United fans- still the greatest.
Walking into Elland Road last night was like being an extra in the film Mad Max, glasses flying, insults being hurled, riot police barely keeping the rabid Leeds fans at bay, it was a relief to get into the ground in one piece.
The woman next to me wasn’t so lucky as she had a nasty gash on the back of her head from a flying pint pot, “typical scum” was the general consensus.
Standing in the United end watching some of the Leeds fans making ‘airplane’ gestures and singing “always look on the runway…” or something equally as vulgar, it was easy to lose your temper and want to retalite in kind to the disgusting chants. Some United fans found it too much to take and responded with equally deplrable songs about Instanbul and Turkish fans with knives etc. That for me was the saddest thing about last night, a chance to show Leeds, a team that twenty years ago beat us to the title, that not only were we far superior on the pitch, but off it as well.
Unfortunately, while the team did us proud and the vast majority of United fans completely outsang the Elland Road faithful, there was a nasty element to the evening which many of the press revelled in highlighting- and to be perfectly honest, you can’t blame them.
There’s no excuse for sick chants from United fans, I’m sorry but there isn’t. I was subjected to racist abuse as I entered the ground but did I feel that justified me being racist or singing about murderered fans? No. Of course not.
I understand that emotions were running high and it was a game against one of our historic arch rivals, I also realise that some of the abuse levelled at United fans was enough to make anyone angry, but the “they started it” argument is as flawed as it is childish.
Manchester United are the world’s greatest football club, of that I have absolutely no doubt, we have the unrivalled tradition, the most exciting teams and players and the finest fans in the world. I couldn’t give a toss what abuse we have to suffer, we should be able to rise above and take the moral high ground as well as the footballing one.
The media are always quick to point out whenever United fans sing things they shouldn’t, last season’s FA Youth Cup victory at Anfield was overshadowed slightly by the coverage given to a very small section of Reds singing songs about Hillsborough. Most of the press coverage chose to ignore the Munich chants that many United fans heard, and instead chose to focus on the visiting fans misdemeanours.
I wrote a similar article to this last season following the FA Cup victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford. Despite Liverpool fans throwing urine at United supporters, waving their genitalia about, as well as the seemingly obligatory airplane signs- I was at the game below the away fans, so I’m not making it up- I called for United fans to try and avoid retaliating in kind in future and avoid the Heysel and Hillsborough chants.
In the heat of a game when insults are flying, its tempting for fans to go for the jugular, but look at the way United respond to City fans who chant Munich songs. City don’t have a history tainted with tragedy, in fact you could argue they barely have a history at all, so when United fans need to respond to their sick chants, we merely point out our huge success and the size of our club and fan base, compared to theirs.
United fans, like the club itself will always get a raw deal from the media, however sometimes we make a rod for our own backs. Labelling Liverpool fans ‘bin dippers’ or commenting on Leeds fans fondness of farm animals, is fair game as far as I’m concerned and more than enough of an insult without lowering ourselves to their level. Let’s highlight our successes in the future and let our victories and trophies do the talking.
just start shooting each other, thats how we roll in north america, if someone talks trash just shoot them right? enough of this pansy chanting and bottle throwing, just go cap a bitch!.
grow up kids
What sanctimonious crap!
Did your “fans” buy/loot the Istanbul flags/banners/flares at the corner shop on Elland Road? No – they had them premade to decorate their sick view of the world.
As someone who can remember the terrible Munich disaster I find the chants shaming, whether they come from leeds, Man. City, Liverpool or anyone else.Having said that, I find it nauseating how the tragedy is used to glorify all things Man Utd.
For example, a neighbour – who is a Man Utd. season ticket holder – told me he seriously believed that the penalty save in your Champions League Final win was down to the “Spirits” of those who died at Munich [I don’t know where Frank Swift fitted in with this nonsense!]. Whatever, he seemed surprised when the dog puked up her breakfast!
What I’m trying to illustrate is that the great mass of supporters – paricularly here at Leeds – are sick to our high teeth at the way in which your club is represented and represents itself. Nothing is ever your fault and you disgustingly use those who died at Munich almost as Medieval icons while convieniently ignoring the tragedies that have befallen others. Your yobs you reminded us of this last evening when they arrogantly spat out [I paraphrase] “We are Man Utd and can do what we fucking like”.
I don’t hate Man Utd necause I’m jealous of your history/ players/football/results/dominance of the media etc.: it’s simply the overwheming arrogance which drifts from Old Trafford like an all mighty bad fart.
