United fans -still the greatest, wherever they're from.
This was something that, during my early to mid twenties I always used to dread. That’s because, in order, my answers would have been ‘a student, Cardiff, Man Utd.’
For the millions of working non-Utd fans I was as bad as it gets! A tax dodging glory hunter!
However, I was neither. Well, that’s a lie. I was dodging taxes (through no fault of my own – that’s just the way that the UK education system is set up) but I certainly wasn’t a glory hunter. It just so happened that glory had, through fate’s will, hunted me out the day I decided that Utd were the team for me.
All of my friends were Liverpool fans and a small minority were fans of our local club – Cardiff City. However, during the early 1990s they were in the bottom divisions and weren’t on TV. We, as skint young men, were too poor and scared to brave the terraces of Ninian Park. Christ, we were too young to go it alone! For that very reason we, like many other boys in the South Wales area, followed a TV team. Liverpool were the glory team of the late 80s and, as such, all of my friends chose them as their team.
I was different though. I wanted to be different. I heard that Liverpool’s rivals were Utd. so I decided to follow them. And that, as they say, was that. I was a Manc, a red, a Red Devil.
Just because I’m not from Manchester doesn’t devalue my support of them however. I truly resent any accusation of the kind. As a friend of mine once said (admittedly about Jamie Carragher) if you cut me open I’d ‘bleed red’.
I remember the 1990 Cup Final, the 1993 Premier League and the 1994 double. I was in my early teens for these so my supporting was relatively naive and innocent – limiting itself to cheers followed by a little gloat to friends.
It was as I got older that my supporting evolved into a defence of my position. I knew the reserve team, I knew the youth teams, I could reel off any Utd. stat you wanted. This was because I was becoming aware of the glory hunter title and, quite frankly, it pissed me off! I felt that I had to defend my position as a Welsh Man Utd. fan so I revised United and I become a ‘statto’ to prove my support.
United became, as I entered my late teens, who I was. I would ensure that I wore one of my many shirts on matchday as I listened to matches on 5Live or waited, with baited breath, for CEEFAX’s latest score page to refresh. I began to wear my collar upright at all times, regardless of the shirt. I implored my parents to only buy SHARP electrical goods. Shit, I even believed Fergie when he said they couldn’t see each other in their grey shirts!
Even the 1999 treble was tainted with a feeling of shame. I remember that as my greatest ever sporting year and I will never be able to hear or remember the words ‘and Solskjaer has won it’ without getting goosebumps! But, as I went off to university the following year I was aware, almost ashamed of the fact that, I was going to have to battle off all ‘glory hunter’ accusations.
And I shouldn’t feel shame supporting my club. I’ve been to Old Trafford several times to see them. My debut game was 3rd December 1994 vs. Norwich City. The night previous I was playing five a side football and, without realising, broke my metatarsal (before Beckham had told the world what a metatarsal was!). I spent the following day hobbling around Manchester flowing through seas of red, looking on in awe at the sheer volume of fans that hit the stadium to see ‘Five Cantonaaaaaaaas’ score for a 1-0 victory.
It was only as I hit my mid-twenties that I realised that it didn’t matter where you were from. You could support, with the same ferocity as a Mancunian United fan, Man Utd. I could delight in their victories and wallow in their losses with equal passion. I did and still do. The first thing I do every morning is check the BBC gossip column on my phone in the hope that Sneijder has been spotted at Old Trafford, whenever I play Football Manager I manage United – never anyone else – and live out my dream of managing the greatest team ever, I’ve realised that being a United fan isn’t where you’re from, it’s who you are.
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Spot on! Olive in Victoria,BC, Canada. My mood for that day is determined on our result. If I lived in Manchester, I would go watch the youth and reserve sides.
Hypothetically if Cardiff where challenging liverpool at the time for the league would have you supported them instead?? the answer would probably be yes. I had a friend who also supported Man utd, he would not hear a bad word said about them. He was born a stones throw a way from wolves ground and always followed them behind manutd, however when wolves got promoted to the premiership they played Man Utd, guess who he supports now? Wolves. He changed back to his home town club as he said when wolves played man utd he felt himself wanting wolves to win it. He is now a die hard wolves fan and loves the game more than he ever has as the connection to his home town club is bigger than it ever was to Man Utd.
I have no idea. If Cardiff had had the same TV exposure as Untied did then who knows? The whole local club thing doesn’t really hold up when you’re a kid who can’t afford to go to games or have anyone to take you. I, like a lot of others from my generation, am from a single parent family. My mother would never have taken me to a game and why should she?
