If the super league happens, will you still support Man United? Now with added poll

Reapersoul20 said:

This is a lot worse than relegation.

Click to expand...

Is it really, though?

The league will revert back to pre '92 and we'll have top notch European football in the week.

I don't see it as any worse than we have now with how corrupt EUFA and FIFA are. Imo, Chelsea and the oil states started the downward spiral and nobody has done anything to stop it.

I term myself more as a follower rather than a supporter. I’ve been to OT a few times over the years albeit infrequently, as well as watching them play away at other stadiums (sat with the home fans, friends get tickets and weve gone to watch them). I do not want to be someone whose life revolves entirely around football and be an incarnate of that famous Bill Shankly quote. There’s more to life than watching football in my opinion.

My desire to watch football has simmered out since around 2009ish after the 5 years before that, I was an extremely ardent viewer of all football and would watch almost all the games and buy the new Utd jerseys every season. I guess it could be burn out from watching it or just getting older. Maybe the Internet and social media has shined a spotlight onto football and revealed that the people who play it are usually self-indulgent dickheads and the people who run it are corrupt as they come, which naturally furthers you away from this notion that football is a honest working mans game that people tell you until they’re blue in the face.

This Super League has been coming for years (almost decades at this point). It comes as no shock to me this idea appearsvto be very formal now and wasn’t exactly out of the blue. A lot of people including me have said that this will be the next step in the evolution of competitive football.

Will I still follow Utd? Probably and I’ll probably try to still go to the games and try to get the subscription to watch them if it’s reasonably priced. At this point, it’s a nice escapism and I enjoy talking about it with people in real life and even on a forum like this. I’ve got my popcorn and laughing at this whole shubang. All the direct parties involved in this have contributed to it leading to this and I cannot side with any of them.

I’ve just accepted what will be, will be. If you’ve followed football closely for the past 10 years, this announcement should come as no surprise at all.

Ridiculous question. The problem I have is with the owners, not the football club. Of course I'll support us regardless of where we are, be it in the Conference or the Super League.

If the argument is a moral one, why haven't the 53% already gone? The intention is surely worse than the actual implementation.

Really tough question, I will always be a United supporter - but I fear that club as I know them will cease to exist if ESL goes through in all but name only.

Will depend what the fall out is to be honest. If we retain most of our players and our manager, I'll struggle to not support them even if with a very bitter taste in my mouth.

However, I suspect where currently I miss 3/4 games a season just because I have other plans, that may increase as I suspect the ESL will be a boring as feck, husk of a competition akin to a series of exhibition matches/pre-season friendlies.

I will support them but I will find it boring. It's a bit like preseason.

I have always valued competitiveness of a league and its why I didnt rate Messi as high as some for his career in La Liga. When you see that SuperLiga has only 3 spanish teams in it then you can see the lack of competition in comparison to the 6 teams England have picked for them.

spiriticon said:

It depends on what agreements can be made to play alongside the real sporting competitions.

If we are just playing in the ESL alone it gets boring very quickly. We'd turn into something like the Harlem Globetrotters. The same 38 exhibition matches every fecking year.

Click to expand...

Don't get this point of view, that's not how North American sport works and this will just be a version of that.

Hmm, let me think about this one.

Having supported United for 58 years, I am really considering abandoning that because I really don't want to watch us playing the top teams in England and Europe twice a week for a tenner a month on my 4k TV.

Now I could seriously make a 2000 mile round trip to Rochdale every week, stand on the terraces with a chip butty in my hand and a cloth cap on my head, safe in the knowledge that we could never win a trophy or sign any decent players and never play in Europe. Once every ten years maybe Burnley would visit us in the FA Cup, if they survive.

But at least there's a decent chance that the club could go bankrupt now the money has disappeared out of the English game. I can smugly be sure that the owner will never make a penny leeching off his supporters and to ensure I wasn't in a comfort zone when there's always the threat of being relegated to the Conference it we survive.

Despite having no emotional attachment to Rochdale at least I could say I'm a true supporter of a grass roots, working man's type of club.

Decisions, decisions.

Harry Harries said:

As soon as we fall behind in the title race there'll be nothing to play for, though. The same goes for the other 5 teams that want to join the super league. The fight for top 4 will be meaningless, the table will be a mess as the other 12 teams will be scrapping it out for the Champions League around teams that have automatic qualification for their closed shop league. The Premier League will cease to be the competition as we know it.

Click to expand...

Can't disagree with that - right on all counts. It will change everything and make everything worse. I'd still watch the Premier League (at least give it a go) but as you say, it would be a totally different league.

After listening to Perez's comments last night. I'm sorry but you have to have a bit of morals to yourself, nevermind these clubs.

If that means Manchester United want to turn their back on the fans then why shouldn't I turn my back on them? Supporting them all my life, don't mind the bad times and appreciate the good times but this is nothing but greed

This isn't about Manchester United football club, it's about Manchester United PLC...

Still support United? Yes. With the same enthusiasm? Absolutely not. Ironically viewers like me will turn into more and more casual viewer whereas people who don't watch Utd that much now will become the new super viewer.

