The "most important" fans of the club

[Dan_F]

Like what? Genuinely interested.

The most obvious being the TRA section, where the most vocal fans have been given a section of seats together, instead of being spread out across the stadium. Safe standing, although not just a United thing, fan groups pushed for this, United were in the leading clubs pushing for it and installed it quickly. Hopefully this expands. The executive section being removed from the Stretford end soon. Ticket prices being frozen continually and improvements made to the ticketing system through fan consultation. And one of my favourites, cheaper beer on the concourse.

I would imagine when it comes to a new owner, to a lot of match going fans, these things are more important than being able to buy an extra player every year.

 

[Wumminator]

Ten Hag today:

“ Ten Hag in programme: ‘A big part of what I enjoyed [vs Leeds] was the spirit on show, because you need personality to take something from games against rivals. You can see in the celebrations of our players and our supporters that this team has great personality.”

He needs to clarify if he means the supporters actually there at the game or people like me watching at home. I am fuming if he doesn’t mean me.

 

[JPRouve]

From the brand point of view you mean.
All of that is important for the brand and money. The club (not the owners but the idea) is more about the stadium, history, city, people.

Not exactly. The players and staff aren't working for free.

 

[clarkydaz]

Ten Hag today:

“ Ten Hag in programme: ‘A big part of what I enjoyed [vs Leeds] was the spirit on show, because you need personality to take something from games against rivals. You can see in the celebrations of our players and our supporters that this team has great personality.”

He needs to clarify if he means the supporters actually there at the game or people like me watching at home. I am fuming if he doesn’t mean me.

depends if you have MUTV

 

[Zlatan 7]

I think that’s because people see importance differently perhaps?

Why it’s such a minefield

I think the heart and soul of any football club is the fans that go to watch the matches, football is about passion and atmosphere, and then money came.

who would want to watch the sport with no fans in the stadium or even do away with the stadium and just have a field in the middle of nowhere to broadcast from. It would be quite frankly shit.

 

[Redfrog]

Not exactly. The players and staff aren't working for free.

Well, the club will still exist with sh*t players playing in fourth division.

 

[Rayman96]

Ten Hag today:

“ Ten Hag in programme: ‘A big part of what I enjoyed [vs Leeds] was the spirit on show, because you need personality to take something from games against rivals. You can see in the celebrations of our players and our supporters that this team has great personality.”

He needs to clarify if he means the supporters actually there at the game or people like me watching at home. I am fuming if he doesn’t mean me.

I'm beginning to think ETH is all about the tier 1s.
With that kind of attitude he could lose my £7 pm MUTV subscription. Then he would be sorry.

 

[JPRouve]

Well, the club will still exist with sh*t players playing in fourth division.

What is your point though, has anyone suggested that the club would disappear from the face of earth? Now the(unrealistic) propect of dropping to the fourth division would be considered as important from the club's POV.

 

[Zlatan 7]

I mentioned the atmosphere several times and we are all in agreement on that point. Now some seem to not consider the other side of the equation which is that Football clubs have bills to pay and that the ability to pay them places clubs in different categories within the Football world.

I could understand your point if I didn't mention both but I did.

Ok. Maybe I read you wrong and I understand the club needs income, I just think that comes after the importance of fans who go to watch matches and support the team, whether that leaves you in the premier league or out of the football league.

 

[Spoony]

It's amazing when you think about it, Manchester isn't a capital city yet it's the focal point for millions around the globe and that's not because of Lancs CC.

 

[Neil67]

I’m a season ticket holder that goes to nearly every game and as many away games as I can get tickets for. I don’t class my self as important but I don’t class myself as a fan, I class myself as a supporter!
I’ve got loads of mates that are fans of United who haven’t spent a bean on being a United fan!!

 

[JPRouve]

Ok. Maybe I read you wrong and I understand the club needs income, I just think that comes after the importance of fans who go to watch matches and support the team, whether that leaves you in the premier league or out of the football league.

But not from the POV of the club or even the fans if we are being honest. There is a reason why many locals support United and not the amateur club from their neighborhood, success and the ability to see and support players that they admire is important. For some it's not and we saw that with the creation of FC United of Manchester but it's not the majority.

 

[Sweet Square]

 

[crossy1686]

There is literally a ranking system for where you get to sit in the stadium as a season ticket holder.

