Manchester City 22/23

[pbsmooth]

Not all. Some decided to put their money where their mouth is and went on to form FC Utd of Manchester.

Home | FC United of Manchester

FC United exists to provide affordable, supporter-owned, community-focused football for supporters who are tired of modern football's constant pursuit of further riches at the expense the fans.

fc-utd.co.uk

I was at their first match at Leigh RMI

 

[editor]

I didn't say their attendances had fallen, I said you seem to meet, or hear plenty saying, that they've lost interest in the club.

Well, there's a really compelling and convincing argument

Meanwhile:

The most popular football clubs in the UK | Sport | YouGov Ratings

The most popular football clubs in the UK according to YouGov Ratings. Popularity is based on millions of responses from the British public and YouGov's innovative survey methodology.

yougov.co.uk

 

[The39thStep]

Not all. Some decided to put their money where their mouth is and went on to form FC Utd of Manchester.

Home | FC United of Manchester

FC United exists to provide affordable, supporter-owned, community-focused football for supporters who are tired of modern football's constant pursuit of further riches at the expense the fans.

fc-utd.co.uk

I know a few there from anti fash days .

 

[The39thStep]

Well, there's a really compelling and convincing argument

Meanwhile:

View attachment 379466

The most popular football clubs in the UK | Sport | YouGov Ratings

The most popular football clubs in the UK according to YouGov Ratings. Popularity is based on millions of responses from the British public and YouGov's innovative survey methodology.

yougov.co.uk

Tbf I know quite a few Man Utd supporters ( and some at FC United) . Some of the more band wagon types definitely got their heads down and lost interest when City got the upper hand . Others just went through a period of shaking their heads when you spoke to them about Man Utd . Others had an annual burst of optimism when new signings came ( mainly filled by the media tbh) and then hoped the next signing would do it.
There are some that are genuine and who accept that teams enjoy a good spell at the top and then take some time to recover again and that it isn’t some form of god given right .

As a brand Man Utd are still big with a lot of international support but in Manchester things have changed . Who the fuck would have thought that the crowds would be so enormous for City’s parade ?

 

[RD2003]

Well, there's a really compelling and convincing argument

Meanwhile:

View attachment 379466

The most popular football clubs in the UK | Sport | YouGov Ratings

The most popular football clubs in the UK according to YouGov Ratings. Popularity is based on millions of responses from the British public and YouGov's innovative survey methodology.

yougov.co.uk

I'm sure that those who say they have lost interest in Manyoo (a loss which coincides with their relative decline, strangely enough), would still call themselves United fans if asked by pollsters. But so what?

 

[editor]

I'm sure that those who say they have lost interest in Manyoo (a loss which coincides with their relative decline, strangely enough), would still call themselves United fans if asked by pollsters. But so what?

More awesome SCIENCE!

 

[RD2003]

More awesome SCIENCE!

Christ man, give it a rest. You're more or less an OAP, aren't you?

 

[editor]

Christ man, give it a rest. You're more or less an OAP, aren't you?

What the fuck has this pathetic ageism got to do with anything?

 

[editor]

This argument that poor old fans have no choice but to clap along to their new despotic overlords really is the pits.

Fans can have a voice, if they want and if they're not already blinded by the notion of success at any cost.

Fans also have a role to play, and it's one they've taken up in Germany, where the 50+1 rule limits outside investment in football clubs. Bayern Munich supporters have strongly criticized the club for its relationship with Qatar, where the first team has made annual midseason trips since 2011.

Club executives have long defended the relationship, especially regarding the club's shirt-sleeve sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. But after a chaotic annual general meeting in 2021 and the German national team's protest during the Qatar World Cup, the agreement may not be extended.

Sportswashing in 2023: Can it be stopped? – DW – 06/13/2023

Sportswashing is the hot topic once again after Manchester City's Champions League triumph and a ground-breaking merger in the world of golf. DW explains what it is and what, if anything, can be done to stop it.

www.dw.com

 

[Wilf]

I felt conflicted, I must admit, as having seen too many disappointing and downright incompetent owners at the club, I feared this lot would be similar for all their talk. They have proved my fears unfounded, and I'm ashamed of my initial misgivings.

When you say regime, do you mean AD, or the UAE which it is part of? Either way, City were purchased by Sheikh Mansour as an individual, under the umbrella of ADUG. For some time he has owned, I think, around 70% of shares, with the rest being owned by the US company Silverlake. What you call elaborate justifications are usually explanations of truths about the matter that you find inconvenient. However, no City fan (and no supporter of any other club for that matter) has to justify anything to anybody. As you say, old loyalties die hard, as you will see if United get bought by Qataris, so why should somebody be expected to justify something that will happen anyway whether you like it or not? Furthermore, people who demand as you do usually seem to forget that most people, again no matter who they support in football, do not share the principles that they love to loudly trumpet (these days mainly online it seems.)

