Sunday Mirror: TEN POINTS CLEAR AND SO UNITED

Source: Sunday Mirror

18 December 2005
TEN POINTS CLEAR AND SO UNITED
By Ben Hunt

SIR ALEX FERGUSON is feeling the pressure at Manchester United but life for his counterpart at FC United of Manchester could not be more different.

While Fergie's flops are lagging behind Chelsea in the Premiership and suffered the humiliation of an early exit from the Champions League, FC United - the club set up by fans opposed to Malcolm Glazer's takeover - are enjoying the life at the top.

FC United are 10 points clear in the North West Counties Division Two - nine leagues below the Premiership - and last week recorded a 10-2 win over Castleton Gabriels.

Boss Karl Marginson believes the only pressure that which he is putting on himself to keep on winning.

"The only pressure I feel is the pressure I'm put on myself to do well," said life-long Manchester United fan Marginson. "I want to look after the players and results.

"Down at this level you sometimes end up getting results like 10-2, but they were bottom of the league and our tails were up a little bit.

"We have had a couple of decent results and been playing quiet well, but we have to keep that going."

Although favourites for promotion, Marginson insists he is not yet thinking about next season.

He added: "I am not thinking about being in the next division. The lads have already lost twice and that helps to keep their feet on the ground.

"It has also taught me a few lessons about complacency and we will definitely not be getting ahead of ourselves.

"Only if we are seven points ahead with two games to go would I look ahead to next year."

The club attracts some of the biggest crowds in non-league football, with an average attendance of 2,700, and Marginson says the money they bring to clubs on their away travels helps to safeguard their futures.

He said: "The attendances here are amazing. When we played Cheadle Town the day after George Best died, the atmosphere was unbelievable. The official attendance was 3,000 but it was more like 5,000."