Live by the sword.....

Ho hum - Manchester United have been bought by a ginger bespectacled "tycoon". And by all accounts the fans aren't very happy, all the way from the celeb fans to humble working class people who pay their money each week to watch their heroes in the alleged Theatre of Dreams (although after we thumped them 3-1 the other night on their own hallowed turf, I expect the Theatre of Nightmares was better suited to the place).

I am a football fan at heart and understand its place in local communities precisely. I understand the sense of local pride the teams can generate and their ability to bond communities together to watch their heroes take on the world. Or their neighbouring club - bragging rights is a powerful concept and you always like to feel that your on the winning side. Its very tribal, and hence the passion of the fans is not matched by ANY other sport. Not Rugby (no matter how much they protest, a union/league club game does not generate the atmosphere of a Conference league football game) , nor cricket, nor F1, not basketball, baseball or anything. Its a fact, accept it.

What I find amusing about this is that the bleating fans of this institution have happily sat back over the ensuing years since this club decided to expand way beyond the local community and it's real fans and prostitute itself to the pimp that is the Stock Market. Oh yes, they were only too happy that the club would reap the benefits of shareholders money in order to finance its push into Eastern markets, to grow its global fan base, to make it a global brand. To conquer the world.

Oh how they smiled as the money rolled in, the players signed up, the trophies weighed the cabinet down. But the price was already becoming obvious. The real fans found their ground invaded by the "Glory Hunters" - fans from far off places seduced by the global brand, and the power of this rich whore's sporting success. Munching on their prawn sandwiches and polluting the rich north western accent with Estuary English. The club sold its soul to the devil of capitalism, and whilst the short term gains were success, admiration, a growing international fan base and kudos, that avenue of hedonism has finally delivered the bill.

As with any Satanic deal there is a sting, a forfeit, a payback. Today for Manchester United the tiger of capitalism and the stock market they once rode with bareback abandon has turned and bit them as Malcolm Glazer finally wrests control of the club from its amalgam of former owners. You see that's the price of being a public limited company. You become vulnerable to any rich megalomaniac or benefactor that sees the business sense of owning you. Glazer isn't a fan, he has no emotional investment in the club. He sees a money making opportunity and a chance to expand an empire. He has the sons to take over the business when the clogs finally pop, and like any good Caesar he has named his successor (his son Joel).

And now the fans whinge. They cry about being sold out buy the board. Errr...yes exactly, very succinctly put. They chant "United Not for Sale"...errr...but it was. They burn season tickets to prove their loyalty (surely that can't be next seasons tickets can it....because that just shows stupidity and too much cash free) and now some are threatening to form a "new United" built on the values that have taken this 125 year old institution to where it is now. Oh, so you'll float it eventually will you, walk away with tons of cash and sit back when a Yankee egg chaser, big peanut hugging club "tycoon/supremo/ cheese" comes in and asset strips you.

The level of hypocrisy is astounding. I don't actually recall Shareholders United ever going on TV or Radio and declaring their ultimate goal to turn the club into a fans co-operative. I don't recall any howls of objection when the "public offering" was made available, but I did hear the clamour of "real fans" running to buy shares in their club and share in the success by making a few quid. I have friends who are fans, and very nice people they are as well but even they must admit that you can't have it both ways, take the Stock Market cash, but become invulnerable to any form of takeover. You see we all know that when you walk down Flotation Avenue, turn into Stock Market Listing Street, take a right into Shareholder Cash Close, past GloryHunter Towers, through Global Brand Park, you inevitably end up in Takeover Grove. Next stop - Asset Stripped Gardens.

And don't even start comparing this to my beloved Chelsea. Football fans are irrational. I like Roman Abramovich. I like his money. I don't fucking care how he got it, no-one can prove he is guilty of anything other than opportunism. Name me one multi-billionaire who hasn't exploited people or resources ruthlessly at some point. You don't get filthy rich by being nice. Chelsea don't compare to this, because we never whinged when we were on the verge of bankruptcy through the 70's and just before Roman took over. No-one gave a shit about us when we played in a decrepit, crumbling old ground. No-one cared when we won fuck all. What we hear now said about is nothing but the politics of envy. Ken Bates floated us on AIM, which is bit like asking a vagrant to give you money for a cup of tea. We are now a rich mans plaything and long may it continue. After 33 years of pain, I now follow a successful team (not before time). A team I supported when we were playing teams like Carlisle in front of 8000 fans. I am NOT a glory hunter. We now have them as well, and good luck to them, but if Roman dies or sells we are a private club with no debt and the Glory Hunter contribution can disappear as quickly as it came. .

A telling point here. I have been to several last home games. At Chelsea the players do a lap of appreciation irrespective of our seasons standings in league or cups. At each one of these the fans have stayed and cheered and supported. Its a celebration no matter what. On Tuesday night after Manchester United had suffered yet another clinical surgical dissection by a London club (Arsenal have already done them 3 times this season) the Manchester United players did the same thing, a lap of appreciation/honour. Only the difference was that the stadium was near empty as disconsolate glory hunters departed to join those who had fucked off 20 minutes before the game had finished. It is estimated that about 7000 remained. In a 70,000 seater stadium, its a bit like being the only one in rock concert by U2. I actually sympathized with the United players, who seemed united in their abject misery. Whatever is going wrong at United the fans should look elsewhere than Glazer and company, Something rotten set in years ago. Alex Ferguson, as magnanimous as he was to us on Tuesday must be bemused as to what's gone wrong, both with his expensively gathered group of players (who cost over twice as much as the 11 we played against them on Tuesday night) and the Manchester United machine in general.

So, in summary. Am I sorry for the fans? Only those genuine ones who maybe railed against the flotation. Those who grew up around the club and live and breathe Manchester United. When you look hard only 2000 turned up to protest last night. This morning on 5Live, their reporter stated that she'd only seen 3 protestors arrive by 8 'o' clock and then they'd gone away. Maybe that says it all about the realistic levels of indignation allegedly being spouted from this city. But for the rest, well I'm afraid you reap what you sow and the Board, the gloryhunters, the accountants and the marketing people can only stand by and hope that this doesn't mean the end.

As a Chelsea fan who has had to put up with the crowing and arrogance of this club and its celeb fans, ex-players and gloryhunter contingent over the last 10 years the truth is I couldn't give a flying fuck what happens to the club. I have a feeling its new American benefactor may attach the same level of compassion as well.

Later, ChelseaJack