Dr McNally stepping down at United

McNally will leave his position as head of football medicine & science at the end of January to become performance support director for PGMOL.

He joined United in 2006 and worked with Sir Alex Ferguson for seven seasons, during which the club won the Champions League, the Club World Cup and five Premier League titles. Following Sir Alex’s retirement, McNally stayed on to work successfully with five further permanent managers, including, most recently, Erik ten Hag.

Under his leadership, the club has been at the forefront of innovation in sports medicine and science, with some of the best capabilities and facilities in elite football.

John Murtough, football director, said: “Steve’s contribution over the past 16 years has been immense and I’d like to thank him, on behalf of everyone at Manchester United, for everything he has done on and off the pitch for our players, colleagues and the wider club.

“Steve was recently presented with the Fabrice Muamba Award for Outstanding Service to Football Medicine & Performance at the North-West Football Awards, which shows how highly he is regarded across the football community.”

McNally said: “Leaving Manchester United after 16 years was a very difficult decision but I feel the time is right to step away from frontline provision at club level and utilise my experience in a new strategic role that will allow me to contribute to another vital aspect of the game.

“Alongside the directors, managers, players, coaches and colleagues from all departments past and present, I am proud to have been a small part of Manchester United’s recent history and thank them all wholeheartedly for their friendship, camaraderie and support.

“I will miss the United family but until I take up my new post, I remain fully focused on helping all our teams build on the first half of this season, in particular, Erik and his staff in preparation for the resumption after the World Cup.”

McNally will be replaced on an interim basis by Dr Jim Moxon while the club searches for a permanent successor. Jim has a strong background in medicine and sports science, working most recently as club doctor for Liverpool. He has started working with Steve from this week to ensure a smooth transition.

“We will continue to benefit from Steve’s legacy through the first-class medical and sports science infrastructure and team he has built over the past 16 years,” said Murtough. “While he will be greatly missed by everyone at Carrington, we wish him the best of luck for this next phase of his distinguished career.”