Edwards to quit as United chairman

Martin Edwards is to quit as chairman of Manchester United at the end of the season. The end of his 22-year reign on the board was announced

Edwards has also resigned as a non-executive director of United plc. A former chief executive of the Old Trafford club, he steps down with immediate effect.

Edwards decided to take this action just five days after a Sunday newspaper made allegations about his private life - the latest in a series of lurid tales.

The son of former chairman Louis Edwards, he joined the United board in 1970 and succeeded his father 10 years later.

Edwards came close to selling the club to Michael Knighton for €15.65m in 1989 but oversaw the transition to a plc, before nearly selling again, this time to BSkyB for €975m - a deal blocked by the Office of Fair Trading.

Married with two children, he stepped down as chief executive in August 2000, paving the way for Peter Kenyon to take over. Edwards had sold some of his shares in the club in recent months.