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HERE IS A PROPENSITY to view all of United's transfer policy as Glazernomics; box it off, sneer, that's what it all comes down to. And despite the Gill like comfortable tones from SAF on this subject, for reasons we can but speculate, I still believe in different circumstances, say where the 100m that is bled out of the club on pointless practises was rather invested into it, Fergie would have spent larger amounts of cash, if he could, on more frequent batches of ready made quality stardust than he has since the Ronaldo money was cashed. And where we, at a selling price that still looks undervalued, then moaned about an inflated transfer market we helped create. And having spent the money he wanted each summer, hed then continue to invest in youth.

present United players and that atmosphere that he has created, his singular focus, as those who crossed him would testify (the brutal removal of Stam, Ruud, Keane and Becks), is on those in the squad who he still thinks are worth a place in the squad and will perform to his expectations. Don't underestimate Ren Meulensteen's role in all this either. Perhaps safe in the inner sanctum of any United boot room, faced with life under the Glazers, the management team have created a policy to cope with it, or deal in it. Rene told RN in his interviews (RN192/193) what United now looked for in players: Versatile players; very fit, always on the move, I like to see people that have more bows to their strings than just one particular party piece. We always want to develop young players through the ranks. The manager looks at the squad and he looks at the balance. Have you got enough experience, have you got enough young players?

Because there are nuances to this transfer merry go round. History tells us the manager liked the odd explosive purchase, but has always valued, well, value, and invested in the growth of a team, with undeveloped players he Inspired by Wiel Coerver, Rene clearly sees the benhoped to then develop. Then adding a bigger name to help efit of bringing youngsters in, and coaching them straight them. In an ideal world, wed have no Glazers, but he still from that early age, so that not only wouldnt have spent a fortune on do they know the United way, but every player, and there would be they are coming through together, more to every deal than that there so that their team-mates, the ones Glazernomics suspicions. With the that make it of course, have develfinancial constraints he is under, igoped with them, under the same noring whether he publically besystem. Perfect examples to see moans them or not, there are clearly now - as Henry Winter pointed out reductions in cash in hand, affectthis week - Welbeck and Cleverley. ing the cash in his hand and perIt's probably, along with the eyeing haps this policy has swung his of future returns on the ones that horizons more to eyeing a producdon't make it, and saving spending tion line at the start than finish. more in transfers, or any hoped for Whilst there will be some who hudfuture one off Ronaldos, why the dle conspiratorial and say every Ryan Giggs with an even younger D.Welbeck Glazers have backed investment in deal is this or that, the truth is nothe United Academy - we can see body really knows, it's speculation, the footballing merits of this policy, they the financial. A although some make more sense than others. player groomed through this very system, so long as there is the stability at the top (footballing wise), like there has My own take in such a dance is that with one hand been at United will know exactly what is required of them tied either partially or by old expert seaman hands of rerather than the merry go round of managerial casualties. strictive inescapable knots, Fergie has adapted. Faced Whilst results may not be, United is built on consistency. with a team that was ageing, unable and not wanting to Staff, ethos, themes. For now at least. suddenly decimate a side and bring in a new team all at once, he decided to prune and prepare. And hope that the Rene went on, as he talked of Danny Welbeck and odds stacked in his favour - whilst not all, inevitably would Tom Cleverley already team-mates for over a decade become good from those signed who were but potential, fore they actually became first teamers together: I believe he'd leave the Casino in the red as more made it than didin his principles about developing young players from a n't. And Uniteds made it is different to anywhere else. young age and to make them skillful so they can meet the demands of the modern game. With young players, if you Let us not forget there is a brutality to Fergie that softwork with young players, they are sponges, you just soak ened dull press conferences now doesn't show - just get the sponge into the bucket of skills. So the more they get rid of the cunts he replied to cycling's Dave Brailsford at a younger age, the better it is. So all that batch that is when asked how he dealt with old or ineffective players. coming through - with Welbeck, Cleverley, Cole and LinFor all talk of this reinvigorated United family of past and
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gaard - I don't have to teach them any skills, they have already got it. That's the ideal way. That's development. Because when they come to me now, I don't have to tell them, how you do it. Those that have come through have benefited from the very system built to bring them through. And it helps the relationship between player and manager or coach, as Rene said when talking of the pride of seeing Welbeck now in the first team: I have been involved with the whole line, the whole way of development, all the way into the first team level. That breeds loyalty from both. Of course there is caveat to all this. And this isn't merely me late with a deadline trying to use up old quotes to save time! Rene also added a warning: When you're good enough, you're old enough but young players you need to give them time. And that's the one thing at a club the size of United that they both have so much of, and so little of at the same time. Time! Developed a certain way, within a system (and I don't mean tactics like diamond or 4-4-2 which can be the issue of the day), it takes a city like trophy wait for any kid coming through to get and take their chance, and that if they even get that close. They must not stray (Ravel), or get impatient themselves (Pogba) and almost become drones as Gary Neville says: It is how you get it into the children. You must have patience. You've got to repeat your message continuously. The best coaches I had worked to the theory of repetition. You need to promote simple messages consistently. You can't complicate coaching. And again, it comes down to patience. From us as much as them. On their part, how they do it, even with all that talent and potential rewards is still incredible when the world around them doesn't necessarily give them much (on and off field), and it can come in even less supply in the brutal world of first team football at Old Trafford. It becomes an Escher like paradox, because Utd tilt to younger players, they need time to develop, but they can't get it because the expectations are so high. We buzz off this United ethos - players coming through - but we don't want this giddy carnival journey of a carousel of silverware to end, so players have to either hit the ground running (and that includes even the likes of Evra and Vidic who fluffed their opening lines) or their chance may be gone, or worse still, they get picked on from the stands. Hell never be good enough him. But whilst some soothsayers (moaners mostly to you or I) may say they have an expert eye for talent, not all really know - and sure the coaching team themselves would admit the same not knowing before a certain age cut off) - as some wrote off even Ronaldo as a flat track pony before he began to raise levels to carrying team proportions. I think Danny Welbeck's development has been startling, and admit eating humble pie by not seeing what he had in him before the Sunderland loan as I doubted he could make it at United. Some still doubt his finishing, his knack for goal, and whilst of course it's not pleasant seeing chances go begging like those at Newcastle, I see the most simple stat of all. He's not even yet 22 years of age. What could he be doing, if given faith, and time, by the time he's 25 as rashness gets ironed out and maturity gives him more time for thinking about thinking on the ball. And think again, ourselves. He is doing all this. At 21 years of age.

find his level in the Portuguese league system, wherever that might be. There is a cost to this eye for youth, also for wanting such a large squad. At the rough end, on the periphery, they are signed, forgotten and then possibly so stunned from the shock of it all, to never recover (I'm thinking Dong). Of course not United standard, but possibly achieving more than they would if not gambled with. Played with even. THE DEBATE ABOUT whether the desire to keep the squad happy - rotation, rotation, rotation - has replaced picking the best performers each and every week is an aside to the fact that because nobody can now second guess team selection and the same team chosen for consecutive games is as frequent a sight as a full house at the Boo Camp, it also means that whilst all the other pressures affecting youngsters and their development build up, they also have to contend with getting games here and there, which can't do much for confidence, or development. It's a system that on the whole works, succeeds for us, but means for a player to succeed at United they also have to get used to the fact that his A game as they call it has to be ready and willing at infrequent intervals, and if they don't bring it, not only will their next chance be reduced, but the doubts will grow again in the stands. I'm not saying the likes of Darron Gibson were United standard. But he wasn't as shit as some made out, as his form for Everton suggests. United's standards should be that high, clinical even however cruel, anything else and we stare at Liverpool's decline for evidence, but in a land of knee jerk reactions and lack of patience to those not good enough, and at times those good enough, it means it's hard to judge who or who won't be able enough as the waters muddy - and that's ignoring the fact that all these years on people still argue whether Michael Carrick is United standard or not! Never satisfied us buggers eh?! Joking aside, look at Rafael this season? Ignoring my mate who thinks it's because he's finally out of his nappies and split from his Fabio, we see, for now at least, the ideal development this season, more maturity, less rashness, and a willingness to learn (shown at Newcastle after the mistakes vs Spurs) to stay back when Evra tracked forward and vice versa, And crucially, getting games. Regularly. Breeding confidence, faith from above, then the stands, and the opportunity to shine. Mistakes are inevitable, they are from experienced players, but told he is the No. 2 this season, despite doubts from some quarters, he's improved. Picked automatically, rather than seeing a right winger improvised there. It's not all coincidence! Fergie admits that Rafael getting games has allowed this growth: Eventually the penny drops for these lads the more games they play. The problem is of course that allowed only to pick 11, and not wanting scenes of discord like at city with toys thrown from prams, Fergie can't play everyone in the games they need. It delays their development, means it takes longer to work out who is United standard or not; yet perhaps should mean despite the need for instant results and high expectations that we fans should still err on the side of caution and allow these kids their chances, even if results (mistakes) aren't always what we hoped for.

Not all kids will make it. I find it almost criminal how Bebe has been treated. We can laugh and joke but here's still a young footballer plucked out of his environment and Subscribe to Red News basically plodding along in under 21 games as he becomes all Talking Heads; Roads to Nowhere. What point 10 issues. UK 32 Europe 47 ROW 58 Digital 15 not sending him, or Macheda, out on loan this season, or Subscribe, renew for a 10 issue sub to your door. Or by digital try and not harm his long term career by allowing him to pdf for just 15 Order at www.rednews.co.uk, or by post to

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It doesn't always work. Look how Park and Obertan have shown their real level by remaining equally as ineffective at their new clubs. But Obertan did highlight how much pressure youngsters of his age with rare chances can feel under: To try and prove yourself in 20 minutes here and there. Theres a lot more pressure in that situation. Playing each week can improve, as John O'Shea said about how important loans can be: A lot of people said they noticed a big change in me when I came back from Antwerp. Getting that competitive game every week was important. It improves your concentration and confidence as well. Fergie talked after the second Final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley of accepting their challenge. It's certainly faltered since but perhaps as some scoffed at him saying we could play their type of football he was instead actually looking at the bigger picture. As he rejuvenated United's youth policy upon arrival so neglected under Big Fat Ron, perhaps this policy partly forced on him - signing more youth to find value - meant with the policy he and Rene were moulding the next set of teams who would grow up together, like Barca's. Of course, then you need a bloody Messi and a strong midfield! It is but all a series of pitfalls, and head scratchers, leaving some excited for Anderson once again after a solitary good performance against Newcastle in the League Cup in this, his sixth season, but because he's not had that final conclusive serious run of games, some still remain uncertain as to which is the real Mr Lus de Abreu Oliveira. The curse if not for him then the young squad player at United - needing games, not always getting them, not to be judged, but to allow progress which will then give a stronger position to be given a proper appraisal, rather than never properly knowing. Thankfully we're still enveloped in credit when it comes to the only way is down after United (though the cost and pressure of being at United does affect that), but one day, as another youngster departs seeking games, it might bite us. I'm not saying play the youth then, give them all their chance, but there is a certain satisfaction seeing Wooton and Keane alongside each other in the League Cup, especially with so many itching to get their chance, and when some of the more experienced heads around them have under performed. All these years on, giving those chances still makes us buzz. The odd big signing mixed with youth it is then. It might not be ideal, but it now seems an ideal and we'll see how we get on. I hate why it's been done if forced by the Glazers, but I don't succumb for the need for a team of marquee signings,

ageing, who are ready to rock the boat when not playing. The problem is that how many and how much progress is hampered when at a crucial age for development, our kids simply can't get a game. Fergie said when Welbeck signed his deal: He'll learn, he won't play every week. He can't learn as much, if not playing every week, but I suppose that sums up the high levels expected at United - I'm still glad we signed RVP , of course, and seeing Welbeck fighting for a place in a high quality strikeforce of 4 is what United should be about. But that will mean patience from him, Fergie and ourselves. SAF went on: When he is complete, when he's 23/24 he'll be a fantastic player, and he'll learn from playing with Robin and with Rooney. I hope United fans can wait that long. Two years to some seems a lifetime away, it does to the kids wanting their chance. It will do to a United fan just wanting them to do well, but at times over reacting when they don't is a backward step and cycle. Patience is a virtue and all that. Juggling expectations with the time they need is hard. Not all will make it, but it's only when they've been given their chances that you can make that call, rather than at the beginning when they've barely got started. Like it or not, our transfer policy has changed, and the system at United has been altered to accommodate. It's a gamble weighting the squad at too low an age, too inexperienced, but we'll all be delighted if it comes off whilst still scowl at the Ginger fam in Florida for over weighting the roulette table for their own gain. But these are the new rules, and I'd much prefer the ire to go towards the Gimps, and allow the kids the chance to show us if they are good enough or not. Getting games is hard enough, excessive frustrations when they finally get it does nobody any favours. That's not meant to be patronising. Most United fans get it, if frustrated at the tipping of scales. We've always mixed youth with experience which is why we celebrated the arrival of RVP . But it's what Danny Welbeck learns from him that is as important in the long term, even if it's at a distance at times. And Eric Cantona's arrival wasn't just a catalyst for what he did to that team twenty years ago (see our special 20 year special next month!), it's what he taught or inspired in that next famous lot coming through. United life moves so fast, it's almost a conveyer belt at double speed. It's incredible one man has kept it running so well for so long. Add the fact they all want games, he can't give them. And in partial adversity decided from up above, he's perhaps seen an(other) opportunity. The kids at United, then, may they never be divided. Like it or not, the future depends on them.
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Knee Deep AND Off The Rails for CFR CLUJ

Where in the world is ClujNapoca anyway? That's the question I was asking myself after the draw a couple of months ago. All I ever wanted this summer was to finally draw Galatasaray and get a chance to see that famous atmosphere in person. Then I started looking into Braga, and it was cheap, so why not I thought - but Cluj? I'd never heard of the place and didn't really know anybody else that was going. With airline companies taking a Glazer-like approach to extorting football fans, you can either go the easy way or the cheap way, and - one dramatic change of mind later - cheap flights to Budapest and back were booked. Yes, Budapest. For a place I'd never intended going to in the first place, I ended up spending more time there than planned but it's funny how things work out sometimes. arguments. There's nothing like the confusion of waking up on a matchday 281 miles away from the ground speaking no local languages and having no idea how to get there. After missing the early train and arguing with the girl behind the counter who tried her upmost to put the pest into Budapest, I'd landed myself a train ticket and instructions. It's a two hour train ride, followed by two hours on a bus across the border and then another three hours on another train down to Cluj. Sounds simple enough, the tricky bit will be finding where to get on and off, I thought. All aboard the 9:23 train to Puspokladany then - and I'm pretty sure the locals can't pronounce that either! When I say train, it looked more like a warehouse on wheels - a big square, grey thing that probably should've been carrying freight rather than me. The amazing thing about most of Hungary and Romania is that there's absolutely nothing there. At one point there's nothing but farm land as far as you can see, then a massive Tesco sat in the middle. I'm still trying to work out who uses it! Much of the route through Romania is made up of mountain swamplands, buildings so run down they make Moss Side look like Monaco by comparison, and thousands of sheep looking relieved Leeds no longer play in Europe. In fact, parts of the bus route have no signs of life at all for about a hundred It wasn't until I was on the way to Ringway Airport that I found out there are no direct trains from Budapest to ClujNapoca anymore. This was going to be a long, confusing journey whichever way I tried to do it. Fast forward a couple of hours and feeling rich with a pocket full of stupidly high numbers of very low value currency, I found myself in Budapest. A city where football isn't what it was at one time - as the taxi driver explains - but the people still talk about United's 1-0 loss to Zalaegerszeg over a decade later. I'd go on to hear a fair bit about that Bela Koplarovics goal from the locals, but efforts to find out Locals watch the game... how the from their house... rail system over there works fell flat. All I r e a l l y l e a r n t from a night in Budapest is that trying to order Chinese in Hungarian w h e n you're an Englishman is virt u a l l y impossible, and a v o i d b e i n g dragged into other people's bizarre domestic
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miles, just one highway running through the fields. This would be a terrible place to break down, I thought - but more on that later. Surprisingly, everything was going according to plan despite the weird stations where you have to walk across the tracks with no crossings because nobody bothered building platforms. Health and Safety in England would have a fit! I found the bus and got in across the border to Oradea station in good time and then things started getting funny. Firstly if the Romanians want to charge people for using public toilets they should've just put a sign up saying so, I thought, as I walked out of one being chased by four yes, four - screaming women. I like being pursued by feisty MILFs as much as the next guy but not when I've got a train to catch! So I hop on the train, and a guy even bigger than me [and that really takes some doing folks] blocked the aisle off with his gut and started singing football songs at me. I have no idea how to react, the only Romanian singers I've ever understood are the Cheeky Girls and they were much easier on the eye. The logical thing to do seemed to be to sing back - Pride of all Europe then get yelled at by the ticket woman for doing so. Literally YELLED at. Thank God I wasn't trying to jib her train, I think she'd have cut my throat and hidden my body in the toilet. I'd heard hitch-hiking is the most popular means of getting around in Romania, and after that journey I could see why. By 7 o'clock I'd abandoned all hopes of getting there for Matchday 2 and started looking forward to the last sixteen, this train could not have got any slower had I been pushing it. Eventually I did arrive in Cluj and went straight to the hotel where, as it turns out, the coach was waiting to take the United team to the ground. I had no idea I was sharing a hotel with our players, but Eastern Europe is a great place to make yourself feel like a rock-

star on an average budget. A hotel like that wouldn't even let me half way up the drive in England! I managed to throw myself in front of a taxi and get a ride to the collection point, got the ticket and headed to the ground. YOU KNOW IT'S going to be a special atmosphere when the first thing you hear getting to the collection point is Willie, Willie Morgan, Willie Morgan on the wiiiiiiing!. I've always thought we should revive that one at domestic games. It would be a night for old songs though and an old school atmosphere. We sang the Busby Boys for the entire twenty minute walk to the ground without stopping, with the locals looking on perplexed. Once again at a UEFA away we were greeted by more riot police than fans, these foreigners need to stop taking the Kaiser Chiefs predictions seriously. Luckily the stewards didn't really care and it made for a surprisingly good noise for just 904 fans. Flags everywhere, fans climbing the fences, everyone standing where they want, people jumping on the seats, classic songs - a proper away. Despite the nervous last few minutes of hanging on to the win, the road to Wembley had begun. This would be one of those nights where the players would come and clap the fans, I always appreciate that. The place seemed to just get louder when they came back out to cool down when we were locked in at the end, with everyone singing the songs for each player - and Keano who was on the side doing media stuff. Kagawa seemed to love his new song and Ferguson clapped with a big smile for what must've been about the 30th rendition of She wore a scarlet ribbon that night, which he's said in the past is his favourite United song. Singing All we need is Mikael Silvestre! after the news he'd been training with the squad made me laugh, as did the back and forth banter with
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the crowd and the MUSC Poland lads climbing the fence. All you need is, a bottle of vodka!, etc. Everyone singing Rome or Mandalay at the end of the lock in with them holding the flag up with it on was one of those special moments you can only get away with in Europe. If someone tried climbing the stand in England they'd be banned for five years before they even got both feet off the ground. I'd originally thought getting to Cluj would be the most memorable part of the trip, but as it turned out the day after the game had even more surprises

