Source: North West Evening News
MARGINSON: THIS IS OUR EURO AWAY GAME
Published on 16/12/2005
FORMER Barrow AFC star defender Karl Marginson has a twofold mission tomorrow.
His primary objective — as manager of FC United — is to make certain his Manchester rebels beat Holker Old Boys at Craven Park (3pm kick-off).
When (and if) his main task is accomplished, Marginson will then get down to the serious business of meeting up with old friends for a Christmas drink.
“I’ve always liked Barrow,” said the 35-year-old, who made 78 appearances for the Bluebirds between 1996-1999.
“My time up there was probably my happiest time in football, and I still have mates up there such as Morty (Neil Morton) and Lee O’Keeffe.”
Marginson, who lives in the Urmston district of the city, supported the Red Devils from boyhood until last summer when FC United was born out of a massive pulse of disaffection caused by the Malcolm Glazer takeover at Old Trafford.
“It’s a working-class game, a game where you should be able to get your fingers dirty and where you shouldn’t have to pay a fortune at the turnstiles,” he said.
Marginson confirmed the 1200-plus FC United fans who are heading for Furness are regarding tomorrow’s trip as a special event in their calendar.
“Our fans are viewing the Barrow match as our Euro away game,” he said.
“When they supported Manchester United they used to go to the ends of the earth. So this is our Euro away game — and our Christmas party.”
Friday, December 16, 2005
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Saturday, December 10, 2005
All the Manchester Reds
Source: L'Equipe (no online content, for English translation scroll past the scans).
English translation:
There used to be Manchester United … here is FC United, which has existed as a dissident team ever since an American showed up with his millions. The result: a shared passion that divides families.
Stuart Davies has still not come round to it. At sixty-two this dedicated Manchester United supporter doesn’t understand the choice his eldest son, Andrew, has made. After thirty years of shared thrills at Old Trafford, he has seen his son turn his back on Man U and support the dissidents of FC United of Manchester, ten divisions lower. “But why do you go to watch them?” barks the father, while munching a steak in the Malmaison brasserie in the heart of the city. A few weeks ago, Stuart accompanied his son to an FC United match, an occasion he judges, with irony, “amusing”. “That’s because we don’t go to the game for the same reasons”, his son retorts tactfully. You like the game, and me, the atmosphere. At Old Trafford, in the last fifteen years, ordinary supporters, families, have been driven away or split up. Today, a season ticket doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be next to your mates in the stand. What’s more, you’re obliged to sit down, you’re surrounded by stewards. With FC United, it’s different. With FC United I’ve rediscovered the ambience of Old Trafford twenty years ago. And then, I was one of those who didn’t want to sanction the takeover of the club by the American businessman Malcolm Glazer. When some supporters disillusioned with Manchester United created the club, I followed them by becoming a member, my membership also means I’m one of the club’s proprietors.”
Stuart sits up, rests his hands on the back of his head and holds forth in his Welsh accent. “English football has certainly changed. But the blame lies mainly with Rupert Murdoch, and his blasted Sky. The scheduling of Premier League matches is crazy, the price of seats in the stadiums has become very expensive ?” (30 pounds - 44.3 euros for Manchester United, 5 pounds - 7.4 euros for FC United.)
1.30 p.m. The lunch between father and son has finished. There’s just time for a manly handshake on the steps of the restaurant, then each goes his separate way to support “his” team. Stuart strolls around Old Trafford, his match not due to begin till 3.30 p.m. Andy hurries to nearby Piccadilly station. At 3.00 precisely, “Little United” confront New Mills at Macclesfield, thirty kilometres from Manchester. Scarcely has he left the train when his mate Andrew, another indefatigable supporter of FC, pops up from the crowd. While a crowd of FC supporters walk from the station, despite the drizzle, the two friends opt for a taxi, so as to knock back a pint before the match. In the parking lot by the corrugated iron stands at the Church Lane end of the stadium, they meet Andy Walsh, the club’s general manager, who is busy selling FCU badges and scarves out of the back of his estate car.
“Thanks to donations (1 pound for one share in the club) from our 3,500 members, we have raised £170,000 (251,140 euros). But that’s not sufficient if we want to sustain and develop the club”, explains Walsh. Nevertheless, they have got off to a good start: last summer, more than 900 players put themselves forward for FC United, 200 passed the trials and 17 have been retained. Like Jonathan Mitten, who agreed to descend 5 divisions, or the goalkeeper Phil Priestley, who played at Bangor City, but who has since left, having been unable to get a place in the FC team.
