What is MU ?

[RedDevil_87]

For me it will always be 1998-2000 team, with Schmeihel, Stam,
Sheringham, Cole, Yorke, David Beckham, Rayn Giggs, Roy Keane,
Paul Scholes ....

It was the TEAM that could do anything: lose, win, play bad,
play good, but it was MANCHESTER UNITED - the team where
footbalers come not for money, but for unbelievable spirit, aura,
i don't know, it's realy hard to explain - it wasn't buisness,
it wasn't sport - it was life - as it is - and a GREAT ONE....

There was a GREATEST UNITED KIT at this time, with SHARP logo
on it - not bloody vodafone, so If you get what I mean -

- I havn't found a single person to understand it.... to be onest,

but I hope I'l found them here...

P.S. I am not a fan any more (since the summer of 2000)

I am from Russia, David Beckham with the Skinhead barnet is my idol...

And I was born in 1987...

 

[bayaoas]

You're no fan no more?Good
GOODBYE

 

[RedDevil_87]

You're no fan no more?Good
GOODBYE

That's not the point - I want to hear your opinions,

explain me, please, why are you supporting this team ?

 

[Joz]

I can only talk for myself.. but for me, I just fell in love with this club, it's players, everything!
Bad times come and go!
You can support the team that one the CL last year, then you always have the most succesfull team.
But that's nog what supporting a team is about!
SUPPORT means not only supporting the team when they win trophies, but also when the lose!
Even when they go a division lower, I'll always support MU!
You were just a "fan" because we won the CL in '98/'99.
I'm glad you're not a "fan" anymore, we don't need "supporters" like you!

 

[Bury Red]

If I were being facetious I would say it’s the noise a cow makes, however pedantry aside if you were to ask me what Manchester United were to me I would venture:

It’s Big Jim Holton, Gerry Daly, Gordon Hill, Alex Stepney, Stuart Pearson, Brian & Jimmy Greenhoff, Stewart Houston, Andy Ritchie, Mickey Thomas, Joe Jordan, Sammy McIlroy, Jimmy Nicholl, Paddy Roche, Ashley Grimes, Martin Buchan, Steve Coppell, Ray Wilkins, Lou Macari, Arnold Muhren, Gordon McQueen, Frank Stapleton, Gary Bailey, Remi Moses, Kevin Moran, Arthur Albiston, Peter Davenport, Jesper Olsen, Gordon Strachan, Paul McGrath, Norman Whiteside, Mike Duxbury, Viv Anderson, Jim Leighton, Mal Donaghy, Mark Robins, Neil Webb, Danny Wallace, Lee Martin, Mike Phelan, Bryan Robson, Les Sealey, Clayton Blackmore, Dion Dublin, Keith Gillespie, Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Gary Walsh, Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Lee Sharpe, Eric Cantona, Simon Davies, Karel Poborsky, Brian McClair, Gary Pallister, Peter Schmeichel, Jordi Cruyff, Karel Poborsky, Henning Berg, Jesper Blomqvist, Teddy Sheringham, Jaap Stam, Andy Cole, Raimond Van Der Gouw, Ronny Johnsen, Denis Irwin, Dwight Yorke, Laurent Blanc, David Beckham, Juan Sebastian Veron, David May, Kleberson, Eric Djemba Djemba, Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Carroll, Tim Howard, Rio Ferdinand, Diego Forlan, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, Wesley Brown, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Fabien Barthez, Mikael Silvestre, Ole Gunar Solskjaer, Gary & Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and the dream of being Ryan Giggs.

It’s Law, Best, Charlton, Stiles, Foulkes, Gregg, Crerand, Kidd, Morgan, Viollet, Blanchflower and Billy Meredith’s toothpick and a hundred other legends who I was too young to appreciate but feel like I know anyway.

It will forever be Berry, Byrne, Pegg, Bent, Coleman, Whalley, Jones, Taylor and of course big Dunc.