English, there's no phone signal and there's no chance in hell of me getting home at this point. Eventually the bus starts moving again, but I'm resigned to missing the last train. As it turns out I didn't, but it would've been easier if I had! When you're faced with having to get a ticket off someone who speaks no English, run across four railway lines and get on a train within the space of three minutes - it's impossible to think straight. I managed to get on the train, sat back and breathed a sigh of relief. A relief that lasted all of a minute and then I realised I'd committed the biggest mistake anyone travelling overseas possibly can ... losing your passport. Now there's no way I'm getting home! I started to panic, but realised I didn't have time to sit there panicking so I've jumped up and started running - literally - up and down the train asking everyone if they speak any English. The locals must've thought I'd lost my mind along with it, and they'd be right. Thankfully I did find someone who could translate and between me, this friendly Hungarian lad and the ticket staff on the train we arranged for me to go back and pick it up the next day. A few phonecalls later I'd changed my flight, got back into the hotel from the first night and everything was OK again. Disaster averted.

on a euro away. After getting attacked by the hotel shower, I had to make another five hour round trip half way back to Cluj to collect the passport before going to the airport. For the first time in a couple of days everything was running fine now and a few hours later I'd be coughing, sniffling and sneezing my way back over the UK border, exhausted but home. After being stranded in a strange country, there's nothing as relieving as seeing good ol' England again. Fish and chips, cup of tea, God Save the Queen and all that. Almost any Red who goes away in Europe will tell you that something memorable happens on every trip. I've learned by now that it wouldn't be a euro away without funny shenanigans, a couple of holes to dig yourself out of and moments of complete farce - but that's what I love about it. There's nothing else in football - or in life for that matter - that comes close to going and flying the flag for this club in a foreign country. Final point, it's great to see so many more people this season getting involved and wanting to come on these trips. A lot of Reds will be on their first euro away next month, and I'm sure they'll end up every bit as addicted as the rest of us. Braga Municipal Stadium, full speed ahead! @iandangerously

Train station in Romania... up its sleeve. There's nothing quite as surreal as looking up and seeing the entire Manchester United squad walking past you. I don't believe in stopping people who have somewhere to be, but I managed to say hello to them as they went past, which was very cool. Got a quick chance to say thank you to Ferguson as well, very briefly of course, but I've always wanted to do that. Buzzing once again as I headed back to Budapest. Bonnie Tyler once thought getting Lost in France was worthy of writing a song about, well she'd have got a whole album out of Hungary! Remember earlier I said that parts of Eastern Europe would be a terrible place to break down on the way there? I'd come to find this out from experience on the way back. The bus pulls up a few miles after the border and we're stopped at the side of the road. I thought things were going to plan and suddenly I've found myself stuck on a bus in the middle of nowhere, and it's getting dark. Nobody speaks

So at this point I BRAND NEW SHIRT should be almost home, but it's another 6am FROM RED NEWS start and once again I'd http://www.rednews.co.uk/shop/items.php?itemid=41 come down with a cold

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O IAMUNITED THEN. Just not the type of United the club wants. I don't spend any money at the megastore on Bebe bed sheets, nor apply to competitions to be anally butt plug fucked by Mr Potato as Fred the Red knocks one out the other end. I go to the games I can afford, and the club only gives a token nod all that time until it's ST renewal date when they suddenly want to send Fergie round to make my tea, and bombard me like a stalker on speed. The shame is that our club has been so desperate to appeal to its foreign branded market - and not knocking the loyal out of towners here, it's the ones near and far who class themselves as Reds who only recently started supporting the club (in their 20s, 30s & 40s), only want to stay for the glory years and the closest they've been to Old Trafford is by choosing it as their home stadium on a computer game. The club turn their backs on you or I, but bend over backwards in markets where most watch games on illegal streams and wear fake shirts - and if there's 659m of them, they are welcome to them, but the club still aren't actually going to earn much from them nor their commercial partners when Chevrolet et al realise they've actually sold bugger all cars on the back of all these deals. So shall I for once check my online bank account not with bitten nails to see if I bought 4 not two rounds out of my skull the night before with only pissed wet through receipts in my trousers too impossible to fathom (and preying nothing on the screen says brass with big tits250,) and instead hoping for that event as rare as Haley's comet; a United refund? Well surely as we've all paid our 37-54 money in advance (I'm surprised United havent already charged us for next season's group games) for the European games surely with 1000s handed out to Mr and Mrs Swampy of UMIST at half price discount, why should we be punished for paying up early? I have not got a problem with kids

coming to OT, I advocate it, but I mean local ones from schools encouraged with free entry and a bit of pride for once, not long haired layabouts, who smell of snakebite, gobbing off thinking they are fucking Liam Gallagher in Freshers Week. Kids, proper kids, shouldn't have to wait for when the club can't sell out (and Ill adopt Derren Brown voice how is this magic possible, we have 659m fans so what is this satanic spell when we can't sell out 76,000 for a big European night), they should be eyed every week, but because Richard Arnold's stroked and flirted (like Blofeld's cat) global fanbase doesn't fancy it, and they've pissed off so many old timers, they then try and encourage the great unwashed stoodents instead. What was the point in my season ticket if I don't win away tickets, and it's actually more expensive than if I just waited until tickets were spare? Loyalty? Pah. Gill's eyes trained on Papua New Guinea, he's ignored Manchester on his map, and cheap tickets for kids in their eyes is going around Manchester Universities and offering discounted tickets to loads of ponces who don't give a toss, whilst you or I have paid full price for all three group games - make that had to pay for all 3 games - whilst these wannabe Oasis members (and dont they realise the band is no more?) wave their arms about pretending it's hard to go to United (that I am afraid is so passe) creating enough wind to power half of Greater Manchester. Or Alan Greens vocal chords. Unfortunately their focus should have been on closer to home, the attendance for Newcastle in the Shite Cup may well have given them the same receipts if they'd have got in a full gate at half the price, but it's short term thinking. Their long term business plan is aimed at world markets, but they forget if form fluctuates they may well need those forgotten, or pissed off, and worse still with rising prices and an attitude of fuck you to decent Reds and their fam-

ilies, marketing a half empty Old Trafford isn't quite in their business plan. I wonder how our official noodle partner (I piss you not) feels seeing empty seats? Now whilst I am offended at paying full price and seeing a student of philosophy next to me who has paid half what we have, I wouldn't begrudge United offering thousands of those tickets they can't shift to local schools. They do offer some, but usually schools some distances away (presumably thinking they will spend more money in the club shop), and however a discount, it is still charging them, or their schools. Open up Tier 3, get in every kid from a class nearby that fancies it. They may well turn their backs - not just because their Dad got mistreated a generation ago and wants nothing more to do with it, or because they are too busy wanking off their joysticks on their latest computer games, but you have to try, otherwise an already ageing Old Trafford won't be filled when you or I kick the bucket - bar the coachload of Tibetan Reds who have come to see the new signing from Lhasa. And whilst United twiddle their thumbs at the community, bar the odd parade of trophies or random appearances for the Foundation, city are at it, spreading their name about. Hopefully most kids will give them a wide berth, but we have to be wary, simply the longer city are up there, there will be some who choose the dark side - and United should be

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Stop the bloody clocks. Open the champers. Weve just signed a deal with Bakcell and our Azerbaijani fan base is ever increasing!

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watching them play their football. Many of the parents at this level travel great distances with their children and this act by our club is just disgusting." IAMUNITED, THEYAREUNITED. Just not the sort of United that the club seem to want. We've known this for years of course, but Newcastle showed one thing - whilst the marketing men talk of the world supporting United, there is only a finite amount of Reds who want to actually see the team in games that aren't wanked off by Sky on Sooopper Sundays, and after treating so many loyal Reds with disdain, the well is running dry - and that's when we're on top of our game. That should make United take notice, bolt up, but they continue to hide from this dawning reality, happy to talk up a waiting list like a North Korean Civil Servant statistician would be proud of, knowing their jobs will eventually end so leave all this mess for another day, another generation. Continue this path though and the next generation of Reds might not be here in the numbers needed. All because of the actions of an MU that tore away its FC and continues to shun those who love it the most. IAMALEPER. My concern is that United have ignored and put off so many Manchester kids - not yours or ours who will carry on the tradition (when we can afford), but those waverers with those weird parents who've never bothered with football much - and those could now give a glance towards city. It could be costly for our future. And reap what Clegg, I mean Gill, has sown. United has wanked off Mr Potato rather than Mr Jones down the road, allowing empty seats and stands for games like Ajax at home last season when they could have helped the atmosphere and provided some good pr by opening it up to local kids and schools. Not 20 tickets here and there. Stands full. And if the fear was city would one day win a trophy and then God forbid the league, now it's happened United must halt this complacency; that lot could now exploit that triumph at not just a cost to United but our next generations who have been so badly ignored and mistreated by a club who considers its fans in terms of their profit margins rather than their future. Because United have pissed off and ignored so many locals, so many old timers, so many potential kids and sons and families

of the future, nothing is certain for United anymore. I know city will keep working at it, and the fear is that they won't keep employing jokes, but the real deal, and someone who will spot this opening for cheap young local encouragement where United have been so criminal. I'm proud we keep showing up city's lies and their 20,000 empty seats, but be careful United, eventually some will take up their cheap ticket offers. United have taken it for granted. We have price freezes not because the club are suddenly kind and considerate but because they know things are so tight that any rise would have driven many more good Reds away. Our own club has treated us so badly, many Reds support the essence and core but hate what it's become. And they lose their kids and futures if they are not careful. I hope for any League Cup home tie next season, United open up all the unsold sections, and start harnessing the kids of the future who we hope in 10/15 years time will be walking around town in the summer, Red and proud, rather than blue and isolated. But we take it for granted at our cost. What's the point of Gill serenading 659m people if he can't look after his own, back home. THEYAREUNITED. Time to embrace them. NOW YOU WOULDN'T want to have Gary Nev as a mate - a right whiney fucker I'd imagine, and asking for orange cordial on a night out as he star jumped on the dance floor and spilt his shots to avoid drinking them would be a pain, but you would want him in Uniteds dressing room and Fergie has missed a tricky by not immediately promoting him after his retirement to get him right back in the dressing room to wind the team up, now free from them saying but youre becoming shit yourself Gary. Pain and the arses can be good, as he and Keano prove. Fergie likes having former players, but Mike Phelan wearing shorts and pointing at the odd cone as he practises narcolepsy on the bench is not the answer, Gary Nev winding them up until they spontaneously combust out of annoyance or getting what he says, is. Gary Nev said more in that segment on SKY about where the defence went wrong vs Spurs than you'd imagine Mike Phelan has said in a year stroking his hairy legs. We

more wise so that whilst they send Richard Arnold in his tardis to create humongous figures out of space which don't seem to add up, they put as much attention into the kids a few miles closer to Old Trafford who will be the lifeblood of this club like you or I were if encouraged. The schools and the kids don't want money from United, just a little involvement and appreciation. Worse still is United's pr. Look at this from one parent whose kid is with the United Academy: I was over at Littleton Road yesterday and we had a number of junior games on vs city. The age groups were approximately between 7-11. United banned all the parents from going into Littleton Road and watching their own children play! United even put a couple of the usual match day security guards on to see that the ban was enforced! There was a standoff as the parents just stood at the gates to watch the games, some getting camp chairs out of their cars! Other games on the other side of Littleton Road saw parents watching on through iron railings and others watching from a hill overlooking the pitches. The security told a number of parents that they would have to leave and the games wouldnt begin until they did so. The security were politely reminded in no uncertain terms where to go as their jurisdiction didnt cover public footpaths outside the Littleton Road grounds! Our club just have a knack of going out of their way to sanction and creating absolutely ridiculous situations such as this and making the very very simple things in life so difficult. What message does this send out to parents as to which club they would prefer their children to be associated with? What message does it send out to the children if our own club is banning their parents from

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have worried about the lack of leaders in the team for a while, but if you can't get them on the pitch then by hell get them off it. Nev would have players wanting to throw themselves off of roofs like that scene in Airplane as Ted Striker goes on and on - that's what you want. He and Phelan no doubt drone on and on, but only one has a point, and gets to it. England's gain was United's loss. So what if he knows half the players - he probably knows the other half aren't good enough. Albeit that we get him back on condition he never grows that Ian Beale tache ever again. First rule of Gary Nev tight club - no facial hair at Manchester United. At least Patrice seems to have realised he can actually start defending as well as giving endless pep talk interviews to MUTV where he seems to have adopted Billy Graham evangelical poses of talking the good talk whilst often failing to back it up with the walk. His Newcastle performance after Spurs was long overdue (where he continued to switch off more than an electronic rabbit in Ann Widdecombes bedroom), but in his latest motivational speech he told us the disappointment at not coming back to beat Spurs: I remember, it was three years ago, when we were losing 2-0 and we won the game 5-2. That is why I believed we could do it again. We had Ronnie then Paddy. This is not the old United of they score 2, we'll score three; at best it's a few giddy comebacks, but a lot of they score two, we struggle haplessly and find it tough to score two ourselves. I woke up a bit surprised after Newcastle with all this diamond formation talk - not so much that formation, but that we finally played with any kind of bloody formation in midfield at all! Can't see it lasting. The duck tape that has somehow kept the midfield options that we have just about working like a 1950s American car in Cuba needs more than no wingers, it needs winners. Cleverley might be one option, but it's like he is the only new option - too young, too much expectation, possibly too busy thinking this diamond is something he can buy his latest WAG. Diamonds are forever? It'll allow some bloggers to create endless streams of shitty graphics as they think 400 diagrams of formations and pass stats is interesting, but the key isn't how many you play in the middle, it's who you

play there - and like it or not we're still over relying on Paul Scholes and if his form were to decline we'd be left one short whatever gets chosen. This midfield issue was never going to go away, no matter what Eureka moment scheme created to try and save its face (and Rooney in there, yes, let's put our star player right back so he can stop goals rather than score them, that makes sense!). When I am at a match I try and imagine what would Carlos Quieroz do in my seat now. Well, judging by some of the fatties I see at OT wearing their replica seats it's as if they think Fergie will give them a nod and a wink and usher them down to come on as a sub or offer crucial advice during a game as they get louder offering coaching tips during each game. Each to their own, I look like a victim let alone a fashion victim but it's bad enough seeing over wedged flab on a barmaid wearing a crop top, worse still on a 30 stone Red in his Nani shirt whose sweat is so bad I feel like bottling it and selling it as some strongly perfumed spa water in a new commercial tie up the club could announce - Eau de kebab toilette. Worse still not chosen, they decide to choose their position in the stands, about 100 rows from the pitch and anyone on it from ever hearing them, as the optimum point to offer coaching advice to grown men, and professional footballers. I thought we'd given last rites when Darron Gibson's United career was no more to those inane shouts of SHOOT (the Old Trafford equiva-

lent to get in the hole from dullard Yanks at the golf who really think a hole in one is possible on a par four 500 yarder), but poor old Nick Powell scores a cracker and the kid then gets the SHOOT drill every touch thereafter. Why are you telling a professional footballer and a half decent one at that to shoot? Not even when the shot is on, back to goal... SHOOT! Suppose it stops us singing about Carlos Tevez. And, irritatingly as Nani himself has found, is the new trend to start singing another player's name when he misses. After the penalty miss came Viva Ronaldo and against Wigan Robin Van Persie - yes, that's going to do the world of good for his already shredded confidence (and I bet his ego is disgusted he's suffering from a lack of it. Not good at all). No wonder players don't want to meet us, so some fucker can go get rid, you're shit in their face who hasnt seen his knob for years (then again, my missus hasnt seen mine...). There used to be a bit more of the matter used fighting the anti matter but everything and anything has become so negative, you either like or don't like players rather than just taking each game as it comes and seeing how they will do. But you certainly shouldnt develop such irrationality that you get on your own players backs during a game. That really is the slide to the dark side. Booing at half-time vs Spurs? The Boo Camp is that way... And don't shut the door (sponsored by one of our platinum partners) on the way out, and please take that fucking SHOOT with you.

