Theatre of Dreams in turmoil

[Barchullona]

I’m surprised there isn’t more sympathy here for the fans here - here is a club where the distant, aloof owners treat it like a business, ignore fans and fan organisations yet also oversee a successful period in the club’s history. Has many parallels with us and other clubs up and down the leagues.

it’s an emotional battle for United’s soul, and many of them haven’t really come to terms with the way things have been going since Martin Edwards was chairman back in the 80s. These fans are certainly not the plastics accepting PL football at any cost. They want the old community spirit back, the feeling that they and the club are one and the owners are just the custodians holding it in trust. Problem is, that kind of club doesn’t exist in the upper leagues any more and they need to accept that if that is what they want then FC United or Salford are the clubs for them.

Indeed a bit like us, aloof owners etc...One difference is we had fans booing the ones protesting about our owners, telling them it was the Allams club they could do what they want. We had two many with a supine attitude and not bothered what we were called or anything else as long as we were in the PL. More interested in the opposition than City. Of the ones that bothered voting in the poll on the name change, a pathetic percentage of the ones entitled to vote, more voted in favour of the name change than against. I know it was a loaded question (something Martin Samuel pointed out in another excellent column at the weekend) but as is often the case in Hull apathy ruled.

 

[Cortez91]

How ironic that two representatives of Clubs that have contributed to what I believe is the demise of football, are the ones voicing the words that need to be said.

I’m not sure how much people watched of the programme but it didn’t surprise me Sky went off air rather abruptly.

Souness had a dig at Sky being involved in the Premier League in the first place, the pundits refused to ignore the narrative Sky were trying to portrait and then Keane and Souness started arguing about whether it was peaceful or not when Souness said somebody could’ve died if hit by a thrown beer can.

In the same two hours, they called for all the referees to be sacked and replaced by ex-pro footballers, Pogba to be moved on and replaced by Grealish and Carragher/Neville launched an attack on the media about how they will describe what happened yesterday and muddy the lines, vilifying all football fans because of an idiot few.

It was extraordinary television.

 

[Chazz Rheinhold]

I’m not sure how much people watched of the programme but it didn’t surprise me Sky went off air rather abruptly.

Souness had a dig at Sky being involved in the Premier League in the first place, the pundits refused to ignore the narrative Sky were trying to portrait and then Keane and Souness started arguing about whether it was peaceful or not when Souness said somebody could’ve died if hit by a thrown beer can.

In the same two hours, they called for all the referees to be sacked and replaced by ex-pro footballers, Pogba to be moved on and replaced by Grealish and Carragher/Neville launched an attack on the media about how they will describe what happened yesterday and muddy the lines, vilifying all football fans because of an idiot few.

It was extraordinary television.

Maybe they couldn’t stick to the party line for that length of time without their true feelings coming out? which makes them part of the problem too really
Give me the money and I’ll say and do whatever you want

 

[Mr Hatem]

Carragher made an excellent point

There's a first.

 

[Off The Line]

Carragher made an excellent point on air about this.

He said, as a Liverpool fan, he supports those Man Utd fans that were protesting and could see why they are protesting. He called for the media to not spin it because of a few idiots involved when the majority were peaceful. He wanted all fans to get behind those fans because of what some owners are doing to our clubs. He said for too long football fans get wrongly labelled and he didn’t want that to happen again.


Sky then pulled Super Sunday off air when the pundits (Carragher, Neville and Keane) ignored the narrative the presenter was trying to take and pulled in a different presentation team for their later game.

Going against their paymasters is risky business. I can see them being given an ultimatum if these protests continue.

 

[balkan tiger]

Indeed a bit like us, aloof owners etc...One difference is we had fans booing the ones protesting about our owners, telling them it was the Allams club they could do what they want. We had two many with a supine attitude and not bothered what we were called or anything else as long as we were in the PL. More interested in the opposition than City. Of the ones that bothered voting in the poll on the name change, a pathetic percentage of the ones entitled to vote, more voted in favour of the name change than against. I know it was a loaded question (something Martin Samuel pointed out in another excellent column at the weekend) but as is often the case in Hull apathy ruled.

