I've got to get something off my chest...

[strooood]

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

[dell boy]

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:

[Bushey Boy]

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

[Don Rogers Shop]

Very good post

[janaage]

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!

[Matchworn Shirts]

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

[janaage]

Hate plastics but cant argue with ferguson, giggs and scholes

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?

[Bushey Boy]

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.

[thepeoplesgame]

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! :-)

[pauld]

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 that cunt was the anti-christ, what a prick doing that to our wayne

[janaage]

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

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.

[strooood]

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    imagine some old bastard at the NCTJ reading that and having a heart attack.

[pauld]

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

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

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

[janaage]

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.

[juddie]

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!