It’s Matt, and Alex but equally it’s Fat Ron, The Doc and the physio’s wife.

It’s even twonks like Bosnich, Taibi, Birtles, Brazil, Prunier & Ralphie who failed to impress and the likes of Eagles, Martin, Ngagalula, Ebanks Blake, Cooper, Johnson, Stewart, Spector, Neumayr, Fang Zhou, Gomes, Miller and the countless others I hope will.

It’s the jubilation when we win and the despondency when we lose, it’s the two hours a week when everyone knows I am not to be disturbed and it's 95% of my communication with my father.

They stand up in their droves just because they hate us, we ruined poor old Colin Shindler’s life, and love us or hate us, we are the first result everyone checks for. United are football, win or lose, they always play in the same cavalier fashion which thrust them into the public consciousness in the 50s and 60s and their history is tinged with drama that is the stuff of legends. At times it reads more like Roy of the Rovers than reality, had you not lived it you would swear this was the work of some Hollywood screenwriter.

The tongue in cheek pride with which the club have rebranded their stadium “The Theatre of Dreams” speaks volumes about the history of the club, the aspirations of every player who pulls on the red shirt and of every fan who wants to.

In short, it’s the closest thing to religion in my life

 

[jimreid]

great post

 

[RedDevil_87]

Mr. Joz Actualy MU won CL in 1999, but is Ok cause you've bought
the latest shirt.. which is really the way of a true fan...

Are you sick or something - I am telling you I was supporting this TEAM
because of special feeling I've got from it....

And I don't give a **** if they'll won all the trophes on earth
during next few years...

As for u Bury Red - a nice shout - but I still can't get the point...

It's the history you adore - so maybe you'll found a job in the local
museum ....

Imagine in a few years MU lineup will be

Rustu, Cannavaro, Silvestre, Jok su Chi .......

I mean today any freak as Ronaldo or Djemba - (don't remeber what
next) can pull united shirt....

Open your eyes you silly m*nkeys...

 

[jimreid]

Mr. Joz actuly MU won CL in 1999, but is Ok cause you've bought
the latest shirt.. which is really the way of a true fan...

Are you sick or something - I am telling you I was supporting this TEAM
because of special feeling I've got from it....

And I don't give a **** if they'll won all the trophes on earth
during next few years...

As for u Bury Red - a nice shout - but I still can get the point...

It's the history you adore - so maybe you'll found a job in the local
museum ....

Imagine in a few years MU lineup will be

Rustu, Cannavaro, Silvestre, Jok su Chi .......

I mean today any freak as Ronaldo or Djemba - (don't remeber what
next) can pull united shirt....

Open your eyes you silly m*nkeys...

"any freak as ronaldo or djemba"

 

[myunited]

If I were being facetious I would say it’s the noise a cow makes, however pedantry aside if you were to ask me what Manchester United were to me I would venture:

It’s Big Jim Holton, Gerry Daly, Gordon Hill, Alex Stepney, Stuart Pearson, Brian & Jimmy Greenhoff, Stewart Houston, Andy Ritchie, Mickey Thomas, Joe Jordan, Sammy McIlroy, Jimmy Nicholl, Paddy Roche, Ashley Grimes, Martin Buchan, Steve Coppell, Ray Wilkins, Lou Macari, Arnold Muhren, Gordon McQueen, Frank Stapleton, Gary Bailey, Remi Moses, Kevin Moran, Arthur Albiston, Peter Davenport, Jesper Olsen, Gordon Strachan, Paul McGrath, Norman Whiteside, Mike Duxbury, Viv Anderson, Jim Leighton, Mal Donaghy, Mark Robins, Neil Webb, Danny Wallace, Lee Martin, Mike Phelan, Bryan Robson, Les Sealey, Clayton Blackmore, Dion Dublin, Keith Gillespie, Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Gary Walsh, Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Lee Sharpe, Eric Cantona, Simon Davies, Karel Poborsky, Brian McClair, Gary Pallister, Peter Schmeichel, Jordi Cruyff, Karel Poborsky, Henning Berg, Jesper Blomqvist, Teddy Sheringham, Jaap Stam, Andy Cole, Raimond Van Der Gouw, Ronny Johnsen, Denis Irwin, Dwight Yorke, Laurent Blanc, David Beckham, Juan Sebastian Veron, David May, Kleberson, Eric Djemba Djemba, Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Carroll, Tim Howard, Rio Ferdinand, Diego Forlan, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, Wesley Brown, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Fabien Barthez, Mikael Silvestre, Ole Gunar Solskjaer, Gary & Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and the dream of being Ryan Giggs.

