The Manchester Evening News is set to become the latest regional daily to adopt Trinity Mirror’s radical plan for a digital-first newsroom.

A number of new roles are being advertised at the flagship title as part of its move to the ‘Newsroom 3.1′ blueprint

They include the post of Manchester United editor, with responsibility for overseeing and generating content about the club across all platforms.

A similar role is likely to be created to cover Manchester City although this has yet to go live.

The move to Newsroom 3.1 is already udner way in Trinity’s Newcastle and Cardiff centres and was announced to staff in Manchester yesterday.

It envisages a “digital-first” approach throughout the newsroom with web content then reverse-published into the following day’s print edition.

The company is promising greater emphasis on “behind the headlines” coverage as well as more in-depth coverage of both United and City.

It said content creators and managers have already been freed to focus their time and expertise on creating compelling digital content around key content areas.

Editor in chief Rob Irvine said: “These changes will ensure the MEN remains at the leading edge of digital journalism.

“The answer to the question ‘what do readers want’ changes at an extraordinary pace. Take for example the impact on people’s reading habits of the huge number of tablets received as gifts last Christmas.

“We need to keep moving forward and adapting to the ever-changing needs and interests of our readers whether they are consuming our news in print or on desktop, mobile, tablet and apps.”

The MEN website is now the biggest regional news website in the country and was named regional news website of the year by the Society of Editors.

The newspaper has confirmed that the position of its current Manchester United writer Stuart Mathieson is unaffected by the decision to create a new role of Manchester United Editor.

“The position of chief Man Utd writer remains vital to the Manchester Evening News brand,” said a spokesman.

Stuart has been responsible for covering Manchester United for the paper since 1995.

He has reported on two Champions League final wins, four European Cup finals, 10 Premier League title wins, three FA Cup finals and three League Cup wins.