A podcaster has apologised after comparing Ed Woodward’s tenure at Manchester United to the Munich Air Disaster, in which eight players died.
The 1958 plane crash killed 23 people as the Manchester United team, staff, supporters and journalists attempted to leave Germany after a European Cup match in Yugoslavia.
Woodward spent 10 years as executive vice-chairman of the club before being succeeded by Richard Arnold in February of this year. The 50-year-old was a close ally of the Glazer family, having advised the owners during their 2005 takeover at Old Trafford, and largely unpopular with fans of the club.
Stephen Howson, a presenter and Manchester United fan, suggested in comments made on the Paddock Podcast that Woodward’s time in charge set the club back further than the “Busby Babes” tragedy.
Howson said: “I think where United are at the moment, f**k it I’m gonna say it on camera. I think Woodward was worse for us than Munich.
“Obviously I’m not comparing people passing away, but I’m saying 10 years post-Munich we was European champions. Ten years of Woodward, we’re in the s**t.
“I’m absolutely not taking anything away from the people who have lost their lives in Munich, but in terms of something that’s f*****g happened, Woodward has been f*****g worse for the football club and where we’ve progressed in that time.”
Snippets of Howson’s claim were widely shared on social media, with the presenter, who has worked with Rio Ferdinand on the former Manchester United defender’s Vibe with Five show, apologising and suggesting he should have better conveyed what he meant.
Sharing the clip from the podcast episode, Howson tweeted: “I definitely should have worded this better & apologise for any offence I’ve caused.
“Please watch the full context below, I hope people can see what I was trying to say.
“I’m a fan who loves our football club, not a trained presenter so I may f**k up sometimes.”