No shit. I'm sure you think the fans who sit at the front are more important than the fans who sit at the back though.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Local match going fans are clearly the most important fans, I can't believe it's even a debate. They're the soul of the club.

@Mockney I also love your idea for a statue of Noel Edmonds in someones town, I'd like to get behind this idea. After all just because I won't live in the town where the statue is built doesn't mean I'm not as important to that town as the actual people who live there.

 

[Shakesy]

Without the average non British cafe posters it would all come crumbling down

 

[Spoony]

I once saw Timmy Mallet in Bury town centre. He's not quite Noel Edmonds but he's not far off either. Basically why don't we have a Timmy Mallet statue?

 

[Zlatan 7]

But not from the POV of the club or even the fans if we are being honest. There is a reason why many locals support United and not the amateur club from their neighborhood, success and the ability to see and support players that they admire is important. For some it's not and we saw that with the creation of FC United of Manchester but it's not the majority.

I understand what you’re saying and these days both sorts of fans have their purpose for want of a better word, the fans around the world paying tv subscriptions contribute towards the match going fans potentially seeing world class players live and hopefully winning the top trophies.

My underlying feeling and question is: do you think if United sold old Trafford and decided to just use a field to broadcast from would it have grown and remain the Giant it is and continue having those fans around the world just by using the those said fans that watch on tv?

I would argue it simply wouldn’t, football needs fans in stadiums, not just fields that the matches are broadcast from. So without doubt it’s those fans that go to watch the games is what’s keeping the sport alive and are the most important. That’s all clubs not just United.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

I once saw Timmy Mallet in Bury town centre. He's not quite Noel Edmonds but he's not far off either. Basically why don't we have a Timmy Mallet statue?

This is also a great idea.

There's a Frank Sidebottom statue at least if that's any consolation

 

[Kinsella]

So people who DO live next door, or within a mile, SHOULD have more of a say? And if that’s the case, shouldn’t it also apply on a cascading basis?

You’re right fans won’t get a say, I just find it really odd that we’re now arguing from a left wing perspective that a local community and its cultural heritage shouldn’t be given consideration against the forces of Market Capitalism, because that’d be exclusionary. People are genuinely very close to arguing that it doesn’t matter at all where the club is.

That’s the logical endpoint of what some people are saying. That the club is effectively a franchise - that you could move it lock, stock and barrel to another city (another country even) and it wouldn’t matter a jot. Because it would still be Manchester United.

 

[Woodzy]

No club or football itself would be what it is without the match going fans, but we wouldn’t be one of the biggest clubs in the world either without the global fan base.

At the end of the day, do what the feck you gotta do and enjoy the ride, no one is more important than the other.

Source: a non-match going fan that wants to be in the cool club.

 

[Spoony]

This is also a great idea.

There's a Frank Sidebottom statue at least if that's any consolation

Yeah but Timmy and the whole Mallet's mallet whackaday thing was top quality entertainment. Whackaday? Two kids have their head whacked by a mallet for incorrectly answering questions. Sure it sounds wrong now but it felt so right.

 

[Utd heap]

You should have to have a family tie/link to Manchester within a generation or you are not allowed in the ground. When I buy the club this will be implemented from day one.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Yeah but Timmy and the whole Mallet's mallet whackaday thing was top quality entertainment. Whackaday? Two kids have their head whacked by a mallet for incorrectly answering questions. Sure it sounds wrong now but it felt so right.

He used to fecking belt them too

Wasn't just a light tap. That's what we're missing.

 

[Spoony]

He used to fecking belt them too

Shit, that's right.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Would say match going fans are most important because they actually put the money into the club which is quantifiable.

 

[Mockney]

Also, if we’re throwing a pity party, I could easily argue that British fans that aren’t from Manchester get waaay more shit about it than foreign ones do - who would likely only interact with that attitude online… as opposed to in virtually every single interaction they had with another club’s supporters.

I wonder whether that contributes to the strength of reaction? Whether certain international fans - particularly those in places without a strong homegrown football culture - simply aren’t as aware of the cultural significance of it? Though that could also easily be quite a patronising assumption.

Again, no one is saying they aren’t important, or can’t be amazing dedicated fans, but it just feels so bizarre to try and deny that football of all things places a significant importance on match going.

