"Enjoy your non-league footie guys."

Nothing wrong with that, I say. Then again, I support a team in USL-1, which many MLS fans barely acknowledge as even existing.

The huge protests seem odd, though I can understand a bit with being upset about the ownership change. But I think the FCUM thing merely came to a head with Glazer's takeover. FCUM and AFC Wimbeldon may have had different reasons for forming, but I think the premise is very similar and laudable--a club formed and run by the supporters, for the supporters.
 

I never said there was anything wrong with Non-League footie. I have actually enjoyed visiting a few of the smaller clubs in the UK over the years. The quality isn't great but they are a fun time. I always recommend them to friends visiting England for the first time and asking about getting EPL tickets.

Having said that, most people you see in Man U shirts are gloryhunters and only support the club because they've won a ton of trophy's...not because they are their local club. Lose a few and they'll start buying Arsenal or Chelsea shirts instead...so the fact that so many have been so quick to jump ship and form FC United makes me laugh. I fully support what Wimbledon fans did in creating a new local team...but the fans in Manchester are just acting like spoiled children.
 

"Having said that, most people you see in Man U shirts are gloryhunters and only support the club because they've won a ton of trophy's...not because they are their local club.

So sad and so true. I like to think that it's not that sort that are the ones who've started FCUM. And if nothing else, I just like seeing someone toss Man U aside. (Plus, the acronym for that club is outstanding.)

As an aside to the point, if my pipe-dream trip to England in the xmas period happens, the first match I see will be at AFC Wimbeldon.
 

The only reason I was partial to ManU was Howard. Nothing like Yankocentric fan habits. But as Howard has been shelved around for a bit, I find myself without any real EPL attachments. Maybe the Spurs, just because I know a decent guy whose a Spurs fan.
 

D, there's the little club in Suffolk know as Ipswich Town you may want to follow. :)
 

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Ah, so this is a family blog. Jeez, I hope little kids aren't reading mine. Wouldn't want to teach them anything.

So what were we talking about? Oh yeah, anyone who would abandon their club loyalty because of new ownership is a c********r.

(Pre-censored for your convenience.)
 

But those are the names I'd normally use for the team you were talking about! ;)

(All in fun, Eric. But... booo!)
 

KJ...you've obviously never been to East Anglia. ;)
 

Admittedly, I haven't... yet.
 

Well, next time you are in the UK, let me know. Ipswich is only about an hour by train from Liverpool Street station in London and Portman Road is only a 5 minute walk from the station.
 

"Portman Road is only a 5 minute walk from the station."

but remember it is an agricultural area, so if a farmer is taking his sheep through town, there will be a delay and if a bunch of fellas are getting out of their local fueled on cider,.. well cover your kids' eyes.

regarding the non-league mancs, there was no need for them to start a new team since there are a lot of non-league teams in the manchester area that they could have attached themselves to, including one called Trafford.
 

Daz..you've never been to East Anglia...you've just heard rumors from Scousers. :)
 

(Must... not... laugh... out loud... at work...)

I'm pipe-dreaming a ten-day, five-match trip to the UK over the xmas period, which if it happens will include an East Anglia stop. Only, that stop isn't scheduled to be Portman Road. (I'd put where that stop would be, but you'd delete my comment. ;) )
 

Well...have fun with that slag Delia...just don't eat her cooking.

Hope you make it back from Deliverance country...make sure you take you banjo.

BTW, you go through Ipswich to get to that godforsaken place...Ipswich is the last sign of civilization. ;)
 

I've been through such places as Mississippi and Texas--can't be too much worse. Heck, I grew up in Missouri. Ever been to the Ozarks? *picks banjo*

I'll wave at Ipswich on the way through, though it may not be with all five fingers. ;)

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Crazy thought that popped into my head... y'know, if they hate Glazer this much, imagine if someone like Mark Cuban bought a club. Now that would be high-quality entertainment!
 

PZ, pardon a slightly different take. I think in the UK there are far fewer gloryjumpers than you suggest on the ManU train; they have been the most popular club (rightly or wrongly since about say Munich 1956), even during Liverpool's glory days in the late 70s and early/mid 80s. Perhaps only challenged by the brief era of Clough supremacy at Nottignham Forest.

Having said that, in an era of multinational football combines (for lack of a better term), the fan protest is quaint and silly. Glazer might prove to be a Kirk Kerkorian or perhaps I should say Gordon Gano, but maybe he'll be an americanized Abramovich to balancxe the Red and the blue.

On lower division football, I spent 1985-6 in York and saw a few matches there when York was hovering near the top of the old D3. Talk about a lucky club, one of the few years they made it to D2 was also a rare year when ManU was demoted, can you say instrant revenue enhancement. If only Leeds could catch a break!
 

Good post Bulb. However, just speaking from my experience while living in the UK during the 70's and 80's, dispite their history, Man U were just another club during that period. If memory serves, they even spent some time in the old Second Division around that time. The game was much different pre-EPL and no one club could really dominate the way Man U did in the 90's. They did this through massive marketing, tons of TV coverage and winning. By winning they sold even more shits and other merchandise which gave them more money to spend on players. In the 80's you never saw Man U shirts in Suffolk...mostly Ipswich and the occational yellow rag. Then, in the 90's you'd started to see Man U shirts all over the place...and the club even tried to put a Man U Mega store in Ipswich.

I find it amusing that so few Man U season ticket holders actually didn't renew their tickets. I'm guessing a large number of the upset fans are 'armchair' fans who buy the merchandise and watch the matches on Sky.

Again, the money they got to buy players with when the club was first traded on the Market helped them through the 90's...you could argue they wouldn't have had the success they've had without it. Now they've been taken off the market, the fans are upset with the way it was done. I just don't buy their complaints and I hope Man U actually do well this season (I still can't believe I'm saying that) ;)

BTW, York is a great town. I've been through there a few times though never to see a match. Glad to see the club seem to have sorted out their money problems.
 

74-75 was the year ManU were in the old Division 2, which was the year I had a season ticket at Anfield. Derby County were champions that year, Liverpool were runners-up, the likes of Carlisle United, Burnley, and Crystal Palace were in the top flight. Unfortunately, Man United only spent the one year down as they were promoted as Division 2 champions which was only 7 years after winning the European Cup. Even though they were down that year, there was still the love/hate relationship with them and they alway had support in London,Ireland,and the West Country were the Bristol clubs were the only ones to reach the top two division within 100 miles. The tops going nationwide coincided with the increase in televised matches. Remember Match of the Day on Saturday night was the only footy on besides the Cup Final even up to the 70's.
 

Thanks Daz. I knew it was around that time when they were out of the top flight. I actually moved to the UK in the summer of '74. It wasn't long before I started begging the folks to let me stay up on Saturday's to watch MOTD.

I do remember back then that while Man U had a storied past, they were still just another club on the schedule and winning at Old Trafford wasn't the huge accomplishment it would be today for a club like Ipswich.

Damn, I never realized how much older than me you were. :)
 

in merseyside, a game against them was alway a bit more that just another game, even in there 25 year championship drought (17 years if you include the Div 2). Even when they were in Div 2, we still sang "we hate nottingham forest, we everton too, we hate man uniiiiited, but Liverpool, we love you" and of course the bluenoses would swap Liverpool and everton.
 

If memory serves....in deepest darkest Suffolk the teams in the tune were Leeds United, Arsenal too, Naaaaarich City and Ipswich we love you!! :)