Yep, I was going to say that about the crowd last night. all around me in the North Stand were very vocal. Ole is still the man. Now if Spurs had won, I wonder........
When will match going fans crack?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Word. I also have the impression that a lot of people get their understanding of the quality of other teams through highlights or the odd "big game", which obviously skews their perception of the qualities those teams possess. Although a lot would tune in to watch City - Liverpool, I can't imagine United fans spending their precious time watching City - Bournemouth or Liverpool - Sheffield United other than via highlights. United fans watching fixtures like Burnley - Sheffield United is even more unlikely.
If I only watched the "big games" United have played this season (Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, Arsenal, Spurs), I'd think United are rather good.
I was in South stand east which is usually pretty pedestrian but great atmosphere. Best I've been at since before saf. People weren't very kind to andreas though....
Indeed, hadn't thought of that myself but you're right on point there. That would explain a lot.
Oh are you referring to the real fans who actually make the effort to travel and support the players and football club?
I think it's deluded and somewhat disrespectful for anyone, especially a non-match going fan, to criticize a fan who pays their hard-earned money and time to watch their team for not showing discontent at matches. I would wager that if you gave these fans a ticket they wouldn't hear a peep from them about Ole out at the match. It's easy to moan behind the mask of anonymity while sitting on your sofa.
I was at the villa game Sunday and I thought the atmosphere was poor, I’ve never seen a bigger exit from the 86th minute before on a late Sunday kick off considering it was 2-2.
Atmosphere was terrific last night though. The fans got right behind the team and Ole.
Atmosphere was terrific last night though. The fans got right behind the team and Ole.
The only people cheering for him yesterday were Spurs-fans.
Jokes aside, putting down an effort alone shouldn't be enough to secure a place in a United squad. He's slow on the ball, he's making poor decisions, he's got Valencias left foot. In some situations, it seems like he's got Lukakus first touch. His crossings and his right foot aren't good enough to keep him in the squad. We don't even got a striker at the end of his crosses. And Pereira as holding midfielder (CDM) isn't working.
Pereira should be gone by next summer when we can get some more depth added in. Ole gave him a proper chance and he's shown hes not of the level we need. Can't fault him for his effort and attitude though.
The ground was buzzing last night and for the last five minutes just about everyone around where I was were on their feet, singing and absolutely living the game. And yes, a lot of the chants were the old Ole favourites last night. The team looked up for it and the fans were feeding off it and that boosted the team again. I'm sure there was also an element of protectiveness in there, making sure that the face being shown to the media was about backing United and Ole, and drawing a line under the Mourinho/United story. Anyway, that last 5 minutes left me with exactly the kind of feeling that makes me get on packed roads in the rush hour and then accept getting packed like a sardine into a tram to get back to the car - and yes, helps remind me why I keep paying for my season ticket, even in seasons where watching United can feel more like work than pleasure.
As for the more general point - we don't crack, because at the heart of it we're no different to the fans of Burnley or Oldham or Bradford - we're there because we're United fans. Yes, the fans moan in the pub before the match, they moan in the human traffic jam when they're leaving the ground. The moans against an individual player or manager sometimes spill over and they get a public airing in the 90 minutes, but for most people who are there, any mid-match moan is kept as a low grumble or a moan to a neighbour - it's not for other people's consumption, particularly not for outsiders. Families keep their arguments amongst themselves. If you're there you can tell when a manager has lost the fans - I saw it with LvG, just like I saw it decades ago with Frank O'Farrell.
And that's the other thing, the more matches you go to, the more of a habit it becomes, like standing up when the players come out or shouting Uni-ted if the oppo fans get too boisterous, or jumping out of your seat when we score. I watched every home game in the season we got relegated and I watched every home game we played in Division 2 (these days it's called the Championship) and a bunch of aways as well. Nobody was happy about us being crap back then, nobody thought the board were doing a good job, but we were United fans and we couldn't just switch it off because it was inconvenient, or because there were other teams doing better.
As for the more general point - we don't crack, because at the heart of it we're no different to the fans of Burnley or Oldham or Bradford - we're there because we're United fans. Yes, the fans moan in the pub before the match, they moan in the human traffic jam when they're leaving the ground. The moans against an individual player or manager sometimes spill over and they get a public airing in the 90 minutes, but for most people who are there, any mid-match moan is kept as a low grumble or a moan to a neighbour - it's not for other people's consumption, particularly not for outsiders. Families keep their arguments amongst themselves. If you're there you can tell when a manager has lost the fans - I saw it with LvG, just like I saw it decades ago with Frank O'Farrell.