It’s Law, Best, Charlton, Stiles, Foulkes, Gregg, Crerand, Kidd, Morgan, Viollet, Blanchflower and Billy Meredith’s toothpick and a hundred other legends who I was too young to appreciate but feel like I know anyway.

It will forever be Berry, Byrne, Pegg, Bent, Coleman, Whalley, Jones, Taylor and of course big Dunc.

It’s Matt, and Alex but equally it’s Fat Ron, The Doc and the physio’s wife.

It’s even twonks like Bosnich, Taibi, Birtles, Brazil, Prunier & Ralphie who failed to impress and the likes of Eagles, Martin, Ngagalula, Ebanks Blake, Cooper, Johnson, Stewart, Spector, Neumayr, Fang Zhou, Gomes, Miller and the countless others I hope will.

It’s the jubilation when we win and the despondency when we lose, it’s the two hours a week when everyone knows I am not to be disturbed and it's 95% of my communication with my father.

They stand up in their droves just because they hate us, we ruined poor old Colin Shindler’s life, and love us or hate us, we are the first result everyone checks for. United are football, win or lose, they always play in the same cavalier fashion which thrust them into the public consciousness in the 50s and 60s and their history is tinged with drama that is the stuff of legends. At times it reads more like Roy of the Rovers than reality, had you not lived it you would swear this was the work of some Hollywood screenwriter.

The tongue in cheek pride with which the club have rebranded their stadium “The Theatre of Dreams” speaks volumes about the history of the club, the aspirations of every player who pulls on the red shirt and of every fan who wants to.

In short, it’s the closest thing to religion in my life

U r a true red devels fan. Glory Glory Bury Red!!!

 

[mubarak]

give Bury Red an award!

post of the season!!!

 

[Red_Molly]

P.S. I am not a fan any more (since the summer of 2000)

Time to come back then. You'll only gow up to regret a life unfulfilled
otherwise.

 

[Joz]

Mr. Joz Actualy MU won CL in 1999, but is Ok cause you've bought
the latest shirt.. which is really the way of a true fan...

Are you sick or something - I am telling you I was supporting this TEAM
because of special feeling I've got from it....

And I don't give a **** if they'll won all the trophes on earth
during next few years...

Mr FakeDevil_87.. What did you expect?
That all the players would stay at OT for ages?
MU is not only about the players, it's more then that.
They come and go, there will be new players who will be our heroes!
It didn't stop with Charlton, Best, Cantona and so on.. did it?
If you don't understand that, just shut up and go supporting someone else..

 

[RedDevil_87]

Did I sad it was about players.... I totaly understand this thing
an' as David sad in his autobiography (1st one) -

" At Old Trafford, you have to remember that all the big players leave
and the club goes on...

We have all grown up knowing that, and it will be the same when I
move on..."


But what I am asking about is are you realy can place, say,

Van Nistelrooy after

Charlton, Robson, Ince, Cantona, Schmeichel, Beckham....

No, cause Man Utd is more than Chelsea (where mr. Abromovich
buyes every single player, he notices....) or Madrid...

I've lost that feeling after 2000 - and is really hard not to find

anyone who thinks the same...