Manchester Utd. had loads of those types when the Glazers took over. Feel for the real fans who had bought a few shares in their club when they could only to be done over when the Glazers bought over 75% (?) off the bigger share holders and then delisted the company meaning all remaining shares, those in the hands of the supporters became worthless.

Didn't see much of a decline in the attendance figures at Old Trafford at that time either.

 

[askewshair]

Must say, and I love I good protest, that while they weren’t protesting because they’re not winning much you can’t overlook the coincidence of them getting a game cancelled that could have seen the other City crowned champions.
I do think they wouldn’t have done it if it was a match they could have won the title at. Would they?
Their previous protests, of those that still went, seemed mainly to consist of wearing different coloured scarves, and banners in the ground. And good on them for that, but they weren’t trying to stop games then.
Obviously the Super League highlighted their views on the owner, but that seems to mostly be down to the debt they were laden with. Quite right too, but that hasn’t suddenly changed.

On the flip side football protests in general, including this one, have suddenly made people realise that fans do have power...and that’s a good thing I think.

Agreed
It exasperated me to hear Boris quoted as saying football supporters have many avenues so can let their feelings known without resorting to protest. As we all know on here, that couldn't be further from the truth (certainly those views been listened to).
Not condoning the 200+ minority who took it too far and hope the seriously injured copper is ok.
but scenes like yesterday are inevitable if football supporters are not listened to. I guess also normally supporters will vent their anger on a Saturday at 3pm (or whenever), but because of Covid, haven't been able to.
Hopefully it is a bit of a reminder that fans do have power and a wake up call to football administrators and politicians. Different club's fans have their own protests against owners.
The ESL has maybe in some way united a large sector of supporters across the board. It is ironic that It's only the top six directly affected, and because the beautiful brand has been brought into disrepute. But maybe that will provoke a genuine look at the situation across the board.
I'm sure I did hear Boris mention fan ownership in his response to the ESL, which was encouraging, but he needs to follow up with actions.
Maybe I am being uncharacteristically optimistic?

 

[Barchullona]

Manchester Utd. had loads of those types when the Glazers took over. Feel for the real fans who had bought a few shares in their club when they could only to be done over when the Glazers bought over 75% (?) off the bigger share holders and then delisted the company meaning all remaining shares, those in the hands of the supporters became worthless.

Didn't see much of a decline in the attendance figures at Old Trafford at that time either.

I will never forget the sacrifice I made giving up my shares to enable Adam's purchase of the club. What would those 4 shares be worth now?

 

[TonyFinnegan'sCocaineHell]

I commend the right to direct action, although not injuries to policemen (although after the Bristol protests, I'll await clarification on that)

I commend Neville and Carragher for speaking up for the fans

However, I'm not going to let the staggering hypocrisy slide by unchallenged.

For years, fans from across the league pyramid warned others of the direction football was taking due to the astronomical amounts of money pouring into the game and the attraction of unconnected business owners to the race to the top, yet fans of the big clubs in the main ignored what was said and continued to be 'golden tits' that were milked to the tune of £60 match day tickets, inordinate amounts of replica shirts and the chance to watch no end of superannuated pretty boys turn tricks for more money in a week than some people earn in a lifetime. And now they want us to help? **** off.

And as for the Sky pundits, they're busy preaching to the masses from behind a paywall while working for a company whose own reckless abandon towards funding the top level of the game helped foster the environment in which the recent events became inevitable.

Don't get me wrong, in a roundabout way we've all been complicit if we've ever had a Sky subscription, bought overpriced tickets, etc., but nothing of the level of the fans of the big clubs. When it was blindingly obvious that fans of the game as a whole needed to unite and take a stand, a large number of them stuck their fingers in their ears and refused to listen.

 

[Chazz Rheinhold]

Off the Man U board

In real terms, and sadly, there’s nothing illegal about the way that the Glazers have structured the club financially. For a club this size, the next owner is most likely going to do exactly what the Glazers have done in terms financial benefits and transaction. Hedge funds are even worse.

No single entity is going to be stupid enough to pore $4.2bn of their own money into a single asset. It will most likely be leveraged with assets tied to the club.