And that's the other thing, the more matches you go to, the more of a habit it becomes, like standing up when the players come out or shouting Uni-ted if the oppo fans get too boisterous, or jumping out of your seat when we score. I watched every home game in the season we got relegated and I watched every home game we played in Division 2 (these days it's called the Championship) and a bunch of aways as well. Nobody was happy about us being crap back then, nobody thought the board were doing a good job, but we were United fans and we couldn't just switch it off because it was inconvenient, or because there were other teams doing better.
Yes, like I have countless times.
Post of the week
Excellent post 100% agree.
Great post.
Don't think they ever will crack!
I have been attending OT for many years, and its true the noise level did drop, "is this a library ?" was often heard from visiting fans, but just recently the Stretford End has found its voice again; magnificently!
In particular on Wednesday night when the Stretford-enders started the "Red Army" chant, it reverberated all around the ground, even in the South Stand (Sir Bobby's Stand for the uninitiated) where I sit, both men and women (some even older than me) were clapping and chanting, brought a tear to my eye, it did... it must have affected the players... keep it up lads fantastic!
I have been attending OT for many years, and its true the noise level did drop, "is this a library ?" was often heard from visiting fans, but just recently the Stretford End has found its voice again; magnificently!
In particular on Wednesday night when the Stretford-enders started the "Red Army" chant, it reverberated all around the ground, even in the South Stand (Sir Bobby's Stand for the uninitiated) where I sit, both men and women (some even older than me) were clapping and chanting, brought a tear to my eye, it did... it must have affected the players... keep it up lads fantastic!
He's awful. Costing us points. We needed a cm
Brilliant post.
The part in bold sums up exactly what some people seem unable to understand.
Great post! I believe if the atmosphere is like this every time, we can beat any team at Old Trafford. I saw clips from outside the stadium and it was like the ground was shaking, that was how loud the chanting was. Incredible!
But but but according to one poster most match going fans are against Ole but are too much of cowards to admit it!
Anyway truly fantastic post.
Why is there a separation between match going fans, top reds and all the rest of the nonsense. Fans are fans. I dont care if your 2 years old or 70. If you have been supporting for 1 day or 100. You are entitled to your opinion and that doesn't make it any less valuable then anyone else. Secondly you have the right to protest. Protesting constitutes a fundamental pillar of society and has inspired positive changes throughout history. I get the supporting through thick and thin and accepting whatever sht you are served but I also get the right to protest. To stand up for your beliefs and to say something when its wrong.
Would you value a 2-year-old fan's opinion over a 40-year-old's?
Not over. Equal.
So you'd value them equally?
In terms of they both have the right to free speech without retribution yes. Does not make the opinion factual from either one of them.
Well, they do - as it seems to me, at least.
We have several two year olds (based on their grasp on reality and their use of grammar) posting freely on here without being banned.
Thank you for articulating just what being a match-going Red really means. If one poster reads it and winds back their uninformed opinion on how we should behave at games, it was worth the effort.
Sorry but that's bollocks - someone who has been supporting for one day does not have as valuable an opinion as someone who has been following for decades (regardless of matchgoing or not)
And of course everyone has a right to protest, not seen anyone in this thread say they havent - I have actually noticed a resurgence in the Glazer Out/Woodward Out feeling (well the feeling never went away TBH but there is talk about protests etc for the first time in a while) again from matchgoers as people put the blame for current issues completely on them and not Ole
And its all well and good to say all fans are the same but the simple fact is that there is a big difference in opinion - a poll on here (which represents our global fanbase quite well with a mix of all ages and types of fan) suggests that more than 50% of fans want Ole Out, whereas Ive seen polls on other forums which are mostly frequented by matchgoers where it is as low as 4% (which even surprised me)!
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Don't take this as anything but a general observation, but I find the discrepancy you refer to interesting.
That percentage probably seems ridiculously low to many posters on here. But it actually does reflect the opinion of most United fans I know personally - and who have followed the club for many years, and who are in many cases match goers.
Does that mean that these people are convinced Ole is the second coming of Fergie? Or - even - that they think he's doing a pretty good job, all things considered?