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CARLOSARTORIAL ON A STOP-START SEASON SO FAR

It looks like we've temporarily abandoned the doughnut to experiment with the novel idea of playing midfielders...in midfield. I know, amazing isn't it?

T'S BEEN A STOP-START beginning to the season, both in terms of the incessant international breaks that dictate the calendar at this time of year and the stuttering football we've witnessed. On the whole though, with some dodgy looking away games already out of the way - things aren't looking too bad with us sat in 2nd place, 4 points behind Chelsea. Though he'd never admit it, Howard Webb must dread being allocated our games. Despite seeing off Newcastle quite comfortably, you just knew that the next day's headlines were going be made by some perceived injustice stemming from the fact he was in charge. This time it was a stray Van Persie elbow and the fact that Webb had the temerity to rule out a Newcastle goal because it HADN'T fully crossed the line. Pathetically, Radio 5 actually opened their sports coverage with this story the next morning. Talk about playing to the masses... Despite ultimately ending in defeat, the Tottenham game a week earlier was a stormer - such a shame that it it took us being 0-2 down to garner any kind of response from the players or the crowd. It's become a familiar script: we start off slowly and seem content to simply sit and contain - the tempo only increases once the realisation dawns we've fallen behind and oh shit, now we've suddenly got a game to chase. Giggs was awful yet again and the reasons for starting him get less and less clear as the months/years tick by. I mean, starting Giggs and

Diamonds Are Forever

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Scholes together was clocked by most of us as a big no-no 3 or 4 years ago, yet we're still persisting with the idea now. Just play The Brand, that useless lump Anderson even, get the tombola out to see what that throws out...just not Giggs and Scholes in tandem anymore. Next month they'll have a combined age of 77. SEVENTY SEVEN. Enough now. Please.

Still, it was a great 2nd half after Rooney's introduction - very nice to see him bang on it with his touch seemingly back in place. The OT crowd woke up briefly too, for the 1st time in ages it actually felt like I was at a football match. Once upon a time the schrill sound of school kids was only heard at reserve games or pre-season friendlies; nowadays it's a weekly occurrence...and a fairly welcome one as at least it punctuates the silence from the home crowd and the incessant who are ya's and Fergie's right, your fans are shite's emanating from the away section. Having been ripped to shreds by Spurs during that 1st half, we've managed to get back on track via the introduction of what Fergie has proudly christened the diamond - without getting too zonal marking' about things, it basically looks like we've temporarily abandoned the doughnut to experiment with the novel idea of playing midfielders...in midfield. I know, amazing isn't it? The diamond got its first outing in the (urgh) Capital One cup tie at home to Newcastle - and what an utter shitcunt of a competition that is these days. How United manage to get away with charging nigh on full price for reserve games is

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nothing short of scandalous - but they'll continue to do so knowing most ST holders are obliged to buy a ticket regardless of whether they actually want to go...the prospect of not wanting to miss out on a Cup Final ticket is surely the only explanation why any non-masochist would subscribe to the ACS and willingly pay to watch such garbage. I don't know anyone who looks forward to these games and whatever minor relevance the competition might have enjoyed in years passed has long since expired. All season ticket holders I know watch the draw hoping we're handed an away tie so their card isn't charged another 40...there's something very, very wrong when that's the case. Ditto the amount of people who buy a ticket and can't face attending...and those like yours truly who are brainless enough to pay, turn up, then disappear at HT for the more appealing prospect of watching the 2nd half in the pub. I guess if we're daft enough to offer up our credit card details to the club, then we're also daft enough to merit the routine shafting we're dealt. Talk of routine shaftings brings us to the first European away trip of the season. I'm too old and my mortgage is too big to contemplate an 4 day, autumnal jolly to Transylvania, but a good time was enjoyed by all who made it, I'm reliably informed. Nice weather, friendly locals, beer at 60p a pint, far enough away to put off the knobhead contingent...Cluj was always destined to be a good trip. "None of our lot arrested, 2 hours sleep out of 55, got banned for life by Jet2.com...just a good piss up really", was how a younger family member succinctly summed up his experience. Oh and if you were confused and somewhat disturbed like I was about the large amount of shirtless ballooning going on - that was mainly down to 50 odd Polish barmies who turned up in our end apparently. Thankfully they didn't start Poznaning and lower the tone further still. Watching at home on telly only hammers home how deathly dull the group stages of the Champions League have become - even Tyldesley and Townsend in the commentary box were struggling to sound remotely enthused during the 2nd half. Like last year, we've been beneficiaries of a ridiculously easy draw that virtually guarantees progression to the knock-out stages. Unlike last year, it doesn't look like we're going to contrive to fuck things up spectacularly this time round. Progress of sorts, then - perhaps another routine final humiliation at the hands of Barca isn't out of the question? by carlosartorial (@carlosartorial)

Highlights from the past month from the loons on the official United facebook page... SAF nw is nt encouragin.. He shuld change he mentality nd stop playin borin football with old people.. I hate borin footbal n old people Just hopinp and praying that stoke will give us a good showdown unlike that of thier abnormal style of play Man u we should form a society all over the with one big stem Too early to say. Chelsea will taste our defence, de gea still jumping around like a pissing monkey U = U the best N = Not the other I = I like all T = The most Favorit soccer team E = Extraordinary D = Damn...I like Manchester United tom celery and tome celaberly and Good palyers Rooney and Wibkecl I always see myself in united squad during the presence of Anderson and Cleverly plus Arsenal's lion. i did the skipping and beebetty bop bop dancing wen clevery score his wander gol. I jump so high my chickens run away very scary Man utd,no sizee sofar, the season 2012/2013 has been a spoiled cake -> looks gud on the outside but viral infections within If it the form,pull up the socks.ANDERSON.and get back to that first line up to Bobby Charlton on his 75th birthday - 75's inreverse is acctually 57 so ,have fun ur still young and Boss happy naked day!!!!!!! After Sir Alex retirement i want Harry Redknapp as Manchester United manager. Think about Harry Redknapp Manchester United. only bigs can make difference at the lasts of a match..glory my Man U mornings shine If this gets at least 1,000 likes Van Persie has to do a gangnam style celebration... Up united. Pls let try 2 buy midfilder in case schools want 2 retired How do I get to train your team let me inbox Hello straight Am gay I need ur dick Add me thanks to a mixture chosen from Brian, http://www.utdforum.com + @MUFC_Facebook
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Exclusive extract from Sons of United

UTDs Y OUTH
NANTWICH 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 23 - Doherty (5), Edwards D (5), Edwards E (o.g.) Lewis (4), Morton (2), Pegg (5), Scanlon. NOVEMBER 4th 1952. The Cliff. 2,600 The Nantwich Guardian, dated Friday, 10th October 1952, carried the following article under the headline FLOODLIGHT FOOTBALL: If Manchester United beat Leeds United in the First Round of the national youth competition, Nantwich youth team will play Manchester United Youths by floodlight, at Broughton, Manchester. On Monday, Nantwich F.C. committee accepted Manchester Uniteds proposal to play the match at Manchester instead of Nantwich. It was a brave but nonetheless sensible decision on the part of Nantwich to forfeit their home advantage. It gave them the opportunity to participate in a floodlit game, which was somewhat of a novelty in itself during the early part of the 1950s, with the virtual certainty of attracting a far larger attendance than they could have hoped to achieve if the match had been staged at their own ground. The game would also have attracted much more media attention by being switched to Manchester. Realistically, though, it is highly likely that the underlying reason for Nantwich agreeing to Uniteds suggestion to the change of venue was made largely due to financial considerations. Gate receipts eventually yielded the considerable sum of 216 and the Cheshire clubs share would certainly have been a most welcome addition to their bank balance. Despite being only at youth level, it seemed even then that a game against Manchester United was considered to be the sporting equivalent of winning the football pools. The Nantwich junior side was comprised of enthusiastic local lads, most of whom had completed a full working day before travelling to face United. Indeed, the Nantwich team coach actually made stops to pick up one or two players outside their places of work before heading north. Once the coach arrived in Manchester, the driver confessed that he didnt have an inkling as to precisely where The Cliff was situated. Thinking it to be in close proximity to Old Trafford, he made his way down Chester Road and wrongly assumed that the floodlights seen in the distance was his destination. When later discovering that he was actually parked outside White City, where a greyhound race meeting was scheduled, it was quickly established that the bus needed to cross the swingbridge over to Salford in order to reach the Broughton ground... Some of the talk in the Nantwich dressing room at the break was that the Reds, having already put the result beyond doubt, would surely ease up in the second half. Unfortunately for them, easing up wasnt a philosophy that held much credence with coach Jimmy Murphy, who forcibly demanded his charges to make even greater efforts than they already had. One newspaper columnist was curious to know the comments that had been made behind the locked door and puzzled, What Jimmy Murphy said to his boys at half-time is anybodys guess, but they seemed to put more zest than ever into their play after the interval. A ten-to-nothing scoreline would have been enough to satisfy all bar the most demanding managers or coaches but Murphy, ever the task-master, actually began his pep-talk by roaring you havent won the game yet at the United team. It has long since passed into legend that another thirteen goals hit the back of Nantwichs net after the resumption as a tide of red swarmed over, and finally submerged, the plucky amateurs. The Reds had completely crushed their opponents with a goal-crazy performance which was spiced with more than a dash of sheer football cruelty. The 23-goal margin set up a Youth Cup record that is likely to stand forever, and it also created a record win for a Manchester United side in any grade of football up to that point in time. The Reds also contrived to hit the post on at least four occasions. It was later said that a great many supporters left The Cliff unsure as to exactly how many goals the Reds had actually piled up. One newspaper recorded that United goalkeeper Gordon Clayton touched the ball only nine times in the entire game, while the Daily Dispatchs brief summary claimed he hadnt a shot to save. Even though they had been somewhat humbled by the heavy defeat, the visiting party of players and officials were sporting enough to give United captain Ronnie Cope a coach ride back to his home in Crewe en route to Nantwich. from the excellent Sons of United by @mrmujac

Order at http://www.sonsofunited.com
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Brian Greenhoff Exclusive Interview.

With the imminent release of his autobiography, Brian Greenhoff kindly agreed to a wide ranging interview for RN. His ghostwriter, @yolkie_, kindly agreed to ask our questions (from RN readers and contributors) with their clear rapport and trust making this exclusive chat more comfortable and interesting. Judge for yourself. RN. A lot of United fans, simply because that's life, won't know about your postUnited career, can you give a brief potted history. BG: Well, went to Leeds, then South Africa, then Rochdale, then Finland, and then nearly went to Malta. That was it basically. After football, when I got back from South Africa after Rochdale, I went into the pub business, then after the pub we bought a shop, then after the shop I went working for Hitachi. Then I worked for Nobels Amusements. Then I went to Lindops. I was there for 11 years, which is the same amount of time I was at United, they were the best two jobs I had and then I went to Spain for six years, well 5 years 8 months. I indulged a bit in local cricket and football, that was all from 1987 basically, well from 1980 when I played for Robinsons for a few games and then the Villagers and then I went to Norden, got involved at Norden and started playing for the 2nd team there. It's been a long thing. I've always had something to do with sport, even with Whitworth Valley, the Horse & Farrier pub, I helped with their team for a while. There's a lot, isn't there?! RN: Why did you decide now was the time to do the book? BG: Cos somebody asked me! To be fair I was never sure, if I did a book, would it sell? But I thought at the end of the day, why not? Wayne (Yolkie) wanted to write it, so I enjoyed doing it. RN: I know that you are relatively modest and whenever I have said anything nice about it, you don't like hearing the nice things really, or you sort of shrug it off, do you not think the more you have talked about it, your story is interesting. BG: Well it's not interesting to me (Laughs). Because when I am reading it I know the story. Better for other people reading it, and seeing what they think because when I'm reading it, it's the way I am talking. I can remember when we were doing it, I'd talk, we'd drift off, we'd

come back and that's how you have done it and I thought does it work that? but I think yeah, it does, because to me when I read an autobiography I read it as if it's them, I can hear their voice while I'm reading it and it's the same with me but I think I know that!. I found it weird, reading it. RN: Have you enjoyed it, has it been a good experience? BG: Yeah. It's been hard work, and it's been hard work for you because I haven't been well. Since we started doing it I've had my nose done, getting over that, then I finished up getting this chest thing and then I got a bloody stomach bug, it's been a bad year for me hasn't it, everything seems to be going wrong! RN: Let's hope it ends on a high! RN: A few players that RN has interviewed from the 70s team that you were in, say they don't wish that they had swapped eras to today rather than then, do you agree? BG: Well, I'd swap the money! That's one thing I think everyone would say. Not the era because it was a good era when we played. I'd like for us to have played on better pitches. The two things I am jealous of now, well not jealous, I'm envious of the money and I'm jealous of the pitches. Because we used to get them early season and then you look at the Semi Final of 1979 when we played Liverpool at Maine Road, look at the pitch at that, it was horrendous. A Semi Final of an FA Cup. I used to look at the fixture list when it came out and I used to look at certain fixtures where we were playing, say like Derby away and I would hope we were playing them in August/September, because it means the pitch would be decent. If you knew you were playing in February, well there wouldn't be any grass on it, it would just be mud. But that's the way pitches were, I mean Old Trafford wasn't the best pitch, Maine Road was poor. The best pitch we played on was Ipswich, there were very few pitches that were good all year round. Don't forget the Reserves used to play (on them). You'd play one Saturday and next Saturday when you were away, the Reserves would be at home and the Youth team would play on it all the time. And also you've got to remember when you had Cup Replays, they carried on until they finished! When we played Sunderland, we played at home, away, then back at home. RN: The team, the Doc's Devils were so entertaining BG: It was a great era we played in, as I said I wouldn't have swapped it, all I mentioned is the money and the pitches really. That's the only thing what the present day has got for
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me. A lot of things happen in the present day which are very annoying now for a lot of ex-players, with that diving and all that where as in our day people used to get up and get on with it. RN: You've said that Dave Sexton wasn't your cup of tea, why was that, did you ever clash (Wayne adds - if you can try and keep it to less than 4 hours!) BG: I think Dave Sexton wise, it's better off reading the book. Because to be fair, to highlight everything that I think about him I think the main thing about Dave Sexton - I think I've put it across in the book - it's I didn't enjoy his training. I've always said, when they talk about good coaches, not so much managers, but good coaches, it's a good coach who has got a lot of days when you are training, so he's got to make it interesting. You know that he's going to repeat stuff, but you hope that he can still make it interesting. We know what we were doing with Tommy Cav (Cavanagh), but we'd always finish with a 5-a-side, and we'd always finish that way. There might be a bit of controversy, and we'd just come off laughing and arguing, that's what it was about. So you'd take it to the dressing room, you'd still be talking about it whereas with Dave Sexton, a lot of the time we finished doing exercises and exercise and it bored me to be fair. I didn't like it.

which position did you prefer? BG: It's a funny one that because I don't know really. Because I enjoyed playing midfield, but I enjoyed playing centre-half, certain games, especially when you're at home playing centre-half was a lot better, I was basically then pushing into midfield as much as anything, I still knew what my responsibility was but I was never held back whereas in midfield it was, I enjoyed playing in midfield for England funnily enough because at one part he gave me a

Willie Morgan didn't piss off to Argentina and play golf for five months!
different role, and I played it for three games and I played it really, really well and I thought to myself oh I like this and I played in the same midfield then with Ray Wilkins, and basically then Ray replaced me which as I say in the book I wish Sexton had never stopped me playing with Ray because I first played with him at Old Trafford in the under 23s when me and him absolutely ran the game. I was more sitting in front of the back four supporting everybody and if the fullback went then you'd just push across, you'd be helping everybody, if somebody was in trouble you'd try and be there to help him, you'd try and be the outlet for everybody. I know he's a bit of an arsehole but if you watch Busquets, he does the role fabulously, he does it really well, but he's a bit of an arsehole for his diving but that's another story ain't it! RN: People when they look back say that player from that era would have been perfect nowadays, do you yourself when you look back and asked such a question as to which position you preferred, do you not look at this team and think I would have been perfect for that position, because of your style as an attacking defender or a useful ball playing midfielder BG: I think with United, yeah, I think I'd have to play as a defensive holding midfield player. The idea of that, you're supposed to guard your centrehalves, you're trying to stop balls being knocked into them, it's something I quite enjoyed doing because we played against Bolton once, and Sunderland once, and I was playing midfield and suddenly things were causing us a bit of trouble and Martin (Buchan) just said to me Brian, do us a favour, stick on him til half-time and I did, I did a job for them, cos that's what I would do, so any job they wanted me to do basically for the team I would do. The Doc wanted me centre-half, I'd play centre-half, Sexton in the end didn't want me to play centre-half, he put me midfield, he put me fullback whereas the Doc trusted me in every way didn't he because he played me centre-forward, played me there, right side midfield, centre midfield, left side midfield, centre-half and I was even bloody

RN: A few players have said the same, that he wasn't particularly their cup of tea but they've also said that given time he might have won the league with United, do you think that, do you agree with that? BG: Sexton? Nah. No. I don't think he had a great fight in his belly. Some managers have that fight and push you on, like the Doc used to push us on and Alex Ferguson, has got that fight where I didn't think he had that. RN: Obviously United fans didn't take to his style from the Doc's attacking nature but we were more like to concede then being more attack minded anyway, so as a defender does that matter? BG: Well it does, because you've totally got to change your game because why have me playing centre-half when I can't attack, when I can't go forward. The idea of me playing centre-half was so we could start moves from the back, so I could get it, pass it out quick and get onto the attack whereas with Sexton I was basically held back, I felt held back with him, so basically me playing centre half was a waste because then if he wanted a defender, go and buy one - which he did! RN: The Doc said you offered something different whenever he moved you into midfield,

