Murtough lasted three years as director but was on borrowed time IM

ED Woodward resurfaced on Tuesday with the announcement he is now a trustee for the Bloomsbury Football Foundation.

- SAMUEL LUCKHURST

The only interview access offered was with the foundation's chief executive.

Woodward continues to keep his counsel on his eight-and-a-half fraught years as executive vicechairman at United. It will make for a riveting read whenever his memoirs are published.

John Murtough was one of the last scions of the Woodward era at United. He joined the club in December 2013, jointly ran the academy in 2015, quietly gained the title of head of football development in 2016, recruited players for the women's team in 2018 and assumed the inaugural football director role in 2021.

Murtough greeted Jose Mourinho on his first day at Carrington and picked up Alexis Sanchez from Manchester Airport. When Mourinho was informed Murtough had been named United's football director, he had no recollection of him.

Murtough's experience across all three teams men's, women's and academy was privately trumpeted by Woodward, who billed him as a 'fixer' United are still broken. Murtough lasted three years as football director but had been on borrowed time for several months before he left on Tuesday.

The scrutiny started to take its toll.

Murtough was as amiable as he was approachable and harnessed a communicative culture with us dedicated correspondents until it emerged Ineos planned to replace him.

There were at least three occasions when one would have expected Murtough to stop for a quick 'hello' or a chat only for him to blank us. It happened after the FA Cup win at Newport County in January, at the Munich memorial service in February and again on Sunday.