Sir Alex Ferguson decision explained while Manchester United hero also makes surprise exit

Manchester United have confirmed that Sir Alex Ferguson will step down from his role as club ambassador at the end of the campaign.

United's greatest manager has held the post since retiring from the dugout more than a decade ago but owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has opted to ask the 82-year-old to step down. It is understood the decision is amicable but it remains a big call from the Ineos chief.

That is the major story of the day surrounding United and Here's the latest headlines from Old Trafford as we gear up to a return to Premier League action this weekend with the Reds taking on Brentford.

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Fergie exit

Sir Alex Ferguson will step down as a Manchester United ambassador at the end of the season.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has overseen severe cost-cutting measures since he became a minority investor in February. Two hundred and fifty staff have been made redundant.

Ferguson, who turns 83 in December, assumed an ambassadorial role after he retired as manager in 2013. He earned £2.165million during his first eight months as a United ambassador.

The Scot attended a meeting at Old Trafford last Monday and is understood to have been informed of the decision in person. Time-consuming responsibilities have also been cited behind the end of Ferguson's 12-year ambassadorial stint.

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Butt decision

Nicky Butt has stepped down from his role as Chief Executive Officer at Salford City.

Butt was appointed as CEO at Moor Lane in October 2022, taking over from Gary Neville, but has decided 'he cannot dedicate the time required' to continue in the position.

The 49-year-old said: “Whilst I have enjoyed the day-to-day responsibilities of the Chief Executive role and discovered a huge amount about the challenges an EFL club faces away from the football pitch, I have recently realised how much I miss the coaching and development of players.

"This has increased my desire to get back into that side of the game. Over the past few months, there have been several exciting opportunities put forward to me that have put my focus back on coaching and on the grass. That being said I have always wanted to put Salford first.

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