Rochdale 2 FC United of Manchester 3
What a match. I don't know about anyone else on here but for me this appeared to be the most interesting match of the week-end. I wasn't disappointed. I'd just love to see them be successful.
Imagine if they got to the 3rd round and drew Man U.
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My wife was pleased by this and wants to become an FC United fan (in addition to Man City)
Shock result, yes
But people do seem to like them. Is it pure underdog?
probably a dig at united re tevez
Would that be any better than what happened to Wimbledon?
FC United is owned by the fans and no matter how much one person invests they only get one vote, the same as someone who invests the minimum, which is twelve pounds. I think that's bloody admirable: a truly democaratic club that is owned by the fans; the fans making the decisions about the club's future. Such a club will never leave their ground to play at a rival's ground, never change their name and move to another town, and never sell to a bunch of Americans who know nothing about the history of the club. Not unless they go back on the way the club is structured anyway.
Not only that but these fans seem to truly love what I love about the game. They value the community value of the club, and the evidence of their unbelievable constant singing really showed their passion. They have even refused shirt sponsorship as it's commercial revenue. How wonderful it would be if the whole league were full of clubs that relied solely on gate receipts and fans' contributions, had grounds full of passionate fans - fans who own the clubs themselves.
That couldn't happen though, could it? That match last night at least allowed me to believe that it is possible.
To compare them to AFC wimbledon is ridiculous.
If FC United manage to run it on a positively balanced budget then good luck to them and to every other club that chooses that sensible road.
I don't have a problem with a Man Utd fans' club, but the media attention they get is far out of line with a club that finished 5 points behind Stocksbridge Park Steels FC last season.
Given the attention they receive and the support they get from neutrals, I think I wouldn't have a problem with them if
i) they were called Newton Heath United FC (which only got 25% of the vote)
ii) they played in green and yellow (tradition, no?)
iii) there was no overlap between fans of Newton Heath Utd and Man Utd
They said that with FC United that they want to be able to afford to go to the games and bring their kids, and feel a part of the club, something that they couldn't do at Manchester Utd.
The commercialisation and increase in season tickets was due in part to Glazier having to serve the interest on his leveraged buyout. Leveraged buyouts are not good. If the rumours are true then a leveraged buyout may be coming to us soon a la Risdale or possibly someone else.
Back to FCUnited, I know what you mean IA, but the whole thing is about not liking foreigners. I didn't really get that impression when I heard the FCUtd stalwart fan on the radio.
My memories of the Glazer buyout was that the protests centred more on the fact they were American than the way they bought the club. The club was already floated, so it can't be capitalism. The club was already accessing Asian markets etc, so it can't be commercialism. It seemed to be the identity of the buyers. The extent to which leveraged buyout put the club in risk is something that was only really made clear when they sold Ronaldo. Strangely, FCUM average attendances have been steadily falling since they were set up despite all the news and anti-Glazer protests.
There were plenty of "non-commercial" clubs already existing in Manchester, but if you are going to set a club up, maybe abandon the one you don't like. A significant number of FCUM fans also seem to still be MUFC fans, which seems to defeat the purpose.
What happens to FCUM if/when the Glazers leave MUFC?
They did this many years ago, before the Prem and long before the Glazers were involved .........and raised huge income from non-matchday commercial sales.
Everyone knows that Uniteds support is the most anti-England, in England. A lot of their songs are anti-England. You very very rarely see a St Geroge flag at a United away game.
They have a big Irish element within thier support and they seem to dictate what happens.
Charlton Athletic were "commercialised" under the leadership of Richard Murray and Peter Varney. Initiatives such as Target 10,000, which eventually grew to Target 40,000, the various other price initiatives, Valley Express, the efforts to ensure Sky gave us a fair cut - all these things had the goal of raising revenue. But the key thing was that they were done with the help of fans. Murray and Varney understood that being a Charlton fan, with all the recent history, was part of the experience; and if fans were involved in bringing more of their fellow fans in, and helping to run the club, then it makes the fans experience better than it would otherwise be. I would say that the fact that we enjoy better gates than both Palace and Millwall is evidence that this was the right commercial approach.
That's why I tend to support FC United - I think they think along the same lines. I dont say they are good, and the rest are bad. There's a complex make up to the MUFC fan base. There is an influential group which blocked Murdoch, but remained comfortable with the 90's United approach.But as Germany football shows us, the closer the fans are to the running of the club, the better in the long term.
There's also AFC Liverpool - who share a ground with Prescot Cables, which was founded as a side for those priced out of seeing Liverpool; which seems a little more honest at least, despite the daft Soviet-style club badge.
In all honestly, some of FCUMs videos on youtube are great! these are loved in relation to MK Dons!
Well I imagine the hundreds of FCUM that still regularly travel to European away games will
Please don't compare FCUM to AFC Wimbledon.
If Jan Venegoor ever signed for them he'd be Jan Venegoor of Hesselink of FC United of Manchester. I can imagine how much that would amuse the likes of Lawro.