's let the fans down?