No - in my experience it does not. It reflects the fact that these people think United are in a state where it doesn't really matter who the manager happens to be unless basic, fundamental changes are on the way on a level above, or beyond, the manager himself. To some of them Ole is a figure who - yes - represents those changes (being made). Others are far less convinced. But the consensus is that sacking Ole won't bring about any fundamental changes in itself - and fundamental changes is what they want, not a change for the sake of it (because we aren't good enough here and now - nobody thinks we are, the idea that a large number of "top reds" think it's perfectly acceptable for us to turn into a mid-table team for the foreseeable is unfounded and quite preposterous).
If I supported MUFC only for the winning then I wouldn't be bothered to support it for the last 6 years, let alone today, but here I am, supporting the club and speaking my mind. After this void of titles and good football, I still care. A lot.
The fact is, we're no Real Madrid, but we ain't no midtable club either. MU is one of the richest and most successful clubs of all time, and to be fair, I enjoy the fact other teams can win the league too. Winning every year is boring. But not winning at all, not even looking like we can challenge, with no other reason than the incompetence of the board and the fact that we are only a money milking machine to the owners, with no sports aspiration whatsoever, is what makes me mad.
The main point is not titles, it's looking like a serious foobtall club again. For a club of MU's stature, winning is just the consequence of serious work.
Semantics. Define valuable. Ive been supporting the club for decades and still talk sht every now and again. Ive had conversations loads of times where I said player x was sht for example and some youngster thats supported United for 2 minutes has said the opposite and proven right. My point is that there should not be a separation between match going fans and non match going fans and those who protest and those who dont. Its US vs them and the US is all United fans regardless of age, race, how long they supported the club, where they live and how many matches they attended.
What I really think most people are unable to understand is that it's possible to fully support your team, with all the chants and the great atmosphere, and still voice your discontent in the same ocasion.
Whenever supporters choose a minute during the match to protest or manifest something, it has great meaning and visibility.
I'd love to see a minute protest in OT against what Glazers are doing to MU. It would be heard. And it would be known that the beef is not with the players or managers, but with the underlying issues.
I am a Season Ticket Holder of long standing and have supported United home and away for over 40 years and I just feel that whilst myself and indeed,most fans who go to Old Trafford can see what is going on,the fact our home record is pretty good(though I accept it could always be better) and our home form tends to generally be good and better than most clubs,we are still fairly poor away from home and because the away following is more hardcore,for want of a better word,the disquiet and moans and groans are not heard or voiced as loudly.If I do not rate a player than pulls on a United shirt,I will say so and will tell everyone who wants to listen,my thoughts and opinions on him but I would never boo him...I consider Fred to be one of the most limited midfielders I have ever seen and even though his performances of late have improved slightly,lets be honest here and say he is never going to pull up any trees and be better than a top Championship midfielder who happens to be lucky to be playing for us in the first place.That said,if he was having a "stinker" and passing to opposing players which he does on a regular basis,I would still not boo him,I would just,again,tell everyone he is not good enough and let them form their own opinions over a period of time
I agree. I dont live in the UK so i can only go to matches as often as time, money (and the missus) allows it, but someone who has endured wind and weather for 40 years and sung their heart out at a shite away stadiums. Their opinions carry a bit more weight than someone who started following United in 2008 because they were the best team on FIFA
Never, there will always be full house at OT, I've been there to watch dead rubber CL games and it was full, been there for big games even fuller if you can get it fuller. Even in the late 70s when relegated it was full even away , the club is more than football , just hope the board and owners realise how important us as fans are, and not take the piss. Utd are my one and only club always has been and will even if we go to league 1 .
I knew there was a lot of support among then matchgoers for Ole but was surprised to see as few as 4% voting Ole Out, although in the interests of transparency the vote had 3 options and about 20% were sitting on the fence so it was around 75% approval rating for Ole.
At the extreme end, I've even seen comments along the lines of 'Id rather lose with Ole than win with Jose' (which I don't agree with but can understand the sentiment behind it)
But the point is that there quite clearly a significant difference in opinion between different groups. It is interesting to analyse the reasons behind this and as I've said already in this thread, I feel that a matchgoer has different priorities than an armchair fan. Of course all fans want a winning team, entertaining football and trophies but there are other factors that affect matchgoers more which is why there is a big difference in opinions
See above
Very, very well said.
How was the mood tonight at OT?
About the same has it has been. More anti Woodward and Glazers than it has been for a while especially second half.
whole stadium stood up and sung against the Glazers