Manchester United have apologised after inviting former coach of its women’s team, Geoff Konopka, a convicted paedophile, at Old Trafford.
Konopka was invited by the club as a special guest at a female fixture last year.
He was in charge of Manchester United Ladies between 1983 and 2001.
In 2011, however, Konopka was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of 19 offences of indecent assault and gross indecency against girls aged under 16 and 14.
Consequently, Konopka was also put on the sex offenders’ register for a decade.
The club invited him to Old Trafford as a guest to celebrate his role in women’s football and helping grow the game.
Manchester United cut ties
Manchester United commemorated him by featuring him in a display at Old Trafford Museum. The club now says they were unaware of Konopka’s vices.
In March 2022, Konopka was invited to United’s Women’s Super League game against Everton at Old Trafford.
United have said they will now cut ties with Konopka. Several former players from Man United Ladies have demanded an apology from the club.
