After a dismal campaign, the Manchester United football club in England decided to cancel its annual end-of-season awards banquet.
The club stated they don’t want to cause any distractions before the forthcoming FA Cup final against Manchester City, per a story by The Athletic.
At the end of the season, the team traditionally throws a banquet at its stadium, Old Trafford, to bestow honors, such as the Sir Matt Busby player of the year award, and to honor new talent that has made it through the ranks.
The men’s and women’s first teams, as well as academy players, coaches, club employees, supporters, and sponsors, attend the award dinner.
Nevertheless, United’s season has been incredibly disappointing, and manager Erik Ten Hag is now fighting for his job.
Before Christmas, the team was eliminated from the Champions League at the group round. With fourteen losses, they are now ranked ninth in the Premier League standings and are fighting for a spot in the Europa Conference League or Europa League.
The FA Cup final between United and its neighbors, Manchester City, is scheduled for the end of the month. Should United win, it would be their lone victory of the season.
According to the club, this year’s United dinner was initially planned for May 20, the week before the matchup with City on May 25.
However, according to The Athletic, “it has been decided that the players should not have any distractions in the week of the game” after consulting with Ten Hag and the football leadership staff.
“There won’t be an awards dinner, but the players will still receive awards chosen by their teammates, coaches, and supporters.”