I can't really see myself supporting anyone else. I barely watch footy these days outside of United and the few other very big/important matches (compare this to when i was younger, i watched basically every football match i could). So for me, it would probably be - I'd still support united or i would just lose more interest in football and watch us less/not watch much football altogether.

alexthelion said:

Don't get this point of view, that's not how North American sport works and this will just be a version of that.

Click to expand...

That's probably why I'm not interested in any North American sport.

But besides, North American sport has salary caps and a draft system to keep things on a level playing field.

I doubt the Super League will introduce those features.

No.

United till I die. Not United till I die if they do what I want.

But then, I also like the idea of the Superleague (though not that it is almost closed).

Voted no. Not so much that I won't support United above anyone else, but more that I will probably not bother with football anymore.

It would have been interesting if this forum had existed pre-1992 ie pre-PL when Greg Dyke announced the breakaway group of Five. (United, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal & Everton); and Fergie well in his dodgy reign, with only a couple of cup wins. And 12 months later, as they say, the rest is history.

I wonder if the comments, protestations and declarations would have been the same.


Deceit, determination and Murdoch's millions: how Premier League was born

I’ll still support us, but won’t spend a penny on football. Won’t watch the games either. I don’t know if I would still be a “fan” but I’d wait and hope for something to change.

Would prefer to see us relegated

If they go ahead and murder the domestic league I can't support that. How could I go to watch a super league game at Old Trafford with a good conceince when my closest friends and family are WBA, Villa or Leeds fans.

This is beyond the point of no return now, I just hope they can come to some concession where domestic leagues also benefit.

Revan said:

United till I die. Not United till I die if they do what I want.

But then, I also like the idea of the Superleague (though not that it is almost closed).

Click to expand...

This is an American sporting franchise masquerading as United.

You outlived United.

I would not watch United play in the Super League and therefore not be able to support them anymore. It will be like turning your back at a familymember with an addiction hoping that it will make him turn around. United will always be special to me, but I refuse to support a team going in that direction.

People say it is not worse with Fifa and Uefa being corrupt. But Fifa and Uefa are not my "club". I've never been a fan of them. I have "always" been a fan of United and have some completely different emotions involved here. The fact that Fifa and Uefa have been corrupt has never been United's fault. That United are co-founders of the new league - that is on the other hand United's fault.

Craig Ward said:

So what?

Winning this new league will be meaningless because it isn't competitive, and we'll end up playing the same teams next season......and the season after.

It's not worthwhile. What legitimate football fan will take any joy and happiness from this new "super" league? A competition born out of greed and money. No history, no competitiveness, no soul. Win or lose? doesn't matter - it's not a league designed for football - it's purely designed for money making.

Any true footballing person will have no part in it whatsoever.

I hope our manager walks, our players refuse to play. If this league goes ahead, all the good we have done as a club for decades is undone. If the league is formed - I hope we crumble to nothing because that is all that we deserve

Click to expand...

How is that different from N American sports? They're competitive.

North American sports have a franchise basis yes but they also have the draft to balance it out. So the worst teams get the best players coming our of College/players from other countries. There is no balance in this new proposal and on top of it affects every other club and fan in our sport. It totally changes the basis of football as we know it.

Not so much stop supporting united but rather it would kill my interest in the sport as a whole if it goes through.

If the club proceeds with this, then they'll no longer have my support.

They'll always be my team, and they'll always be special to me, but there would be zero enjoyment watching this club knowing what's going on in the background and what it's become.

Carragher put it well last night. This isn't the club themselves. It's the people at the top making these decisions and who are to blame. The likes of the Glazers, John Henry etc. Don't confuse this with turning my back on the club. I'm turning my back on the people at the top of this club that are leeching and sucking every £1 that they can from fans.

I'm under no illusion whatsoever that they won't be the least bit bothered by losing support. There will always be other people to take mine, and many others places.

Maybe when cnuts like the above mentioned piss off for good, it'll be a better place and I'll be back.

Sounds melodramatic, but Manchester United today are not the club I fell in love with and on the back of this, my support for them has gone. I'll always keep an eye out for their results etc, but the days of passionately following them whilst this is on the table/these people are at the helm are gone.

Football - bloody 'ell.

It is like sticking with your wife even after she totally change personality and turn into an asshole and does plastic surgery. There is little left you love and even if you still have feelings for her since she is your old love you just have to break up.
I have had heartbreaks in love, but this one now will be the biggest so far for me since I have supported United for so long. Still I can't be a United fan with what we become.
I may still text her even after the breakup and I probably stick around here at the caf even if not watching the games, but the following of United can't be the same. Even if I would watch a game it would be without care and I probably want us to fail our of spite for the Glaziers.

Hawks2008 said:

Not so much stop supporting united but rather it would kill my interest in the sport as a whole if it goes through.

Click to expand...

This. I'll try to carry on but i can see me not bothering to be honest.

I'm hoping this falls through and over time I'll just blame Woody and let this slide but I'm so disappointed in us right now.