Now I’m older I always look out for Cardiff’s results and I go and watch them pretty often too. Very often in fact. However, after year’s of following Untied the passion I feel for them can’t be matched.
I loved this article. I’m from Cape Town, in South Africa, and I’m a proud Manchester United fan. I feel all the highs and all the lows. If United lost over the weekend, I know it’s going to be a long week before the next game. One United!!!
I became a lifelong United in 1976, while United were still living in the shadows of Liverpool. My late dad (bless him) sat me on his lap in front of the tele and told me that was his team, and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s now a family tradition. My wife and kids are supporters too as will their children after I’m gone. Having picked a successful club is just a bonus, a delightful coincidence. It’s not just a passion or obsession, it’s more like a religion. And I’ll be a true fan to whatever end, in good and bad times.
I join a large group of United supporters in Singapore and religiously watch all of United’s matches at a local coffee shop in the wee hours of the morning, sacrificing precious sleep and productivity at work. All done willingly and gladly for the love of the club.
But I don’t live in Salford, I live in Singapore and I’ve never been to England. I’m still saving for a family holiday to Old Trafford, my second Haj.
Does that make me less of a fan?
Lets not even bother with the glory hunter insults. They’re just petty envy. They’re beneath us.
Well said
Yes, yes it does. Why dont you put some money into the local game and help them become something to be proud of
Be proud of where you’re from, bro
My story is similar. I am from Singapore and I became a Manchester United fan in in 1974 after seeing Dennis law score that goal. I was (and am)a supporter of the underdog and the way the team fought to try to get the goal back got me hooked.
My friends back then were largely Liverpool fans with a sprinkling of Leeds fans. Am always having to tell this story to explain that i am not a glory hunter and that I am a Real Deal fan for life.
My name is Ramptu I am from Taiwan I remember when my Granddad sat me on his lap and we watch Utd together in 1949 that’s why I support them I’m not a glory hunter. Of course football was always massive in my part of the world back then and I felt a connection to utd back in 2003 oh I mean 1949 before they were winning so you see I can’t be a glory hunter! Isn’t it funny though we all have similar story’s if people didn’t know any better they might think we were making it up so we don’t look like glory hunters!
Haha… I’m sure you’re just making that up. Are you telling me you actually own a TV in Taiwan in 1949? There’s no telecast of the English league back then. The entire population of Taiwan can’t understand English and don’t play football back then.
Please, be original. Your comment is just pathetic and an insult to your intellect.
Exactly you are a genius aren’t you!!! Funny how you try to tell me that you had televised matches and football was all the rage in Singapore 1976!!! My man in the 1970’s televised football wasn’t on that much at all in the UK never mind Singapore! A strange thing used to happen, you had to go and watch it LOL.
Dear me, sceptics are we all. When I said I ‘saw’ I meant on TV. The matches were shown on TV one week later on Sunday morning (11.30 am I think it was). Star Soccer I think it was called and then later Big League soccer. I hour programme with highlights on English Division One matches and a short highlight on Scottish games. Also had bits on goals fans wanted to see and such like.
Take my word for it that even then schoolboys everywhere in Singapore were English football fans. Like I said, largely Liverpool fans, some Leeds as well as Spurs, Derby County and such like. To be expected because they were the best teams then.
The first FA Cup finals televised live in Singapore I think was 1973 – the Leeds v Sunderland one just like the first World Cup I saw live was the 1974 Germany v Holland one. They are vivid in my memory because live matches were uncommon.
I m from Montenegro (many of U don’t know where is it,I don’t care) and I m crazy about Manchester United! I watched every their game last year… Now ,I m just watching friendly games and wait Sneijder to sign 😉 I m eating other fans,because I m really crazy red devil! GGMU!
Loved this article as it says a lot of things I have always said.
Nothing ever is a birthright. Granted a lot of us were born miles away from Old Trafford, but if anything that makes us more of diehard fans than the local ones.
You ask us, would we have supported United if they had not been this glamorous. We are asking you, would you have taken the pain to support United if you had been unlucky enough to be born two continents away?
You see, if we were glory hunters, there were plenty of times in the club’s history, when there was little to less glory, when we could have jumped ship. The fact that we are still here after all that should be proof enough.
As far as supporting our local clubs are concerned, has it occurred to you that some of us do not have one? I live in India, ranked 150+ with an underdeveloped footballing system. I do not have a local club, nor do I know half the names of my national side, just because they play like one match in 2 yrs. What am I supposed to do, keep off football?
Second you brother! Every word of it. For if that’s the case then curry would not have been popular than fish & chips in England. Liking is all pervasive, regardless of tangible and intangible barriers.
