Off Topic A Bit of a Coup

For FC United. Like the idea & reasons behind them playing Wimbledon.

FC United announced today that it will play a friendly match against European giants Benfica on Friday 29 May 2015 as part of a ‘summer of celebration’ to mark the club’s tenth anniversary at their new Broadhurst Park football ground and community facility.

The high-profile friendly has been organised as one of the centrepieces of a series of events this summer organised to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the supporter-owned club’s formation. The full programme of events will be announced once FC United’s new ground is open.

FC United of Manchester general manager Andy Walsh commented: “FC United of Manchester is delighted to be playing Benfica as one of the first games in our new ground at Broadhurst Park in Moston, north Manchester. We have had good relations with Benfica since hosting their U19s when they played Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League last season. We are proud to be playing one of the largest fan-owned clubs in the world and are looking forward to welcoming Benfica’s representatives to Manchester.

Armando Jorge Carneiro, academy general manager at Benfica, said: “Lisbon and Manchester are cities with fans who love football and their idols. While FC United are still a young club in the history of this sport in England, it’s nevertheless a great honour for SL Benfica to be present with their B team at United’s stadium, Broadhurst Park. We hope that FC United can find, over the next years, just like Benfica almost 111 years ago, a path of victories that can launch them from being a big city club to a leading club in the world."

FC United are also planning to arrange a friendly with fellow supporter-owned club AFC Wimbledon, a club which acted as an inspiration to FC United’s formation. Ivor Heller, board member at AFC Wimbledon, said: “At AFC Wimbledon we are gutted that we’re unable to be the opening game at Broadhurst Park, but we’ll make up for that with a great friendly in pre-season". A date for the Wimbledon game is still being discussed and will be announced once finalised.

 

Great stuff.

 

Nice to see them still growing and showing that it can be done.
The usual crowd will be along shortly to pour water on the bonfire.

 

Both FC United and AFC Wimbledon show that supporter run clubs can survive. I wish that we had more clubs that followed the European style of sports club. There are issues with funding at times, but on the whole I think it is a good thing. Elected club presidents and board, with club membership is far better, than owners and customers. These two clubs may not operate in the same way as those in Europe but it is good for the sport to see them be successful.

 

The AFC Wimbledon story is remarkable. Historically a much smaller club, to climb through the football league pyramid and get back to league football is nothing short of amazing.

 

Currently undergoing planning application to build a new stadium at the dog track on Plough Lane.

 

This thread reminds me that I should get myself up to a Ferriby game sometime.

 

It's no wonder that people who signed up and agreed to something then get the hump when the thing they agreed to is required of them?