Ex-Man Utd chief executive takes new job

Former Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold has taken his first job since stepping down in November 2023, leaving the world of football altogether.

Arnold, who replaced Ed Woodward as the man in charge of United’s day to day business in February 2022, has now joined Norton Motorcycles in a senior role with a focus on commercial operations.

"I am looking forward to using my experience to assist Norton in maximising the opportunities ahead," the 53-year-old said of his move to the British brand first established in 1898.

Arnold spent a total of 16 years at Old Trafford. First meeting Woodward when the pair were students at the University of Bristol in the early 1990s, he joined United in 2007 after nearly 15 years as a senior manager in several big businesses.

The trained accountant was initially group commercial director and later took control of the club's business operations in 2013 as group managing director. It was in the latter role he is crediting with overseeing a various major sponsorships and partnerships with the likes of adidas and Chevrolet.

Arnold took over as chief executive at a turbulent time for United and famously met with a group of fans at his local pub in June 2022 after they had originally intended to protest outside his house.

His strength was ultimately on the commercial side and he preferred to delegate to others he considered having greater knowledge when it came to football operations. But his overall handling of the Mason Greenwood case last summer, when United had intended to reintegrate the forward back into the squad until a huge backlash, was heavily criticised.

Arnold left his position at United around a year after the Glazer family had announced their intention to consider "strategic alternatives", by which time Sir Jim Ratcliffe was close to sealing his partial takeover. Patrick Stewart was tasked with replacing him on an interim basis, with Omar Berrada identified in January as the permanent long-term chief executive.

On gardening leave in his role as chief football operations officer for the City Football Group, of which Manchester City is the flagship club, Berrada is set to begin work on 13 July.

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