Thetownend.com

I've started to quite like Man United....
now stay with me on this one, because it pains me to say it and it takes some almighty justification.

   Now for my whole life, i've absolutely hated the cunts and the only time i've ever got any enjoyment from the prem was when United lost, or one of their near rivals, got a bit closer... They were the only British team i didn't support in Europe and i even felt a bit gutted after that 1999 final.

   So what's changed? I can't put my finger on it. Maybe its just me growing up a bit, maybe because my chosen career path doesnt really 'do' football grudges, but i'll start from the top for my reasons... Fergie...

   The bloke is a legend, now thats not my opinion on him or a bad word choice, he is an absolute bona fide legend. He's 66, he's been at United over 20 years, he's won everything in club football and he's now the oldest manager to win the European Cup. I've never liked his berrating of refs/4th officials, but thats just his style, and who wouldn't??
   When everyone was going on about Wigan being a soft touch on the last day he pointed out the bolton wouldve been on the piss all week after staying safe. he recieved a text from gary megson saying "Your teamtalk worked gaffer". Love him or hate him, he's the don.

   Moving on, there's Ryan Giggs. hard to name a more influencial figure in English football since the formation of the Prem. Of course Giggs beat Charlton's record last night when he made his 759th appearance. all this talk of a lack of loyalty in football, when right under everyone's noses Giggs is racking up that sortve tally. He had ample oppurtunity to move away, i dont know how many times he he's been linked with Inter, but decided to stick it out with his club, even with his place become increasingly under threat.

   Next to Giggs there's Neville and Scholes. I used to seriously hate these two, but compare them to wankers like ashley cole and they are comparitive saints. OK Neville's still a bit of a knob, but the fella bleeds united... who could forget his celebration infront of all the scousers, football needs more of that.
   And Paul Scholes, is a short ginger fella from Oldham with dodgy eyesight, but he has been arguably the best English footballer of the modern era, he was certainly the England player who other countries (especially Brazil) rated highest. No one can say a bad word about him, he's been at United 15 years, played nearly 400 games and has never stopped spanking in 30 yards screamers.

   Then of course there's Cristiano Ronaldo. Rewind about 23 months... I'm standing amongst 100,000 English in the 40 degree sunshine in a scabby feild in Gelsenkirchen. And that cunt was the anti-christ, what a prick doing that to our wayne, he's gonna get it bad when he gets home.

   He couldve had his pick of the best clubs in Europe, bottled it, got 100k a week elsewhere and waved goodbye to England, but he didnt. he stuck it out week in week out, the booing and venom and got his reward. He's has now scored 42 goals this year from the wing. Only van nisteltrooy and the great denis law have managed better.
   without doubt the best footballer of my lifetime, even with his dogy haircut. £100m rumoured bid from Real Madrid, worth every penny.

   Then last but not least, the fans... now i'm not talking those reprobates down here in United shirts, believe me they get as much contempt as a scummer does. But for years and years United's away support has been the best in the country.

I'm not a man united fan by any stretch of the imagination, not a 'follower' or 'supporter'. i dont buy into the prem second team philosophy, West Ham is my family team so if i did it would be them anyway. i've just realised that i no longer hate them, and had to tell someone because it was eating me inside.

thanks for listening.

note: i didn't just write this for a laugh, it's a required 'opinion piece' for my assessment portfolio, just thought someone might painfully relate to it

I'm not a Man U fan either -

I agree with everything you have written about the players and the manager.


Top post sir :goodpost:

Dex mate, thats a hell of a write up and sums up my feelings yesterday.  Hate plastics but cant argue with ferguson, giggs and scholes

Very good post

As I got half way through that Dex I thought to myself forget the champions league article, that's what you should submit as your "piece".  Fantastic article, some cracking points there mate, top read!

Ronaldo has done well to stay and prove people wrong, he has turned otu to be a very good quality premiership player

You see this has always been one of the reasons I never hated Man Utd.  I too hate plastic fans, but Utd seem to be picked out on this score over and above any other club.  Liverpool have just as many (if not more in my age range) plastic fans, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea they too have a large number of these "supporters" who's only activity of support is to rush to the shops to pick up the latest replica kit.

Now if that's what floats their boat then fair enough, but why should Man Utd be constantly picked out as ultimate villian in all of this?

Its all to do with growing up, when I was growing up I had more utd 'fans' around me than any others.

Also my brother supports them however the only time hes been to teh ground was for a tour, he hates me telling him ive been to 4 games.

Ferguson's an ungracious tosser, Scholes (for all his virtues) turned his back on England, and Messi is already better than Ronaldo.

However, that was a great read and I agree about Giggs and United's away support.

