Fergie salutes the fans
I think it was Iain Duncan-Smith who once said “A house divided against itself, cannot stand” and who are we to argue with the great man.
This is a statement that could apply to United of late, as it seems to me that more and more Reds are becoming interested in fighting one another rather than the common enemy: Scousers. You only have to look at the social networks, the various blogs, forums, fan sites and articles to see its becoming abundantly clear that the term ‘Manchester United fan’ is not considered the simple to understand moniker it once was. When I was growing up if you said you were a ‘United fan’ that was sufficient, there was no need to whip out a season ticket, or a scarf, or show scars from battles at Maine Road or Anfield. You didn’t need to dazzle people with your ability to recall Paul Parker’s successful tackle ratio, or how many forward passes Bryan Robson had made in the first half.
Of course it was easy for me as i lived in Manchester where there was no need to doubt or question the validity of the statement regarding your preferred team. Things have changed now though, for several reasons. United have become the most successful team in Britain over a sustained period. There’s now the introduction of the internet where fans can interact or even criticise each other like never before. Ticket prices and the Glazer takeover have made it difficult for some people to either afford or want to attend Old Trafford.
It’s because of these factors we’re now at a point where many Reds are displeased by what they see as ‘bandwagon jumping’ by fans who don’t really support the team, or follow it with he same passion they believe themselves to.
There are fans of course that cannot get to Old Trafford due to living miles away/not having the funds/or simply refuse to put money in the Glazer’s debt collectors pockets. These Reds shouldn’t be treated as pariahs, as fans not worthy to wear their United colours, they’re just not match going fans It doesn’t mean they don’t want to see United succeed, they don’t loathe our opponents with the same venom those that follow United home and away do, it just means they aren’t there on match days.
In my youth I used to be fairly critical of United fans that didn’t go to games, mainly because the Reds I knew that didn’t go were friends of mine from Manchester who’d rather spend the £4 I forked out for a Paddock ticket, on weed or cider. It used to annoy me how they’d make judgements on players based on a 12 minute Match of the Day highlight or what the Football Pink said, while I was there, standing in the rain every weekend- losing my voice screaming and chanting like a possessed child- I often miss those days, where you could literally chant for 90 minutes and not look like a ‘weirdo’ to some people.
Now though, non-match going Reds can still watch the entire game via the web or on sky and have has much a right to air an opinion as those of us that go regularly -after all part of what makes United great, is our global fan base. It’s just difficult for some United fans to stomach at times, seeing a tweet from someone overseas slagging off the crowd because via their stream Old Trafford seemed ‘quiet’ or laying into Danny Welbeck as ‘not being United-class’ cos he doesn’t score every game.
Let’s face facts though and this may rub a lot of people up the wrong way but it needs to be said, I’ve far more of a problem with someone sat in Old Trafford screaming abuse at Phil Jones than I have with some 14 year-old in Asia tweeting that he thinks he’s having a bad game. Don’t get me wrong fans, pay a lot of money to go to games and are entitled to voice their concerns but personally I’ve been far more angered in the past at some of the nonsense I’ve heard spouted by angry men sat near me than the so-called ‘keyboard warriors.’
At the recent Blackburn game I took a mate up from London to Old Trafford for the first time, he’s in his early twenties which is almost unheard of where I come from to be making your first visit to see your team- be it United or anyone else. But let me put things into perspective, when my dad was taking me to my first games -my mate was growing up in Uganda. When he did move to England it was to Middlesex, where he couldn’t just jump on the 255 and catch the last 15 minutes of the match even if he didn’t have a ticket – which was my Modus Operandi back in the early nineties.
Yet when we lived together in London while I was studying there was a mutual passion for United, a team he’d ‘supported’ since he started watching football. He may not have been to games but he’d shared my joy when they won and anger and disappointment when they lost, he’d even got in trouble at his job at Stamford Bridge hospitality for celebrating when United scored.
He’s a United fan despite making only one appearance and he’s part of what makes our club great.
In front of us at the Blackburn game was a chap who spent the entire game shouting at the United players, labelling Park “a f*cking useless little sh*t” Phil Jones an “overrated c*nt” and even more bizarrely Tony V a “fat tw*t.”
Me and a few other fans exchanged bewildered glances and towards the end, I honestly thought someone was going to one arrow him. This guy’s energy may have been misplaced, but the fact is he’s a United fan, and while I don’t agree with the way he went about it, there’s no doubt his anger came from a being a passionate Red.
There’s a lot of talk nowadays of what makes a United fan, but as long as someone wants the Reds to triumph over any other team and feels the same emotions I do when watching them,whether it be in an away end or via a stream, then I for one am more than happy to call you a fellow United fan.
I think it was Nick Clegg who once said, “why can’t we all just get along?”
Have I oversimplified the argument? Is there more to it than that? Why on earth did Liverpool buy Andy Carroll? \
Feel free to comment suggest and abuse below:
i think Lincoln might have a stronger claim to the quote :p
you abuse the ref and the oppo but never your own.