To expand on this a little, in the name of bridge building - I think it’s probably quite understandable that if you’re from a country without a competitive local or national team, and therefore support a foreign one out of necessity. And all your interactions and ideas of supporter culture are shaped by other people who also support foreign teams, when you do finally encounter the “match going is more important” idea - most likely from other United fans (or fans from whatever country the team you support) it is probably quite reasonable to assume it’s elitist, exclusionary or even racist!

And whilst those things likely play a part in some of it, I think it’s largely just a huge misunderstanding about the unique nature of football support, which is completely unlike that of any other. No one cares if you attend every Tennis match, there’s no similar away day culture in Rugby or Cricket, and American sports are not only far more geared towards passive watching & advertisement, their franchises could also be transposed to another City on a whim… Whereas football is the most participatory of all sports, and in the countries with a number of competitive teams, a big emphasis has always been placed on the match going culture and its place of origin…

So yeah, it must bristle to suddenly be told you’re not as important when you and everyone you know feel you’ve done everything you can to be the best fans possible… but it’s also just kind of one of those things. Football has always been like that. And those of us within the big footballing countries had our notions of support drummed into us (or bullied out of us!) long ago.

 

[Terrific Tangerine]

There is a clear hierarchy of fans and that is implicit in English football.

Football teams are named after a place because they represent their communities, they are not named after a commodity or a service they represent the community in which they were conceived.

Without the support of the community for the last 150 years none of these teams would exist, without the character of the place they came from the teams would be faceless corporate blobs, no more interesting than a snickers bar or a high street bank.

Of course the local fans are more important than any other, they are the reason the team exists, they have no choice other than to support a team they have a genuine connection with, they give the team its identity and its character.

Modern international fans choose to buy into the identity of a club that has been created by those fans and the character of the place they come from. But it is a choice and they can, and do, choose differently when it pleases them.

Local match going fans are the club, international fans are consumers.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Match day fans easily especially if born and raised at OT.

 

[JPRouve]

I understand what you’re saying and these days both sorts of fans have their purpose for want of a better word, the fans around the world paying tv subscriptions contribute towards the match going fans potentially seeing world class players live and hopefully winning the top trophies.

My underlying feeling and question is: do you think if United sold old Trafford and decided to just use a field to broadcast from would it have grown and remain the Giant it is and continue having those fans around the world just by using the those said fans that watch on tv?

I would argue it simply wouldn’t, football needs fans in stadiums, not just fields that the matches are broadcast from. So without doubt it’s those fans that go to watch the games is what’s keeping the sport alive and are the most important. That’s all clubs not just United.

I have never and will never suggest that local fans aren't important and could vanish tomorrow. So I agree with your conclusion.

My point is that both are important for different reasons. United isn't the giant that it is without non-matchgoing fans and United isn't a giant without huge local support either. To illustrate my point, the 500 fans that religiously attend the games of a local mancunian club are as vital for their club than the +60k that go to Old Trafford, now the difference between the two clubs stature is the volume. That example is meant to say that local support is vital but it doesn't stop there, not even for local, fans otherwise fans would be evenly spread and you wouldn't have a club with 500 fans while the next door club has 60k, the stature of a club is largely based on success, quality, entertainment value which are all linked to money.

And no one can seriously suggest that the stature of the club is irrelevant to the club or the fans. The way I see it, it's an ecosystem.

Also on a personal level I have the most respect for travelling fans, I admire their dedication but I don't consider that they are more important than people that only goes to home games because it's not the case.

 

[Mr.Hik]

All fans are important.
I know fans from Bosnia who would die for UTD. And mostly of them can't travel to OT because it is so hard to get UK visa with our shitty passport.

When were young we would rent van and would travel around Europe and watch UTD with oppo fans. We do that still sometimes.
Now imagine watching UTD with Partizan fans in Belgrade. One wrong move and you could probably get stabbed. I was at college and worked at warehouse for 225 euros MONTHLY so that i can aford trips like that.

Now i am at the better place and my wife is from Croatia and I got their passport so its easier for me to travel. Till the Covid I would visit OT at least twice every season. I am planning at least one visit in this season.
Do I wish to visit every game? Yes, but is just not possible.

And every summer we would have guests from UK who are on vacation in CRO. A lot them are UTD fans, and almost of them would send me something from UTD store. One City cnut did send me Aguero replica, but I respect good banter. Football should conect people like that especially if we love the same club.

