Another victim of Sir Jim Ratcliffe! Man Utd's longest-serving employee axed after 47 years as more jobs are cut by INEOS chief

UEFA and Premier League liaison Marie Marron will no longer have a job at Old Trafford beyond the end of the season, The Times has reported. Since the passing of beloved receptionist Kath Phipps in December, Marron's 47 years with United - since 1978 - has made her the club's longest-serving employee. It is said that she has been informed in a face to face meeting she is "expected to leave" when the campaign finishes and is "devastated" by the news. Marron fulfilled her liaison duties ahead of last week's Europa League meeting with Athletic Club, after being her job is being cut, and will continue to do so for the next few weeks.

Under the leadership of Ractliffe, United have been cutting jobs since last summer in a bid to reduce costs. The first wave brought 250 redundancies, with a second wave of up to 200 being identified and processed now. Overall, The Times report added that the intention is to reduce the workforce to around 700 people, 550 fewer than the 1,250 when the INEOS regime assumed control. Long-serving and loyal staff, as well as the most senior, have not been shielded from the harsh realities that the new co-owner has insisted are necessary to protect the club's financial future.

Speaking to The Times in March, Ratcliffe had warned: "The costs had got out of control. If you think of it in really simple terms, you've got the operating costs, which are all the staff and the fixed costs of running the business. And then you've got all the squad costs, player salaries and player purchases. In super simple terms, the club has been spending more money than it’s been earning now for the last seven years, and it ends in a very difficult place. And for Manchester United, that place ended at the end of this year, the end of 2025, with the club running out of cash."

United are aiming to reduce costs and raise income to steady the finances after a challenging few years. The best and most immediate of bringing more cash in, is to win the Europa League to reaps the lucrative rewards of Champions League qualification. If the Red Devils don't wind up lifting that trophy at the end of this month, there will be no European football at all in 2025-26. They hold a commanding 3-0 semi-final aggregate lead over Athletic Club and could face Tottenham, who lead Bodo/Glimt 3-1, in the final in Bilbao.