I’ll tell what’s a Utd fan. He/she’s the one who loves the Club and does not worship or hate anyone individual. IMO, there are morons who so blind they can’t see rubbish from decent goods. Just because they wear Utd’s red, doesn’t mean they must be loved. I mean some of our current crop like Park, Evans, Ferdinand, da Silvas and occasionally Evra and Nani too. Basel ( twice ),Benfica ( twice ), Man City at OT ( ouch ), Balckburn at OT ( whoa ),New Castle ( twice ): all these are accidents? No, I don’t think so. That’s where these so-called Utd players come. And commenting on them is not anti_Utd. And finally, if anyone thinks ( actually many, many do ) that SAF’s time is up, that is not anti-Utd. SAF IS NOT UTD. He’s done wonders but nothing is for ever. If Utd don’t act NOW and arrest this slide, they will soon become the Liverpool of last 20 years. Action may include a new manager sooner than you think. And I’m a proud Utd fan for over 25 years. I’ll remain so for ever.
Everything all- right otherwise John?
Give me strength.
Well said Justin. United is is your blood and it should be a broad church. I just wish that those match going fans would appreciate how lucky they are and support the team more vocally to create a better match day experience. I do miss the 70’s and 80’s form an atmosphere perspective. But I guess its not peculiar to Utd.
I love the article and I agree completely. I’m a big United supporter but I live in the US. I’ve gone to at least 2 United games during the last 3 tours of the US. I read many blogs, watch every game, but according to a certain subset of supporters, I’m not a real United supporter because I live in the US. Just by the misfortune of geography, I’m suppose to be less of a supporter then somebody who lives in the UK.
I just think your article is right on. I love United, watch every game and as many of the Reserve/Academy games as I can find a feed for. But I don’t want to be treated like less of a supporter just because I can’t afford to travel to Old Trafford. Thanks for speaking up!
I use to think that Americans were not real supporters while I was growing up but when I started going to uni in the states I got to meet some real passionate United fans and I started to change my opinion and as long as u live and die with United u r a supporter!
Thank you for counting us unfortunate enough not to live in Manchester,I live in Northern Ireland and have supported United for 35 years and my sons are growing up the same.Maybe when the teams that played in towns/citys were all local lads then the fans had every right to claim them as their own but if you are going to welcome players from all over the world then you must also welcome the fans,fans who spend big money to travel to grounds whenever they can.
Season ticket holder until 2006 until i was priced out,
following the reds home and away,
remebering the horrible little grounds we frequented in the old division two.
being stood on the terraces as we got trounced by ipswich one week and beat liverpool the following week, only to be told by some s@@t bag your not a true fan. remebering just how bad dave sexton was as a manager (remember that name kids ?)
what is a manchester united fan….remembering where we came from and understanding that it wasnt always this good Remember your history and never forget.
I’m Malaysian, I’m 19, and I love United to death
I have supported United for about 25 years, and Live in Australia, I remember listening to the matches on the radio at all times in the morning, now I dont miss a minute of action, I love United with all the passion any other United supporter has, I did at times feel like I had to prove myself a true supporter because of my location, but I say how many of the people that didn’t think I was a true supporter would support United in my position.
It is easy to support Manchester United when you live in Manchester but I have to go to many lengths to follow a team I truly love.
One United…
Agree totally. I get stick for being United fan because I’m Irish and began supporting them mid nineties – It’s not my fault I was born in 1993. It goes through the family. My Dad started following the club in the 70’s(hardly a successful period). So I get over to Old Trafford a couple of times a season, spending a large amount of money to do so. So don’t judge a fan by, where they’re from – Judge us by how passionate we are and our knowledge of United. I know the era I’ve grown up in has been incredibly lucky, but I’m not a ‘glory hunter’, I’ll still be as passionate if we were struggling like times in the 70’s.
I think every-ones comments are valuable on United.I love to read and understand (if their comment is supported with ‘facts’)other fans point of view.
United as is highlighted have in excess of 300 million fans world- wide with a huge variety of knowledge and experiences to share.
Fans all over the World contribute to United, by simply even purchasing a subscription to the in-house club channel M.U.T.V.Proceeds from Sky, Fox, ESPN etc also aid the clubs funds.
Its really a tribute to United that all realistic supporters embrace all the fans throughout the world and want as broad a mixture of fan as we have.Consider Manchester City(fans) as an example they frown(currently)at Uniteds world -wide appeal.I am sure Sheikh Mansour would wish to develop this attraction, to alleviate the burden on his bank account.
What I dont particularly enjoy at present if you have a different view to some-one else, the trading of insults that invariably follows.
With limited arguements to make it a thought through debate.
United is a broth of mixed views and tolerance and reasoned reaction the ulitimate goal.
However can King Canute, stop the tide?.
Ps who is Iain Duncan-Smith?Sounds a right posh twat.lol