Bumper derby edition.
The fans
Name: Greg
Age: 21
Name: Gareth Price
Age: 23
Name: Fred Thomas
Age: 23
The game
Scoreline Prediction:
Greg - A lot depends on our injuries due to the virus going round but I'm expecting either a tense 2-2 or for us to just pip it with a little green pea.
Gareth - 1-2
Fred - 2-1 United
One to watch:
Greg - For you guys, David Silva. For us? Paul Scholes.
Gareth - Tevez, Hernandez
Fred - Javier Hernandez
Despite signing a new contract, rumours have still circulated over the future of Wayne Rooney, even the potential of a 'gentlemen's agreement', as seemed to be the case with Cristiano Ronaldo, enabling the club to receive a much larger fee and the player to leave without the aggravation of unsettled fans. Do you believe he will still leave or has he genuinely been convinced to stay and can he win back the faith of the fans?
Greg - I think Rooney is a disgrace and gives our club a bad name. For me, winning in the right style comes before victory at any cost and that isn't just limited to how we play on the pitch. Looking at how the majority of our squad behave outside of their football (Giggs, Scholes, Park, Fletcher etc.) Rooney has completely let the side down. Just before the world cup I was praising him for growing up and maturing as a player infield but he seems to have gone backwards, cheating on his pregnant wife and behaving like an all round idiot at every opportunity.
Unfortunately, on his day, he is our best player although I don't think he's reached the heights his potential suggested at in his earlier years. In the last two or three seasons he seems to have lost some of his ability to do the unexpected and turned from being a raw, fantasy player into a far more efficient and effective, if predictable force of nature. His lack of personal discipline in the off season seems to be catching up with him too on the injury and fitness front causing his slow start the season to grow ever longer. He is still one hell of a player but personally, I'd rather we sold him off for a huge sum as soon as possible and invested it back into our youth system. No one is bigger than the club. Having said all that, I think he'll stay but things will never be the same again for some fans, me included.
Gareth - A gentleman's agreement wouldn't make much sense over a five year contract deal, to me it seems that his agent (Stretford) has worked much of this in order to cash in on what would be Rooney's last major contract at any club, a way of him to make the most of his clients income. Whatever the case this has been dealt with poorly and Rooney has alot to make up for, both to his teammates and fans, thus putting pressure upon himself when he returns. If a gentleman's agreement is the case I can only see him moving to Manchester City, due to his North West loyalty to his family, and that Chelsea would probs not need him and I can't see him fitting in at a Madrid or Barcelona. I highly doubt a move is on the cards, if the new transfer policy does take place it may put an end to the high prices of world class players which will no doubt put an end to 70 million plus transfers.
Fred - I think he will leave in January. Us united fans can be quite hard to win back over. I hope he stays but my heart says he will leave
In a recent derby between Schalke and Borrussia Dortmund, terrace ticket prices were raised above €22 for the first time, leading to a boycott of the game by 300 Borrussia Dortmund fan groups, 1500 tickets being returned.
“Even the League took notice, we got worldwide attention and the fans proved they can fight for something. Now it is time for fans of other clubs to continue the protest. This is not a Dortmund protest, but it is of concern to other fan groups as well”.
Rather than boycotting games, yellow and green scarves have become the Manchester United Supporter's Trust weapon of choice in the protests against the Glazer ownership of Manchester United. Firstly do you support the campaign and secondly, would it not be a more effective means of demonstration to have an empty Old Trafford screened across the world?
Greg - I completely agree. Hitting the Glazer's in their pockets is the only way they're going to notice. At the moment the dissenting fans are just irritants to be hijacked for PR spin reasons or for boasting about the OT atmosphere. The issue is though, as much as that is the cold, hard route to results with direct action, many don't want to harm the club they support even to face off arguably the greater threat of the Glazer ownership. So much for the Red Knights.
It was good to see FC United get into the next stage of the FA cup though. Protest club or not, I respect what they stand for and it'd be great to see them rise up through the divisions. Hopefully they won't have to compromise on their principles if success comes calling.
Gareth - To be honest I can't say that I'm fully into the gold and green campaign, alot of it seems fairly half arsed and more like a new fashion statement for many. Personally I don't like the fact that we have a huge debt, but a product the size of united will always keep afloat via its turnover. The Glazer's themselves are business men, hence their selfishness, however they don't interfere in the football side of things like other owners i.e. Abramovich, and probs the new Liverpool owners, so the football side of things is ran the correct way. David Gill is a very capable executive also and I firmly believe there's alot behind the scenes that we don't know about both positive and negative.It wouldn't be fair on the team to stop going to matches, it’s not a campaign against the players or the manager simply the heavy debt the club is now in through the Glazers.
Fred - I think something needs to be done about the Glazers, and our roots are never far from apparent. We are a very proud club and thats is what the scarves are about. A demonstration in the way of a walkout would definatley get the publicity but at the end of the day the club and it's fans are football fans thats why they turn up every week at OT.
General United
What has been your favourite memory/moment from supporting Manchester United?
Greg - I've been lucky to enjoy quite a few being a child of the Fergie years. Either my first ever match at OT when we tanked Ipswich 9-0 in March 1995 or Ole's goal at the Nou Camp. Amazing!
Gareth - Obvious ones include the treble season, and the league/champions league double. For me seeing Eric Cantona & Cristiano Ronaldo perform at the club have been two of my favourites, both in their own way one of a kind very special players.
Fred - Without Doubt The Treble 1999 specifically Solskjaer's goal
And the worst -
Greg - Not so much a memory or moment but the knee-jerk calls for Fergie to retire from some sections of our "fans" every time things don't go our way are probably the most embarrassing aspects of being a Manchester United supporter.
Gareth - Seeing us disappointingly miss out on the league title for several seasons running as we rebuilt, seems a little irrelevant compared to what other clubs have been through (i.e City) but this has been the only low point in my generation of supporting united.
Fred - The Rooney saga
If you could sign a player from the Manchester City squad, who would you choose ?
Greg - Joe Hart. Don't want another post-Schmeichal blight in goal!
Gareth - Tevez, hands down, second would be Silva possibly Joe Hart he's a great prospect, all the rest seem pathetically failing to live up to the smallest of price tags let alone the one's they actually got given. (Lescott, Toure(s), Barry, Adebayor etc)
Fred - Joe Hart
If you could place a past Manchester United player into the current team, who would it be?
Greg - Bryan Robson - the all action, box to box match winner we're missing in our midfield right now
Gareth - Cristiano Ronaldo
Fred - Eric Cantona
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