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substitute goalkeeper! So he trusted me, and it's a thing I've tried to come across in the book, when you've got a manager who trusts you, you perform better. RN: On trust and the good relationship you had with the Doc, some players did fall out with him obviously, was that hard to keep from simmering over, was the atmosphere difficult at times? BG: No, because it never bothered me, players falling out with him, that's their problem. It's like, there were players on a lot more money than me, didn't bother me, because it wasnt my problem. I had to earn the right to get the money that they were on. He never broke a promise to me about wages you see the Doc, I got a rise every year he was there, so basically that was all he could do, wasn't it? RN: Do you think the Doc was targetted fairly or unfairly sacked? BG: Whether he was unfairly sacked, I don't know but I think he was targetted, I know that, I've said that in the book, he was targetted. I mean the Doc always talked about a junior Board and yeah he was right because I can remember them. I got on well with them ok, one of them carpeted my first two houses! RN: Was the problem in the 70s, through to Atkinson until Fergie, that the youth set up was being forgotten? BG: Yeah. The youth thing, I thought it started, mainly Atkinson was the problem that, he just wanted to buy. I do think in my time, though I wasn't with him that long but I didn't see much that Dave Sexton was doing. I think he actually fetched in Sid Owen, but I know Sid was at Leeds when our kid was there and our kid loved Sid Owen but when my nephew was an apprentice at Old Trafford, he hated Sid Owen, so it was a funny one so whether Sid changed I don't know, he always seemed to be hard with them. And I don't know if that's the right way. To me when they talk about the youth thing coming through the years I sometimes think but we didn't do anything special, they didn't do anything special with us, we just trained. They were lucky, we were just good players and I think it's

good players thats the key. Good players are easy to train and this Academy thing is totally different, because they are going in, and they are teaching them skills and all different ways and things to do, and I can understand that. But me, from getting there at 15 years old to being 18 when I finished playing for the youth team, I didn't think we did anything special but we had some good players. When you think, three of us got through, myself who played 271, I think Tony Young played over 100 games and Tommy O'Neil played about 50, so that was basically what came through ours which if you get three through every year, you are doing well, aren't you? When you look at the year after you've got Sammy, Jimmy Nicholl, and the year after that you've got Arthur Albiston so that sort of era wasn't too bad. They were always producing, United. Whereas like now, it seems to take longer to get through now. We don't get anybody in at 18 do we who sort of plays regular? Well there is a lot more patience. Well, unless you are called Pogba! Or Fryers. They've no patience, just to wait another year, I mean, I can't see Pogba playing regular for Juventus. They'll do exactly the same thing that Alex Ferguson wants to do, wants to make sure he is ready when he comes in. RN: You created some controversy on twitter in talking about the Glazers, what are your actual thoughts on their ownership? BG: No comment. I just wanted to feel the facts of all the fans, that was all. I keep seeing people tweeting and talking about the Glazers but they're not saying anything. They are talking about let's do this, let's do that, they are not, what are they going to do about it? Who do they want in? I was just asking the question because I am interested in it. I'm glad it caused a bit of fuss to be fair because I do think it is a thing which it doesn't sit pretty with me but I don't know if the Glazers have done a good job or a bad job. I understand the thoughts of the fans when they say they are taking money out of the club but they have never refused Alex Ferguson anything, so Fergie tells us. I don't think Fergie is going to tell lies on that sort of thing. RN: To take it to the level that you would directly know about, how was Louis Edwards to deal with, was there much direct contact with
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the players? BG: Yeah, Louis was a lovely fella. He just used to come into the dressing room before the game and he'd go TP - two points that was it, all he wanted to do was get back to his glass of champagne. I think that's why he liked coming away because I don't think his wife liked him drinking a lot, so when he used to come away with us and all that you'd see him in the bar, having a drink, having a glass of champagne, some nice food. He enjoyed himself. As a Chairman I don't know what he was like because I never had any dealings with him. The Directors, they'd come on the bus and they'd all be fine. They'd all talk, I didn't have a problem with them to be fair. The best Directors, you never hear them. You never heard Louis Edwards blabbing in the papers, did you, talking in the paper? He never did that. He had a difficult decision to make, when the Doc had the affair so whether he handled it right or wrong, we don't know. I think there will be a lot of United fans think no they shouldn't have sacked him, they should have got rid of Laurie. I could open a bit of a can of worms with it but I don't think it's for me to do it. RN: Were there many personality clashes in the dressing room at United? BG: No, there was only people different. No, but I didn't see any personality clashes. Actually we had a good dressing room. It was a funny dressing room, there was some funny people in it. When we had to be serious, we had to be serious, if Martin wanted to say something we sat down and listened, because we'd have our own players' meetings and Martin would front it. And he was very good at that. RN: You speak in the book about Willie Morgan, under Tommy in the early days there was a fair bit of conflict, Willie eventually moved on because he had a big falling out with Tommy, did that cause any rucks or differences? BG: Well it was a bit uncomfortable because all he did was slag him off. Once Willie had made his decision that was it, and he should have just gone down the road. He wasn't happy, he didn't want to leave Manchester United, I'll tell you that now. In the end I think the Doc just said look, you've got to go, think he wanted him out then, you see I could say something about that which would open up a can of worms but it's not for me to say it really. RN: Is it odd when those kind of divisions break out to keep the team unity? BG: No it was fine because particularly at the time

we were playing well, so I think when you are playing well, if you are playing badly then I think it gets worse but when you are playing well it doesn't particularly matter. Didn't for me anyway. Cos Willie to be fair, still performed, he sort of never threw his teddy out of the cot and didn't say I'm not going to play, I'm not going to do this, he carried on playing. He didn't piss off to Argentina and play golf for five months! RN: The crowds and the atmosphere. As well as the great away following and Old Trafford atmospheres, there was also the trouble at the time, how difficult was it playing when that was going on? BG: Yeah, it wasn't nice. It wasn't nice. I can remember we had a meeting at Old Trafford with the fans, basically the fans who turned up weren't the fans who were causing the trouble. The fans who turned up were just fans who just wanted to turn up, just to meet the players! It was difficult, and it wasn't nice but in the end it all got sorted and it was back to normal. RN: Did the players used to talk about the Red Army? BG: Well, never knew as them like the Red Army, yeah we talked about it, I would say a lot of players weren't happy about it but it was just something that happened, it was society at the time, it didn't only happen with United fans it was happening with quite a few lots of fans. RN: In the book you speak about Milan in '69 being the pinnacles of the atmospheres you've ever witnessed, you've even gone as far to say you've played against Ajax and that was a great atmosphere but nothing quite got to you like the Milan '69 game? BG: Yeah. That was unbelievable that. RN: What is the difference then between a great atmosphere and it spilling over? Because obviously a great atmosphere has got to have that feverishness about it? BG: Yeah, they keep talking about it at Old Trafford, about getting a singing area. I mean if you went in the Stretford End, you sang. And don't forget you've got the great big Stretford End Paddock, so for the noise that came from there was, when they got going it used to come round the ground because don't forget you were standing on four sides, so when it used to come round the ground, I used to remember, because they were all 3pm kickoffs, the noise that was generated at 3pm, before you were kicking off was like woh here we go. You

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don't get that now. People still stood up. I've said it before, I do think Keano was right when he talked about the prawn sandwiches, because when I have done the corporate, I've seen people missing 15 minutes of the 2nd half because they are finishing off their cup of tea, or a pint or a glass of wine. So when Keane talked about it, about the atmosphere of the prawn sandwich brigade, he's right. But that's not the genuine fans is it? The genuine fans I mean the away support is fantastic, you hear them singing all the game, it's fantastic. But at home it's just I mean you go, you know. Anybody who sort of went in the 70s, and the 60s, they'll tell you, the atmospheres not half as good or maybe not a quarter as good. It was the worst thing that happened to football, was the sitting down lark. Every ground now. I know Hillsborough and it was a tragedy and it's something that happened, but that wasn't caused by, well we'll find out what actually caused it soon (interview took place the week before the recent apologies by the police) but if it's managed right if you get a standing area full, for 25,000 people, and let 20,000 in, you're not going to get in bother are you? You're not going to get any accidents. If you put 30,000, it's going to be a bit different. And United there's no need to extend the ground they could just, if they let us have a standing area and I'd have a standing area for away fans as well. So they can fetch a few more. I can remember when United played city the other year in the Cup at Old Trafford, and I said to my lad, hey they are getting more people you know city, you'll see the difference in the atmosphere. When he came home he said I couldn't believe it!. Difference in the atmosphere. The Bilbao fans, imagine if they'd have fetched 10,000, what the atmosphere would have been like then? RN: Was it City as the enemy for the players as it was the fans. We know Bestie used to mix with their players, did your era? BG: Never socially in Manchester. With England we'd used to knock around with Dennis Tueart and Dave Watson. Yeah spent a lot of time with Dave, I spent more time with him than I did with Dennis but me and Stevie knocked around with them. RN: The walls have gone up since your era, there's not the closeness there was during your time between fans and players, what are your thoughts on the change? BG: In our days it was the pop stars, who were never with their fans, they were always sort of ushered away then like present day players are now so they've basically become pop stars. How many players will go into a pub for a pint now after the game? They wouldn't would they? It's just the way it is now. Sometimes I would do it, I didn't do it all of the time, I'd go in pub after the game. I'd just say to Maureen, I'm going to pub for an hour she'd be alright, no problem. And that would be it, I'd just go to the pub and the lads would be sometimes the local I used to go in, in Urmston, I used to get

in there before the landlord got back from the game! Because he used to go in the Trafford Arms, they'd park in his backyard and go in pub, walk to the ground, watch the game, come back in pub, let traffic get away and then jump in car. Where we'd finish, always 20 to 5, get a shower, go into the players' lounge and then we'd be leaving about 5:30, 5:45 and I could go into pubs, it wasn't a problem. I never had a problem in a pub with a supporter, whether it was United or City. RN: You're welcome on twitter offering your own views, not being censored, did that ever get you in trouble, on or off the pitch? BG: No, no, not really. See don't forget the press was different in our day as well, you could say to the press off the record and it would be and it would be off the record, then if it came into the public domain, or suddenly, then they knew they could speak about it and half the time they would speak about it without mentioning your name. They were good like that. We had some good reporters. RN: Is your tendency to be outspoken, why we don't see you on MUTV much, etc? BG: I don't think I'm outspoken. I think what it is with MUTV, is that they don't seem to want me on so why should I pander to what Manchester United want you to say. Because you have got to watch your Ps and Qs on MUTV. We've seen it happen with Willie Morgan and Panch, haven't we? They crossed the line and bump, out. Now when you watch all the others, you know, I do think they do sit on the fence, but the thing is, to me on twitter I've no need to sit on the fence, I can say what I think. Whereas if I go on MUTV and start saying things like that, ooh, you'd be off. I think maybe that's why they are not ringing me now! But it's their loss. RN: Have you had many dealings with the current players or Sir Alex? BG: No, well, Sir Alex, I've met him but that's it, that's as far as it goes. But none of the other players, no they don't, they won't reply to somebody like us, they are a different breed now, they are a different breed, well you know, trying to get a present day player to just retweet that you've got a new book coming out to try and help you, it's just not happening! And I just find that incredible. RN: Do you think that's the culture of the players becoming celebrities, the fact that they don't feel as connected with the history of the club? I mean you'll see someone like Evra who looks like they completely indulge in the history of the club. It's like you've got two sets of United player, the ones from this era, from the Premier League era and the ones from before and there seems to be a divide somewhere? BG: Yeah. You can't help but get wrapped up in the history of the club. You've only got to walk around the museum for that, haven't they? How
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many clubs have museums? It's like United, they've always been the first in doing things haven't they? The first to go into Europe, then they were the first to have an Executive club, 1974 that started, I think they were the first to have the boxes around the ground, in saying that when they had the boxes around the ground it was just boxes to go in and sit in and watch, it wasn't like it is now where you can get a three course meal, drink and wine, they make a fortune out of it. There's so many things where they've been the first. So many things with United, things have happened, they've always let United put their foot in the water then if it's ok then the rest follow on. It's like all the different sponsor deals they do now, everybody is following suit, everybody is making money watching the United way of doing it. This is what gets me, this is what comes with the Glazer thing as well, how much have they fetched to the good, to the table? Nobody tells us that, do they? You know when you see the deals that they are doing now, they are far better deals than anybody else gets, and it's like who is bringing this to the table? It's not Gill is it all the time? That's when we talk about the Glazers, it's like that's why I asked the questions for things like that, is to see what, are they fetching enough to the table so they can manage their own debt? I don't know. I mean I'd like to see the debt paid off, but the thing is it doesn't matter whether they pay the debt off, you still can't compete with city or Chelsea. They just blow you out of the water. RN: Well I don't know. If they paid the debt off they probably could because the turnover and the income is so very high. BG: Yeah but you might be able spend 100m, but they can go and spend 200m. You could go in for Ronaldo at 95m, they could say well we want him, 150m, and what's the selling club going to do at 150m? They are going to say we want you to go there. And they'd give him 20m to go. That's the way that I would work with football, it's like the Adebayor thing with city, they wanted him to go and they've done a deal to get rid of him. And I bet that deal has cost city money. RN: We hear of long agent negotiations as players decide to sign for United, how easy was it for you when you joined? BG: Well easy because they just said they wanted to sign me, I had to make a decision, said yes and they come and picked me up the same day. That's it basically! That's how it happened. RN: Talking about your relationship with your brother in the book must have been tough, was that the hardest part in agreeing to do the book? BG: No, it's the hardest part for me, to put it in. Because I could have easily gone and not put it in. But I thought it had to be said because there's that many people on twitter and in general ask me about him, and I don't know. I don't know the an-

swer. So I thought well the only thing to do is to tell the truth. We haven't spoken for 20 odd years, and by doing that, that means I have to tell the reason why. Like I said, it's his decision. So he has to live with that. But he will, Im sure. RN: How hard was it when you left Old Trafford after 11 years? It must have been a horrible period? BG: Yeah, because it hadn't been a good sort of summer. You know, because of Sexton, as we keep saying, I just didn't know where I stood with him or anything so in the end I had to make a decision, I had to play for him, or leave. And I chose the latter. It was a hard decision but in some ways it was a bit of a relief because I finally got away from that twat! RN: You're clearly still a big Red, you fell in love with Tommy Taylor as a kid, is that where the hold started? BG: Yeah, Tommy Taylor and Bobby Charlton, it was always United with me. When I used to get my Red shirt at Christmas, from Army & Navy store, it's like, that's what I wanted. I know Barnsley played in red so it covered two because I used to go and watch Barnsley because to be fair we couldn't afford to go to Old Trafford. I used to go and watch Leeds because our kid was there, because we got free tickets. Me Dad always got someone to give us a lift so it didn't cost us owt to go. RN: But after the difficulty of leaving, was the time you'd spent still enough to say I'll always be United after that? BG: I think soon as Sexton left basically, then I wanted them to win again. It's true. I cheered them on in the '83 Cup Final. The '85 Cup Final. Yeah, I wanted them to win, I didn't want, and I've got to say it and it's an awful thing to say, I just didn't want them to win anything when Sexton was there. RN: There's things in the book, what people will understand, the reasons why because it's a big thing to come out and say I didn't want United to win while he was in charge, and that might come across as being oh, because I didn't like him', but there are serious reasons why, not that you didn't get on, there were, particularly leading up to your departure, was fairly serious for that BG: Well it is. It was just one lie after another with him. Which I'd never had with the Doc. The Doc never told me a lie. I know a lot of players might say can't believe that, but it's true. RN: What were your best and worst moments at United? BG: Well the best was the FA Cup Final. Always said that. When you play for clubs like United, you want to win something, it's about winning. Right, we won the 2nd Division title but that wasn't much really cos we shouldn't have been there. To win the