After a minute’s silence in memory of George Best, the match begins while 600 FCU supporters sing one of the 40 songs from their eclectic repertoire. “We all live in the Georgie Best boat, the Georgie Best boat, the Georgie Best boat!” On the pitch, “Little United’s” players confirm their
incipient status as predators of the North West Counties League (FC United is top of the table). By half-time, they have already stunned their opponents with two goals thanks to the local David Beckham, the whirlwind no. 10, a former 3rd division player. The rain doubles in intensity, but it can’t quench the frenetic enthusiasm of the supporters.
In their war against commercialised football, one of their favourite targets remains the stewards. They thought that they would be rid of them on leaving Old Trafford, but as FCU draw more than 2,000 supporters to each match, the host teams have subsequently made use of security services. So in the second half of the game a steward is subjected to a good-humoured diatribe. His bushy moustache provokes a machine-gun rhythm chant. “Moustach, stach, stach, stach, stach”, chorus the swaying supporters, forcing the steward to retreat.
The match ends on a decisive score: 5-0 for the visitors and their manager, Karl Marginson, a deliveryman and long-time follower of Man U, a masterly combination of speed, attack and virile defence to a man. After a session of hugging between players and supporters, the latter decamp to the pubs to watch “Big United’s” match.
At the other end of the city, Stuart Davies is already installed in the stand at Old Trafford, behind the goal. Before taking his place in the still half-empty stadium, he meditated for a few moments before the railings in front of the stadium and the flowers, football shirts and scarves laid there in memory of George Best. His head bowed, Stuart then went into the stadium café for a cup of tea. Five minutes before kick off, a friend and neighbour arrived in the stand. Separated by 15 metres, the 2 men will remain seated throughout the match, finally won (3-0) by Manchester. Before meeting once more and returning home by car.
For his part, Andy sang of the glory of “Little United” while watching the stream of images of “Big U” in the pub opposite the station in Macclesfield. In the middle of players and supporters united in the cult of beer as the evening begins.
Jérôme Cazadieu
10th December 2005
English translation:
There used to be Manchester United … here is FC United, which has existed as a dissident team ever since an American showed up with his millions. The result: a shared passion that divides families.
Stuart Davies has still not come round to it. At sixty-two this dedicated Manchester United supporter doesn’t understand the choice his eldest son, Andrew, has made. After thirty years of shared thrills at Old Trafford, he has seen his son turn his back on Man U and support the dissidents of FC United of Manchester, ten divisions lower. “But why do you go to watch them?” barks the father, while munching a steak in the Malmaison brasserie in the heart of the city. A few weeks ago, Stuart accompanied his son to an FC United match, an occasion he judges, with irony, “amusing”. “That’s because we don’t go to the game for the same reasons”, his son retorts tactfully. You like the game, and me, the atmosphere. At Old Trafford, in the last fifteen years, ordinary supporters, families, have been driven away or split up. Today, a season ticket doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be next to your mates in the stand. What’s more, you’re obliged to sit down, you’re surrounded by stewards. With FC United, it’s different. With FC United I’ve rediscovered the ambience of Old Trafford twenty years ago. And then, I was one of those who didn’t want to sanction the takeover of the club by the American businessman Malcolm Glazer. When some supporters disillusioned with Manchester United created the club, I followed them by becoming a member, my membership also means I’m one of the club’s proprietors.”
Stuart sits up, rests his hands on the back of his head and holds forth in his Welsh accent. “English football has certainly changed. But the blame lies mainly with Rupert Murdoch, and his blasted Sky. The scheduling of Premier League matches is crazy, the price of seats in the stadiums has become very expensive ?” (30 pounds - 44.3 euros for Manchester United, 5 pounds - 7.4 euros for FC United.)
1.30 p.m. The lunch between father and son has finished. There’s just time for a manly handshake on the steps of the restaurant, then each goes his separate way to support “his” team. Stuart strolls around Old Trafford, his match not due to begin till 3.30 p.m. Andy hurries to nearby Piccadilly station. At 3.00 precisely, “Little United” confront New Mills at Macclesfield, thirty kilometres from Manchester. Scarcely has he left the train when his mate Andrew, another indefatigable supporter of FC, pops up from the crowd. While a crowd of FC supporters walk from the station, despite the drizzle, the two friends opt for a taxi, so as to knock back a pint before the match. In the parking lot by the corrugated iron stands at the Church Lane end of the stadium, they meet Andy Walsh, the club’s general manager, who is busy selling FCU badges and scarves out of the back of his estate car.
