January 31st marked the last day of a transfer window which saw multiple players whose careers had stalled at Manchester United leaving on loan to try and regain form and zero incoming signings despite glaring issues within the squad.
Coincidentally it also marked the last day of Ed Woodward's tenure at the club's helm, who was responsible for many issues previously mentioned.
Woodward has been the face of United since Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill departed in 2013, the one constant throughout an era that has seen disappointment after disappointment in the transfer market, behind the scenes and on the field.
His close relationship with the Glazer Family and his role in helping them purchase the club was never a great starting point in the fans' eyes. Still, his mistakes throughout his tenure have also set him apart as a figure that the fanbase has grown to hold disdain for.
The image of Woodward in the stands of Old Trafford became a standard sight throughout United's struggles, as his failures in decision making and recruitment led to further problems on the pitch.
A succession of managers with different ideas and playing styles, who then all wanted different players, was just the tip of the iceberg. Players were consistently sold at a loss, and those who remained never truly reached their potential, regularly sitting slightly below.
A club managed by Ferguson for over two decades saw a massive void open up when the legendary Scottish manager retired. It's an unenviable job to follow up the era of the most successful manager of all time, but it was the job that Woodward was tasked with.
However, instead of moving to start a rebuild, Woodward looked to try and carry on as usual to begin with, before panicking and trying to solve it over short periods with managers like Jose Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
This created an apparent disconnect with the fanbase, and it was only amplified by the announcement that the club would be joining a European Super League, which was met by protests and strong opposition.
The plan was stopped, and as the face of it for United, Woodward offered himself as the sacrificial lamb, announcing that he would be leaving the club at the end of 2021. This was later extended to February 1st, but now the day has come, and his reign is over.
However, did Woodward go out in a blaze of glory? No, he went out exactly as you'd expect, scared of leaving any more mistakes at a club where he had already set his reputation with the fans on fire and making no serious decisions.
But what we have learnt from the disastrous tenure is that things need to change. Woodward was never 'a football guy', he should have never been the one making the decisions about the running on the club on and around the pitch, and his successes only highlight his failures.
Under Woodward, despite their failings on the field, United remained a financial superpower as he brokered multiple sponsorship deals and brought new revenue streams to the club. This is where Richard Arnold seems to have learnt from his mentor's errors.
If Woodward had focused on the business side of the operation, he would have likely been seen as a success at United, or more importantly, never really known. Just think how many Executive Vice-Chairman of other football clubs you can name off the top of your head, and if you can, whether it's because their fans like them, it is telling of the issue.
But Arnold seems more likely to rely on John Murtough and Ralf Rangnick in a consultancy role to guide the football-based decision-making in this new era of United, while he works in the background to carry on Woodward's successful work.
The rest of this season will still be affected by Woodward's decisions in the January window. Still, hopefully, from now on, the club will look to rebuild and change its outlook so United can finally start moving towards getting back to the top once again.
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