'It's our job to protect the planet and its people'
Gone are the days where players would wash their own kits at home, as hygiene and cleanliness now live at the forefront of the beautiful game. Such is the impact of the shift, through the partnership with Ecolab, we now have a dedicated hygiene director.
George Olden has been elected to the innovative position by Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention, and is a Red with experience of watching over 200 games in the flesh. Not only does he support the team on the pitch but his work is creating a cleaner and safer environment for the players, fans and employees.
In a world altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, such a role is vital across all of our facilities and he is proud of the work undertaken in getting supporters back into stadiums and ensuring Carrington was effectively shut down and thoroughly sanitised after an outbreak caused two Premier League fixtures to be postponed at the end of 2021.
George mobilised a team of experts in 24 hours to reset the training ground by bio-decontaminating the facilities. "Being there to witness the safe return of fans and the rapid response in decontaminating the training ground in December," he cites as his two proudest moments.
'It's about playing my part'
Meet Manchester United's new hygiene director, George Olden...
"I'm here to bring the scientific expertise of the 45,000 people at Ecolab," he told MUTV's very own Sam Homewood, when answering 66 questions - one for every trophy won in the club's history.
"We are global leaders in water hygiene and infection control and we see it as our job to protect the planet and the people on the planet."
Hence, it is a very worthy and important proposition and one that is evident for all match-going fans, who see over 2,000 hand-hygiene stations pumping out between 250 and 300 litres of hand sanitiser at every Old Trafford fixture. "So there's no excuse to forget," he warns. "My advice to the players? Definitely keep cleaning hands. Hands are responsible for around 80 per cent of transmission of infection."
There are more hi-tech pieces of equipment that come into play too. The electrostatic spray will strike a chord for all "Ghostbusters fans", while a bioquell machine is switched on in the empty dressing rooms to fill them with a vapour that kills all microbes within two hours.
George's passion for the job is matched by his affection for United. He lists his favourite goals as Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick against Portsmouth, Robin van Persie's volley to help clinch the title in the win over Aston Villa and, of course, Wayne Rooney's derby overhead kick.
"I'm playing my part in protecting what everyone loves, which is football, and working in the best sport in the world is a dream for me," he explains.
United's chief operations officer Colette Roche appreciates the need for such dedication to this area. "Public health has become critical to running a football club," she stated. "Health and safety are a priority for Manchester United and our extensive operations team is at the front line to deliver a safer environment. George supports this club effort with Ecolab’s know-how and decades of experience in healthcare settings.”
You might spot George at a home game - he stands out at 6ft 8ins (203cm) tall. "If I'd have been a player, I'd be the joint-tallest player in Premier League history," he laughs.
Costel Pantilimon's record is safe for now as the hygiene director's work is never going to involve kicking the ball around. However, his efforts are helping ensure the safest environment for those who do.
To find out more about George’s role, watch the 66 questions he did with MUTV’s Sam Homewood.