“Thanks to donations (1 pound for one share in the club) from our 3,500 members, we have raised £170,000 (251,140 euros). But that’s not sufficient if we want to sustain and develop the club”, explains Walsh. Nevertheless, they have got off to a good start: last summer, more than 900 players put themselves forward for FC United, 200 passed the trials and 17 have been retained. Like Jonathan Mitten, who agreed to descend 5 divisions, or the goalkeeper Phil Priestley, who played at Bangor City, but who has since left, having been unable to get a place in the FC team.
After a minute’s silence in memory of George Best, the match begins while 600 FCU supporters sing one of the 40 songs from their eclectic repertoire. “We all live in the Georgie Best boat, the Georgie Best boat, the Georgie Best boat!” On the pitch, “Little United’s” players confirm their
incipient status as predators of the North West Counties League (FC United is top of the table). By half-time, they have already stunned their opponents with two goals thanks to the local David Beckham, the whirlwind no. 10, a former 3rd division player. The rain doubles in intensity, but it can’t quench the frenetic enthusiasm of the supporters.
In their war against commercialised football, one of their favourite targets remains the stewards. They thought that they would be rid of them on leaving Old Trafford, but as FCU draw more than 2,000 supporters to each match, the host teams have subsequently made use of security services. So in the second half of the game a steward is subjected to a good-humoured diatribe. His bushy moustache provokes a machine-gun rhythm chant. “Moustach, stach, stach, stach, stach”, chorus the swaying supporters, forcing the steward to retreat.
The match ends on a decisive score: 5-0 for the visitors and their manager, Karl Marginson, a deliveryman and long-time follower of Man U, a masterly combination of speed, attack and virile defence to a man. After a session of hugging between players and supporters, the latter decamp to the pubs to watch “Big United’s” match.
At the other end of the city, Stuart Davies is already installed in the stand at Old Trafford, behind the goal. Before taking his place in the still half-empty stadium, he meditated for a few moments before the railings in front of the stadium and the flowers, football shirts and scarves laid there in memory of George Best. His head bowed, Stuart then went into the stadium café for a cup of tea. Five minutes before kick off, a friend and neighbour arrived in the stand. Separated by 15 metres, the 2 men will remain seated throughout the match, finally won (3-0) by Manchester. Before meeting once more and returning home by car.
For his part, Andy sang of the glory of “Little United” while watching the stream of images of “Big U” in the pub opposite the station in Macclesfield. In the middle of players and supporters united in the cult of beer as the evening begins.
Jérôme Cazadieu
10th December 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
The Guardian: Long Live Punk Football
Source: The Guardian
Tony Howard explains how FC United have found themselves at the forefront of the game's newest sub-culture
Friday December 9, 2005
An anarchists' book fayre is probably the last place you'd expect to find a football club, but FC United had a starring role at a Manchester event last weekend. Among the anti-capitalist, anti-establishment, anti-ID card and anti-everything literature, I discovered a piece on our erstwhile football club.
"F'CUM Punk football!" screamed the back page of issue 79 of 'Resistance - the anarchist bulletin', with the author lamenting "the start of the end for commercial football".
Let's get one thing straight, I never set out deliberately to go there; I simply wandered in off the street after getting caught short en route to Macclesfield for FC's latest adventure against New Mills in the divisional cup. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to discover just how far the club has impacted upon alternative culture.
Fans have long promoted FCUM as purveyors of 'punk football' after the phrase was coined on independent fans' website www.fcunitedofmanchester.co.uk, while FC fanzine Under the Boardwalk recently had a 'Punk issue' and there are banners bearing the slogan at matches.
And save for manager Martyn Margetson wearing a nose ring and wing wizard Steve Torpey swapping his mullet for a Mohawk, the phrase is perfectly apt. As the punk movement grew through fans' distaste of the mainstream music they were being served, so FC United has hatched, and currently thrives on football supporters' dissatisfaction with mainstream football.
Punk had no rules and the very essence of anarchy is the principle of 'self policing', a process replicated at FC games where the local constabularies no longer provide a significant presence at matches. Even the initials FCUM provide a perfect punk slogan; custom-made to be sprayed on a press-studded leather jacket. The dodgy barnets sported by Messrs Torpey and Rory Patterson also add to the shock factor so loved by punks.
So there you have it - as 1976 was the defining year for punk music then 2005 is year zero for 'punk football'. We can only hope our own brand of anarchy will succeed where punk failed and we'll see the hierarchy fall as we claim back the game that is rightfully ours.
Incidentally, Torpey, mullet et al, swapped his infamous thong for a pair of Speedo's in the driving Cheshire rain, scoring a hat-trick in the 5-0 win. All against a backdrop of supporters pogoeing across the terraces to a beat of their own. Long live punk football.