I have experienced a slight softening in my attitude towards Man United of late, but clearly you have travelled much further down this particular path! :-)

Cracking piece of writing that dex. Although if you're putting it in for an assessment piece I'd perhaps look at putting some bits slightly less informally

And there lies the route of my evil towards scousers.  The amount of liverpool fans round my way when I grew up was terrible.

I still hate them though, I perhaps need to grow out of that too, but all their supporters do my head in with the self righteous bs they constantly spout.

hahaha i forgot to point out this was a proposal in the form of a first draft, then if the depth of argument and subject choice is acceptable i write a final piece based on that  :D  imagine some old bastard at the NCTJ reading that and having a heart attack.

Although ironically presumably the reason you hated them was in part precisely because they WEREN'T scousers, just plastic wannabes. Come on Jan, you know you love a bit of perm/tache action

Originally yes Paul, that's right, but since then liverpool fans just eff me right off.  Like when they sang over Abide with Me a few years ago at the cup final, completely disrespectful to the tradition of the cup.

Interesting piece Strood - it struck a chord with my own situation.

 I found myself thinking the same things when I started working for their official mag back in 2003. I disliked (but respected) United back then (obviously I didn't say that in my interview!).

I've been a to quite a few games in the last four years - home, away and in Europe - and I've met most of the players and become fairly ingratiated with the culture and history.

I agree with most of the things you've said, if not all.

I would add to that the fact that Fergie likes having a 'british' core to his side. Last night there were six english players in United's line-up - ok, so he's spent bucket loads on ronaldo, anderson, nani etc, but having so many english players in the team is pretty cool IMO.

He can be obnoxious and pedantic, but that's all part of his approach to win at all costs - to gain any advantage where possible. Look where it's got him...

As for the fans. United have more good ones than bad. Go to Fulham/Reading/Pompey away and you'll inevitably find day trippers and tourists among the true Reds, but at euro away games there's a loyal following that goes everywhere; they're all local and they all know each other. Their song compendium is the best in the country: fact. The fact that their voice is lost at OT is merely down to their club's success; good teams attract bigger crowds from all over - and day trippers don't sing. Look at Reading in the last few years!

They're arrogant, but if you started winning everything you'd probably expect success like they do. Look at us Town fans, one promotion season before last and people on here were moaning we weren't involved at the top this time around. It's just the nature of football. Arrogance comes with success - the two go hand in hand to a certain extent.

In saying all that, whenever I do go and watch United I feel like I'm cheating on my missus. They're not mine, I can't get involved in the songs, as entertaining as they are, because I don't support them, have never lived there and have no affinity to them other than I write about them all week.

Swindon's my team and that's just the way it is, even if the football on show is of a higher standard!

Too be honest Stroooody, Im thinking the same thing. I think I hate Man Yoo the least out of the top four certainly.

Still think Neville is a cunt though. Adn I can say something bad about Scholes.... he cant tackle! There! :mrgreen:

But yeah, they certainly arent the team I despised a few years ago.

I think whilst most people arent fond of Manchester United, we've all grown to respect them!

 :shock:

:soapy tit wank:  Well you are! :mrgreen:

Man Utd are a victim of their own success.

They have always been a well supported club but since they started to win everything, their fans have had to put up with being called plastic.

If a vastly rich Arab declared he loved the town of Swindon and was going to make STFC a Premiership giant, soon me, you and every Swindon fan would become a plastic.

Weird, i had written out a really similar post on the football forum but it didn't submit... Fully agree.

how i laughed when the cunt missed his penalty. in fact i think i may have stood up in the pub, put two middle fingers up and shouted 'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'. :oops:

The contrast in ex-United Chief Exec Peter Kenyon and Bobby Charlton leading the sides up pretty much epitomises a lot of that for me.

What also stood out was for all of Chelsea’s millions there’s no legacy or foundation being built there.  Take away Roman and his bag of swag and after a few years the club would quickly retort to the Chelsea of the 90’s.

For all of their faults United and Ferguson have built a dynasty on consistency and an ethos that brings the right players in and embeds them in the club’s culture and history and with the addition of Carlos Queiroz they appear to be the one club that gets it right when combining foreign talent with a British core.

I feel dirty after writing that.  :evil:   I’m off for a golden shower.

I used to hate United. But now Ive got more respect for them than any other top flight club.

With Fergie around United havent changed much in 10 years, whereas everything around them has got more and more abhorrant. Thats the reason for me. Because of the influx of foreign coaches in the top flight, they are our only quality exporters of a British style game.

I still hate them and their legion of sad plastic fans.   What really pisses me off is how Louis Edwards managed to get off a FA inquiry into illegal payments because he was ill...when he passed the club to his rugger bugger son Martin.  The enquiry was promptly dropped,  Martin who wasn't too interested in his legacy,  probably why he stuck with Ferguson, tried to flog the club to Knighton for about 10mill....Knighton came up a bit short on teh fundage.