Typical sort of comment from a leeds fan!!!!….the tragedy is part of our history and quite frankly its nothing to do with you!!!…Other than the fact for the last fifty years you have mocked it, celebrated annually and before your tragedy it was the majority not the minority that sung the chants.
“outsung the leeds fans” what when ur 2-0 upp in the 1st 20min,must so hard being a united fan not winning every trophy out there an having nowt to sing about,bellends
coaches arrived at the ground with istanbul reds signs.
this is what starts the munich song , which i discourage people to sing.
plus the istanbul banner.
i notice none of your fans had scarves.
finally what about the turkey football shirts that at least 2 fans were wearing.
The Instanbul banners DID start the trouble I’m afraid. One of your buses arrived with a similarly disgusting “Turkish Reds” banner that seemed to spark everything. The mood changed at that point.
The fact remains that Manchester United fans came with banners – they planned to cause trouble before the game. Leeds fans didn’t do that at Elland Road, or at Old Trafford last year.
Your talking bollocks!!!!…Yes the banners were disgusting but to blame the whole thing on that is just naive especially when all you have done for so many years is mock the munich disaster like the neanderthall set you are
Yep. Face it mate. Your fans behaved like total scum last night EN MASSE. They dragged your great club’s name right through the dirt.
Those very same Busby babes would have been very ashamed.
Your article sums up why your despised by the majority ..not trophies. Its arrogance is astonishing ! Outsung the Leeds fans..i don’t think so..and you won 3 0. Mot
What a load of bollocks your poorly written, typical biased towards, as you call them “greatest fans in the world” article is. I don’t encourage Munich chants and to be honest I was in the Kop on Tuesday night and when a small minority started to chant them the majority of Leeds fans drowned it out with “We are Leeds” However when a coach pulls up outside ER with the Turkish flag in the window then they deserve everything they get. For the Man U fans who were guilty of this I’m glad they got battered and for the innocent one’s caught up in it then I feel sorry for them but unfortunately Man U fans are arrogant by nature and complete twats. As for outsinging us, really? were you actually there? You were quiet and pathetic and although you won the game on the pitch you lost everything else surrounding it!!!! We’re Leeds and we’re proud of it!!!!!!
Justin – you are a joker fella. I can tell you now, as soon as people set eyes on those flags in the back of your coaches and all the throat slitting stuff started, there was only going to be one reaction. That was the blue touch paper kid.
The rest? Well, as normal, your lot mouth off behind 300 police but normally chip off when the going gets tough, cue the panic to get in the south stand when you got pelted. All mouth.
You really think that your ‘fans post 93’ are whiter than white. Blinkered. Fact is, you’re just arrogant and totally out of touch with reality.
If any of your lot ever said those things to me, to my face with no plod around, I’d bray them too.
Thing is, all thsi crap about the greatest club in the world is just self deluded nonsense. I think Leeds thought they were in the 60s & 70s and Liverpool in 70s & 80s….but you lot think it’s always been this way. In a way, I wish there were no Sky Sports so all the numpties like you from Corby or where ever had to do what you should ‘SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL TEAM’ – clown.
I walk to Old Trafford mate. As for “the panic to get in the south stand when you got pelted”. Wow. Actually amazed you’re critical of people not wanting to get bottled and bricked.
You probably do, having moved up there. You reap what you sow – if you gloat and abuse the dead and spit and threaten, you’ll get what’s coming to you. Quite simply, soon as it got a bit heated, you bottled it as usual, why not retaliate?
You only have to read the tripe on the flags in the background..’MUFC Football taught by Matt Busby’ don’t make me laugh. 27 years with no title mush, that’s s*** for the biggest club in the world with the most resource…shhh.
Justin, if they hadn’t been parading a Turkish flag, making stabbing gestures and as JT says shooting their mouths off because they thought the police protection would have been enough they wouldn’t have had to dodge whatever was thrown at them! While I don’t condone what happened unfortunately you reap what you sow! Don’t shoot your mouths off at a club that despises you is the lesson here! While it’s a minority of people that have the mentality to kick off and go ballistic, more fool the scum fans for being so idiotic and arrogant as to think doing this outside Elland Road would not result in carnage! MOT
“You reap what you sow”…..Exactly Tony, whilst nt condoning any songs about deaths your lot have mocked Munich for 50 odd years!!!but this seemsto be forgoton….didnt see any united fans dodging and hiding from leeds supporters, justthe cowardly bricks and bottles and on another day could have resulted in a fatality and you know what…you scum would revel in it just like munich!!!