Which journalists have been attacked btw? Were they badly injured?

Silly me, for a moment there I thought I was going to get a reflective and honest reply - well, I did for the first 6 words. Then you are off again, twirling and pirouetting.

 

[Wilf]

Did FCU resolve the issues that were tearing the club apart a few seasons ago? They no longer seem to attract much media interest. I didn't follow it in detail, but I remember reports of boardroom infighting, questions over cash, anger-fuelled general meetings (or whatever they call them) and, unless I imagined it, a pitch invasion in protest at the ownership.

I'm genuinely interested in this minority phenomenon of requiring owners of what are, at all levels, capitalist enterprises to conform to progressive principles. Do some only go to see bands, for example, that do likewise? I can't think of many socialist or anarcho-syndicalist football clubs, but are there any communist ten-pin bowling places, say? Do they refuse any invitation to eat out unless it's at a co-operative cafe? Would they demand that Robert de Niro or Arnie S. convert to anarchism before they'd watch their films?

As to the first paragraph, as far as I know, yes. I wasn't involved until a couple of years ago and things seem to have died down now. I know others on here were involved though and it was pretty bruising afaik. However, as you know, whether any particular fan owned club is having internal battles isn't the point. Teams like FCUM were mentioned simply to point out there is an alternative, warts and all, to corporate football. Yes, a minority one, yes not something that will ultimately challenge the tidal wave of shite in football, just something there for those who want to get involved.

As to your second paragraph, just silly stuff.

 

[RD2003]

This argument that poor old fans have no choice but to clap along to their new despotic overlords really is the pits.

Fans can have a voice, if they want and if they're not already blinded by the notion of success at any cost.

Sportswashing in 2023: Can it be stopped? – DW – 06/13/2023

Sportswashing is the hot topic once again after Manchester City's Champions League triumph and a ground-breaking merger in the world of golf. DW explains what it is and what, if anything, can be done to stop it.

www.dw.com

Fans have no say in who gets to buy their football club, but, and here you are right, they do have the choice to walk away. That most fans do not do that, at any club, is related to the first point. And most fans want to see the club they have an emotional attachment and local ties to be successful, and will not complain about who delivers success when it comes. Some even have the ability to make their own judgements on matters. They know, for instance, that the clothes they walk around in are made in sweatshops, and the food they eat grown and picked by people paid a pittance (including in this country), and again they recognise that there is little or nothing they can do about this. Do you also try and browbeat people about these things as well?

As for the recently invented concept of 'sportswashing, a journalist for the Hindustan Times put it nicely: ''Sportswashing' is a fancy term to describe the white man's loss of hegemony.'

 

[editor]

Fans have no say in who gets to buy their football club, but, and here you are right, they do have the choice to walk away. That most fans do not do that, at any club, is related to the first point. And most fans want to see the club they have an emotional attachment and local ties to be successful, and will not complain about who delivers success when it comes. Some even have the ability to make their own judgements on matters. They know, for instance, that the clothes they walk around in are made in sweatshops, and the food they eat grown and picked by people paid a pittance (including in this country), and again they recognise that there is little or nothing they can do about this. Do you also try and browbeat people about these things as well?

As for the recently invented concept of 'sportswashing, a journalist for the Hindustan Times put it nicely: ''Sportswashing' is a fancy term to describe the white man's loss of hegemony.'

But you've yet to make a negative comment about Man City's state owners which suggest you're quite happy to have them financing the club. And that's a really fucking shitty attitude.

 

[RD2003]

But you've yet to make a negative comment about Man City's state owners which suggest you're quite happy to have them financing the club. And that's a really fucking shitty attitude.

I have explained multiple times the difference between City's ownership structure and state ownership, and also pointed out that AD is not a state in any case.

I have also said that I am 100% happy with what City's owners have done for the club and the local area (which is the impoverished northeast-central part of the city in which I grew up.) As for Abu Dhabi itself, like most people in this country I had never thought at all about it before the City connection, and also like most people (including those pontificating on here) I have little or no understanding of its history and culture. Furthermore, I am not that interested, as we have enough of our own seemingly intractable social and economic problems. You could round up a little band on here, however, and go and investigate/help out over there, if you feel strongly about it.

You really ought to have developed the maturity by now to recognise that 'a really shitty attitude' does not equate to 'all the opinions I don't approve of,' and also that there is barely a person on earth who places any importance at all on your own opinion.

 

[Wilf]

Have we had the 'you must be a racist if you oppose City's owners' card yet? Feels like it's been emerging from the shirt sleeve ready for palming over the last couple of pages.

Anyway, glad we've seen the 'yeah but , no but... what about sweatshops... what about some other thing' joker being played. Always good to see.

