UNITED MAKE COST-CUTTING MEASURES

Red Devils in food fight

HARGREAVES: Return date pencilled in

By Neil Ashton, 24/10/2009

MANCHESTER UNITED are taking away training ground privileges for their staff as part of a series of sweeping cost-cutting measures.

Free toast, porridge, tea, coffee, fruit juices and even Ribena will no longer be available to "non-essential" staff at Carrington. Sir Alex Ferguson has approved the changes, which will affect many of the 120 staff who work there.

Only "core staff" such as players, coaches and senior officials will be able to take advantage of the free food first thing in the morning.

"Non-essential" staff are being told to eat breakfast before they arrive at the club's training facility on the outskirts of Manchester.

The budget savings have also been endorsed by chief executive David Gill and chief operating officer Michael Bolingbroke.

In cheerier news for United, it appears Owen Hargreaves is just six weeks away from making his long awaited comeback.

The England international is pencilled in for the Champions League tie away to Wolfsburg on December 8.

Ferguson said: "He's coming along fine and he's pleased with his own progress, which is a good indication. The Wolfsburg game would be a nice time to bring him back.

"It would be good to have him come in on a European night, but it may depend on whether we need anything from the game."

Your comments

This article has 4 comments

what's happeinig at OT concerning rationing of food is scaring

By ignatius.. Posted October 26 2009 at 11:26 AM.

This will just be a minor part of a big list to save money and the papers have published only about the food and drinks maybe to embaress united and fergie.

By col.. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:41 PM.

Bunch of tight-wads!

When they can afford to pay individual players over £100k a week, who do they think they're kidding by saying their stopping free toast and porridge for the ground staff is going to make any financial difference to the club?

If they honestly need to save such a small amount of money, then they have serious problems there...

By John.. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:38 AM.

If you need to save money why have you been paying Owen Hargreaves for over a year and he does absolutely nothing. Gat shot of that crock and you'll save money of and through Foster in.

By Mairead McGroggan.. Posted October 25 2009 at 12:03 AM.

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