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Cup was, well, the be all and end all to me. The worst moment? I don't know. I had a few of them really. RN: Personally, you've got the relegation, but that was your first season and you played so well, but then you've got the '76 Cup Final, from talking to you, that's a pretty bad memory but obviously there is leaving as well. BG: I don't know. Probably Southampton I think because it was so upsetting. Because I think sometimes you don't think, the initial thought is you might never get back there again, to play at Wembley, in a FA Cup Final, because don't forget it was only the 2nd time I'd been to Wembley. First time I were a ball boy. Yeah, it wasn't a good moment that. As it reflects after in getting bladdered. RN: And if you could relive, just one match to play in again, what would it be? BG: Cup Final. vs Liverpool. I don't know. It's like the Ajax game, that was always special in me. I think sometimes you play a game and you come off and think yeah I've done alright and then suddenly, boom, the headlines are there, you're like my God, did I play that well!, cos you never do. Because all I ever wanted to do was to play well. I wanted the fans to like me. I wanted the other players to like me and that's all I wanted to ever happen. I'm sure there's players weren't keen on me, I'm sure there was fans weren't keen on me but the only one thing, nobody will ever accuse me when I was at Old Trafford, and even at Leeds, that I never gave less than what I could give. RN: You like your cooking, give us one quick favourite recipe for the RN readers? BG: Ooh, one favourite! No, I like my mussel one! Yeah it's with, basically tin tomatoes, herbs, garlic, white wine. Put the white wine in one bowel, fetch it to the boil, throw the mussels in, then in the other bowel put tin of tomatoes, some nice herbs in it; basel, coriander, some parsley, season it, salt and pepper and then when your mussels open, pour it all in, with wine and all and that's a lovely, lovely, mussel

dish. Tomatoes, stir them in, get the tomatoes all into the mussel. Delicious! I had it four times on holiday that! Three times somebody cooking it, and once doing it myself. RN: Tell us one fact about yourself the readers wouldn't know? BG: Ah, God. That's a good question that, isn't it. Well, there will be nobody knew I played in South Africa. Can't say I played against Pele because they might know that, might they? I don't know, it's a bloody good question that. I once met Elton John I was a secret smoker. I bet there's still one or two of the players who didn't know I smoked. Might be a couple who didn't know. I was never a big smoker. I never smoked in front of Tommy Doc or Tommy Cav. To half help me keep the weight down. It's to stem the hunger pains. RN: What did life at United teach you? BG: Yeah, the one thing it taught me was to never give up (having so many setbacks in the early years) because it's that the thing - from having the nose operation, to appendix to breaking my leg, yeah, if you never give up you can reach your goal. Because that's what happened to me. I must admit so many times I thought, when it got to the end of one season I thought that's it, I'm going to get dragged in, that's me gone and my lucky thing was Tommy Doc coming. RN: Do you think that's your philosophy I never gave up which essentially not giving up is the ethos of United, does that give you a special feeling with the club, that you both have? BG: I think we always had that anyway - just never give up. It's what Fergie does isn't it? It's driving people on, trust your team-mates. You've got to trust in your team-mates. If your mate was in trouble would you walk across the road, it's the same on a football pitch, would you run that extra 20 yards to help somebody. If people are prepared to do that, it's just never giving up, isn't it? Interview: @yolkie_ Transcript: BC. Thanks to Brian for his time. GREENHOFF is out in October in hardcover and is published by Empire Publications. You can pre-order at http://www.briangreenhoff.com Interview copyright Red News 2012.
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HAT NERVOUS RUSH of excitement as you raced from school at the end of the day; coins skipping in your pocket with the pace of your feet - white trainers, probably - eager to get the transaction sorted so you could rip open the packet and utilise its wares. Doing the same for condoms, if you bothered with them or should that be had to bother with them, were still to come in your future, but in all our pasts, kids of a certain age and era went through the ritualistic scrambling of said coins from pockets (dare they not be pockets from hand me downs), onto the counter, urging whatever old duffer stooped above, giant like, to hurry up so his hands could enter the prized Panini box, and hand over the packet you so desired. If you were lucky, your era was one of self adhesive stickers rather than affixed by glue which in not wishing to harm your players entering their albums, would usually cause much harm to you, be it clothes stuck together or sticky fingers, that too in later life, you'd relate to entirely different meanings. Rites of passage. Right way to be a cool kid if you collected your albums well. And if you were really lucky, your hopes from the purchases made pre, during or after school would be realised - no duplicates, better still the exact ones you were after, and the Holy Grail for each and any MUFC collector; Manchester United players popping out as you ripped into the packet with zeal that only children and selfish adults at Christmas can muster. Mind you, I'll grab my turquoise once more and adopt a David Icke stare into space now as I suggest those moments were few and far between. Most collectors seemed cursed, the collection always to be completed, a conspiracy, Waiting for Goddard (Paul). Whilst all that excitement would have been great to bottle up - it sometimes kept you going through the week and certainly was more effort and energy than I showed in any bloody classes that separated the drug like high you sought - surely

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there was some greater conspiracy going on in the Fortresses of Nirvana - Panini Sticker factories - as not only were duplicates common; they were always of the shittier players or Scousers, ones you hated to see staring at you as your fingers showed these footballers daylight of freedom before stuck in albums (which would either be delicately poured over and administered with rulers if you had those early nerd like tendencies, or OCD I'd hazard a guess, as pre-puberty you had an unfathomable and pointless need to make sure the sticker and the rectangle they went in were exactly right to scientific perfection and proportion). Or you'd just thump them in, Roy Keane like, satisfied that job was done. Take that you cunt. Why did they over produce so many useless footballers?! Collecting Panini Stickers was always much more fun in the collecting part rather than the end result. Some kids finished all their pages, some of us just wanted to complete the United pages and fuck the rest, and some just lost interest pretty quickly, all about the quick burst that led to nowhere, and the intensity in the immediate aftermath of another collection being released started to sizzle out as large groups at my school each morning would initially shout swapsies, bagged, got it, want that, need that, which diminished to smaller numbers of us still going strong but now being eyed by suspicion by those who had long since forgotten why the bother. OF COURSE THERE was the other element - the bullies who just grabbed what they could, or the lucky few (usually the richer kids) whose Dads either owned or knew newsagents and had access to plenty of the fuckers or worse still to garner affection (probably because their Dads were shagging behind their Mum's back, and I don't mean anal), would give them shedloads of pocket money so they'd come in, laden with bag fulls - so many duplicates of Southampton players that no-one ever wanted or needed- but still summarising this peculiar lopsided nature of production, owning probably more stickers than anyone else,
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but still not able to finish their own book. Some things money cant buy. Yes. Completed Panini albums!

We'd huddle in corners and try and pre-empt production and distribution. Was a Scouser having a laugh, was he deliberately flooding our market with non entity players so the big teams like United couldn't be finished, and why was it that I always ended up with a packet of three of the same Wolves players when it was my last spend I could afford on the fix for the week? Druggies can talk about their issues, I could well sit them down and lecture them on the hardships of being skint, too young to blag and rob for our habits and being lumbered with Wolves and Southampton duplicates that no fucker wanted; presumably even in Wolverhampton and the South Coast! The good days were few and far between. I'd urge the old duffer (and yes I realise how I didn't get hit was pretty amazing all

things now considered) to go and pick in the front and back of the box if I could afford a few, or if particularly feisty, say couldn't he go out the back and open up a new box. I'd go in later, then earlier, to fool time, but still this hunt for United players and new ones seemed as elusive as United's own quest for the league. Like team and fan, there were highs, more lows and a dependency to want Robson in your team first so you could build a side around him. Desperate measures, kids would now up the ante if they had him in possession: I traded in conkers, favours in return (no, not that kind), and my family also utilised this to their advantage as the money ran out from the habit as they suddenly underpaid my services to do odd shitty jobs that only kids can do and get away with within this whole crooked employer-employeefamily wage structure, like cleaning a pigeon shat on car for pennies. Cursing pigeons that seemed to shock and awe bomb my Mums car. Rush through it, rush to shop. Do their head in, or be brave and head further afield and run back hoping that their stock would be different. And then that cunting realisation that perhaps is needed in an early age in each kid that life isn't fuckity fair as you ripped them open (and sometimes in a rage, ripped the head off the first fucker - arrgh - oh no!) and found exactly the same couple of duplicates you'd bagged a week ago. If I'd been older, I'd have thought

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someone was having some Truman Show joke on all us youthful collectors. I went to sleep thinking I was cursed. Please not another Mick Mills. And not even Mick Mills from when he used to be good! My nights would be sleepless, not from libido growth spurts (ahem), but restless at this paradox; not what happened when I completed my United pages, but what the hell would be the consequences if I didn't. Yes, the Panini Sticker album was always bloody half empty, never half full. I SUPPOSE SOME of the more astute collectors and traders are now bankers fucking up the global economy as it taught them how to negotiate and rip us poor fuckers off in their aim of world/school domination. All I know is by the time I'd eventually finished a United page off (never a book, never a book, it's my own Vietnam...), I'd be a lot poorer, in debt to kids in my class, my family, and have pissed off most of them and all the newsagents around me, and it would only be a short while until the next set was released and you'd have to start all over again. Of course kids being kids, and slightly slow at these things and thinking, most of us threw the old ones away, especially if not fullly complete, not realising all that effort and stress could have finally paid off as the fuckers are worth quite a bit now what with all that retro appeal for stuff as 20 year old kids tell us football isn't what it used to be and pretend they have travelled in a DeLorean by buying up that junk from the era which we lived in. I pity kids now though. Here I adopt the pose of the poncy platitudes uttered by those being patronising by saying, no, it's nothing like the old days. It goes for collecting too. Kids now shove their joysticks around on computer games, as they demand too much and usually get it from parents who just want to shut them up. For us, it meant a few coins and bugger off to the shop. Now, it's get them a Playstation, or whatever - and Panini in trying to keep up have had to do shitty holograms and worse still moved away from their core market so it's One Di-

rection and JLS stickers - which is some strange circle of life of shite, when we'd dread a Ralphie popping up, the kids of today want shit performers where its all the album is full of! But like most, I look fondly at my time collecting the little bastards. It soon went the way of most fads, and for a time I'd condescendingly think I was an adult by growing out of it as school neared its end, and then drink came along (but sadly not enough girls so that I could use the pennies buying more of the other sort of packet that would provide an entirely different satisfaction upon completion), but now I eye it all with a glazed fondness. Like football itself, Panini became a machine, they probably always were (and it would explain all the bloody duplicates) but there was something unique and special that Benito and Giuseppe Panini created, not least the ability to have thousands of schoolkids arguing each morning about random footballers that for the rest of our lives we didn't give a shit about. A kid nowadays would look at you mad if you told him to do what we did, but back then it was only the mad who didn't join the collective psychosis of wanting to be top dog in your school. Pretty much, I just wanted to be the first to finish my Manchester United pages off, and I don't think anything in adult life has matched my cheshire cat grin when I did that one year. I probably cost sacrificed a large part of the Amazon Forest to do so, and had haze filled eyes and gurning cheeks from the sleepless nights and effort in doing so, but this was one habit well worth the price of. I just wish I'd kept the bloody things now!

in the crazy world of early 80's Blackley, lad in our class got addicted to sniffing 'em... Remember battering my younger brother for putting the Piqu mascot sticker from Mexico 86 in and it wasn't straight I genuinely used to throw away city players as well, even at the age of 6. The club badge silver foil one was always prized. Had to nick that one several years in a row. I once got a pack from the shop and all 6 stickers were George Berry from Wolves. #fuming I hate Boro purely cos one year I needed Irving Nattress to fill the book and he proved elusive. Got....Got...Got.....NEED!! SWAPS?? Nah mines a SHINY. swap for two of mine then I had about 15 tony cotons when he was at brum. Gutted Everytime I saw his daft perm n tache- unable to swap I had so many One of my albums had a huge hump in it, where I'd stuck about a dozen pics of Gerry Gow, who was at Bristol City... Robbo was gold. Would swap any amount of stickers for a Robson. This was the most sought after one.

Your PANINI MEMORIES

Paul: I think a lot of men of my age reminisce about those halcyon days of subbuteo floodlights and Shoot centrepage pull-outs of Big Norm's goal in '85! having Panini swap days in the old family stand, dads begging stewards to let their kids through gates under the stands my (only) sway into crime - nicking a quid outa my mums purse and buying 10 packs of stickers
Thanks to all who helped with this piece. Too many to list but also Alwyn, Daniel, Steven, Kieron, NH, Bren, Jason, Paul, Mick, Paul OC, Jez. Cheers.

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NITED REMAIN ONE of the few clubs across that Europe that genuinely surprise you when they announce their team. Red News has a yearly competition based upon predicting Fergies eleven and in the one year I entered; I got all eleven right once. It was like I won the lottery. When news filtered through of the team that would take to the field in Romania to play Cluji, Reds furrowed their brows and wondered who was to play wide. Rooney, Hernandez, Van Persie, Cleverley, Anderson, and Fletcher. Not a winger in sight. Manchester United does not share a normal relationship with the classic position of the winger. It is a position that is built into the very fabric of the club. A line can be drawn from Billy Meredith through to Antonio Valencia with names like Best, Hill, Coppell, Giggs, Kanchelskis, Beckham and Ronaldo to join the two. Just as the Argentineans love their number tens do we love our lads who get chalk on their boots. Has the position become obsolete though? There are few of the top clubs in Europe who employ classic wingers in their first team. The big two in Spain dont. Cristiano Ronaldo may start on the left wing but he never stays there. The same applies to Angel Di Maria. Barcelona have no time for a player who will knock it past a full-back and whip in a cross. Who would he aim for? Go through what is likely to be the top four in the Premier League this season. City deploy Samir Nasri and David Silva, two players who are two footed, can play through the centre and either left or right. They share these characteristics with Chelseas three of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar. Arsenal havent had a classic winger for years now. United have three players that can be classed as wingers in their first team squad at the moment. While Nani is certainly two-footed he has never gone near a central position. Ashley Young has played centrally for England and impressed at home to Benfica last season there but he has spent his career as a right footed player playing on the left. Antonio Valencia simply cannot play anywhere else but right RN
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A r ed a i m o n d sf o r e v e r ?
U
midfield. The signings of Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa in the summer have naturally impacted on the teams shape. Kagawa is a player who likes to dart into space between behind the oppositions midfield and defence. Van Persie was a player who liked to drop deep and still occasionally does, but his strength is as the focal point up front, making those intelligent bursts that led to the likes of that sublime finish in Romania. The elephant in the room is Wayne Rooney. That is perhaps an unfortunate clich given Waynes start to the season but there can be no argument that since regaining fitness and starting again for the team he has thrived in an advanced midfield role. In the three games he has played there, he has comfortably been Uniteds best player. He can at times be dynamic and subtle and perhaps the all action nature of the position can curb those occasions when his touch goes awry. Our full-backs for all their obvious defensive faults this season, are perfect for a formation with a narrow midfield. Both can easily provide the width needed to stretch the pitch and in Rooney, Van Persie et al United possess players that can float from one area to another eliminating the predictability that plagued us at times last season. No one can say for certain if this formation is here to stay this season. If you think back to that fateful week after the derby humiliation at home, United deployed Rooney as a deep lying midfielder as a sticking plaster, something to steady the ship while we figured out where we were going. Given the performances since the diamond however, and its safe to predict we will see it again this season. Just dont ask wholl be playing.

Red Nev no longer divides opinion.

eing on the wrong side of a mixed zone is a humbling experience. The only thing I can think of that is comparable is that person who stands diligently on main streets of major cities and begs you to hand over your bank details for

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what is usually, a more than worthy cause. You avert your eyes immediately. Suddenly a text message takes on extraordinary importance and with the dexterity of a cheetah you speed through bodies and away from the charity worker with the Bambi eyes. A lot of players treat journalists like charity workers. Some dont bother hiding it; others use oversized earphones as a shield. Anyone who stops is seized upon like ants on a dropped sweet. My one experience of a United mixed zone brought me into contact for a flicker of a moment with Gary Neville. Nev as you would expect didnt even hide the fact he was ignoring us. Chin up, chest out, he walked on. He stopped right by me though for some reason and I meekly asked for five minutes. He turned, looked me up and down and said No chance mate. He then walked on. I briefly considered asking him for his bank details because some kids needed a new school but the moment passed. Every since that tiniest of snubs, Ive wanted a manager to tell Gary no chance mate when hes asked some revealing question on Monday night football. The point is Im watching though and so is everyone else.

he goes with the run of Gareth Bale. Two; he sprints back to his right-back position alongside Rio Ferdinand. He does neither. We are given a freeze frame of Patrice Evra and Rafael twenty yards away from their centre-backs. There are the mistakes. Nobodys legs had gone, just a few minds. THE GREAT STRENGTH of T.V shows like The West Wing and The Wire was they didnt treat their audience like idiots. Neville does the same. He expects you to keep up. He expects you to be someway informed. Hes not one for talking for ten minutes and saying nothing. He recently highlighted Citys problems earlier in the season in breaking down teams and in doing so highlighted a trend across Europe of wingers becoming obsolete. Full backs provide the width now, the best teams in Europe play with three players behind one striker. All three need to be able to interchange with one another. Its the future and you and I are being shown it in thirty seconds clips with slow motion. It undoubtedly helps him that he isnt out of the game long and that he is currently involved in coaching. That gives him a gravitas and authority that the dinosaurs on Match of the Day cant hope to achieve. A foray into management surely waits for this sharpest of minds and you should make the most of him on television.

