Edward Gareth Woodward ( hold 9 November 1971 ) is an english accountant and investing banker who is the administrator vice-chairman and efficaciously the head administrator overseeing the operations of Manchester United F.C. . He will step down from this position at the end of 2021. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]
education
Woodward attended Brentwood School in Brentwood, Essex from 1983 to 1989. [ 1 ] [ 5 ] He went on to study physics at the University of Bristol graduating in 1993. He late qualified as a rent accountant in 1996. [ 2 ]
Reading: Ed Woodward
career
Woodward began working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the report and tax advisory department in 1993, before joining J.P. Morgan & Co. as an investment banker in the mergers and acquisitions department in 1999. [ 1 ] In 2005, Woodward advised Malcolm Glazer and the Glazer family during its successful coup d’etat of Manchester United. The Glazer family then recruited Woodward to join the club in a “ fiscal planning ” character. In 2007, Woodward was given charge of the commercial and media operations of Manchester United. It was in this function that Woodward is credited for United ‘s success in tying up lucrative sponsorship deals with companies around the world. In 2005, the golf club ‘s commercial tax income was £48.7 million. In 2012, it stood at £117.6 million. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] Woodward was appointed to the board of directors and named executive vice-chairman of Manchester United in 2012. After the retirement of CEO David Gill the following year, Woodward was promoted to the top functional function at Old Trafford in a restructure of the club ‘s boardroom. Woodward was succeeded by Richard Arnold as the clubhouse ‘s commercial management director. [ 8 ] In August 2016, Woodward secured the transfer of Paul Pogba for a record breaking fee of €105 million, making him the world ‘s most expensive football player at the time. [ 9 ]
Read more: Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
On 20 April 2021, Woodward announced he would resign as executive vice-chairman of Manchester United at the conclusion of the year, following unprecedented criticism of Manchester United ‘s fail attempt at imprint and joining a european Super League. [ 10 ] [ 4 ] Woodward was reported to have been heavily involved in plans for the Super League “ from day one ”. [ 11 ] By the end of that temper, he had besides oversee Manchester United ‘s worst trophy drought since the mid-1980s, a time period of four years without a single slice of silverware. [ 12 ]
criticism
Woodward has received reproducible criticism for his performance as Manchester United ‘s headman administrator. Woodward ‘s first transfer windowpane in 2013, in which Manchester United completed the sign language of belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini from Everton but failed to acquire other transfer targets, was described as being “ black ” by The Daily Telegraph. [ 13 ] After the window closed, some fans demanded the dismissal of Woodward. [ citation needed ] In July 2014, the newly appointed Manchester United coach, Louis van Gaal complained that Manchester United ‘s excessive commercial activities could hamper the team ‘s success and hoped there could be some balance to that. [ 14 ]
After the 2018 summer transfer windowpane, it was speculated in the media that Woodward had vetoed the transfer targets given to him by then coach José Mourinho at the end of the 2017–18 temper. This make tension in the club, with Mourinho and the United fans alike criticising Woodward for the lack of improvement in the team. [ 15 ] In January 2020, Woodward ‘s Cheshire home was attacked by a group of disgruntled Manchester United supporters chanting that he was ‘going to die ‘. This followed similar tone at Old Trafford during recent Manchester United home games, at which supporters have called for Woodward and the clubhouse ‘s owners, the Glazer class, to leave. [ 16 ]
personal life
Woodward supported non-league Chelmsford City in his youth. [ 17 ] His father was a sports fan of both Derby County and Manchester United, and was present for the latter ‘s victory in the 1968 european Cup Final at the previous Wembley Stadium. [ 17 ]