Gary Neville gets new Man Utd job just days after Sir Alex Ferguson axe

Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorial contract at Manchester United has come to an end, with Gary Neville one of several former players who represent the club in a similar capacity

Gary Neville, the ex-Manchester United skipper, has been representing the club on a freelance basis, hot on the heels of the revelation that Sir Alex Ferguson's lucrative full-time ambassadorial role is drawing to a close. Ferguson, who led United to an unprecedented Treble, has enjoyed a multi-million-pound annual contract in recognition of his achievements.

However, with new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the helm and implementing various cost-cutting strategies, one of the latest moves has been to terminate this costly agreement.

United legends have various ambassadorial ties, each with unique duties. Neville, now involved with the club's stadium taskforce as Ratcliffe explores options for creating a 'Wembley of the North', recently took up the mantle in India.

The 49 year old was a guest speaker at the Minerva academy in Mohali, travelling there as part of Apollo Tyres' premier grassroots football initiative. He participated in the 'United We Play' programme, which Apollo Tyres claims is aimed "to enable our next-generation players to reach their optimum performance by unlocking their potential".

The ever-busy Neville was spotted delivering a talk in India recently, operating independently as reported by The Sun. His busy schedule sees the ex-England star frequently on TV screens both in the UK and across the pond, with a recent snap capturing him in action, United emblems prominent in the backdrop, reports the Mirror.

Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson, the architect of Manchester United's Premier League dominance, found himself observing from a distance. After it emerged that his ambassadorial engagement with United had concluded, he chose to take in some Scottish Premiership football instead, witnessing Aberdeen's spirited comeback to draw 2-2 at Celtic Park.

Rumours have also surfaced hinting that Sir Alex has faced a dressing room ban from his old club. Despite his absence, fans at Old Trafford demonstrated their appreciation for the octogenarian during Saturday's match proceedings.

In related news, current gaffer Erik ten Hag offered his insights following United's turnaround against Brentford: "We defend very well as a team, we have four clean sheets in the Premier League and it shows the organisation is very good," he commented post-match. "We've created lots of chances, coming into the right spots, but the conversion was not of the level we can expect. Today, we did everything right and you see we have players who can finish high-quality chances.

"In the second half, there were slight changes, we fill the pockets and have better intensity for the counter-press. Also, the first half wasn't bad, and we had some good moments, and some good chances, but didn't score. In the second half, we scored and everyone is happy."