Edwards resigns

Martin Edwards, one of the principal architects of Manchester United's success over the past decade, moved to cut his links with the club on Friday.

The former United plc chief executive resigned as a non-executive director of the board of Manchester United plc with immediate effect.

Edwards, whose reign as chief executive between 1991 and 2000 coincided with the most successful period in the club's history, also signalled his intent to retire from the club's board at the end of the season.

The moves were announced in a short statement to the London Stock Exchange on Friday.

A Manchester United spokesman said they would be making no further comment but the club's official website described the news as a "bombshell announcement".

The 57-year-old's departure ends a long association with the Old Trafford club.

His father Louis Edwards, a former butcher, became club chairman in the 1960s and provided the funds for manager Matt Busby to build a side featuring the likes of George Best and Bobby Charlton that won the 1968 European Cup.

During that period the Old Trafford stadium was also significantly redeveloped and Martin Edwards joined the board in 1970.

A relatively unsuccessful decade followed, including the club's relegation to division two in 1974. In 1980 Martin Edwards became club chairman following the death of his father.

He set about reversing the decline in attendances, appointing charismatic Ron Atkinson as manager.

But it was the appointment of former Aberdeen boss Alex Ferguson as manager in 1986 that signalled the start of a period of unprecedented success on and off the field.

Edwards became chief executive of United's plc in 1991, a post he held until August 2000 when he was replaced by Peter Kenyon, the current chief executive.

Under Ferguson in that period United won a host of trophies, including seven league titles and the 1999 Champions league, and established themselves as the world's richest soccer club.