All these arguments about real fans and glory hunter fans are really stupid. United accepts all fans, old and new. This is the age of live TV and global broadcasting. If United rely solely on Salford based fans, we’ll be in the 2nd division by now. With global branding comes the serious money. And money is a very important factor of success however much we chose to deny it.
Anyway why does fan’s loyalty and integrity be judged by where they were born and where they lived? Simply idiotic argument. If the integrity of the fans were judged in that way, then why shouldn’t the players, managers and staff of the club too? We have players from all corners of the world. Sholud SAF be judged differently just because he’s not from Salford? I’m sure almost none of the players and staff comes from Salford and almost all of them doesn’t live in Salford.
For those moronic and idiotic rival fans, stray dogs in this United site, the argument itself itself has no basis. Would you be contented with just 50 thousand local fans, or 500 million global fans?
A fan is a fan. We’ll accept you in any shape or form. Regardless of your motivation. Women started watching football and supporting United because of Beckham and Ronaldo, we are huge in Korea because of Park, and so on. The thing is, we should not choose and judge. Accept all, love all, embrace all. All those who support United regardless of their motives, will eventually be lifelong fans and they will pass on that affiliation to their children and so on.
United is not just a club, it’s a wonderfully infectious … religion. A source of pure joy as we go about our lives. Eternally grateful that we get to live in this colorful era of beloved club’s history.
Together we can only get stronger. And ignore our rival fans. They only wish in vain and envy for our downfall.
“Envy is the greatest compliment”
Jamali2011.
‘All these arguments about real fans and glory hunter fans are really stupid’
Why do these fans always seem to all follow the top few premier teams then?? Why not Brighton or Oldham or if your gonna got on about not being televised Bolton, Wolves or Sunderland? I tell you why because they don’t win anything therefore you can’t revel in the GLORY!
@ Jamali2011,
you should try the man united tour mate, maybe then you’ll realise that old trafford isnt in salford at all, its in trafford, hence the name, old trafford
Im a lifelong red from gorton in manchester, and i love the fact i can share my joy and passion for this great club with people from different races and cultures all over the world. We share a common love for something which is refreshing in this day and age.
The only things that can cause problems with this is;
1.When tickets for the games get into the hands of supporters who are their as a tourist and not someone who is vocal therefore denying the players the support and backing they deserve. This filters down and ultimately effects performances.
2.When fans keep on moaning about signing superstars and slagging off our homegrown players saying they need to be replaced. This shows a glory hunting plastic mentality as they show they dont understand that our club needs the homegrown players to keep up the spirit and mentality that has made us so strong. If we sold all the players that understand what its like to play for mufc, and bought a dream team of superstars, abit like city have done, then we would go backwards as we would lose our identity, despite what a game of fifa or football manager might have led you to beleive.
I think if the first problem can be solved if the resident fans took it upon themselves to guide the ones who are not too used to Old Trafford. Do they reject those people who are going to the church for the first time, just because they don’t know too many prayers? No, they distribute prayer books.
As for the second, well ah, there are idiots everywhere and all of them theoretically have a right to express their views. You realise no matter who the fans shout for, the gaffer will only do what is right for the club.
A couple of years ago, most of Old Trafford was urging Fergie to sign up Tevez. Doesn’t look like much of a bright idea now, does it?
A true MUFC fan will take it upon them self to be vocal and enthusiastic. If they just stand(or more likely sit) their clapping and taking photos they are not wanted and are harming the club and its future and should stay away, no matter how much they paid or how far they have traveled. Its diluting our support and is a disease eating away at us from the inside.
I agree with you there, but your first time at Old Trafford can be rather intimidating when 70k ppl break into a song that you don’t know the words of.
Just help em get over that factor.
“I agree with you there, but your first time at Old Trafford can be rather intimidating when 70k ppl break into a song that you don’t know the words of.
Just help em get over that factor.” Hahahaha i’d be ashamed!
Am a Man Utd supporter from kenya in east africa.been a supporter since 1994 when i first saw andre kanchelskis flying down that right flank.was a wee little footballer myself then and was playing in the local under 12 league and used to play in the same position as andre.fell in love with the guy’s style.i never missed a Man Utd match after that.it’s 14yrs now and frankly i no longer give a hoot about what anyone calls me in regard with my support to Man Utd.all that matters to me is that Utd is in my blood and will always be till the day i breathe my last!my 2 brothers and sister,my missus and 7 yr old daughter are all dyed in the wool Man United supporters.we don’t have to prove or justify anything to anyone about our support to Man Utd,the greatest footie club in the world!GGMU!good day to all You red devils out there wherever You are!