Remove Network Manager panel icon in Mate 1.24.1 Desktop

[jeremy ardley]

I've recent had to do a fresh GUI install of Debian GNU/Linux 11 
(bullseye) and I enabled Mate 1.24.1

I let the install run with the default Network Manager installation but 
very rapidly ran into the usual litany of bugs in making minor tweaks to 
the network (it is not a good sign if the general advice is to reboot 
your system if you have Network Manger problems).

I disabled Network Manager service and masked it using systemctl. Then I 
installed and configured systemd-networkd as a service and got the 
expected flawless and predictable operation of my network.

My only problem now is the annoying NetworkManager icon in the Mate 
panel. I want to remove it and I have gone through various advice pages 
but nothing seems to work. The NetworkManager icon seems permanently 
wedged into the panel.

Is there any straight forward way to remove the NetworkManager icon? 
Perhaps manually editing a config file? I reiterate, this is Mate 1.24.1

Jeremy