Manchester United’s women’s team were not told about the club’s decision to cancel the traditional end of season awards dinner until after it became public.
The Athletic reported on Sunday that United cancelled the event, scheduled for May 20, as they do not want to provide any distractions ahead of the upcoming men’s FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 25.
The club typically holds an end of season dinner at Old Trafford, where they present accolades such as the Sir Matt Busby player of the year award and recognise breakthrough young talent.
The event is attended by players from both the men’s and women’s teams, academy players, coaching staff, club staff, supporters, and sponsors.
However, United’s women’s players only found out about the decision via The Athletic’s report.
A number of individuals in the women’s squad were left frustrated because they were informed of the event at late notice and had therefore changed their pre-arranged holiday flights and bookings, given their season ends this Saturday, to make the dinner only for it to be cancelled.
Manchester United say they regret the manner in which the club’s women’s players first discovered the event had been cancelled.
They maintain the decision was communicated to players on the men’s and women’s teams in exactly the same way.
United, as a club, have had success to celebrate this season and on Sunday the club’s senior women’s team lifted the FA Cup as Marc Skinner’s team defeated Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
Earlier this month, the Manchester United Women’s Academy commemorated their victorious season with a celebratory event, during which player of the year awards were bestowed upon their under-21 and under-16 teams.
In April, the women’s under-21s also clinched the Academy Northern Division title, while the under-16s secured the Women’s Professional Game Academy (WPGA) Cup with a triumphant victory over Arsenal.
The men’s team, meanwhile, have endured a hugely disappointing season, leaving manager Erik ten Hag battling for his future.
Their Champions League journey ended abruptly in the group stage before Christmas. Currently positioned eighth in the Premier League, they’ve suffered defeats in fourteen top flight matches, desperately vying for a shot at qualifying for either the Europa League or Europa Conference League.
Despite the challenges, a glimmer of hope remains as they prepare for a showdown against their local rivals, Manchester City, in the upcoming FA Cup final.
The club initially planned to hold the dinner this year on May 20, coinciding with the week preceding the final against City. However, after consulting with Ten Hag and the football leadership team, it was concluded that the players should remain undistracted during the week of the game.
Despite this adjustment, the players will still receive awards based on votes from their peers, coaches, and fans.
(Stephanie Meek – CameraSport via Getty Images)
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