 Edwards stayed, and the onset of Prem, produced a cash cow, he had nothing to do with....so he sold up for tens if not hundreds of mills.

 Of course the Glazers, having no particular interest in football, could see a way of harvesting this cash cow for themselves.....when Ferguson goes they're going to be seriously fucked...its going to be funny as....well teh mid 70's after Busby went.

United have lots of English players too. Neville, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Rooney, Scholes.

Giggs and Fletcher are British players.

At least they don't have a mass foriegn army like other teams.

  So what...ManUre  despite having the pick of the best young talent in England haven''t produced an England player for years....if they did, then it might encourage the lower league neutral to view them more favourably.

  All they do is buy the best products of other club's systems, like Chelsea.

What's with the Manchester United sex festival people!

 Its just so easy all you need to do is say  " yeah i support United" and that's it.

 Go in a pub..."yeah I support United"  go in a workplace "yeah I support United"

 When they win something, then you hope a little stardust rubs off on you.

  No need to have any knowledge of Ralph Milne, John Fitzpatrick, Frank Koppel, Carlo Sartori,  not even Massimo Taibi....did Ronny Jonsen and Jesper Blomquist really play in 99.

  Arthur Graham eat your heart out.

:D

I work in HMV Durham and two later-teens/early 20's came in with their brand new United shirts on today - almost as they were doing there very own victory parade through the city.

I can honestly say they were the first United shirts I've seen in the store in the six months I've been there - and alot of football shirts come into our store.

I dislike Man Utd more than I ever have ( which is more ironic when you consider I had a slight affinity towards them as a kid during their shit period in the 80's).  This is in the context of generally despising most Prem teams these days though.  I never used to dislike Liverpool but find myself getting irritated more and more by them, as well as Chelsea.  I find Arsenal slightly more appealing due to their style of play but even that is wearing thin now.  I think much of this has to do with the Prem League players these days.

Carlo Sartori :D

brilliant. Like every club United has had it's duffers.

I do agree United could wobble after ferg leaves. He will retire only when he's overtaken Liverpool's 18 league titles (United now on 17), so he's going nowhere yet.

I'm not sure if it'll be the same as when Busby left, however, Reg. Whoever takes over will inherit a strong side with the best training facilities in the land and a healthy academy.

Financially though, they're fucked!

Well woudl you believe it, Rob T comes out as a plastic united fan, I knew it!

Giggs is my best ever Prem player,skilfull,pace,goalscorer,can head a ball and use both feet....oh and he can defend too,a real quality player,would have been great player for England.......Man U have a mystique about them what attracts fans.

I must admit my interest as an observer in the Premier League has waned over the past couple of years and the debacle over the 29th game this season gone hasn’t exactly endeared me to the Premier League ‘product’.

The amount of money being pumped in is obscene and the distributions down the food chain is so poor to the extent where we’re not far off a static top division made up of the same clubs with a handful who simply cycle in and out every few seasons.  When someone like Derby and probably Stoke do make the grade they’re chewed up and spat out and for all of the money the club are probably worse off for the experience.

It would be interesting to know if anyone has ever looked at what the distribution of TV revenue etc and how past and present compares.

Interesting point Reg made about United and Internationals.  What ‘big’ club in the Premier League last produced an England international?  If you look at the recent additions coming into the squad a lot of come from the Championship or lower level Premier League sides albeit they’re hovered up fairly quickly it’s a bit of a worrying trend for the long term.

errr well...

Of course gerrard and carragher from liverpool and before them Michael Owen.

Theres the whole man utd brigade of england internationals who are now starting to drop off the international scene (becks, the nevilles, before them butt and scholes etc)... apart from them there's Wes Brown.

 I can't see Arsenal producing an England international in the future, unless they leave a la bentley... their last one was Ashely Cole, and before him it would probably be Ray Parlour?

As for Chelsea's English contingent, joe cole and lampard, of course products of that fine crop of West Ham talent of the late 90s including Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand of course. Apart from them there's only John Terry.

Then a quick glance at who's in and around the England Squad at the mo,

defence... there's micah richards, City, Lescott from wolves, Bridge southampton, Woodgate- Boro/Leeds
The midfeild is testament to Dazzza's point. Hargreaves- born in canada, signed by munchen... Lennon- Leeds.... SWP- City.... Downing- boro.... Walcott- Swindon/Saints.... Carrick- Geordie but hammers... with the exception of Gerrard, no player produced by a 'big club' in the middle... closest being David Bentley who of course turned out for Arsenal a handful of times before moving on.