 

[Plechazunga]

If I were being facetious I would say it’s the noise a cow makes, however pedantry aside if you were to ask me what Manchester United were to me I would venture:

It’s Big Jim Holton, Gerry Daly, Gordon Hill, Alex Stepney, Stuart Pearson, Brian & Jimmy Greenhoff, Stewart Houston, Andy Ritchie, Mickey Thomas, Joe Jordan, Sammy McIlroy, Jimmy Nicholl, Paddy Roche, Ashley Grimes, Martin Buchan, Steve Coppell, Ray Wilkins, Lou Macari, Arnold Muhren, Gordon McQueen, Frank Stapleton, Gary Bailey, Remi Moses, Kevin Moran, Arthur Albiston, Peter Davenport, Jesper Olsen, Gordon Strachan, Paul McGrath, Norman Whiteside, Mike Duxbury, Viv Anderson, Jim Leighton, Mal Donaghy, Mark Robins, Neil Webb, Danny Wallace, Lee Martin, Mike Phelan, Bryan Robson, Les Sealey, Clayton Blackmore, Dion Dublin, Keith Gillespie, Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Gary Walsh, Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Lee Sharpe, Eric Cantona, Simon Davies, Karel Poborsky, Brian McClair, Gary Pallister, Peter Schmeichel, Jordi Cruyff, Karel Poborsky, Henning Berg, Jesper Blomqvist, Teddy Sheringham, Jaap Stam, Andy Cole, Raimond Van Der Gouw, Ronny Johnsen, Denis Irwin, Dwight Yorke, Laurent Blanc, David Beckham, Juan Sebastian Veron, David May, Kleberson, Eric Djemba Djemba, Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Carroll, Tim Howard, Rio Ferdinand, Diego Forlan, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, Wesley Brown, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Fabien Barthez, Mikael Silvestre, Ole Gunar Solskjaer, Gary & Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and the dream of being Ryan Giggs.

It’s Law, Best, Charlton, Stiles, Foulkes, Gregg, Crerand, Kidd, Morgan, Viollet, Blanchflower and Billy Meredith’s toothpick and a hundred other legends who I was too young to appreciate but feel like I know anyway.

It will forever be Berry, Byrne, Pegg, Bent, Coleman, Whalley, Jones, Taylor and of course big Dunc.

It’s Matt, and Alex but equally it’s Fat Ron, The Doc and the physio’s wife.

It’s even twonks like Bosnich, Taibi, Birtles, Brazil, Prunier & Ralphie who failed to impress and the likes of Eagles, Martin, Ngagalula, Ebanks Blake, Cooper, Johnson, Stewart, Spector, Neumayr, Fang Zhou, Gomes, Miller and the countless others I hope will.

It’s the jubilation when we win and the despondency when we lose, it’s the two hours a week when everyone knows I am not to be disturbed and it's 95% of my communication with my father.

They stand up in their droves just because they hate us, we ruined poor old Colin Shindler’s life, and love us or hate us, we are the first result everyone checks for. United are football, win or lose, they always play in the same cavalier fashion which thrust them into the public consciousness in the 50s and 60s and their history is tinged with drama that is the stuff of legends. At times it reads more like Roy of the Rovers than reality, had you not lived it you would swear this was the work of some Hollywood screenwriter.

The tongue in cheek pride with which the club have rebranded their stadium “The Theatre of Dreams” speaks volumes about the history of the club, the aspirations of every player who pulls on the red shirt and of every fan who wants to.

In short, it’s the closest thing to religion in my life

though I can't believe Mal Donaghy didn't get a bold

 

[RedDevil_87]

Are you really got nothing to say...

 

[Wibble]

Don't listen to Bury Red. He is merely a glory hunter from Hong Kong

 

[Sir A1ex]

Are you really got nothing to say...

I think the problem is that nobody's got the first idea what you're on about, or what your point is, Mr Fruit-Loop

btw - who have you supported since 2000 then?