Oil money to the rescue, I suppose.

 

[Barchullona]

Off the Man U board

In real terms, and sadly, there’s nothing illegal about the way that the Glazers have structured the club financially. For a club this size, the next owner is most likely going to do exactly what the Glazers have done in terms financial benefits and transaction. Hedge funds are even worse.

No single entity is going to be stupid enough to pore $4.2bn of their own money into a single asset. It will most likely be leveraged with assets tied to the club.

Oil money to the rescue, I suppose.

Someone on here was telling us easy it would be for fans to buy a club if everyone stuck in a few quid each.

 

[Gone For A Walk]

Someone on here was telling us easy it would be for fans to buy a club if everyone stuck in a few quid each.

.... for FCMassive

 

[askewshair]

I commend the right to direct action, although not injuries to policemen (although after the Bristol protests, I'll await clarification on that)

I commend Neville and Carragher for speaking up for the fans

However, I'm not going to let the staggering hypocrisy slide by unchallenged.

For years, fans from across the league pyramid warned others of the direction football was taking due to the astronomical amounts of money pouring into the game and the attraction of unconnected business owners to the race to the top, yet fans of the big clubs in the main ignored what was said and continued to be 'golden tits' that were milked to the tune of £60 match day tickets, inordinate amounts of replica shirts and the chance to watch no end of superannuated pretty boys turn tricks for more money in a week than some people earn in a lifetime. And now they want us to help? **** off.

And as for the Sky pundits, they're busy preaching to the masses from behind a paywall while working for a company whose own reckless abandon towards funding the top level of the game helped foster the environment in which the recent events became inevitable.

Don't get me wrong, in a roundabout way we've all been complicit if we've ever had a Sky subscription, bought overpriced tickets, etc., but nothing of the level of the fans of the big clubs. When it was blindingly obvious that fans of the game as a whole needed to unite and take a stand, a large number of them stuck their fingers in their ears and refused to listen.

The whole situation stinks. Suddenly, it appears to be on the agenda because there was a threat to Sky and their 'brand' is brought into disrepute. And those armchair fans of the big clubs won't give two ****s about us 'minnows'.
However, for the sake of the game I am hopeful there could be a window of opportunity for change. It is important that lower clubs are included in that agenda. Denis pointed out yesterday's protest was actually about their greedy owners (not just the ESL), and supporters not having a voice. A lot of clubs have that in common. As we saw from Allam's, these owners tend to be very good at dividing and ruling their protestors. The worry for me is that it will again become a them and us situation.

 

[Charon]

Indeed a bit like us, aloof owners etc...One difference is we had fans booing the ones protesting about our owners, telling them it was the Allams club they could do what they want. We had two many with a supine attitude and not bothered what we were called or anything else as long as we were in the PL. More interested in the opposition than City. Of the ones that bothered voting in the poll on the name change, a pathetic percentage of the ones entitled to vote, more voted in favour of the name change than against. I know it was a loaded question (something Martin Samuel pointed out in another excellent column at the weekend) but as is often the case in Hull apathy ruled.

Steve Bruce calls for Hull fans to respect Assem Allam's name change wish
MANAGER Steve Bruce says Hull fans must respect owner Assem Allam - even if they hate the idea of being called Hull Tigers.


What a ****

 

[TIGERSCAVE]

Did the Social Media 'blackout' go ahead this weekend ...?

 

[City Man]

Steve Bruce calls for Hull fans to respect Assem Allam's name change wish
MANAGER Steve Bruce says Hull fans must respect owner Assem Allam - even if they hate the idea of being called Hull Tigers.


What a ****

Blimey, it's almost like you have a 'Steve Bruce' file on your laptop that you use to rubbish him

 

[City Man]

Did the Social Media 'blackout' go ahead this weekend ...?

Are we still allowed to use the word ' blackout'?

 

[Charon]

Are we still allowed to use the word ' blackout'?

only if it's one word and not two

 

[highpeak tiger]

How about Whiteout?

 

[City Man]

This MUFC fan trouble has pissed on their self-important social media strop bonfire.