Manchester United have once again found themselves under fire and have been forced to apologise after reportedly inviting convicted paedophile, Geoff Konopka, along to a game as a ‘special guest’.
The former Man United Women’s manager was part of the club from 1983 to 2001 but went on to be sentenced to four years in prison back in 2011 after being found guilty on 19 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency against girls aged under 16 and 14.
Konopka was subsequently put on the sex offenders’ register for a decade but according to a report by The Times, just a couple of years after his stint on the register ended, the 79-year-old was invited along to a Women’s Super League fixture at Old Trafford in March last season and as a ‘special guest’, no less.
The game against Everton is just one of a handful of women’s fixtures that have been played at United’s home ground since the team was restarted in 2018 and was attended by thousands of women and young girls. People have been understandably sickened to learn of the news.
This is horrendous, Manchester United made convicted paedophile Geoff Konopka 'guest of honour' at Old Trafford + celebrated his career despite him being banned from the game: Club 'were unaware ex-women's coach got four years for offences against girls'https://t.co/90YniCP9bO
United insist they were unaware their ‘guest of honour’ was a convicted paedophile.
As the piece goes on to explain, despite Konopka still having an “active suspension” under the FA‘s safeguarding system, which bans him from working or coaching with any team, the club has continued to commemorate his career and featured him in a display at the Old Trafford museum.
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In fact, even this past July, the disgraced coach was used in promotional material published on the club’s website to shine a light on the women’s team and their journey to the modern-day WSL.
Speaking to several former players from the previous United women’s squads who first alerted the club to Konopka’s convictions, the outlet learned that several emails were written to safeguarding co-ordinators, expressing their “shock” and “disgust” at seeing him not only immortalised by the club but invited back along to games in such a casual fashion.
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All this comes as the club has already spent the last few months in hot water following the Mason Greenwood controversy and, more recently, the ongoing allegations against another winger after 23-year-old Antony has been accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend on multiple occasions.
The former female players demanded a public apology from the club for presenting Konopka as the “hero” behind their sporting achievements, insisting that former victims and members have had “their moments tainted by this disgusting human”.
Multiple sources also disputed United’s portrayal of how well the women’s squad were treated, going so far as to describe it as a “misogynistic” and “woman-hating club” that refused to even provide them with footballs to train with or proper kits during many matches in the 1980s and 90s.
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A former defender said in one of the emails following ‘Konopka’s Reds’ being featured on the club site: “The women’s game is ever evolving and there are a lot of vulnerable girls wanting to pursue their dreams who will be reading and looking at your website and possibly looking at him as a role model. I am sickened and disgusted to see this vile man online.”
Issuing a response to the disturbing revelation, Manchester United said that they were “unaware” of his convictions and expressed their “heartfelt sympathy to the victims and all those affected by these abhorrent crimes”, confirming that they will now have “no further connection” with the individual and have contacted legal and footballing authorities “as a matter of urgency”.
Pep Guardiola delivers gutting news as Man City are hit with Erling Haaland injury blow
Danny Jones
Pep Guardiola has passed on some gutting fitness news for Manchester City fans as star striker Erling Haaland is confirmed to be injured for several weeks and could even miss the rest of the Premier League season.
The title might be out of reach this year, and the Champions League knockout against Real Madrid was definitely hard for Blues to take, but with Man City into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, there’s still a very strong chance they could end 2024/25 with a piece of silverware.
However, they’ll have to make it through another two massive rounds at Wembley and seemingly the remainder of the season without Haaland and his goals, as the Catalan coach revealed that the club expects him to be out injured for “six to seven weeks.”
Not exactly how City fans would have wanted to see the rest of an already frustrating season play out.
🗣️ "We don't have another player with his skills."
Relaying diagnosis from the medical team, Pep said the hope is that the big Norwegian number nine could be back for the very tail end of the campaign, but at the very least, he “will be ready for the [FIFA Club] World Cup.”
He went on to add that “these kinds of things happen” and that he feels “sorry” for all of the other injuries that have befell his squad up till now, adding that they can only hope for a speedy recovery and for him to return as soon as possible.
The 24-year-old hasn’t had too many big injury problems in his career thus far, although his longest spell on the sidelines did come at the end of 2023 when a stress fracture kept him out until the new year.
This time around, Haaland suffered an injury to his ankle during the City’s FA Cup win over Bournemouth on Sunday following a challenge from defensive midfielder Lewis Cook.
He was forced in the second half and was seen leaving the Vitality Stadium on crutches after the game.
Erling Haaland seen leaving Bournemouth in a protective boot and crutches. 🤕
Having led the golden boot race for a good chunk of the season – as he’s become accustomed too since he arrived in England – City‘s sub-optimal season has seen him slink into second behind high-flying Mo Salah on 27, but he still has a couple dozen goals and a trio of assists to show for it.
Speaking of Salah, the soon-to-leave ‘Egyptian King’ has been the talisman for Liverpool this season, and his contributions could see them lift the trophy in Arne Slot’s first season as early as 13 April, depending on how fellow title rivals Arsenal fare in their next two matches.
As for how City round out their domestic campaign, reclaiming the FA Cup after last year’s derby disappointment looks like the main goal.
You can watch Pep Guardiola’s press conference ahead of the game against Leicester City at 19:45pm tomorrow (Wednesday, 2 April) in full HERE.
Masters Football isn’t just back – it’s coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
The much-loved Masters Football format made its glorious comeback in 2022, and since then, it’s been steadily rebuilding an audience of passionate fans, plenty of whom you’ll find here in the sporting city of Manchester – so it’s a good job the national tournament is heading our way.
That’s right, the official English Masters Football competition is coming to 0161 later this year and will be bringing a host of legendary North West talent from years gone by to take part.
Although the full squads and their team captains have yet to be announced, former professionals from Manchester United, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, and more will be lacing back up their boots.
Manchester Masters Football 2025 lands at the equally iconic AO Arena this September.
Credit: Publicity Pictures (supplied)
For anyone unfamiliar with Masters Football, which developed a die-hard following when it first ran between 2000 and 2011, is shorter, indoor-only six-a-side footy tournament similar to futsal.
Each team will feature eight retired players, and the games unfold in a round-robin format, with each match consisting of two eight-minute halves, meaning that both sides have a little over a quarter of an hour to score enough to make it past the other.
In addition to the quicker matches, they will battle it out on a 60m x 30m pitch – the same size of an international ice hockey rink – and whoever makes it through with the highest points will battle it out in a grand final to claim the Manchester Masters title.
As you can see, players set to star this year include ex-United and City defenders Wes Brown and Joleon Lescott, as well as Liverpool and Everton strikers Djibril Cisse and Yakubu Ayegbeni.
You can see some of the best moments from the year it officially returned to the UK down below:
The Manchester edition of the 2025 English Masters Football Tournament Series arrives at the AO Arena on Friday, 5 September.
Doors will open to the venue from 6pm, with the first match kicking off at 7pm, so you better have drinks and snacks in time for bums to hit seats.
As for tickets, there’ll be two chances at early access, first for Three+ mobile members at 10am on Wednesday, 2 April and then via the venue’s presale window at the same time the following day. General admission tickets will be made available, also from 10am, the following Saturday, 5 April.
Danny Jones -
7th September 2023 