 

[RedDevil_87]

I think the problem is that nobody's got the first idea what you're on about, or what your point is, Mr Fruit-Loop

btw - who have you supported since 2000 then?

(specialy for slow-minded users)

There's no Man Utd ....

The one and only team I've supported was MU... after 2000
I was thinking why it's all over... an' I didn't found the answer...

So maybe you know...

 

[Bury Red]

So if I'm getting your point, and that's highly fecking unlikely given the clarity with which you expressed it, you don't think the current team embodies the United spirit?

Firstly, about the history thing, surely that demonstrates that United are all about continuity and change. I am always sad to see players go; Strachan, McGrath, Robbo, Sparky, Kanchelskis, Sharpe, Ince, Eric and Schmikes were all real wrenches for me while the likes of Becks, Stam, Cole, Yorke etc had served their purpose at the club and moved on at the right time IMO. It has always been this way and we all hope that the players that come in to fill the void will live up to expectations.

The only real difference in recent years has been the increase in the number of foreign players coming in, but given the restrictions placed on youth scouting in the UK (must live within 1 hour of the training ground), the inflated fees of established British players and the global nature of the club, foreign players are a fact of life. In the past I'm sure there would have been grumbles about the number of Irish, Scots and Welsh who played for United, the fact is that the world has got a lot smaller since those days and United can and do attract the best from anywhere.

I think you cited Ruud as a player unworthy to stand alongside our legends, which baffles me. He has shown time and again that he loves the club and is shaping up to be our most succesful striker ever.

Ronaldo, Djemba, Howard and the other new arrivals are still settling but it is already fair to say that Howard appears to have the talent to be the next Schmeichel (a foreigner anyway), Ronaldo resembles a young Ryan Giggs with even more tricks and Djemba has the appetite of Keano whilst only time will tell whether he also has the talent and the heart.

You can no more guarantee the heart and commitment of a homegrown player than you can a foreign import; Muhren, Olsen, Cantona, Schmeichel, Kanchelskis, Ole, Stam etc were all commited to the United cause and as Red as any of the homegrown players. Many of the new players you seem to believe are mercenaries are of an age where if the gel, they will be almost as familiar with United as the homegrown players while in players like Neumayr, Ngagalula, Fang Zhou, Spector, Gomes, Cooper etc we are integrating overseas players as youths to get the best available around the FA regulations as explained above.

FYI, our first foreign player was Alec Bell, a South African born player who signed for Newton Heath in 1903. We also had an American player in keeper Tom Wilcox in 1908 whilst in the period up to your beloved 2000 watershed, we have at various stages fielded 4 Dutch, 4 Norwegians, 3 Danes, 3 French, 2 Americans, 2 Italians, 2 South Africans and one player each from Canada, Yogoslavia, Ukraine, Jamaica, Tobago, Australia, Czechkoslovakia and Sweden of whom 20 settled well and would be considered United successes while 5 floundered at youth level and only 3 failed in the first team IMO.

In our history only 64% of our players have been English, of the others 28% have been from the other home nations (including Eire) with 8% from the rest of the world. Of the current 37 player first team squad it is 52% English, 13% other home nationals and 35% foreign players. Perhaps it is the dearth in talent from Scotland, Ireland and Wales and the 1 hour travel rule introduced in the late '90s to blame for this perceived shift rather than the club selling out and sacrificing team spirit.

They're still the United I've always known and loved

 

[c.r.e.a.m.]

So if I'm getting your point, and that's highly fecking unlikely given the clarity with which you expressed it, you don't think the current team embodies the United spirit?

Firstly, about the history thing, surely that demonstrates that United are all about continuity and change. I am always sad to see players go; Strachan, McGrath, Robbo, Sparky, Kanchelskis, Sharpe, Ince, Eric and Schmikes were all real wrenches for me while the likes of Becks, Stam, Cole, Yorke etc had served their purpose at the club and moved on at the right time IMO. It has always been this way and we all hope that the players that come in to fill the void will live up to expectations.

