Manchester United have reportedly decided to pull the plug on the annual end-of-season awards dinner for the second year running, after another wretched campaign.
United are currently languishing in 16th place in the Premier League table, having suffered 17 losses so far, nine of which have come at home. United are on their joint-worst winless run of seven games following a 2-0 defeat to West Ham on Sunday.
The Red Devils have only accrued 24 points from 25 top-flight games since Ruben Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag in November last year. Against the 16 teams that avoided relegation this season, United have managed just 23 points out of a possible 87. Stripping away results against the three relegated sides, they would find themselves bottom of the Premier League table.
Since 26 January, United have only beaten Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the league.
The 20-time English champions are on track for their worst points tally since their 1930/31 relegation season, when they would have collected 29 points in a 42-game campaign. They’ve also suffered their joint-most losses in a single league campaign at Old Trafford, along with 1930/31, 1933/34 and 1962/63.
(Stats obtained from the BBC)
The numbers make for very grim reading and it’s no surprise that a decision has been made to do away with the awards dinner.
According to The Times, the club’s “disappointing season” is the primary reason behind this move, even though scheduling matters have also played a part.
After their final game of the season against Villa, United will jet off to Malaysia for the first leg of their seven-day post-season tour of the Far East, which concludes in Hong Kong.
Usually, United host a gala dinner each May in a suite at Old Trafford, where guests pay to attend as players from the men’s, women’s, and youth teams receive awards for their performances throughout the season.
As previously mentioned, United also cancelled their plans last year as the senior men’s team finished eighth in the Premier League under Ten Hag, despite the fact that they ended up winning the FA Cup.
United still have a chance to lift silverware this season, having reached the final of the Europa League, where they will face Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao.
Success in the Spanish city would see United qualify for the Champions League.
The Times add about the decision to scrap the dinner, “There is also a feeling internally that throwing a lavish dinner would not go down well with staff and supporters given the club have embarked on a cost-cutting drive this year, reducing the number of staff in two stages from 1,100 to a prospective number of about 700.”
Meanwhile, Amorim and his players are back in action on Friday when they make their way to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