Gary cut a clip of Bales goal from the start; he detailed that Moussa Dembele beating Paul Scholes is going to happen. It shouldnt be a problem ninety yards from goal. The problems start thereafter. Gary presents two options for Rafael. One;

There has been no second season syndrome with Gary Neville the pundit. He has become the most insightful and important one on teleSoon he wont have five minutes for anyone vision. In the aftermath of the Spurs horror again. show there were an awful lot of United fans by Paul Ring (@Paul__Ring) using that tired old clich that centre-halfs of a certain age get stuck with; their legs have gone. Rio Ferdinand was over the hill because he lost a foot race with a player who ranks as one of the the n am e s o f e fastest in Europe and h t e r a s g o o d ide a n ve lo p e was afforded the k it wa s a rs . in h In t h e s e e t l il t s M equivalent of Greater p le w h o R o dge rs, t h re e p e o ge r - M r. Manchester with a n d , yo u a n m ie r e f s b o y r e t which to run into. to make m h g u a yd H o ll is te r.

nd m l f or R o dge rs a e w h o wa s a mo de n o k n o w, t h e

ugh t n d we t h o a , s d la e Fuc k m sh ite ! ny t a lk e d K ing K e n

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Pic: The RN classic of Utd at Forest away 85

Loyal through and through

N ame /Nick n ame . Daniel Burdett. Age? 34. Where are you from? Cheshire. First game? Southampton at home - September 1986 - 5-1 win. Where do you sit? K Stand. United hero? Bryan Robson. No. 1 all time United playing nemesis? Liverpool. Fave current player? Paul Scholes. A United supporter - how and why? It was only ever going to be United for me. I grew up in house that absolutely loved sport and especially football. My Dad had been going to United games since he was a lad. He used to tell me all about going in Paddy Crerand's pub in Altrincham too, as his mate Peter Barnes was playing for United at the time, and having drinks with people like Bryan Robson. My Gran was a huge fan of players like Nobby Stiles and Bobby Charlton and from an early age, used to talk to me about them. She would always be watching any football that was on TV at that time, so I soon learnt all about the game, especially United. How many games do you think you've seen United play? What's the oddest way you've got to a game? I've never counted the exact amount, but it'll be over 1300 that I've been to now. I try to get to all the aways in this country, depending on getting tickets. I've done all the domestic finals and Champions League finals, plus over 50 European aways since I started going to games in 1986. The oddest way of getting to games has to be on lots of really strange and obscure airlines to various European away matches, especially in Eastern Europe. Many of these

airlines I've never seen before or since. On European aways, I've always been happy to use local transport like trains and trams, especially when it appears to be free of charge. The Moscow Metro system stands out as the most impressive, even if the station names were hard to understand. How would you describe yourself away from Utd and at Utd? I met my wife at Old Trafford in the treble season, as she had been watching the club for years too. Since then, she's done all the matches with me as well and she has an immense knowledge of United too. Our son turned one in August and he's already been to Old Trafford for a match (plus the 30+ home and away games his Mum did while pregnant with him). We're both self employed so that we can still get to the matches, especially with all the kick off time and date changes. At games, I've always believed in encouraging and vocally supporting them at matches, definitely not booing them. Thanks to watching United, we've made many lifetime friends. What's been the best and worst changes for Utd fans in your supporting lifetime? I think the huge ticket price rises have been one of the worst things, meaning huge numbers of loyal fans have been priced out of watching the club they've supported all their lives. The atmosphere at home games has sadly deteriorated over the last 20 years too. Any efforts to improve this, like safe standing and a singing section need to be encouraged. Thankfully, our away support is still really impressive. The best changes has to be the work Sir Alex Ferguson has done in totally transforming the playing side of the club. Not only has he made so many great buys, he has always given our reserve and youth players their chances too. The work he did in his early years with the scouting and discovery and development of players was so important to the club.

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Why do you think United took such a hold on your life? I think that it is just such a special and unique club with its history and great tradition. When I started going, despite being the biggest club in the country, it still felt like a family club. Right from my first game, I was totally addicted and I went to the rest of the home games that season and some aways too. I've been going ever since and apply for every away game too. For me, it was always about more than just any success on the pitch and I'm so glad that I got to see all those games in the 1980s, even though some of the football wasn't great to watch. If you were manager or Chairman at United for the day which t wo decisions would you make as either? Firstly, I'd change the club crest back, so that it would say Manchester United Football Club again, not just Manchester United like they changed it to in the late 1990s. Secondly, I'd make the United players more accessible to our fans in this country again. When they go on tour, especially to America, they do a lot more to meet the fans and sign autographs than they do here. I think it's a shame our younger fans get less opportunities to meet our players nowadays. I understand there are lots of demands these days, but with the bigger squad sizes I think more could be done. It is good to see more former players involved with the club and meeting fans though.

with when they've had a few drinks. The Scandinavian and Dutch players were always the nicest players to chat with I think. It was great seeing Roy Keane and David Beckham in the away ends with us at various matches in the 1990s too. Tell us a claim to fame about yourself? I'm not sure about a claim to fame, but my wife and I went to the first United for Unicef Dinner at the Midland Hotel in Manchester in May 2001. That was the night David Beckham first appeared with his famous mohican Taxi Driver hair cut. He was happy to have his photo taken with us, but for some reason the press didn't find out about the haircut for about another 3 days after. We could have had a great exclusive with our photos with him in the papers, if that was our sort of thing to do. Confession time tell us something you'd rather not? When we played Rapid Vienna away in the Champions League in 1996, I phoned into school to say I was ill and would be off a couple of days. In reality, I was going to Vienna for the match. I would have got away with it, but I was shown on Granada Reports singing and having a few beers with other United fans. Of course, loads of people ended up seeing it but I got let off with a warning. It didn't put me off going to games though!

Describe your perfect United Explain what United means matchday? It would be a great, to you in just 10 words. More old style, away FA Cup trip. than just a football club - hisIdeally against a side 1 or 2 ditory, tradition, heartbreak, visions below us that would elation. give us a decent away allocation, at a ground we either What's your favourite on haven't played at before or for Daniel with Becks and that famous hair in 2001 pitch and off pitch memory supa few years. It would be a game with a great porting the shirts? On the pitch, for the atmosphere and a typical United style win whole experience I'd put the 2008 Chamhopefully. I've still got great memories of lots pions League Final at the top of my list. of away trips in that competition, especially That whole trip had everything and the all those during the 1989-90 season. match itself followed in the same way. So This season? Optimistic or pessimistic? I'd say fairly optimistic. I think we'll remain title contenders in the league with City and Chelsea. I can see us reaching the later knockout stages in the Champions League again too - hopefully luck will be on our side this season in that competition. I'd like to see us do well in the FA Cup again, as it's been a while since we last won that. Hopefully we won't draw Man City or Liverpool away again this year. Growing up that was a special competition to our club and it still remains important today, even with the changes in modern football. With his incredible record at the club, we've got to trust Sir Alex Ferguson with what he's doing. Have you ever had any memorable encounters with players - good or bad? I've been really lucky to have met loads of United players over the years. I've seen them at airports, at football dinners/events and around Manchester and the Trafford Centre. Thankfully they've always been great with me and have been happy to chat and have a photo/autograph. The older players like Paddy Crerand, Robson and Whiteside are a great laugh to spend time much went on in that match, and the way we won it with that dramatic penalty shoot out will stay in my mind forever. It was the perfect way to mark 50 years since the Munich air crash. Sir Matt Busby and also those players we lost at Munich would have been proud of the way we won that game. Off the pitch, it has to be us clinching our League title since 1967 without even playing in 1993, when Oldham beat our title rivals Aston Villa at Villa Park. I can remember watching that game on TV and the immense relief and celebration at that breakthrough title. It was like a tremendous weight was lifted off the shoulders of every United player, member of staff and supporter that day.

Your biggest rivals and why? It will always be Liverpool for me. That is the club that we measure our success against. Seeing Liverpool win all those trophies in the 1980s means that I've never taken United's success for granted and I appreciate every single honour we have won since then. Manchester and Liverpool see themselves as rival cities and this is reflected well between us and Liverpool FC too. Man City and Leeds United follow
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Liverpool, as the teams I get the most pleasure out of us beating. What's the funniest incident you can remember seeing as a United fan? There are two that stand out for me. Firstly, at the end of the 1996 FA Cup Final, on our lap of honour, I loved seeing Gary Neville and Andy Cole joining in with our fans, by singing the complete words of the Cheer Up Kevin Keegan chant which was going around at the time. Secondly, at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium, our fans have always mocked their fans when they play that Reach Up - Papa's Got a Brand New PigBag song after their goals, by mockingly singing and dancing to it when we score there. I remember one occasion, United scored there at our end and the United players joined in with us mocking that song and dancing about too. Favourite season as a Red? The 1998-99 and 2007-08 seasons obviously stand out as the most successful ones for what we achieved, however my favourite United side to watch was the 1993-94 one. That side picked itself Schmeichel, Parker, Bruce, Pallister, Irwin, Kanchelskis, Ince, Keane, Giggs, Hughes and Cantona, with Choccy, Robson and Sharpe as the replacements. That team played such exciting football to watch and for me would be the most physically strongest team I've seen. It was also Ferguson's 1st truly great side and it set the benchmark for the ones that followed. Worst memory as a Red? Being at Anfield in April 1992 when we lost 2-0 to Liverpool, meaning Leeds United won the First Division title. Leaving Anfield that day, there was no way that I would have predicted the huge amount of success that would follow in the next 20 years, as we all felt so low at the time. Being at Sunderland this year, as City beat us to the title was terrible too, but for me Anfield was even worse. What's the daftest thing you've done supporting United? In November 2006, on the day we played Celtic away in the Champions League, we arrived back from Singapore on a overnight flight at Heathrow in the morning, with a connecting flight to Manchester after that. From there we got straight on a plane to Glasgow airport as it was the only way of making the match in time. We watched United lose there and Louis Saha missed a penalty. That has to be the most shattered and jet lagged we've ever been at a match. The only good thing was meeting all the United team at the airport on the way back home later that night. What's the maddest/scariest moment you've seen at a United match (on and off the pitch!)? Off the pitch, Porto away at the Estadio das Antas was really bad outside the ground trying to get in before kick off, then again at the end of the match. How nobody wasn't hurt more I'll never know. Our first trip to Roma in 2007 inside the ground was quite horrific too, when the police badly attacked our fans. Juventus away in 1996 and Lille in 2007 weren't much better either. On the pitch, watching us lose 6-1 at home to Man City and 5-1 away to Man City in 1989-90 still haunt me, as they are the worst actual results I've seen. Biggest wanker in football? At the moment I'd say John

Terry. There are so many reasons to dislike this guy. The way he celebrated Chelsea's Champions League win this year despite being suspended, was shocking. Especially in comparison with the way Roy Keane and Paul Scholes were when we won the 1999 Champions League after also being suspended. Add to that, the allegations of racism, his mocking of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in America and him cheating on his wife with a team mate's partner, doesn't make him a very pleasant character. The owners? Discuss? The biggest issue with them is the amount of debt that they put the club in when they bought the club, and the huge amount that has been spent on this since then. It is hard to get past that huge amount of money going out of the club for nothing when discussing them. The best thing they have done has been to keep Sir Alex Ferguson in charge of the club so far. When they eventually come to sell the club, it will still be a concern who they actually sell it to. Our club doesn't need a billionaire owner like we have seen at Man City and Chelsea who see it as their plaything, just owners that respect our club and will do their best to help us succeed. You've got the ultimate off dinner party at your gaff, and can invite 5 United guests (players, staff and fans), which would they be and why? My two immediate choices have to be Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Cantona - 2 icons in the club's history. After that I'd add Brian McClair as he is probably the most intelligent United player we've had and his dry sense of humour is brilliant. Wilf McGuinness is a fantastic character and I've been fortunate to have spent time with him and he would be a great guest there. Finally, I'd invite long time United reporter, writer and fan Tom Tyrell. Tyrell has so many amazing memories of watching United and it would be great to hear some of these. It's a shame he's not seen around as much these days. Your best ever United eleven? Schmeichel, Keane, Stam, Pallister, Irwin, Edwards, Charlton, Robson, Best, Cantona, Law.

David Gill would still be comfortable if... Number 2...

Ive got no balls dealing with the Glazers so I am used to this and entirely comfortable with it!

He lost a bollock in a rugby match

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Byg o n e Days , Byg o n e W ays

Manchester Uniteds year in Division 2 - by Ken

ing the sixth nation to do so. Whats changed then, fuck all! Thats what.... Manchester United is my escape from all that bollocks; it was back in 1974 as it is now. So here is another journey back in time for you Reds that werent around then, the halcyon days for football supporters, well Manchester United supporters anyway, and all that with a team in the old Division Two... Imagine no JCLs, tourists and day-trippers embarrassing us at Old Trafford and on our travels. The saddest thing being those people are welcomed at OT more than me nowadays. So where are we? After last weeks draw at Sheffield Wednesday we are five points clear at the top on the football front, but fan wise we are been vilified in the media after the shenanigans at Hillsborough. (see RN193). December 14th 1974 Manchester United v Orient (League Division Two) A strange day really on the way to the game. Not one mention of todays match or opponents, everyone is either conversing about what their particular exploits were at Hillsborough last week or how are we going to cope without Big Jim Holton for the rest of the season. Very disrespectful to Orient in hindsight, but thats football fans for you, just so long as Tommy Docherty makes sure the team dont take anything for granted. We pick the best possible team available now, and come steaming out of the blocks and push Orient back; Lou Macari and Sammy McIlroy twice force saves from the Orient goalkeeper who is in great form. John Jackson in his heyday would be an England goalkeeper nowadays, but suffered then because there were so many good keepers about in the English

A personal account of events and experiences, of a life in Division Two. The continued month-by-month as it happened diary from Ken, one of the well known Red twins!

he Global Recession deepens, a familiar headline nowadays, unfortunately our politicians and bankers havent learnt anything as that was a headline in December 1974 along with Syria announcing a ceasefire after Henry Kissingers intervention, Turkey invading Cyprus, and India successfully detonating its first nuclear bomb, becom-

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game. The old war horse looks unbeatable this afternoon, and Uniteds last throw of the dice is to bring on another forward, Ron Davies, to replace a midfielder in an attempt to win it. Nothing changed and we resigned ourselves to the fact that it wasnt to be our day. And as much as Id like to bring you a fairytale finish, I cant unfortunately - if you want cock-and-bull stories youll have to buy Cass Pennants or Jason Marriner's tales of them running the Stretford End! With ten minutes remaining and the game stagnating at 0-0 it actually got worse. Another Old Trafford legend is about to be born, completely against the run of play after Martin Buchan gave away a needless free kick near the corner flag, Orient sent all their big boys up trying for a shock victory, its right in front of us in the Strettie and the ball is crossed in...Orient centre back Tom Walley is completely unmarked, and heads it home. That horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach starts to emanate, fuck it! Losing at home to Orient. That despair soon turns to joy as I see the referee Roger Kirkpatrick has disallowed it for some reason, of which I will never know. But who cares, Im sure Roger had a legitimate reason to blow his whistle and I am eternally grateful. Roger Kirkpatrick was a fairly rotund chap with a bald head, so he could quite easily have been a figure of fun, but not now, and for the remainder of the match the Stretford End were chanting Kojak, Kojak give us a Wave. Such was his popularity with United fans that for years after,

every time we got a dubious decision against us, a roar of We want Kojak would bellow from the Stretford End. With the trauma of the disallowed goal, the final score of 0-0 felt good in the end, todays attendance of 41,200 is staggering really at a time when footballs gates were in decline everywhere and on what is said to be the busiest shopping day before Christmas, for a 2nd division game against fifth from bottom Orient. NOW LETS COMPARE that with the press proclaimed best supporters in the world, Liverpool, who win 2-0 at home to go second in DIVISION ONE, one point behind leaders Everton and attracting a massive 35,151. PATHETIC! Another fact our verminous rivals have managed to sweep under the carpet aided by the Beeb and Skys skilful mis-information, only twice since I first stepped foot in Old Trafford (1966) have Liverpool had a higher average home gate than us and those only because of ground redevelopment in those years. Yes, even during the 70s and 80s when they dominated and won everything, (except a World Cup) we had better attendances than them, completely erased from history by Scouse loving media, who then compound the injustice and help perpetrate the myth that we are Glory Hunters. December 18th 1974 Manchester United v Middlesbrough (League Cup 5th Rnd replay) The matches are coming thick and fast now and even with Christmas only a week away, we have a big test on our hands tonight - a League Cup Quarter Final replay at Old Trafford against high flying 1st Division opposition Middlesbrough, managed by Jack Charlton, the ex Leeds and England World Cup winner, but probably most famous for being the older brother of Manchester Uniteds Bobby. The first game at Ayresome Park

ended in a 0-0 draw with United hanging on, if I am being totally honest. But here we are with another bite at the cherry. After the first game Jack Charlton wasnt too pleased with the referees performance and let his feelings be known, in fact he made a formal complaint to the FA when the same referee Peter Reeves was appointed for tonights match, which the FA refused changing. Tommy Docherty got caught up in a war of words with big Jack in the press over his protest which just added that little bit more spice to the match, and with Boro now at full strength with David Mills, Bobby Murdoch and John Craggs all back after suspension and injury we knew it would be hard...and this time we had to bring in Tony Young at right back for the injured Alex Forsyth. I head towards the ground and join the massive queue for the Stretford End which goes right back to the Stretford Bridge and on nights like this can take up to an hour of pushing and shoving before gaining entry. It was surprisingly orderly if my memory serves me correctly. The queue was always worth it, just to get in the Stretford End. I know it must be hard for younger fans to grasp what it was like in those days, but to guarantee entry in the Stretford End you had to get to the ground by 1.30pm at the latest for 3pm kick offs as on most Saturdays the Strettie gates would be shut by about 2.15pm. You could still get in the Paddocks or the Scoreboard later on, they just werent THE STRETFORD END!... Later in the 70s it changed slightly, and it became fashionable to get as close to the away fans as possible, but this is 1974 and away fans didnt come to Old Trafford. The FA rules in those days were simple, the away team were entitled to 25% of the allocation in all Cup games, so Middlesbrough could have had over 10,000 fans at the game tonight if they wanted. Somebody must have moved the decimal point a few places because if they had

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more than 100 fans cowering in A Stand Id be surprised. That was the difference between United and the rest, we travelled in tens of thousands not hundreds! The Stretford End is rocking at kick off and I can honestly say there is no better sight or sound in football than a swaying Stretford End in full voice, whatever the bullshitting media say about the Kop, double it and youll know what the Strettie was like. Before kick off in the warm up every United player (and I mean every player) had their name sang, admittedly there was a lot of Theres only One... verses, and the roar at kick off was deafening. We didnt wait for something to happen on the pitch to get behind the team, it seemed constant. I expect a lot will think Ive got rose tinted spectacles on, well ask your Dad, Uncle, or Grandad about the Stretford End in the 60s and 70s and theyll put you right. Tonight with the Middlesbrough no show there is just under 50,000 in the ground. We werent disappointed either, the team were outstanding and matched their 1st Division opponents in a pretty even first half. The second half began with United now attacking the Stretford End and played with a resolve determined to force victory and we seemed to cheer even louder if that was possible. 10 minutes into the second half Lou Macaris free kick bounced up onto the goalies chest and rebounded out to Stuart Pearson, who bundled the ball into net. We are going crazy while fighting to get back to my standing position, because when Lou Macaris free kick came in, everybody swayed forward about twenty feet, it feels like when

driving over a hump in the road, the butterflies in your stomach, as the surge from a human mass suddenly hits you! Then celebrating the goal insanely, and the goal sent United into an attacking frenzy like a prize fighter smelling victory. United went for the kill, in an attempt to finish Boro off. Sammy McIlroy intercepted a pass from Middlesbroughs best player Graeme Souness, broke clear and smashed in number two, once again mayhem ensued in the Strettie...SUPER SAM SUPER SAM was reverberating around the ground, Not long after Lou Macari undoubtedly the man of the match, got a goal he deserved hitting the third. This was dreamland, a team in the 2nd Division beating high flying 1st Division opposition 3-0. The final whistle could hardly be heard with the noise generated, all around the ground not just the Stretford End. And now youre gonna believe us! And now youre gonna believe us! Were going to Win the Cup! echoing out into the cold Manchester night. The newspapers the following day were full of praise for the Reds. Including, the l a t e great reporter Frank McGhee who was lucky not to have been on t h e plane h o m e f r o m Munich. T h e D a i l y Mirror had sent Archie

Ledbrooke to cover the United game in Belgrade, after considering sending McGhee to ease the workload on their senior reporter Ledbrooke. Frank McGhee made one particular comment in his report (see below) from tonight that Alex Ferguson should put on a plaque for some of the overpaid, over-rated, over here players who pull on the famous Red shirt today. They say 24 hours is a long time in politics, as it is with Manchester United. After all the plaudits on the Thursday, normal service is resumed on the Friday, and United fans are getting berated even before we play York in the historic walled city, which had been built hundreds of years ago to keep out potential aggressors. If you believed everything that had been said about Uniteds Red Army in the lead up to Saturdays fixture, all the city of Yorks Councillors would be out re-pointing the wall and adding a few courses of bricks in preparation of the forthcoming invasion. Cheers, Ken. Next issue: York, Away.

