After watching the Greater Manchester club gradually climb the ranks of English football, as well as playing a key role in the 2014 takeover and day-to-day operations ever since, Salford City Chair Karen Baird is leaving the club after more than a decade of service.
For 10 years Baird has played an integral role in bringing stability to the club, securing four consecutive promotions and getting them back into the EFL in 2019, all whilst running her own business which she is now set to leave Salford for to focus on solely.
Writing in a heartfelt statement, the club said: “It is with great sadness but huge gratitude that we see Karen stepping down as Chairman of Salford City Football Club at the end of the season.
“Karen has worked tirelessly for over 10 years whilst also running her own business, Champion. She has been incredible and her passion, dedication, loyalty and love for Salford City could be seen in everything she did; it was never just a job.
It is with sadness and huge gratitude that we announce Karen Baird is to step down as Chairman.
Karen’s commitment, passion and love for the Club has been integral in our history over the last decade, and we cannot thank her enough for her incredible service 🦁
Salford are yet to announce who will be taking over as Chair.
They also went on to acknowledge that “her role became increasingly demanding but her ability to adapt swiftly to the changes was outstanding”, adding that they “cannot thank Karen enough for all her hard work, and wish her the very best in the future.”
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They described her time at the club as nothing short of over “a decade of progress and commitment”. Speaking in an equally emotional goodbye of her own, Karen said that “after an amazing 10 years… it feels the right time for me to step down.
“Since 2013, when I took the reins as Chairman, we have had an unbelievable journey starting with the takeover in 2014 by the Class of ’92, when we were in tier four of non-league, to the quick succession of three promotions in four years with Bernard and Jonno at the helm. The dream of an FA Cup run in 2015-16 was so exciting, and is probably still my favourite memory!…
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“I would like to thank all the fans, committee, owners, football and non-football staff, managers, and all the players who have helped our journey over the last 10 years, and my biggest thanks goes to Gary [Neville] who believed in me to undertake this journey with him.”
As for the Class of ’92 themselves — Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Phil Neville and recently installed CEO, Nicky Butt, who replaced Gary Neville after he stepped down back in November — they were full of gratitude and recognition for their long-term partner.
“Karen has been an inspiring figure at the Club for many years and an outstanding leader both on the football and business side, and we really could not have done it without her.
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“She worked committedly for the Club and in the early years, much of that was voluntary, highlighting just how much the Club meant to her. We would all like to thank her for her dedication and wish her all the best in everything she chooses to do.”
Salford might have just missed out on promotion into League One following their tense playoff defeat to Stockport County last weekend, but they are still miles ahead of where they were 10 years ago and have all the tools needed to keep building — none of which would have been possible without Karen Baird.
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
24th May 2023 