The only real difference in recent years has been the increase in the number of foreign players coming in, but given the restrictions placed on youth scouting in the UK (must live within 1 hour of the training ground), the inflated fees of established British players and the global nature of the club, foreign players are a fact of life. In the past I'm sure there would have been grumbles about the number of Irish, Scots and Welsh who played for United, the fact is that the world has got a lot smaller since those days and United can and do attract the best from anywhere.

I think you cited Ruud as a player unworthy to stand alongside our legends, which baffles me. He has shown time and again that he loves the club and is shaping up to be our most succesful striker ever.

Ronaldo, Djemba, Howard and the other new arrivals are still settling but it is already fair to say that Howard appears to have the talent to be the next Schmeichel (a foreigner anyway), Ronaldo resembles a young Ryan Giggs with even more tricks and Djemba has the appetite of Keano whilst only time will tell whether he also has the talent and the heart.

You can no more guarantee the heart and commitment of a homegrown player than you can a foreign import; Muhren, Olsen, Cantona, Schmeichel, Kanchelskis, Ole, Stam etc were all commited to the United cause and as Red as any of the homegrown players. Many of the new players you seem to believe are mercenaries are of an age where if the gel, they will be almost as familiar with United as the homegrown players while in players like Neumayr, Ngagalula, Fang Zhou, Spector, Gomes, Cooper etc we are integrating overseas players as youths to get the best available around the FA regulations as explained above.

FYI, our first foreign player was Alec Bell, a South African born player who signed for Newton Heath in 1903. We also had an American player in keeper Tom Wilcox in 1908 whilst in the period up to your beloved 2000 watershed, we have at various stages fielded 4 Dutch, 4 Norwegians, 3 Danes, 3 French, 2 Americans, 2 Italians, 2 South Africans and one player each from Canada, Yogoslavia, Ukraine, Jamaica, Tobago, Australia, Czechkoslovakia and Sweden of whom 20 settled well and would be considered United successes while 5 floundered at youth level and only 3 failed in the first team IMO.

In our history only 64% of our players have been English, of the others 28% have been from the other home nations (including Eire) with 8% from the rest of the world. Of the current 37 player first team squad it is 52% English, 13% other home nationals and 35% foreign players. Perhaps it is the dearth in talent from Scotland, Ireland and Wales and the 1 hour travel rule introduced in the late '90s to blame for this perceived shift rather than the club selling out and sacrificing team spirit.

They're still the United I've always known and loved

great posts bury red - as a non-united fan to me united are the team i look to beat every season and when we do to celebrate it like we've won the league - as for this rubbish about where the players are from its always been like this in football - in 1892 liverpool's team for its first ever match had no english players in it!! does it matter who they are or where they come from so long as the players wear their shirt with pride - no matter who they play for.

 

[RedDevil_87]

No, no and once more NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO



Man Utd is not a sport company - the players should be brought
by their skills, appearence, spirit etc

And I am not rasist - I would be very pleased if United sighned

Nakata - he's a perfect example for asian players... - he has
united spirit

The proper players for United are:

Ian Harte , Cristian Tiffert (from Stutgart - probably new Beckham) ,

Owen Hargreaves, Balde (superb defender from Celtic) David James,

Paul Robinson, James Beatie, Landon Donovan (not Adu) and so on...

 

[Conan the Gael]

You're no fan no more?Good
GOODBYE

haha thats right because if he was a true fan he wouldnt have left
you never were a fan just a front runner

 

[RedDevil_87]

OK it seems there are too many difficulties to understand, so

just one by one, except those who already told, give your main

reason for supporting United, especialy for those who don't live


in Manchester...


Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassseeeee.........................................

 

[Boyko]

OK it seems there are too many difficulties to understand, so

just one by one, except those who already told, give your main

reason for supporting United, especialy for those who don't live


in Manchester...


Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassseeeee.........................................

