If there is one quality which Sir Alex Ferguson has always demanded from his Manchester United players above all else is a team unity of purpose without which success can never be possible. It’s a unity which is now being threatened by well meaning fans who may not realize the damage that they are causing, leaving the manager with little doubt that the ill feeling towards the club’s owners could wreck his side’s bid for glory
“Whenever we have had success it has been a collective effort with everyone united – management, players and fans. How many times have I commented in the past about the need to pull together?” Sir Alex asked “I have no problem with the green and gold campaign. Fans are entitled to protest as they see fit but not to the detriment of the team” he insisted “What I don’t want to see is Manchester United mired in so much controversy that it deflects from our purpose of winning matches.”
The city of Manchester is covered in posters from vociferous supporter groups calling for the removal of the current club owners ahead of the season’s opener against newly promoted Newcastle United in the hope of further undermining the club who still has an estimated 4,000 season tickets available. That has not stopped the club from posting ‘sold out’ notices for the game confirming the goodwill still existing for Ferguson and his men even if the highly visible green and gold scarves continues to be in evidence.
Ferguson has never denied the rights of fans having a say in the future of their club and is not about to start doing that now saying that “One situation clouds the new season and that is the continued opposition to the Glazer family” he told the United Review. “The fact is that the Glazer family own Manchester United and until such time as they decide they want to sell, they will stay as owners regardless of the opposition. So it comes down to the extent of the protest. What I don’t want to see is Manchester United mired in so much controversy that it deflects our purpose of winning matches” he emphasized.
“There is no doubt that players respond and relish support, we have had some great European nights at Old Trafford and I wouldn’t like to see anything develop that would diminish that kind of backing.” Surely, apart from rival fans it has to be difficult for anyone to argue with those thoughts. Sir Alex continued “I see that one of the protest groups has come up with a slogan along the lines of ‘New Season, Same Goal’. I know what they have in mind but I just wish they meant that once again we will all be united, busting a gut to win something big, in that sense it is not a bad slogan.”
Whether Ferguson’s words have any effect on the anti Glazer groups is open to doubt but one thing is certain, this destructive ill feeling is bound to eventually have a negative effect on the team. Is that what genuine United fans are really hoping for?
One of the most objectionable comments often heard is that “Alex Ferguson has become a puppet for the Glazers, they have him in their pockets.” Can someone please explain why Sir Alex should suddenly be afraid of losing his job unless he toes the Glazer line? Is he so desperately in need of the job that he’s prepared to shed convictions he has held all his life? Can it not be considered possible that he genuinely believes in the Glazer ownership? If you have any of these doubts about Sir Alex here’s a challenge. Start a protest group calling for Fergusons’s removal – IF YOU DARE!
Should Sir Alex Ferguson resign for backing the Glazer family?
NO. Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest of all time and loves Manchester United. I wll always back Sir Alex nomatter what. Fergie is defending the owners and protesters ad is doing what is good for our club. Long may Sir Alex Ferguson reign as our manager.
I understand his point, SAF loves United, but his love is largely based in their sucesses, the trophies they win, and indeed he doesn’t want any distractions to slow United’s march to more trophies. A large number of fans love the club in a historical context, and indeed hate what the Glazers have done, and would sacrifice success if it meant the Glazers leaving. So there we have it, sadly 2 forms of love for United, both equally sincere, but sadly on a collision course. I will be no part of having SAF removed, but would love nothing more than for the Glazers to go.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo
A wonderful assessment which is difficult to argue with Jim. Like you, I will certainly not shed any tears if and when the Glazer family departs our great club but until then we are stuck with them. Meanwhile, there must not be any other sensible alternative for United fans but to completely back Ferguson’s call for unity.
Jim, when you wrote that “a large number of fans love the club in a historical context” you hit the nail on the head. Our history is something that we can all be immensely proud of but we must not become so mired in it – like so many Liverpool fans tend to do, that we allow it to blind us to the reality of today.
