Manchester United says goodbye to Kath Phipps, their receptionist for 55 years. The friendly face that greeted and said goodbye to legendary footballers like David Beckham who today pay him an emotional tribute. At 85 years old, the club has made public the sad news of his death with 454 words that have been just the beginning of a multitude of messages.
She was the heart of Manchester United, everyone knew who Kath was and everyone adored her…
David Beckham
The heart of Manchester United
To understand the love and respect that many of the footballers who have passed through Phipps’ life show him, you only have to look at the messages that have come from many of them. Some words where those of a noticeably affected Beckham stood out: “Forever in our hearts… The first and last face I always saw was Kath sitting in the reception at Old Trafford waiting to give me my tickets for the game”, he put on his Instagram with a photo of him holding the hand of the eternal receptionist.
A legend like Patrice Evra also had his emotional farewell
A figure respected, revered and so loved that even David Beckham himself gave her a place in his own Netflix documentary: “She was the heart of Manchester United, everyone knew who Kath was and everyone adored her…”, he said of the woman who died at 85 years of age before telling what her close relationship was like with the woman who was always there to assist them and help them in their career.
Sir Alex Ferguson was one of the people who shared the most working time with Kath Phipps at Manchester United
“I moved to Manchester when I was 15 and Kath made a promise to my mum and dad: ‘I’ll look after your son for you, don’t worry,’ and from that first day to the last day I spent with her that was exactly what he did,” says Beckham himself, hinting at what Phipps did for him. A message that does not stop there and that assures: “Old Trafford will never be the same without your smile when we cross those doors… We love you,” he concludes.
A life as a Red Devil
Kath Phipps joined Manchester United as the club’s first telephone operator in 1968, during the reign of Sir Matt Busby, and in May 2022, after more than five decades of service as a Red Devil, she was honored with the for Service to Football, with Beckham admitting the “amazing” receptionist “really deserved” the honor for her services to football and United in general.
His contribution went beyond any particular job title
Manchester United statement
A farewell that United itself appreciates in its statement: “We are deeply saddened to announce the death of our dear colleague Kath Phipps at the age of 85,” it begins. A career in which she became a key member of any visitor to Carrington being greeted with the most cheerful of welcomes: “An omnipresent figure at Manchester United from the late 1960s, Kath worked for the club for more 55 years old in a variety of roles, but his contribution went beyond any particular job title.
Wayne Rooney himself was one of the first to say goodbye to Kath Phipps
Some words, gestures and details that are now Manchester United history and for which the multitude of footballers who wore the red jacket coinciding with Kath Phipps will remember forever: “For the regular customers, that greeting extended to warm hugs and friendly chats with as Kath came to embody the family atmosphere that underpinned the club’s culture,” the club’s statement concludes.