 

[RD2003]

Have we had the 'you must be a racist if you oppose City's owners' card yet? Feels like it's been emerging from the shirt sleeve ready for palming over the last couple of pages.

Anyway, glad we've seen the 'yeah but , no but... what about sweatshops... what about some other thing' joker being played. Always good to see.

How many times do you want to say the same thing, Wilfred?

As with others, City have got under your skin. I get it.

 

[RD2003]

Anyway, this one goes out to all the City haters on here and elsewhere.

 

[planetgeli]

Anyway, this one goes out to all the City haters on here and elsewhere.

Waste of a post.

You really don't get it. or don't want to get it.

coz trophies.

 

[RD2003]

Waste of a post.

You really don't get it. or don't want to get it.

coz trophies.

You couldn't resist, only confirming my assertion

Yes, trophies are shit in football. They should just abolish them. It's the logical next step when you consider how the protectionist cartel clubs have effectively been trying to abolish genuine competition for 30 years.

 

[RD2003]

Anyway, have another.

 

[planetgeli]

You couldn't resist, only confirming my assertion

If you say so. I think there's better things to use Marley (and other reggae) for.

 

[RD2003]

If you say so. I think there's better things to use Marley (and other reggae) for.

 

[planetgeli]

ah get ta fuck man, you have too much time on your hands

 

[RD2003]

ah get ta fuck man, you have too much time on your hands

About as much as you, judging by the way you appear to be on the alert for every new post.

I'm interested, by the way, in what you normally 'use Marley (and other reggae) for.'

 

[RD2003]

 

[pbsmooth]

As a brand Man Utd are still big with a lot of international support but in Manchester things have changed

'things have changed'? hmm not sure how much.
sure, some of the glory supporters and kids will go to City in a way they would never have done in the last....well... 50 years... but generational support will remain. and whatever some people may like to think, United's support is stronger in Manchester.
it would need another 20+ years of City on top to really move that, if ever. United have the Busby Babes, Munich, 68, Red Army years, Fergie years etc. City just don't have anything close in all seriousness.

 

[pbsmooth]

and, obviously, the success slowly ruined Old Trafford (albeit alongside other factors affecting football clubs generally). glory-hunters and day-trippers ruined the matchday experience for the regularl fans in so many ways. so this is what City have to look forward to - as plenty of their old school fans are well aware, some of whom have fucked off already. so, careful what you wish for on that one.

 

[editor]

Totally agree about this:

Last month the FA announced that the Community Shield would be taking place on a Sunday at 5.30pm, a difficult time for Manchester City fans hoping to get down to the game and back in time for work the next day.

But this week the club's atmosphere group, 1894, told us they would still be pushing for a 3pm kick-off to help more fans get to the game. "The Community Shield is a game where fans like to bring their families and take them to Wembley where they may otherwise not always get a ticket."

The group are calling on fans of other clubs to support their case, which once again highlights the power TV has over the fixture schedule. "Broadcasters moving the kick-off times is one of the current issues affecting everyone," they said.

What the fuck is an 'atmosphere group,' by the way?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

What the fuck is an 'atmosphere group,' by the way?

It's a horribly cringy way of referring to an organised (to some degree) representation of the clubs noisier fans isn't it. In principle I think it's a good thing - it happens at Lincoln - although I've never heard the phrase before.

 

[editor]

It's a horribly cringy way of referring to an organised (to some degree) representation of the clubs noisier fans isn't it. In principle I think it's a good thing - it happens at Lincoln - although I've never heard the phrase before.

Edit: I looked it up and it seems to be an even worse thing - it's a wildly priced, elitist matchday VIP 'hospitality experience' where you have to dress up nice and pay up to £700.

Manchester City operates a smart casual dress code. No tracksuits, sportswear, caps, shorts, ripped or bleached jeans are allowed. Smart trainers and Home team football shirts are permitted.

Match Seats: Premium VIP seats in the South-West Corner, at the front of the middle tier

Arrival: Complimentary drink; beer, wine or soft drink

Dining: Option to purchase a selection of pizza’s and other small plates

Drinks: Executive cash bar

Half Time: Complimentary tea and coffee

Table Seating: Casual unreserved table seating

Match Programme: Included

Car Parking: Included (1 per 4)

"Executive cash bar"? WTF?

From interiors to service, everything has been strategically organised into a winning formation for a memorable matchday. A place to enjoy authentic Mediterranean food and drink in a casual, social setting inspired by City’s great managers.

You have the option to purchase pizzas from the pizza oven, charcuterie small plates, plus regularly changing wines and craft ales. Your VIP seats in the South-West Corner offer a stunning panoramic view of the Etihad pitch, making your experience of watching Manchester City one to remember.

1894 Bar Package | Etihad Stadium | Circuit Hospitality

vipfootballhospitality.com

FUCK MODERN FOOTBALL.