Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thought Super League was a ‘bad idea’

The Old Trafford giants were among the 12 founding members of the controversial breakaway competition announced late on Sunday evening – plans that swiftly and spectacularly unravelled.

United co-chairman and Super League vice-chairman Joel Glazer admitted “we got it wrong” after embarrassingly withdrawing from the competition on Tuesday evening along with the five other Premier League clubs involved.

Widespread and understandable anger remains, with a group of fans taking their protests to the training ground on Thursday and wider action planned in an attempt to change the ownership structure at Old Trafford.

United boss Solskjaer, speaking for the first time since the Super League was unveiled, said: “I’m very happy that the fans have voiced their opinion and that we’ve listened to them.

“In a strange sort of way it’s brought the football pyramid or community together and I think that’s important and I’m very happy… I’m a supporter myself, and there’ll be a day that I’ll come back and watch Man United and I want to watch a team even with a fear of failure.

“That’s what I thought about it. I didn’t like the concept anyway because it has to be on sporting merit. I want to earn the right to play in Europe.

“We know that we have been pioneers and we’ve been in Europe for many, many years and we were with the Busby Babes.

“That’s one part of it, that we want to be part of a successful European campaign again.

“One of my best nights was something we worked really hard towards.

“To get to that, that fear of failure – you can’t just be given it because your name is such and such. You have to earn the right to be there.”

Solskjaer attempted to move on to Sunday’s match against old foes Leeds but questions about it continued to punctuate the press conference.

With Ed Woodward resigning as executive vice-chairman amid the chaos – a post he will leave by the end of the year - Solskjaer was asked if he had also considered his future, said: “Football is emotions and emotions run high in football.

“I’ve had a very, very good working relationship with Ed. The club will have to move on without him and I’m sure Man United will always move on.

“I’ll work as long as Man United want me to work here and hopefully we can end this season successfully and Ed is part of that.”