Man United’s Ed Woodward QUITS amid European Super League fury as Chelsea & Man City pull out with Arsenal on the brink
ED Woodward has sensationally quit Manchester United amid the Super League crisis.
Sun Sport understands the Man Utd bigwig quit the club on Monday BEFORE Chelsea and Manchester City pulled out of the hated competition, with Arsenal set to follow.
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The news is a stunning blow to the football clubs Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham – the three British clubs left in the Super League.
The severity of the backlash has rocked United’s Executive Vice-Chairman and he has decided to step aside after a 16-year association with the club.
It is believed he may have walked out of his job on a point of principle. If so he will be the most significant footballing figure to take a stand against the hated Super League.
The bombshell news came as Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all sensationally pulled out, leaving Liverpool, Tottenham and Woodward’s club Manchester United, as the only British clubs still involved.
Boris Johnson tonight hailed the clubs’ decision as “absolutely the right one,” writing on Twitter: “I hope the other clubs involved in the European Super League will follow their lead.”
Meanwhile dad-of-two Woodward clearly no longer wants to be targeted by fans who see this as a cash grab for a cartel of clubs.
‘LIARS’
The announcement about the new Super League came on Sunday.
United were convinced the initial backlash would eventually subside and wanted to work with the Premier League to ensure the domestic game would not be affected.
But the response from fans and the remaining 14 clubs in the Premier League who have been left out of the negotiations has clearly had a massive effect and the whole project must now be in jeopardy.
One of the final straws will have come yesterday when UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin referred to Woodward and his fellow rebel club leaders as “snakes” and “liars”.
Woodward previously faced opposition from United fans having advised the Glazers during their unpopular takeover of the club back in 2005.
He was later recruited into the finance and commercial departments before becoming effectively Chief Executive in 2013 when David Gill stepped down.
Prior to Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal pulling out, the original six British clubs were slammed by their Prem rivals, with the League, FA and Government lining up to vow the clubs would simply not be allowed to walk away and join the elite cartel clubs.
And an extra blow to the crumbling project came from Barcelona, who announced they would not join the Super League unless there was a vote of members to approve the move.
President Joan Laporta said: “Barcelona will NOT join the Super League until our socios (fan members) vote for it.
“It’s their club, so it’s their decision.”
The European Super League was announced on Sunday night and met with a furious backlash from fans, players and authorities.
The plans have also been criticised by the likes of Boris Johnson and Prince William.
In total, 12 European teams have announced the setting up of a new franchise league in which they will be free of relegation fears.
Bild claimed there could be as many as three Premier League clubs getting cold feet and that if they break ranks it will bring the whole idea crashing down before it even gets going.
The remaining 14 top-flight clubs met today to discuss how to fight back against the proposals and how they will challenge the six rebels.
A Premier League statement said: “The Premier League, alongside The FA, met with clubs today to discuss the immediate implications of the Super League proposal.
“The 14 clubs at the meeting unanimously and vigorously rejected the plans for the competition.
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“The Premier League is considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those Shareholders involved to account under its rules.
“The League will continue to work with key stakeholders including fan groups, Government, Uefa, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA to protect the best interests of the game and call on those clubs involved in the proposed competition to cease their involvement immediately.
“The Premier League would like to thank fans and all stakeholders for the support they have shown this week on this significant issue. The reaction proves just how much our open pyramid and football community means to people.”