Derby Day, But FC United is the Buzz

Filed in archive Supporters on January 13, 2006

Source: manchesteronline.co.uk

Saturday is derby day in Manchester, that hotbed of football, but the real action may be miles away from the class between Citeh and Man United. Breakaway club FC United, founded by dissaffected fans after the purchase of the Red side of Manchester's team by American Malcolm Glazer, FC United hasn't fizzled out like some had hoped. Instead, it sits atop its (admittedly very low) division (the Moore & Co Construction Solicitors' North West counties League Division Two if you are keeping records), with a fat goal difference to spare, and sees 3,000+ turn out for games.

What does it say about the game? Supporters of FC United, claim they are more passionate about the sport and support the new team in part as a response for Glazer and the hyper-commercialization of the game that he represents to them. While there is plenty of small-time, grassroots football to go around on a Saturday in Britain, or anywhere else in Europe or Latin America for that fact, there is no denying the top teams have perhaps faltered lately because of a single-minded pursuit of the euro, peso, dollar, or yen. FC United, however irrational or reactionary some of its founders may be, does breathe a puff of fresh air into a game that is otherwise becoming more and more centered around TV rights and merchandise revenue, and less about the local fan.