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FC United fans

Why I follow FC United

The Glazer takeover of Manchester United left me feeling extremely alienated and disenfranchised with football, following the unsuccessful efforts of supporters to block the bid.

Blaine takes his place at FC United

The idea of FC United had been floated in the Red Issue fanzine a few months earlier. I was sceptical of the idea initially but sympathetic to its cause. As the project gathered momentum, I donated a small amount to help get it off the ground and participated in early meetings.

I missed the first game of the club versus Leigh RMI, due to prior commitments to go the Manchester United pre-season friendly in Clyde. I got updates from the game via text messages from friends and was encouraged by their reports (the game ended scoreless).

I got my first FC United experience at The Fans' Stadium, Kingsmeadow; home of AFC Wimbledon. AFC Wimbledon had lent expertise to FC United’s cause and the clubs had arranged a friendly to contest the Supporters Direct Cup. FC United lost 1-0 but the travelling support enjoyed a fantastic day out thanks to a great welcome from the hosts.

The game got me hooked and I was soon looking forward to the next game I could attend, against Stalybridge Celtic, in a benefit match for Myra Mandryk, a member of Stalybridge's staff. A bumper crowd of 2,500 roared on the shirts but FC United lost by two goals to nil to their Conference North superiors. However, the signs were good and Steve Torpey scored the club's first goal in the next game against Flixton, FC United eventually running out 5-2 winners.

By this time, I was fully behind the club and its principles and bought a season ticket for £112. That's the equivalent to around four games at Old Trafford. The club have since gone on from strength to strength, winning their first three league games: 5-2, 3-2 and 7-1.

FC United in action

The atmosphere at games has been electric, with fans no longer hampered by the same restrictions they faced in Premier League grounds. The crowd are a mixture; there are those who were regulars at United games, some still go to the occasional game at Old Trafford and some have come along just to see what the fuss is about. Very few have been disappointed.

The club holds hope for the future of football, aiming to, as they put it in their manifesto, ‘address the concerns which many Manchester United fans have had over the last decade or more with how the club and football have developed’ and ‘follow the best traditions of Manchester United's past by developing policies which encourage youth participation in terms of both playing and supporting.’

The support for the club is long term and we hope to establish strong links with the community to ensure accessibility to football for local kids and to provide a genuine alternative to Old Trafford.