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Fifty years ago English football was plunged into chaos when the worst winter for years hit the country from December 22nd. Fixtures were regularly postponed, the Pools Panel formed, still in existence today. Footballs glamour competition in those days, the FA Cup, saw the 3rd round only starting in early March, two months behind schedule. The great news for Manchester United was that they were to eventually win that competition in May 1963. United also welcomed new signings Denis Law and Pat Crerand in the 1962/63 season, both who would become legends of the club, whilst a young fifteen year old Belfast lad took his first steps in a red shirt. George Best was to become another of those Manchester United legends. In the wider World, a crisis in Cuba between the Soviet Union and the United States of America nearly blew that world to pieces, whilst a long haired group of Scousers called themselves The Beatles and became known to everyone as that world survived. Starting in this issue we are going to cover Manchester Uniteds 1962/63 season in a series of articles by life long fan and author of six books on the club Roy Cavanagh MBE. here is a book called Manchester United ruined my life, well to me, Manchester United ARE my life! At the age of ten remembering; WOOD, FOULKES, BYRNE, COLMAN, JONES, EDWARDS, BERRY, WHELAN, TAYLOR, VIOLLET and PEGG did my eleven plus no good, so what would leaving school at fifteen in July 1962 do for me? So, like a friendly Uncle, what does Matt Busby do for me, he signs Denis Law! The summer of 1962 was dominated by the long drawn out signing of The King Denis Law from Torino for a then British record transfer fee of 115,000. Ok, he had played for city but now he was coming to a proper club and after his Italian adventure he was a much better player. 1962 also staged the World Cup played in far away Chile, but those were the days of black and white television, indeed it had only been the last five years or so that people actually HAD television! An early England exit caused no more surprise back in 1962 than it

does now, although they did of course rectify matters in what seems to be a permanent one off in 1966. Losing Bobby Charlton to a hernia problem which was going to keep him out until late October was not welcome just as the Lawman arrived at Old Trafford Elsewhere in the world in early August 1962, Marilyn Monroe was found dead in America whilst Nelson Mandela was arrested by the South African police on the authority of their Government as apartheid kicked in. Being a Salford Lad, and proud of it still today, coming from near the docks a stroll over the Trafford Road bridge, in those days a swing bridge where you could get stuck on it as it turned to let the ships along the canal, Old Trafford was the main place to go. I had been going since 1954 so was still remembering The Busby Babes and this new season gave a real promise of a change of fortune. Saturday 18th August 1962 was the date of the eagerly awaited first sight in a red shirt of Denis Law, although he had starred as over 80,000 had watched United win their main pre season friendly in Glasgow 4-2 against virtually a full Scottish International side. How times change, now its South Africa and China - then it was Glasgow! Even though Denis Laws first appearance at home to West Bromwich brought the faithful flocking to Old Trafford, you could still in those days walk down to the ground queue up pay your money over the turnstile and go and stand where you wanted. Having just started work for the Co-op it was a real feeling of being grown up to pay for yourself instead of cadging the money off your mam. One of the first things to do was to buy the United Review which in 1962 showed an increase to 6d (3p) but was still of 12 pages and covered the regular features. The cover showed the new line up with Denis Law sat on the front row alongside Bobby Charlton. Chairman Harold Hardman informed of seats being installed at the back of the Stretford End and that a match with the new European Cup winners Benfica would be played to officially open what was then called Stand E. Inside the back page was all that days fixtures detailed by letters A to Z which would have their scores shown on the manual score-

1962-63 Season - The Lawman Arrives

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board opposite the Stretford End. All kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon! A goal after ninety seconds by David Herd followed by Denis Laws first for United after seven minutes made for a flying start to the season. Sadly, West Bromwich eased their way back into the match and earned a 2-2 draw. The first line up of this new 1962 season was; GASKELL, BRENNAN, DUNNE, STILES, FOULKES, SETTERS (capt) GILES, QUIXALL, HERD, LAW and MOIR. The obvious attraction of Manchester United anyhow, now with the glamour signing of Law, produced massive crowds. Over 69,000 packed into Goodison Park myself included and I am sure you will all wonder how that many could fit into a stadium which is virtually the same dimensions today! Everton were to become the top side in the league that season and they destroyed United 3-1 on the night. United, however, inflicted the same score on Arsenal at Highbury in front of 62,000 three days later with David Herd getting two of the goals against his old club. EVERTON came to Old Trafford for a quick return fixture and led by the magnificent Alex Young beat United for a second time in a week thanks to a Roy Vernon penalty. Being a collector of programmes buying the United Review was a done thing but one of the other reasons back in 1962 was to get the token sheet inside. Token sheet you may ask? Well, to get tickets if United were successful, would be by having been to see most of their matches, cut the token out and stick on your sheet. Simple, meaning those who deserve to see matches did not get ripped off by those who bought packages from sponsors! The Review for the visit of Birmingham City besides giving this vital sheet to fans also recorded in its Reserves and Juniors page that the B team fixture with Burnley had seen Best showed clever control to beat three men then rounded the keeper to score No Academys then, just an A and B sides for the younger United players. Fans also left Old Trafford happy with their first sight of victory when goals by Herd and Giles sealed a 2-0 victory over Birmingham. Uniteds form continued to fluctuate. A 3-0 defeat at Burnden Park against Bolton Wanderers was repaid, with David Herd again amongst the scorers, when Bolton visited Old Trafford seven days later. In between, Leyton Orient had scored a last minute winner as United made their first ever visit to Brisbane Road. Although working, I decided to go and watch the reserves that day instead of visiting the delights of Londons East End. Huddersfield Town were the

Central League visitors and walloped United 41.You used to get the first team score every fifteen minutes with this bloke opening letter A on the scoreboard and waiting ages to put the score up. No Sky Sports, Talk Radio, mobile phones - how did we live?! The reserves also had a programme, not the single sheet nowadays but a four page informative report of what was going on. On the cover of this Huddersfield issue was a profile of a bright young inside forward called Barry Fry. Yes, the same fat, loud mouthed bloke who trawls the nether regions of English football. Then he was quite tall, pencil thin and a decent player! Manchester city had suffered a poor run of results at Old Trafford but they overcome that to record a 32 win in a match I remember well. Despite being 4/1 at the bookies, and being bottom of the table, city went 2-0 up at half time thanks to goals by Joe Hayes and a Peter Dobing penalty. With the rain pouring down, Denis Law get into the act with two great goals in front of an admiring Stretford End which seemed to have earned United a deserved point. As I made my way up to the back of the Scoreboard End, totally open in those days and the rain pouring down, citys new centre forward Alex Harley burst through to hold off Billy Foulkes and plant the ball in the United net with the last kick of the match. Joe Hayes, scorer of one of citys goals was that regular feature of twin footballer and cricketer in those days. Can you imagine Wayne Rooney playing cricket for Lancashire or Freddie Flintoff playing for United? Well, in the early 1960s you had examples of footballers playing in the FA Cup Final then going to play the cricket season! Between 1950 and 1969 eight FA Cup Finals had their own football/cricketers playing in them. Manchester United had their own dual players, Freddie Goodwin played in the 1958 final against Bolton Wanderers as United fought back after Munich, whilst in this 1962/63 season we are reviewing, Manchester Uniteds captain in the Final would be Noel Cantwell who besides being a classy full back and Eire International was also captain of the Irish cricket team! Not commonly known is that Geoff Hurst hero of Englands 1966 World Cup victory had also played a county fixture for Essex despite being born in Manchester. In the next look back at season 1962/63 , the impending return of Bobby Charlton was one plus point, but there were real problems arising just off the coast of America which threatened to blow the whole world up by ROY CAVANAGH MBE
Roy is the author of The Reds Reviewed, Duncan Edwards: The biography (with Iain McCartney), Viollet: The Life of a Legendary Goalscorer (with Brian Hughes), A Salford Lad, The Story Of Eddie Colman and A Breed Apart. PagE 35

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Nick Powell & Christmas Trees A Philosophy For A New Generation

In England, you can play gung ho. I heard a coach on the radio the other day. He said how us Brits love all the mistakes you see in domestic football. He wasnt saying this as a negative or in a derogatory way though. He was saying it in a complimentary way. How the fact we are technically rubbish compared to those on the continent was why were the most popular league in the world Hmmmmm. I am not sure that mistakes in English football are why we watch. Not for me certainly. There is no doubt English clubs have done well in the last decade or so in European football. As a club we have got to three Champions League finals since our treble season. Liverpool and Chelsea have made two, with Arsenal one. Even Fulham and Middlesbrough have reached Europa finals. It is not a bad return for a nation who has no idea how to pass a ball! But sarcasm aside, there is an issue with the way we play normally, and then having to apply ourselves against foreign opposition. We know over the years that Fergie found a way, a clear way to make us win in Europe. Pre 1999, we had many a near miss with success, but crippled by the foreign player rule and an inability to adapt to every style of play left us short when it mattered. The manager slowed our game down in Europe. We retained the ball in a more convincing manner. But the purchases of top players like Veron were a failure, as we had to go back to our 4-4-2 roots after every Champions League chess match. I have often thought why we cant find a formation that we can play EVERY week. Not just on a Tuesday/Wednesday. Not just on a Saturday/Sunday. Who says we have to play 4-42 at Old Trafford? Does Barcelona dramatically change their style of play when bouncing from competition to competition? No. And why is this? It is because they play to an all encompassing philosophy. They train their players to think within a system that makes the opposition change to accommodate them. Not the other way around. It is simplicity at its best. United have often suffered with the classic European hangover after group matches, when we look decidedly weakened T HAS OFTEN been said how you have to Iset up differently in Europe. after a huge tactical shift in midweek, to have to go 4-4-2 against a Stoke City that weekend. There must be a way of dealing with this football misnomer? Two thousand and twelve...and it looks like we may have found a solution. The purchases of Van Persie and Kagawa were not your run of the mill squad strengthening. The world and his mother called for a top class box to box midfielder, and Fergie bought us a kid from Crewe Alexander. This summers transfer activity pointed towards a shift in Fergies attitude to 4-4-2. Much of this is reading between the lines. Any fan in any pub in Stretford could argue the toss about what is actually in Sir Alexs head. But certainly the boss is progressive. He is a visionary. He knows that to stay ahead in the game, you have to run the game from the front of the pack. You blink, and you become Liverpool. In the last year, we have flirted with Barcelonas fabled 4-2-3-1...and in the main it has looked promising. However, in the past few weeks this has been tweaked into a Christmas Tree come Diamond formation (Dont swallow your tongue when you say that out loud!) 4-3-2-1 suits United. It gives Rooney and Van Persie licence to be involved. It plays to Kagawas natural strengths (though as yet we havent seen the best of him). It lets Scholes and Carrick to dictate from deep. It allows us to bring in Valencia or Cleverley into a mobile midfield role, getting on the ball and interchanging with Wazza in the forward positions. The one player it seems to currently not suit is Nani, though it is fair to say this is a matter of form, rather than tactics. Young should also thrive in this formation when he returns, and Welbeck can literally play in any of these front four attacking roles. It is a formation that excites me, but you must always look ahead. Scholes and Giggs are almost gone. Reality dictates that whatever formation we try and strive to play now, is one that will not include them in the near future. Giggs specifically has received a lot of grief from United fans this season, many forgetting that he is indeed an old man...and also not a first team starter anymore. Scholes still has the same panache on the ball as ever, and looks comfortable enough to maybe even go on for another season after this one. But who is that player that is going to take the

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burden on? Who will be our next superstar? Remember, we dont buy legends...we create them. For me that is Nick Powell. Cleverley will be a brilliant utility player at United, but he wont be the heartbeat. But even as a kid, you can see Powell has the lot...and you can see the manager gushing everytime he mentions his name. Powell has the vision and the engine to be the puppet master of Old Trafford. He can travel with the ball. He can do the simple stuff with his eyes closed. And...he can score goals. If anything he is a hybrid of Scholes and Carrick...but the Scholes of a decade or more ago who would terrify defences when arriving from deep.

supporters it is paramount that we embrace change. There will always be those that crave two in the middle, two out wide, and two up top. But as football speeds like a train into the future, it is important that we do not get left behind on the platform of failure...Wondering why we no longer win the silverware we once took for granted. Wondering why our timetable no longer gives us the correct information for a successful journey...season after season after long season. We are still on our perch...but only just. Powell can be the driver of our vehicle in the years to come. Nearly time to put that Christmas Tree up permanently.

by Rob Blanchette, @_Rob_B I can see our line up being solidified around this formation and philosophy in the months and Editor of http://thefaithfulmufc.com/ years to come. Rafa, and probably But- Left Side Stretford End tner, will provide our Red artist Brendan Higgins (@chinatownbranch) width as wing- Buy his MUFC prints at http://chinatownbranch.bigcartel.com/ backs. Evans, Smalling and Carrick as the core. Two from Powell, Clev and Valencia to make up the midfield. Rooney finally finding his calling as a dynamic free player with Kagawa, with licence to drag their markers into spaces they dont want to go. And then we have Van Persie up top, one of the most dangerous finishers in the game...who can interchange with Welbeck and Chico when rotation dictates. This all sounds pretty damn hot to me. It sounds like the future has arrived. It feels like we finally have a philosophic solution we need to stay on top. Will we play 4-4-2 again? Of course we will. But now we have a squad that can be moulded into a new formation for a new era. United are moving forward...and as
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Away Match Reports

Cluj
When this season's Champions League draw was made it was a case of mixed emotions, initially very pleased, even excited, with once again, two new destinations Cluj and Braga to visit, quickly followed by the realisation at how difficult both would be to get to! Cluj-Napoca, to give the city its full name, is the second largest city in Romania but just over 200 miles from Bucharest and about the same distance from both Budapest and Belgrade. Slightly isolated from a travel perspective from the obvious choices of nearby cities serviced by flights from the UK. Many of us independent travellers who got there used a Wizz Air flight from Dortmund, others with the same carrier from Luton. Thank god for budget airlines! Varying routes to Dortmund were utilised, some via a Sunday night in The 'Dam, others from Leeds to Dusseldorf and myself from good old Manchester to Dusseldorf. Trains were then utilised from the varying stop off points to Dortmund. So two flights, a train, a taxi (in Dortmund) and my own car to the airport meant it was certainly a case of trains, planes and automobiles! I'm still amazed that all the itinerary's managed to fall into place with no apparent hiccups. The weather in Cluj was fantastic for the whole of our 2 days and 2 nights there, hot and sunny during the day and very mild during the evening, well at reality it just compensated for the extra cost of getting there! The city is very picturesque, with a massive student population, but doesn't attract many tourists, and the recent successes of the team, one of two in the top division from the city the other being "U" Cluj - and their forays into Europe have meant more, and a different type of, visitor arriving. The locals however were very friendly and pleased to have us in their city, even setting up a United fanzone in the main square which, we were told later, had been packed out with people watching the game on a big screen. CFR 1907 Cluj-Napoca, their full name, are the oldest established team in the Romanian League, spending most of their time in the lower divisions until in 2002, when still in the 3rd Division, they received huge financial backing from a local 2nd hand car salesman. He apparently said they would win the Champithe game anyway, the rest of the darkness hours were spent in different hostelries where beers were usually no more than a 1 a go and in many 60p to 80p! Most notably utilised was The Old Shepherd, where the staff, after running out of beer on our first night must have spent the whole of matchday ensuring a repeat would not happen. They must have taken more cash in 2 nights than they normally do in about 3 months! At those prices it was difficult to spend the money we had, food was also cheap and we had a decent hotel for 38 each for 2 nights. Happy Days, though in

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onship within four years, having never won it before. In fact they didn't until 2007-08 when they became the first side from outside Bucharest to lift the championship in 17 years. They are known, apparently, as the Chelsea of Romania...I guess you can see why! Their home ground, the Dr. Constantin Radulescu Stadium, currently has a capacity of 23,500, but is definitely still a work in progress. Stands on just three sides of the ground with the one end that is used having an upper tier that was closed for our game due to safety concerns. According to the United blurb sent to us it was supposed to be a 20 minute walk from the city centre, I think Usain Bolt must have done it in that time as it was a good hike, all uphill too. Match tickets were 10 in the United section with exec tickets in the biggest stand being 26. Fortunately I managed to pick one of these up and had a seat on the edge of the 18 yard box with no fences to obscure the view, not that the view made pretty watching in the first half as Cluj had a right go at us and we were probably slightly fortunate to go in at half time level. Second half we looked to be a lot more in control and a real touch of class from RVP won the game for us. Why is it we only seem to be able to play for one half of every game, it's a bit worrying to say the least. As it happens we are getting away with it on most occasions but a dreadful first half against Spurs cost us badly last week.