Tony Howard explains how FC United have found themselves at the forefront of the game's newest sub-culture
Friday December 9, 2005
An anarchists' book fayre is probably the last place you'd expect to find a football club, but FC United had a starring role at a Manchester event last weekend. Among the anti-capitalist, anti-establishment, anti-ID card and anti-everything literature, I discovered a piece on our erstwhile football club.
"F'CUM Punk football!" screamed the back page of issue 79 of 'Resistance - the anarchist bulletin', with the author lamenting "the start of the end for commercial football".
Let's get one thing straight, I never set out deliberately to go there; I simply wandered in off the street after getting caught short en route to Macclesfield for FC's latest adventure against New Mills in the divisional cup. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to discover just how far the club has impacted upon alternative culture.
Fans have long promoted FCUM as purveyors of 'punk football' after the phrase was coined on independent fans' website www.fcunitedofmanchester.co.uk, while FC fanzine Under the Boardwalk recently had a 'Punk issue' and there are banners bearing the slogan at matches.
And save for manager Martyn Margetson wearing a nose ring and wing wizard Steve Torpey swapping his mullet for a Mohawk, the phrase is perfectly apt. As the punk movement grew through fans' distaste of the mainstream music they were being served, so FC United has hatched, and currently thrives on football supporters' dissatisfaction with mainstream football.
Punk had no rules and the very essence of anarchy is the principle of 'self policing', a process replicated at FC games where the local constabularies no longer provide a significant presence at matches. Even the initials FCUM provide a perfect punk slogan; custom-made to be sprayed on a press-studded leather jacket. The dodgy barnets sported by Messrs Torpey and Rory Patterson also add to the shock factor so loved by punks.
So there you have it - as 1976 was the defining year for punk music then 2005 is year zero for 'punk football'. We can only hope our own brand of anarchy will succeed where punk failed and we'll see the hierarchy fall as we claim back the game that is rightfully ours.
Incidentally, Torpey, mullet et al, swapped his infamous thong for a pair of Speedo's in the driving Cheshire rain, scoring a hat-trick in the 5-0 win. All against a backdrop of supporters pogoeing across the terraces to a beat of their own. Long live punk football.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Eurosport: KEANE ON FC UNITED?
Source: Eurosport
Roy Keane has been the hot topic of conversation around Europe this week, as the final destination of the now former Manchester United midfielder remains uncertain.
All the biggest and best clubs in Europe have been mentioned in the same sentence as Keane since the hard man left by mutual consent/was sacked following his now infamous TV interview outburst.
Clubs from the stature of Real Madrid all the way down to the likes of Portsmouth have reportedly been interested in the Irishman, but one (un)likely option has been missed by the British media.
Inside Europe's bet is on Keane staying in Manchester... not signing for City though - he'd never be able to after his horrific attack on Alfie Haaland - but instead opting for FC United, the unofficial offshoot club of the Premiership club, created by fans opposed to the takeover of Manchester United by Malcolm Glazer.
Ex team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly already offered his services to the North West Counties League Second Division side, strengthening our belief that Keane's signature for the fledgling club is not as ridiculous as it sounds.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
New Mills Away 5-0 (Cup)
Managed to somehow get a pass for this game but the weather was so bad i wished i hadn't -miserable day brightened up by a good result
My Full Gallery Here
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Outside the Green Door #4
Twomowers…if he was a dog he’d bark at kids on the roundabout in Delamere park
Outside the Green Door
Outside the Green Door
It’s Best by bus
Georgie’s death was generally treated with great respect from nearly all football fans. Football is meant to be entertainment (not business) and that’s what Georgie did best. Of course there were always gonna be a few who thought the tributes/mourning/grieving was a bit over the top but there haven’t been many proper geniuses, you won’t see owt like him in the game again so the accolades etc. were appropriate in this case. Let’s face it, you’d have paid to watch him tie up his Stylo Matchmakers, he’s the reason many got into football and are still watching it today and that’s why there were so many tributes, not just from United fans but from fans all over the place.