Probably. It'll depend on how anti-competitive the ESL actually is. So far, we've only been hearing about the worst-case scenarios. Hopefully it'll be better than those.

Jibbs said:

Offcourse all fans will, Sooner or later. There is no party who is a saint here. UEFA and FIFA are corrupt to the core, p*mps of ME monarchies. Owners of these break away clubs are similarly pure greedy businessmen and in case of man city same monarchs.
These Gary Neville types who are just cashing in public sentiments will jump at the chance to cover the break away league at the right price.

Click to expand...

So they took a bribe to favor the host tournament. Big sin?

At the end of the day they're responsible for all european clubs, being the one body that make sure the TV money got distributed to all teams according to merit.

I mean they're not saint but hardly corrupt. The income and cost and prizes are as open as any other entity. Some high ranking personnel taking a bribe doesnt mean they're corrupt.

Sean_RedDevil said:

So most people have a problem with the ESL but not with the corrupt FIFA and UEFA

Click to expand...

If you dont see the difference, you are a lost cause.

Been supporting them for 30 years and love the game of football it’s not something you can just stop....

So yeah I’ll be here

I’m not certain how I might react and it depends what is meant by “support”. However if it does go ahead in this format I’ll give up my season ticket I’ve held for 25 years, won’t pay any money to watch games and won’t buy any merchandise. It never crossed my mind to do anything like that when the Glazers took over.
Maybe I’d continue to follow the team and watch highlights of games but I can’t imagine it would feel the same. I might even stop following football altogether.

I am outraged with this new superleague, but I am really glad that my club isnt competing in it. I feel sorry for the true football fans and Manchester United fans, who also enjoy true football. The only chance there is, to prevent this, is if all football supporters are united against the superleague, but as I read here, even the United fans are divided in 2 big camps. Still hope there will be some common sense to cancel the superleague. I wish all the true football fans good luck!

El Zoido said:

How can you just support another club? It makes no sense. It’s like saying someone chooses to be gay. It doesn’t work like that. I could never get passionate about fecking Everton. Besides, which clubs in the league would have joined this if invited? It’s easy to take the moral high ground when you weren’t invited in the first place.

Click to expand...

I've always been a Burnley fan anyway. Used to go and watch them as a teenager and I like Everton as club anyway.

If your wife keeps letting you down do you just stick with her regardless because you always loved her, or do you eventually have enough and find a new woman?

Capitalism's final plucking of the soul out of football is officially underway, what a time to be alive

Harry Harries said:

It wouldn't be Manchester United anymore. It'd be a global money-spinning, corporate entity with the sole purpose of making the Glazer family wealthier.

Click to expand...

Is that really any different from what we are at the moment?

Sure this is a huge, ugly step even further towards greed but cmon, we advertise noodles at the side of our pitch. We’re not the same club that we like to romanticise we were for many a year now.

I mean, you can’t just switch your support off like a light switch. The only thing that would stop me supporting us would be if we relocated, but in that case “us” wouldn’t be us anymore would it.

Harry Harries said:

It wouldn't be Manchester United anymore. It'd be a global money-spinning, corporate entity with the sole purpose of making the Glazer family wealthier.

Click to expand...

Is that any different to what we are now? It’s not like we’re winning trophies anymore. What is our main purpose as a club? To make money.

Bebestation said:

I will support them but I will find it boring. It's a bit like preseason.

I have always valued competitiveness of a league and its why I didnt rate Messi as high as some for his career in La Liga. When you see that SuperLiga has only 3 spanish teams in it then you can see the lack of competition in comparison to the 6 teams England have picked for them.

Click to expand...

So you would find it boring because there are 20 fairly evenly matched teams and thus very competitive. In what way would it be like pre-season, they'd be competing for trophies and possibly very high quality games.

Really do not understand this line of thinking. Additionally none of these teams from any country have a current fear of relegation from their leagues and all virtually have certain qualification for the CL or EL in the current setup.

Hughes35 said:

I've always been a Burnley fan anyway. Used to go and watch them as a teenager and I like Everton as club anyway.

If your wife keeps letting you down do you just stick with her regardless because you always loved her, or do you eventually have enough and find a new woman?

Click to expand...

How did you become a United fan then out of curiosity if you already had Burnley? I mean I know some people have a 'big team' and a 'little team' they support or follow but now they're in the same league that must be mad. That would give me such a conflict of interest. What's it like when United play Burnley for you, and what division were Burnley in when you started following both them and United? Did it ever look possible they might end up in the same division as United then? Just curious.

If I've done it I've gone the other way round. Had my 'big team' first, always United but have a soft spot for Altrincham as I used to go there if United were away sometimes. Wouldn't call myself an Altrincham fan though and haven't been for a very long time. Absolutely no chance of them ever being in the same division either I wouldn't have thought, a smaller club than Burnley.

I suppose the answer to you question could be that you leave your wife but not necessarily with the intent of finding a new woman, you just see what happens. You might find someone else, you might not but you're not really thinking about all that from day one, or even before you've actually left.