PADDY'S REPLACEMENT ANNOUNCED

Last updated : 16 December 2003 By Editor
United have appointed Philip Townsend as their new director
of communications.

Townsend is currently press secretary to the Minister for
Sport, Richard Caborn, and head of sports communications at
the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

David Gill said: "We are delighted to have secured Phil's
services. His experience of working in a high-profile
Government department and handling major sports issues and
stories with the domestic and international media means he
is ideally suited to join us as director of communications."

Townsend is 34, was born in Oldham and claims to be a
lifelong United supporter. But then so did Peter Kenyon. The
difference being that Townsend is thought to be genuine.