Anyways as someone on the telly said ‘life throws up little coincidences’ referring to the first game at O.T. following Georgie’s death against West Brom, the team he made his debut against and reference was also made to the match at Benfica and the obv relevance of that game. But there was another. Me and a small East Manchester firm were going to watch FC United the satdee after Georgie passed away. The game against (bullied) Cheadle was once again moved, this time to Edgeley Park. It meant that we could get the number 7 bus from Capital rd. in Openshaw all the way to Stockport town centre. The red no.7 picked us up and made its way through Abbey-on-the-Hey and then headed for Reddish SK5 where, the greatest twat in all the land and all the world Mike Doyle comes from. The no.7 skilfully bobbed in and out of the traffic as if to say to Doyle, ha - try and stop me Doyle you clumsy bastard, but did Doyle stop our red no.7? Did he fookin ‘ellerslike. The offers on at Bargain Booze – where they make life richer for the pourer - on Reddish rd. nearly tempted us, in a Georgie kinda way, but fortunately our no.7 didn’t stray from its goal and we breezed into Stocky. We had beers and sung Georgie Best world and went to the match and sung it more. It was a good day, the no.7 had delivered. It was just a shame that I couldn’t be at the West Brom game. Under the circumstances I decided that the best tribute was to neck a box of wine* and not turn up. Cheers Judd.
* Stowell’s Temperanillo temporarily £9.99 at kwik save for 3 litres.
Light Dinner
The Openshaw chrimbo lights were switched on early this year by various celebrities from the council’s Hooper St. depot. Why not give them a visit this yuletide? (the lights not the council lads – durr brain). Don’t bother having your tea first cos every other fookin shop on the Old Rd. is now a fookin takeaway. I don’t know - the art of home cooking has all but gone through the fookin window as the arse falls out of society as we know it. They’ll be watching the baked’s speech eating kebabs round our way this year.
The Guardian: FC United
Source: The Guardian
FC United's Tony Howard
Thursday December 1, 2005
It was a week for remembering legends at FC United - red heroes past, present and passed away.
Recently departed Russell Delaney, one of the club's board members and instrumental figure in the club's formation, was honoured with a minute's applause at the home match against New Mills. On Saturday another hero - arguably United's greatest ever player, George Best - was honoured with a similar tribute away against Cheadle.
Many United fans have favoured the idea of applause over silence after experiencing one such tribute at Juventus several years ago. It makes perfect sense, and when Russell's family made the request we were happy to oblige by paying a fitting tribute to a man who would have hated the very notion of a 'silence' in his honour. Similarly, Georgie would have preferred the tribute he got at West Ham on Sunday.
The shrine of flowers and other items at Old Trafford includes many FC United contributions. It also includes heartfelt odes from Leeds and Liverpool supporters - proof that only a tiny minority of their supporters are bereft of decency and respect.
Meanwhile, reds of an FC persuasion also hailed more recent players, with Roy Keane's name sung at both games this week after he was cheekily linked with a move to the club in a local newspaper. Keane was joined in the terrace pop charts by Eric Cantona after the French messiah waxed lyrical about FC in the club programme, sparking a swift "Eric Cantona's an FC United fan" chant. We still hope he will cement his support by pledging his name in some way.
Still, in the absence of such heroes, a new generation are blossoming. Winger Steve Torpey turned in another blistering performance as FC beat New Mills 6-1, before the weekend trip to Stockport's Edgeley Park saw a barnstorming game finish 3-3, courtesy of a last-minute United equaliser.
It was a fitting finale to an emotional and historic week.
FC United's Tony Howard
Thursday December 1, 2005
It was a week for remembering legends at FC United - red heroes past, present and passed away.
Recently departed Russell Delaney, one of the club's board members and instrumental figure in the club's formation, was honoured with a minute's applause at the home match against New Mills. On Saturday another hero - arguably United's greatest ever player, George Best - was honoured with a similar tribute away against Cheadle.
Many United fans have favoured the idea of applause over silence after experiencing one such tribute at Juventus several years ago. It makes perfect sense, and when Russell's family made the request we were happy to oblige by paying a fitting tribute to a man who would have hated the very notion of a 'silence' in his honour. Similarly, Georgie would have preferred the tribute he got at West Ham on Sunday.
The shrine of flowers and other items at Old Trafford includes many FC United contributions. It also includes heartfelt odes from Leeds and Liverpool supporters - proof that only a tiny minority of their supporters are bereft of decency and respect.
Meanwhile, reds of an FC persuasion also hailed more recent players, with Roy Keane's name sung at both games this week after he was cheekily linked with a move to the club in a local newspaper. Keane was joined in the terrace pop charts by Eric Cantona after the French messiah waxed lyrical about FC in the club programme, sparking a swift "Eric Cantona's an FC United fan" chant. We still hope he will cement his support by pledging his name in some way.
Still, in the absence of such heroes, a new generation are blossoming. Winger Steve Torpey turned in another blistering performance as FC beat New Mills 6-1, before the weekend trip to Stockport's Edgeley Park saw a barnstorming game finish 3-3, courtesy of a last-minute United equaliser.
It was a fitting finale to an emotional and historic week.
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