Inside Harrison Park, the singing was continuous for 90 minutes. Every touch of "Mr Mystery", aka Rory Patterson, who appeared without a number on his back in a pre-season friendly at Stalybridge, was cheered. But Glazer's arrival on the scene, and the craven turncoatery of those like David Gill, MUFC's chief executive, who opposed the bid and then decided to stay on to facilitate it, was too much to stomach.A tipping point has been reached United no longer make money to buy players to win matches. They win matches to make money to service Glazer's vast debt and (dream on) turn it into a huge profit.So although, in the words of one popular song at The Dyers' Arms last Saturday, "It takes a week to get to Leek," we were happy to be there.
And the heart of the Stretford End was ripped out to provide executive accommodation.Still this group tried, through fanzines and sharing the intensity of away games, to stay in touch with the roots of what Manchester United were, should be, and will be again: one of the most romantic, intensely proud sporting institutions in the world. Stewards told them to sit down ("except at moments of high excitement"); the crowd around them visibly aged (you need a good income to afford Premiership prices) and players' wage demands became more outlandish (hello, Rio).Kick-off times were constantly altered to suit the armchair viewer at the expense of the match-going fan. They liked standing up with their mates, they liked singing and they were proud of the passion of Manchester United's crowds.Over the last 10 years they have fought a rearguard battle at Old Trafford trying to preserve the "feel" of the football club. The game that will see Glazer try to use these supporters to pay off his debt and make him a profit. In Manchester and its conurbation [including London} there was a group of people who stood up and said, 'No'."The authors of this statement, for the most part, form part of a generation of United supporters that grew up going to United games in the Seventies and Eighties.
A game that has seen supporters fleeced as the source of the revenue while a small group of rich men get richer. But that's why, for the time being, we're not going to the games.The club programme at Leek (we won 5-2 by the way, Torpey scoring a superb free-kick) printed this statement from the FCUM board."Glazer's takeover was the line in the sand in a game dominated by money. At the Dyers' Arms on Macclesfield Road in Leek last Saturday, the landlord had to close the doors at midday, such was the crush inside. FCUM were due to play away to Leek County School Old Boys (established 1945) at 3pm.
