ALEX FERGUSON HAS praised David Gill after the chief executive announced he will step down in June.
Gill has called time on his current at Old Trafford after 10 years in the position, and while he will remain as a director on the board, he will be concentrating on the 2013 UEFA Executive Committee elections as the FA’s candidate.
The 71-year-old manager suggests that while he and the 55-year-old have had disagreements in the past, he admires the chief executive’s honesty and wishes he could have persuaded him to stay.
“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,” he told the club’s official website.
“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.
“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.”
Ferguson regrets that he was unable to persuade Gill to stay in his role, but wishes him well for the future and believes he has always put the club first rather than himself.
“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 said. “He has been, and will continue to be, a fantastic success for Manchester United. He has all the qualities of successful people ingrained in him: energy, honesty, integrity, personality and decision-making ability. I wish him well in whatever new challenges he will tackle in the future.
“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.”
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward will take over his role at Old Trafford.
Wooward has big shoes to fill.
‘Debt is the road to ruin’. Gill is a hypocrite.
Don’t know why Paul got so many red thumbs. He wouldn’t meet fan groups, pushed through price rises and if he went by his own principles he should of resigned back in 2005. He will forever be the man who presided over the the greatest robbery in the clubs history.LUHG
My sentiments exactly
…and the greatest commercial success of a soccer club ever! Top sports Franchise in the world as per Forbes magazine for the last two years.
Whatever happened to Gill’s son who was a player at United?
Quit football in 2011 to go to uni