Man Utd ‘axe longest-serving worker after 47 years' service' as part of 550 job losses in Ratcliffe's cost-cutting blitz
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MANCHESTER UNITED have axed their longest-serving worker after 47 years as part of the latest wave of job losses at the club, according to reports.
The club announced in February that up to 200 MORE jobs would be lost as part of a further cost-cutting initiative started last summer, which saw 250 staff made redundant.
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Man Utd are set to sack their longest-serving staff member
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It comes as part of the latest wave of job cuts announced in February
Credit: PA
A statement at the time said the cuts were to help "transform" the "corporate structure as part of a series of additional measures to improve the club's financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency."
However, the decision to make the club's longest-serving employee, Marie Marron, redundant has left staff "shaken" at Old Trafford and Carrington.
According to The Times, Marron was told in a face-to-face meeting that a decision had been made to relieve her of her duties at the end of the season.
It is a decision which is said to have left her "devastated", having worked for Man Utd since 1978.
But she travelled ahead of the team, as she always has done, for their Europa League semi-final clash against Athletic Bilbao in Spain, which Ruben Amorim's side won 3-0.
Marron originally started out as the personal assistant to the club secretary at the time, Ken Merrett.
She eventually became a key figure with first-team logistics, acting as the club liaison to Uefa, the Premier League, the FA and opposing teams before matches.
Marron was also the chief co-ordinator for United's historic Treble in 1999 and was one of five staff specially honoured by club sponsors in 2013 for "exceptional dedication and commitment" to the team.
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However, sources are said to have told the Daily Mail that the decision is provisional and the start of a process.
Marron's long service to the club is only eclipsed by much-loved receptionist, Kath Phipps, who worked at the club for over 55 years before passing away in December.
Ruben Amorim blames results on the pitch for Sir Jim Ratcliffe's brutal Man Utd cuts
Other long-serving staff members to be given the boot as part of the brutal cuts include club writer and best-selling author, Wayne Barton, and former comms officer John Allen - SunSport revealed how club captain Bruno Fernandes took Allen out for a meal last month.
An annual payment of £2million to legendary former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was also among the cuts made by the club.
Ineos chairman and minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, claimed Man Utd would be facing bankruptcy without the cuts, which have also stretched to stripping back staff perks and canteen lunches.
A fresh report from France earlier this week claims the British billionaire is willing to listen to offers for Ligue 1 outfit Nice, with Suadi Arabia's Public Investment Fund - who also own Newcastle - "seriously considering" an offer.
SunSport understands that any potential cash raised from a sale of Nice would fall well short of that needed to fund a full Ineos takeover of Man Utd.
The petrochemicals company now owns 28.94 per cent of the club after an injection of £79.3m last year, with the much-maligned Glazer family still owning the majority of the shares.
With the team on the pitch bringing in the worst season in the club's Premier League history, United are facing a £100m blackhole if they fail to win the Europa League in Bilbao on May 21.
Winning the competition will be worth £50m on its own through Champions League qualification and £25m in gate receipts for four home games in the league phase of the competition.
There is also an additional £30m in bonus and prize money if they can reach the last 16, and a £10m bonus they will receive from kit sponsors, Adidas, which is taken away if they do not qualify for Europe's premier competition.
Their likely opponents for the final currently look set to be Tottenham, who have a 3-1 advantage following a home win over Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt.
The second legs of the Europa League clashes take place next Thursday, with Spurs travelling to Bodo's artificial pitch at the Aspmyra Stadion and United taking on Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford.
Fans have already been drawing up travel plans, but it will cost a small fortune for both accommodation and travel following a huge surge in demand and prices.
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