Well i dont live in manchester.not even in the UK.but i can tell you 1 thing.I am not the bigest fan.I do not know the clubs history like Bury Red.but when i watch United play its just...i cant explain it.you are wrong if you think that since 2000 this is not United.Watch 1 game now and if you dont feel the thing we all feel when we watch them play then say whatever you want.but United will never lose this phenomenon spirit which differs them from all other teams around the Earth

 

[Raoul]

If I were being facetious I would say it’s the noise a cow makes, however pedantry aside if you were to ask me what Manchester United were to me I would venture:

It’s Big Jim Holton, Gerry Daly, Gordon Hill, Alex Stepney, Stuart Pearson, Brian & Jimmy Greenhoff, Stewart Houston, Andy Ritchie, Mickey Thomas, Joe Jordan, Sammy McIlroy, Jimmy Nicholl, Paddy Roche, Ashley Grimes, Martin Buchan, Steve Coppell, Ray Wilkins, Lou Macari, Arnold Muhren, Gordon McQueen, Frank Stapleton, Gary Bailey, Remi Moses, Kevin Moran, Arthur Albiston, Peter Davenport, Jesper Olsen, Gordon Strachan, Paul McGrath, Norman Whiteside, Mike Duxbury, Viv Anderson, Jim Leighton, Mal Donaghy, Mark Robins, Neil Webb, Danny Wallace, Lee Martin, Mike Phelan, Bryan Robson, Les Sealey, Clayton Blackmore, Dion Dublin, Keith Gillespie, Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Gary Walsh, Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Lee Sharpe, Eric Cantona, Simon Davies, Karel Poborsky, Brian McClair, Gary Pallister, Peter Schmeichel, Jordi Cruyff, Karel Poborsky, Henning Berg, Jesper Blomqvist, Teddy Sheringham, Jaap Stam, Andy Cole, Raimond Van Der Gouw, Ronny Johnsen, Denis Irwin, Dwight Yorke, Laurent Blanc, David Beckham, Juan Sebastian Veron, David May, Kleberson, Eric Djemba Djemba, Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Carroll, Tim Howard, Rio Ferdinand, Diego Forlan, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, Wesley Brown, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Fabien Barthez, Mikael Silvestre, Ole Gunar Solskjaer, Gary & Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and the dream of being Ryan Giggs.

It’s Law, Best, Charlton, Stiles, Foulkes, Gregg, Crerand, Kidd, Morgan, Viollet, Blanchflower and Billy Meredith’s toothpick and a hundred other legends who I was too young to appreciate but feel like I know anyway.

It will forever be Berry, Byrne, Pegg, Bent, Coleman, Whalley, Jones, Taylor and of course big Dunc.

It’s Matt, and Alex but equally it’s Fat Ron, The Doc and the physio’s wife.

It’s even twonks like Bosnich, Taibi, Birtles, Brazil, Prunier & Ralphie who failed to impress and the likes of Eagles, Martin, Ngagalula, Ebanks Blake, Cooper, Johnson, Stewart, Spector, Neumayr, Fang Zhou, Gomes, Miller and the countless others I hope will.

It’s the jubilation when we win and the despondency when we lose, it’s the two hours a week when everyone knows I am not to be disturbed and it's 95% of my communication with my father.

They stand up in their droves just because they hate us, we ruined poor old Colin Shindler’s life, and love us or hate us, we are the first result everyone checks for. United are football, win or lose, they always play in the same cavalier fashion which thrust them into the public consciousness in the 50s and 60s and their history is tinged with drama that is the stuff of legends. At times it reads more like Roy of the Rovers than reality, had you not lived it you would swear this was the work of some Hollywood screenwriter.

The tongue in cheek pride with which the club have rebranded their stadium “The Theatre of Dreams” speaks volumes about the history of the club, the aspirations of every player who pulls on the red shirt and of every fan who wants to.

In short, it’s the closest thing to religion in my life

And Jimmy Murphy.