Quote from the article”The fact is that the Glazer family own Manchester United and until such time as they decide they want to sell they will stay regardless of the opposition”.
So this means we all just toe the party line! Not a fucking chance in hell.
Pressure needs applied and hard.
No buying shite at Old Trafford or the megastore.
Continue to show your displeasure hate of there owning and robbing the Club.
Off course they will stay if they continue to be able to pillage and place the club in a perilous postion.
Let me ask this how can this be Manchester UNITED.Its not UNITED.Reason the Glazer and they dont care or love United they love the Dollar.
There is a difference between shouting for the boys and willing them on and sitting lamely accepting what is and has been done.
The great man himself wore a Green and Gold scarf as did David Beckham after the Inter game.So dont tell us they dont get it.
I have written this elsewhere and effing hate doing this, fail to achieve a Champions league 1/4 final spot the shit will hit the fan.
We have them rocking now with almost 4k season tickets unsold the message is getting across.Where has the waiting list gone! Kapoot.
Anyways a long trip for me tommorow from the North of scotland to shout for the boys against the Toon and give Smudger a Old Trafford welcome back.
Cmon you Reds.
Believe.
why does anyone have to do either? what this really means in essence is, support the glazers or call for ferguson’s head, but why do either when these are so obviously not the only two options available. the fans can still support their team, as they always do, while opposing the owners, hence the motto LUHG.
the suggestion that football fans showing displeasure for the OWNERS of their club has anything to do with supporting their TEAM is disingenuous. the idea that it affects the team negatively is also further undermined by the fact it has been revealed that utd’s results have actually IMPROVED since the G&G began.
This sums it up perfectly:
http://www.unitedrant.co.uk/fergie-continues-glazer-pr-battle-as-interest-rate-rises/
So, it seems to me:
UTD fans will continue supporting the team and management when it comes to their TEAM out there on the pitch as they always do. thus its wrong to try and suggest otherwise, many of these fans have been loyal Utd fans for many years and won’t accept owners crippling the club financially under the pretence of unity. the unity of UNITED is already there naturally and always will always be every time it comes to supporting the TEAM. to think otherwise is disingenuous.
United’s results have actually improved since the Green and Gold campaign began.On the field yes, thats despite them.
Tell me please the net spend on players bought in since the Glazer arrived.
Deduct the Ronaldo transfer fee thats a one off.
I will tell you its 4.3 million pounds per season.
They promised the normal 25 million pounds per season.
Dont be lame and imply I am or any other “Real” United supporter is disingenuous.
I assume you will be watching on the Telly tommorow night.
Sitting pontificating and hurling abuse at whoever.
Get of your Arse and do something about the Cancer at your Club.
There cannot be a better response to RedScot and robson’s comments than the one already given by Sir Alex himself…
“Whenever we have had success it has been a collective effort with everyone united – management, players and fans. How many times have I commented in the past about the need to pull together?” After what he has given to the club and to us as supporters, Ferguson deserves to get every single thing he asks for without question.
it seems frank still doesnt get it. utd fans HAVE been pulling together when it comes to supporting the TEAM, and indeed STILL ARE. it really does smack of dishonesty to suggest otherwise but this appears to be the new PR strategy, try to claim that not supporting glazers equals not supporting the team. its a nonsense of course. utd fans are completely behind the team and always have been and results since G&G began prove indesputably that G&G has no ill effects on the team over a long period of time. to claim otherwise shows a level of dishonesty and its basically all geared towards trying to silence those who oppose these leeches, just like when fergie told the same loyal utd fans to “go and support chelsea” if they didnt like it. fergie has been a great manager for this club, everyone ackonowledges that and supports the team but he is not right about everything. the fact of the matter is fans have continued to support the team and results have improved, rather than detoriated since G&G began and anyone choosing to portray it otherwise is simply betraying a level of dishosty which is undermined by the facts and results themselves which show otherwise. utd’s results have continued to be good and people should be allowed to express how they feel, the fact is they support the team and not its owners.