The only negative of the trip was a real knob of a United-Thomas Cook steward who, at the ground, declined to help me find the exec turnstile as I hadn't travelled on the official TC or- A very apt sign spotted by LR at the recent game at Anfield... ganised executive trip, despite home so many were writing him knowing exactly where it obituaries for our season, was. His attitude was - you're plenty suggesting their powernot on my trip therefore I'm not ful midfield would repeat last going to help you, so f**k off and years performance and steamleave me alone. What an arroroll our midfield. Fortunately, gant twat, I told him so too as he although there was nothing smirked from ear to ear at me. fortuitous about the result, the naysayers were wrong and For sure though it was the there can be few things to only minute of the whole trip I moan about from a fine day on didn't enjoy. If you ever, which is Tyneside. probably unlikely, get the chance to spend a couple of days in Our day started early so we Cluj-Napoca then do so, I guarcould get close to the ground in antee you won't be disap- time to sort any tickets and get a pointed. few drinks in, as is our way we found some troubles on the way Nigel A. having to divert our route due to a road closure (turns out the road newcastle wasn't closed at all). We still got to Newcastle in good time and Doom stalked the team going into this fixture following after picking up a ticket ended a shocking first half display up down by the quay, the bar against Spurs a week earlier at seemed popular with regular OT although the second half match-going Reds so much so display and atmosphere were that one lad we were with said it as good as we've encountered reeks of United in here which this season, it felt almost like wasn't a bad thing. From having the penny had dropped with loads of time to spare we ended everyone that more energy up being in a bit of a rush to get was needed; players and fans to the ground and unfortunately alike. Last year's shellacking for us Newcastle is basically one at the hands of Newcastle big hill, the walk would just be a came after being beaten 3-2 at precursor to the expedition that is the stairs up to the gods where
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away fans are seated at St James discount sports arena (or whatever it's called this week). Team news filtered through to us and it was apparent that the plan would be to attack, we haven't controlled games all to well of late so why not just go for it? Our players started off in the same way that they finished the game against Spurs and so did the fans. As disappointing as the loss to Tottenham was, at least the team in the second half went for it and what's more our home fans were up for the fight too and I enjoyed that game much more than I've enjoyed a fair few wins at home. Towards the end of the first half in that game the players seemed to respond to the fans and that continued into the second half, maybe I'm naive to think it makes a difference with modern football as it is but if it does we should be doing what we can, during parts of the Tottenham game and all of the Newcastle game I felt we did that. The game started off as well as we could have wanted, plenty of movement, energy and harassing of their midfield and defenders when they had the ball and our play got the goals it deserved. Very rare for us to score direct from a corner in the past few (8?) seasons so two coming in the same game is a bit special, two coming in the space of 10 minutes should go down as a bona fide miracle! Our passing was slick in midfield and Rooney worked well again in a deeper role, with quick passing/thinking players wither side of him in the form of Cleverley and Kagawa he didn't cut the forlorn figure he has done at times and linked up well. Welbeck didn't have the best of days for me but his work rate was there, both shown in a moment where he dispossessed their keeper but managed to miss the empty net left in his way. As far as the support went, once we were two up old favourites came out with Nicky Butt, Keane and Stam all getting a mention. We continued to push on and whilst the game be-

came more even if anyone was going to further the scoring it was going to be us. One talking point that has come out in the media from the second half was De Gea's performance. I'm a big fan of Dave but there are weaknesses that will need work (it's to be expected of a 21 year old keeper when keepers are at their best at 30) but in a space of 10 seconds we saw his best and worst as he missed a cross but clawed the ball of the line from Ba's point blank effort. A consistent run in

atmosphere wouldn't have been lacking and their team might have put up a fight. Incidentally when on the subject of support it was interesting to hear that Ashley Young was in with our fans, I know he was about for last seasons game at City in the cup and fair play to him. On the way out of the ground there was some posturing from fans and it looked like there might be a bit of mither, it was mainly young uns and a heavy police presence meant that nothing did happen where it would have in times gone by. There was as little trouble for us on the drive home as there was for us in the game but after battling a hangover all day I needed that. Talk turned to upcoming away days with a couple of trips to Chelsea in a short space of time, if they can go as smoothly as our trip up to the toon I'll be well happy. Dan Cooke
Ashley Young here. Beckham and Nev at Leicester, Rio and JOS at Anfield, a post Utd Phil Nev at West Brom, Fletcher and Ashley Young at city in the cup, just some recent players in the Utd away end for games. As Lee on the RN Forum added: And Nani for the rest of the season! As LR topped it: Oh and apparently Eric was seen in the crowd once ...at Crystal Palace. sir lurkalot remembered Keano in the United end once: Baseball ground, night match, early season, maybe the last before they moved. Keano with a crowd of lads who had been on the piss in Ashbourne all afternoon. Not in Manchester recovering from injury, maybe after that tackle on Haaland. Spotted by crowd at half time hiding under a hood and baseball cap, singing and chanting calmed down and message that the boss would not be pleased if he found out, so all quiet when team back out. We all covered up for him like he would have done for us. Also met Paddy Roche once at Coventry, 1970s. He had a tray full of hot tea and everyone gave him a wide berth in case he dropped it and scalded them.

the team is all that I can think of to get the consistency needed and we shouldn't turn a blind eye to his shortcomings but if any other keeper in the league would have made that mistake in a 3-0 win it would not have been given so much attention. Tom Cleverley's goal took our end by surprise, it probably took him by surprise too - I'm not having it that he meant it, but with that any thoughts of a comeback were gone. Strangely it was only at the 80 minute mark that the Newcastle (best fans in the world don't you know) fans decided to join in, firstly giving solid proof of how small time they are by pulling out the Poznan and then trying to give us shit for a player deciding to join them instead of us 15 years ago (we all know how that actually turned out, David May certainly does), their attempts to get to us were too late and too poor for it to have an impact and maybe if they'd have given some from the word go then their world famous

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THE MOST APPEARANCE MAKERS FOR MUFC FROM THE 70s TO THE 00s For competitive games only, based on games they played in each decade only. The United XI for each decade - Based on the highest number of appearances in that decade. Player name/appearances in the decade /(plus total career appearances for MUFC) Decade 70s - Number of games 510... 1. Martin Buchan 388 - 76% of games played (456) 2. Sammy McIlroy 368 (419) 3. Alex Stepney 344 (539) 4. Lou Macari 321 (401) 5. Brian Greenhoff 271 (271) 6. Steve Coppell 266 (396) 7. Stewart Houston 250 (250) 8. Willie Morgan 207 (296) 9. Jimmy Nicholl 204 (248) 10. Stuart Pearson 180 (180) 11. Bobby Charlton 144 (758) Decade 80s - Number of games 518... 1. Mike Duxbury 378 - 73% of games played (378) 2. Bryan Robson 350 (461) 3. Arthur Albiston 346 (485) 4. Gary Bailey 291 (375) 5. Frank Stapleton 288 (288) 6. Kevin Moran 279 (289) 7. Norman Whiteside 274 (274) 8. Mark Hughes 214 (467) 9. Gordon Strachan 201 (201) 10. Paul McGrath 199 (199) 11. Remi Moses 199 (199) Decade 90s - Number of games 560... 1. Denis Irwin 476 - 85% of games played (529) 2. Ryan Giggs 400 (still going!) 3. Peter Schmeichel 398 (398) 4. Gary Pallister 391 (437) 5. Brian McClair 328 (472) 6 . Steve Bruce 299 (414) 7. Roy Keane 274 (480) 8. David Beckham 253 (394) 9. Mark Hughes 253 (467) 10. Gary Neville 249 (602) 11. Nicky Butt, Nicky 246 (387) Decade 00s - Number of games 582... 1. Ryan Giggs 437 - 75% of games played (still going!) 2. Paul Scholes 415 (still going as well!) 3. John O'Shea 359 (391) 4. Gary Neville 349 (602) 5. Rio Ferdinand, 330 (and on...) 6. Wes Brown 324 (362). Mikael Silvestre 323 (361) 8. Cristiano Ronaldo 292 (292) 9. Wayne Rooney 281(still here...) 10. Darren Fletcher 254 (and another one...) 11. Edwin van der Sar 220 (265) by E.S. @RedNewsstats These stats are dedicated to the memory of Rich T. Despite supporting Arsenal, you still managed to be a great guy. The world has lost a Phil Mitchell look-alike, and a good friend. RIP mate.

Hot Gossip
edited by Salford Red

The Paddy Crerand meets Anderson show on MUTV had a couple of moments. Quinton Fortune on his friendship with Anderson: He doesn't give you any food at his house, Paddy: It's because he eats it all himself! Anderson: Sometimes I go out in Manchester because I like to eat like back home PC: You don't like eating do you?!. No surprise the response: I like eating. Maybe a little less eh? Wayne Rooney on Ashley Cole/Bertrand's tweets, 11th October 2012: Players have responsibilities, whether on social network sites or in life. We have to live up to those expectations. There have been isolated occasions this week but we are well aware how we need to conduct ourselves. Whatever I tweet goes out to the world. I try to say what I'd say in a TV interview. A less mature Wayne Rooney tweeting in May 2011 as a reply to some Scouse moron giving him grief: aha u know were I train every day kid come and do it good luck I will put you asleep within 10 seconds hope u turn up if u don't gonna tell everyone ur scared u little nit. I'll be waiting. Guess which one we prefer? Some background from a Red mate on Utds video analyst Simon Wells who Rene told RN last issue was fantastic - He studied Sports Science and worked a placement year with Rooney at Evertons Academy. Lived with me in Leeds when working for Prozone at Blackburn (Prozone based in Leeds, had to pick up footage DVDs there weekly.) Nearly went to Liverpool but Benitez brought Spanish rival to Prozone in. Scouse loss, our gain. Alex Ferguson not happy when a Sky Sports News journo in Cluj asked him for a comment on the Ryder Cup: Listen, listen. This is a press conference about a bloody football match. Youve got to go way over the top with your programme. Im not answering that. Were here to talk about football. Christ. Not so a few hours earlier on the flight over as official site Gemma posted: A lot of the talk on the plane was about last nights incredible comeback by Europe in the Ryder Cup. I briefly spoke to Sir Alex about it and he was full of praise for the fantastic European team. Alex Ferguson did another recent radio interview with his pals at Stateside online broadcasters Sirius, which no UK press have picked up on so far. (they dont check the schedules like we do!). There was yet another burst of praise for David Moyes, which keeps that rumour stoked... Moyes keeps his feet grounded, a nice quality to have, going into life remembering their roots and that's great to see. Asked if this is now his fifth great United side: Three of them are very young, in development - I think maybe say 3/4 years time, they will be part of a very good team. Powell, Buttner, Kagawa, De Gea, Smalling, Jones, Da Silvas, Welbeck, Cleverley, Chicharito, they are all young boys, all young kids, so I think maybe in 3/4 years time we'll see a different team, see a new team. And asked if Paul Scholes makes the difference: He could be father to all of them! I think when he was 16 we knew he was going to be great. He came as a kid, he was just a really small boy, 13 years of age, all of 5 feet, and there was that growth spurt around about 16 to the height he is now, it was really important because being only 5 feet it is going to be very difficult to be a top player but he's got enough height. He came as a centre forward, but it was a natural progression to come back into centre midfield.
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!"#$%&&#'()'*+
N THE UNDERSTANDABLE hysteria soon to follow as we hurtle towards the 20th anniversary of Eric Cantona's arrival at United, it is often forgotten in the detail that though he was the icing on the cake, and topped off the missing ingredient to a title winning side, with that well used term catalyst, that some think even without him United would have won that 1992/93 title such was the steely determination of the team to right the wrongs of the previous season. They are wrong. History has allowed them to distort the past. People forget, slightly belittling how much we owe to Eric single handedly in that season alone. And that false assumption that this side could have won the league without his pivotal signing doesnt ring true for those of us who really remember those weeks leading up to his arrival. Nor do results back them up. It was dismal. Though form was found after the opening two defeats, October 1992 was a stinker, and I feared, and still believe, we'd have sunk without trace unless we did something. It's why we did do something, not so much a random request as fable makes out because Dion Dublin was out (not the answer Dube) Fergie had to act, and knew it. We and he just struck lucky. To say the least. If you think people moan about the midfield nowadays, its nothing to sulking from the previous season and seeing Clayton Blackmore return in the centre as a bad answer to a nagging question, as he toiled in a 0-1 defeat to Wimbledon on October 31st; this not the Sunbed now fondly remembered (at times over fondly recalled to the player he actually was) for his crucial role in our run to the ECWC triumph of '91, one in decline, especially in any central position, where he lacked guile and grace and whilst Wimbledon were a bogey team back then

,-!,./01112334
that we wanted to scalp rather than pick, this was a dire display that gave real cause for concern. We ended the month in 10th place, having won only 5 games of our opening 15 fixtures, with 21 points, now 8 adrift of leaders Arsenal. Something was needed - and the random nature of Eric's impending arrival is recalled with a haze now because of all that followed. Without him, who knows what would have happened, the scars from the 91/92 season ripped open, and not too dramatic to suggest it could have taken years to recover. Could Fergie have lasted much longer because of the title defeat to Leeds, if we had slid? Im not being too theatrical. That Wimbledon defeat was gut wrenching, alarming. Gary Nev had the rose tinted glasses on when he recently tweeted: Cantona signed December. united won league by 10 points. He scored 9 in 23.. Myth Eric won Utd the league. Did it really. 9 goals! 10 clear Those stats don't show the real story - of a side on a downer with form a problem, that Eric lifted, revolutionised, changed a mentality and demanded greatness from. Without doubt, no 10 points lead or any without him, a points advantage that big as our rivals fell at the finale. Don't forget it. Truly, for this, and all the other reasons we recall with such fondness, Eric was our generations King. And will stand the test of time, even with his European disappointments. October 1992 is one best quickly passed over as we race to THE arrival. In six games played we won only once, and that another dire performance in the 1-0 win over Brighton in the 2nd leg of the 2nd Round League Cup. We'd drawn 1-1 at Boro before then, and drew 2-2 at home to a Graeme Souness led Liverpool after it in a memorable comeback as Mark Hughes scored both goals to wipe out Liverpool's lead, his goals in front of the empty building work at the Stretford End (now West Stand), as Ian

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15, and Ince and Choccy only one less. Fergie warned the team: We have failed to punish teams we have been dominating and it is a situation which has got to stop. We have a scoring problem. In the Pontin's League, we didnt. Gary Neville scored twice (! - and one a pen) in a 4-1 win over Sunderland and to gain match fitness for the first team, Paul Parker, Mick Phelan and Bryan Robson turned out for the A team in a fixture against Oldham at the Cliff. 100s of Reds turned out to watch (no Carrington like blockades of course) and Paul Scholes stole the show with a hat-trick in the 6-0 win with Robbie Savage again scoring two. First team wise, something had to give, someone had to give it to us. Alex Ferguson tried once again for David Hirst: Trevor Francis refused to answer my phone calls and I had no alternative but to fax him, which brought a public outburst from Trevor. I could have done without that, but at least it left me in no doubt about the futility of attempting to break

Rush scored again against us after so bloody long without. Big nosed twat. THEN 0-0 AWAY to Blackburn, a 0-1 defeat at Aston Villa in the 3rd Round of the League Cup (dashing hopes of a repeat winners' entry into the UEFA Cup), and then to that shocking defeat to the Dons, where patience was finally beginning to run out as the natives finally become restless at the end and booed the team off. Not pretty. We hadn't scored for three leagues games, had just 14 goals from the opening 15 games, and Steve Bruce (3, two of them penalties) and Mark Hughes (5), dominated those goals. The partnership of Mark Hughes and Brian McClair (just one goal) was no longer working, Bryan Robson no longer someone to depend on with just 3 appearances (2 as sub) to his name. We were relying on a squad thin in numbers - six players (Bruce, Darren Ferguson, Giggs, Hughes, Pallister and Schmeichel) had played in all

down Wednesday's resistance. Sadly within weeks Hirst was so badly injured that his entire career was blighted. Imagine if that had happened in a United shirt? Doesnt bear thinking about. Fergie had to look elsewhere, thankfully. The change in our fortunes - league wise - was imminent. In that Wimbledon programme Fergie wrote: We are certainly not searching for form, simply for players to put the ball into the onion bag. As we celebrate the greatness of Cantona, dont forget exactly what he changed, or play down his actual achievements in being the missing link. Eric was nearly here, and whilst we get ready to celebrate that, Ill never forget how bad October 1992 was to force Fergie into action as the rest, la di da, becomes real history. Thank God what happened, happened. We needed it! Next month: RN Eric Cantona 20 year special!
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You think thats impressive Felix?! Pah, weve been in freefall for 22 years!