Strikers much the same. Crouch- originally at Spurs, then QPR... Defoe- a hammer.... Rooney- Everton.... Ashton- Swindon  :wink: ..... Agbonglahor- Villa

Looking over the squads of the 'big 4' its hard to see where the next potential England standard academy product will come from.
Arsenal have some quality young Brits but they always have... United and Liverpool seem happy to go abroad for their dose of youngsters and Chelsea, while abramovich is about, are more likely to spend big for the short term rather than the long term.


worrying indeed.

We'll see what West Ham can produce then!

They've had a few youngsters turn out this season and that Freddy Sears didnt look half bad.

Did remind me of a young Alan Shearer in a way, but I dont want to build him up too much because he could easily be the next Fanny Jeffers

don't knock jeffers, he has a goal-a-game strike rate for england!

By all accounts though arsenal have some decent young english players, and man city won the fa youth cup with a team made up of englishmen, so i dont think it will be as doom and gloom as is being made out.

Dex as a new arsenal employee can I point out two names, Walcott and Campbell.....who have both been internationals

And may i point out they are talking about youth products

may I suggest you try and read the thread properly before tying to be clever.


Burrrrn

 :groan1: swindon/southampton and spurs...

Why are you all sticking up for the black one?

Dex wont mind, he is in debt to me, so I hope he has a successful career ahead and one day takes me to a game! :D

Shut it Willow.

I hate them more than ever and their legions of plastic fans who crawl out of the woodwork any time they win anything. And that some of these retards actually think they're better than any other plastics is laughable, they are the worst of the lot. Scum. Aside from them and Arsenal I don't mind any of the other premiership teams, no other team has such a high percentage of cunts as fans.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: as in Willow offgood? sorry Ash  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Suppose it depends where you live.

Plastic Chelsea and Tottenham in my neck of the woods.
Arsenal and West Ham supporters on the whole seem to go to games.
Not many Man U fans in this area, the pubs on match day were mainly decked out in blue for their armchair supporters.

Ufgood.

I think.

Wikipedia immeditaly please

boooo your right  :x

Willow,

Oooh that's another movie to download for my little girl. I'd been trying for ages to remember the name of that movie.

Seriously? That is very strange. Just about anyone I know who has never been to a football match in their life was supporting Man United as if they're their biggest fan.

Practising fans aside - I just think supporting the biggest teams in the country without half decent reasons for supporting them other that "the'yre mint innit" is no different than watching a soap opera on the television.

When it's good they'll be watching and loving each character and when it's shit they turn over to the flashy rival on the other channel.

I don't see the attraction - my bro went from Swindon to Man Utd in a moment - and I've never let him forget it. Where's the fun?

Like Liverpool fans "I'm so depressed we finished 4th of the Premiership - despite having so much glory this decade" Boo-fucking-hoo.

 :D

Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits has to be the best midget film of the lot though.  Beats Willow hands down.

Blast from the past does anyone remember David Rappaport  on Tiswas and the Saturday show?

Back on topic does anyone see the 'top four' Premiership sides changing much  in the next 5 seasons?  Unless Roman buggers off leaving Chelski high and dry I can't see anyone breaking in to the clique.

Good shout Dazza.

with some strong signings in the summer i can see villa and spurs sniffing around. liverpool look the side most vulnerable to drop from the four, but with arsenal losing key players in the summer they may slip up too. i dont think the gaps shrinking

 http://cards.littleoak.com.au/197071_fks/207_Carlo_Sartori.JPG

  One of my happiest footballing memories was watching Palace v ManUre in teh mid 70's when Don Rogers completrely destroyed  them scoring 2 and setting up 3...they were a proper club back then,  not a global brand.

Football is no longer a live spectator sport, it is a television sport and I think your post sums this up quite well. People in my office who support Prem teams always try and have banter with each other, but imo, you can't beat having some proper banter as the game happens.

 :soapy tit wank:

I went off them when they won stuff, and made up for it by attending a game in their home end with my Swindon top on in 1994ish (when they got knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Rotar Volgegrad).

I too started out as a Man Utd fan in the early 90's [theywere the team my dad followed around in the 70's in his doc martin boots so bit of an excuse  8) ] I think if you've had any kind of assocation with any prem team and your embarrassed by it your reaction is to go the other way completely and hate them,thus i hate Man u and all their stupid sit in the pub and watch the game fans.The real ones who go fair enough.

who cares swindon till i die

had a drink or twelve?

 :beers:

it hes to be all about the town or there is no point :beers:  :(  :beers:  :old:

some of us like to keep a vague eye on the competition from time to time.

and laugh at local rivals failing miserably.

soapy tit wank AT CITYthe poxy bathturds