The likelihood of this ever happening notwithstanding, it’s an interesting scenario: what would I do if United were bought by the Saudis? The most ridiculous idea I’ve seen in relation to this is that people like me would need to quit the Caf. Unless the Saudis buy the Caf too (no female posters allowed unless they can prove that they’re posting whilst wearing a beekeeper suit), why the feck would we? The most natural transition would be that the Caf becomes the number one online meeting place for - let’s say - former United supporters.
Alternatively, we could - of course - revive the old Bebe Cafe:
“Red Hot Anti Sharia Cafe, endorsed by Bebe and the free peoples of Top Red Earth”.
What does supporting United amount to? Attending matches? Buying United related products? Subscribing to MUTV? Simply willing the team to win when watching them in a pub or on an illegal stream?
The last part I don’t think I could ever refrain from doing. I couldn’t watch United without willing the team to win, that’s in my blood. So, I’d have to stop watching - cold turkey, as it were - if I thought actively willing United to win (even down the pub or in front of a laptop) implied support for the owners (and it could be interpreted that way).
The rest of it? Not really a problem. I haven’t contributed anything directly to United’s coffers for years. But I did, for many years, out of love for “Manchester United” (which meant something to me - and still means something to me) - and I couldn’t just step away from the idea of “Manchester United” as if it were nothing but a “product” I happened to endorse for decades because I fancied it (as a “product”). It isn’t a “product” - I guess that’s worth highlighting. It’s something else.
I suppose, ultimately, I would just go on in the hope that it might some day be restored to something I could, again, get behind after a fashion - it’s never been anything but “after a fashion”; my personal attachment to the idea of Manchester United has never been perfectly in synch with the real world manifestation of the football club, something I came to realize many years ago.