I will forever back Sir Alex, no one loves this club more then him and the fans should take note of that, i will always be in the corner of the Red Devils regardless of ownership, the preformance levels have nothing to do with the g&g and for them to try steal credit away from our boys is disgraceful. The boys took it up a level after xmas in traditional Utd fashion like they do every year, it had nothing to do with the protest which is nothing but a distraction, get behind United.
Will all of you still support Fergie as hard core as you do when Newcastle United beat them in their own home? GO NUFC!!!!
RedScott, I hear what you are saying. since the glazer take over we have spent alot of cash. park 4m, van der sar 2m, kuszczak 2.125m, flopster 1m, carrick 18.6m, anderson 17m, nani 17.3m, hargreaves 17m, tevez 6-10m loan, tosic 8m, possebon 3.5m, manucho free, vidic 7m, evra 5.5m, rafael and fabio 5..2m, berbatov 30.75m, de laet 250k, owen free, valencia 15m, obertan 3m, diouf 2m, smalling 10m, chicharito 6m, bebe 7.4m, we have spent around 188m under the glazers, just did up list on memory.
also just remembered we had larsson on loan in 07. RedScott, we have spent a fair amount of cash on players over that time and no I am not defending the glazers, just pointing it out and your calculations are near about correct. Sir Alex Ferguson is God, with him leading the way we will continue to rule and have alot of great young talent so we dont really need to spend big right now and it is there if wanted. glazers do need to go and sell to someone who can afford us (not skint knights). back the club.
Sir Alex Ferguson is God. I have a feeling this season is going to be one to remember so cheer on the team, support Manchester United. with Wazza, Berba, Owen, Kiko and Chicharito I believe it is gonna be a goal fest like 98/99 and like I have said, I believe this is going to be a year to remember. support United, Fergie rules.
jacob, we will always back Fergie and you beat us? newcastle today are a joke, the team is a championship club and haves no chance so dont get your hopes up. we will beat newcastle utd and thats a guarantee, bank on it. Sir Alex Ferguson will lead us to more trophies and history, a special season awaits. glazers out. Fergie has again put together a wonderful side with both great experience and talented youth, our world class stars and promising kids will take us to world domination once again.
World domination?????? Fergie is God yet Man U are the Red Devils???? Sounds like a cult to me.
@Fergie is God.
I appreciate you getting back to me. Firstly deal with the Important points.
Jacob dont make wild predictions that you cant support.It was a great night was it not!You have a player in Andy Carrol just not sufficent to keep you up.
Sorry thats the truth, your midfield was bottom of the league class.
United first 30 odd minutes tired your team just waiting and playing you of the Park.
Mate I hear what you are saying about allegiance to the great man, dont think for one minute ever I do not trust him.Thats just stupidity not to trust and suggesting I know more about football.He knows more in his scribbled notes on his desk than I can ever know.Set that aside please.I have followed him through fine Books and blogs and other articles for years.(10) I am 18
The point is you must seperate the Glazer and Sir Alex.One loves the Club the other loves the Ching Ching of a Cash register.
As I said and thank you for giving me a run down of the Purchases in.Would you be so kind to do the Sales purely for Balance.
You no accounting purposes.
Mate its not a question of the “Skint Knights” that was always a false and hopefull dawn.The point is you keep giving them money they stay.You starve them outwith your Season ticket or Match ticket there revenue streams drop seriously.Thats what will make them listen to serious offers, and get round a table to hear from interested parties.
I am sure you will be as aware as I not that I would ever wish this there margins of budgeting are so fine.
I will repeat and repeat, fail to get to the Champions league(Where the money is) Quarter finals its gonna go Pear.
Its all despite the Cancer in your Club, is that a big enough endorsement of Sir Alex.If we did not have him it would have gone to the Dogs bye now.