Gill's first task at United is 'getting close' to Ferguson

With their financial Merlin gone to arguably their greatest rivals, it would be too tempting to see David Gill, Peter Kenyon's replacement as Manchester United's chief executive, as some kind of amateur magician reliant on cheap tricks.

Although his first day in a post he was "shocked" to receive did not pass smoothly, with United's share price sliding four per cent on news of Kenyon's departure to Chelsea, Gill is hardly lightweight and at 6ft 6in, he has not been an insignificant presence as the club's managing director. He admitted yesterday that his chief task would be to forge the kind of relationship Kenyon enjoyed with the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

It should not be difficult. Like Kenyon, Gill is a gregarious man, quite happy joining in with the Manchester press corps for a game of football, as he did on the recent tour of the United States. And, like his predecessor, he is a long-time supporter of the club.

"Getting close to Sir Alex will be my first task," he admitted yesterday. "I know him well but he wasn't dealing directly with me in the past." His relationship will be fine if he supports Ferguson in his continual quest to extract money from Manchester United's board.

Whether for Ferguson's own salary, which until the past few years did not reflect his achievements at Old Trafford, or for player transfers, United had a reputation for parsimony under Martin Edwards. By the time his joint role as chairman and chief executive came to an end three years ago, Edwards and Ferguson detested one another. Not only did Kenyon successfully back Ferguson's decision to cancel his retirement last year, he ensured the manager would receive a much-improved new contract.

Kenyon's appointment as chief executive also coincided with the most lavish spending in Manchester United's history. Three times they broke the British transfer record to land Ruud van Nistelrooy, Juan Sebastian Veron and Rio Ferdinand for £78m. It is, however, significant that this summer they failed to stump up the extra £2m that would have secured Ronaldinho, Ferguson's only major target, from Paris St-Germain.

The City appeared unimpressed with the way United handled the transition. Tom Cannon, of the Kingston Business School, said: "Peter Kenyon knows all the Manchester United secrets. Chelsea have bought not only a very talented manager but someone who has been on the inside of their greatest rival. It's like someone going from Coca-Cola to Pepsi. United are not looking as if they have managed the crisis well. Frankly, they did not do a good job last night and that's why they are having all these troubles with the Stock Exchange, who are not happy."

Gill also succeeded Kenyon as deputy chairman of the G14 group of leading clubs - Chelsea are not members of G14 so Kenyon's departure from United meant that he also had to relinquish his position there. Gill played down the damage done by Kenyon's defection, saying it did not represent "a power switch".

He added: "We've still got the best manager in football, one of the best teams in Europe and the players will just have to get on with it. We've got great fans in this country and around the world and that's what separates us from our rivals."

Maintaining Manchester United's position as a brand leader in world football is a sight easier than the job Kenyon has accepted of transforming Chelsea, a club which has not won its own domestic championship for 48 years, into a global marketing force.

Gill travelled with Kenyon during the long, ultimately fruitless pursuit of Ronaldinho and laid the foundations for United's proposed tour of the Far East in 2005, which will be an interesting marketing affair without David Beckham to guarantee ticket sales and hysteria.