And today I am going to watch game with 2 friends. We are watching games together for over 25y. If there weren't UTD we would probably drift away from each other.

We are all important and we should stick together.

 

[The Boy]

Maybe it’s not about importance, but different relationships with the club.

Those who have grown up locally or travelled to games regularly or season ticket holders will have a very different relationship with the club to someone who lives overseas and never had the chance to go.

one isn’t necessarily more important than the other, but their experiences of and relationship with the club will be very different.

 

[Zlatan 7]

I have never and will never suggest that local fans aren't important and could vanish tomorrow. So I agree with your conclusion.

My point is that both are important for different reasons. United isn't the giant that it is without non-matchgoing fans and United isn't a giant without huge local support either. To illustrate my point, the 500 fans that religiously attend the games of a local mancunian club are as vital for their club than the +60k that go to Old Trafford, now the difference between the two clubs stature is the volume. That example is meant to say that local support is vital but it doesn't stop there, not even for local, fans otherwise fans would be evenly spread and you wouldn't have a club with 500 fans while the next door club has 60k, the stature of a club is largely based on success, quality, entertainment value which are all linked to money.

And no one can seriously suggest that the stature of the club is irrelevant to the club or the fans. The way I see it, it's an ecosystem.

Also on a personal level I have the most respect for travelling fans, I admire their dedication but I don't consider that they are more important than people that only goes to home games because it's not the case.

Again I understand your point and I’m sure everyone agrees all fans are important but I thought the question was who is the most important and having to choose and not say both I would answer match going fans, quite easily. They are the life of the club.

 

[JPRouve]

Again I understand your point and I’m sure everyone agrees all fans are important but I thought the question was who is the most important and having to choose and not say both I would answer match going fans, quite easily. They are the life of the club.

I can agree with that. The issue that I had was the context of it all, since we are not talking about a context where there is no matchgoing fans or a context where for some reason Manchester United wasn't in Manchester. The intent of the point is dubious because it's a made up divide. The club doesn't have to choose between fanbases and the new owners don't have to choose between them either.

 

[Redfrog]

What is your point though, has anyone suggested that the club would disappear from the face of earth? Now the(unrealistic) propect of dropping to the fourth division would be considered as important from the club's POV.

My point is the supporters from Manchester are the most important (I am not from there bye the way) as they are the soul of the club. They are the one who will support the team and chant in the stands. That’s all.
Sure the globalization is important for a big club, but that more the brand part, not what makes the club. Otherwise, people won’t see in City the souless brand they have become.

 

[Sweet Square]

Without the average non British cafe posters it would all come crumbling down

One day it will happen!

 

[JPRouve]

My point is the supporters from Manchester are the most important (I am not from there bye the way) as they are the soul of the club. They are the one who will support the team and chant in the stands. That’s all.
Sure the globalization is important for a big club, but that more the brand part, not what makes the club. Otherwise, people won’t see in City the souless brand they have become.

And my point was about the club POV, not how people may or may not perceive anything. It's also about the club today in 2023 because it's linked to a statement made yesterday. The importance of all fans isn't just about brand and in reality in 2023 United being at it's current level is part of its identity, if United was much smaller it would be a different club.

 

[McTerminator]

This thread is absurd.

Our dedicated match going fans are very important sure and should be looked after, but to say those few thousand fans are more important than the millions and millions of fans worldwide is insanity.

1 match going fan is probably more important to the club than one non-match going fan, but that is not the equation here.

 

[arnoldS]

Well obsiously match going fans are more important. Whats so hard so take about that? Its them wo are responsible for the atmosphere and are the one who are protesting if needed and so on.

 

[McTerminator]

Ten Hag today:

“ Ten Hag in programme: ‘A big part of what I enjoyed [vs Leeds] was the spirit on show, because you need personality to take something from games against rivals. You can see in the celebrations of our players and our supporters that this team has great personality.”

He needs to clarify if he means the supporters actually there at the game or people like me watching at home. I am fuming if he doesn’t mean me.

Obviously the match going fans are important and the club wouldn’t be worth a damn without fans in the ground, but to my knowledge there is still a wait list for season tickets so fans in the ground is not currently under threat.

Also, the club wouldn’t be what it is without the huge fan base which is worldwide.

End of the day both sets are important to the club and statements like the one released by Sir Jim just split the fan base when both sides need each other, that’s why it’s a stupid stance for him to take.