Caoimhin O’Muraile ⚽ Football Club United of Manchester is a non-league semi-professional football club competing in the Northern Premier League, Premier division, the seventh tier of English football.

The club was formed in 2005 by disgruntled Manchester United supporters who were brassed off about price hikes, making games at Old Trafford unaffordable for working-class fans, changing kick-off times to suit the television companies and big business - and the straw which broke the camel’s back was the legally questionable takeover of Manchester United FC by American tycoon, Malcom Glazer and his family. His sons, after Glazer’s death, are now at the helm at Old Trafford. 

FC United, FCUM, (MUFC rearranged) play our home games at Broadhurst Park which has a present capacity of 4,700 and is situated in Moston, Manchester. The ground was opened 0n 29th May 2015 and a game against Benfica marked the occasion, a date indelible in the United family history as it marked the date back in 1968 when Matt Busby’s Man Utd destroyed Benfica at Wembley 4-1 in the European Cup Final. The club is organised on democratic lines of one member one vote and nobody, irrespective of wealth, can have more than one vote. The club is owned by its members and a Management Board are elected on a yearly basis to run the club. The team manager is Neil Reynolds who must be congratulated for bringing the lads into, and winning, this year’s Fenix Trophy. 

Most FCUM supporters, that is the older founding generation, (it is important the younger fans are educated in FCUMs origins and cultural, historical and traditional ties with Man Utd) still support Man Utd to a greater or lesser degree, some attending MUFC away games if FC are not playing. Very few attend games at Old Trafford as they do not want to patronise the Glazer brothers. The club tries to keep all the old culture and traditions of Manchester United (Pre-Glazer) along with forging a new identity of its own and play in Red shirts White shorts and Black stockings similar to Man Utd. Our scarves are almost identical to those of Man Utd (often referred to as “Big United”). The club is run on a not-for-profit basis, meaning all monies remaining after players wages, upkeep of the stadium and the Boards expenses are paid out along with loan repayments – an unavoidable consequence of capitalism – are ploughed back into the club. The Board do not receive wages, it is all voluntary work, but they can claim expenses. 

FCUM gained back-to-back promotions in the first two seasons and won the UniBond League Presidents Cup in 2008 the Frank Hannah Manchester Cup in 2018. In 2010 FCUM reached the FA Cup second round proper, holding Brighton and Hove Albion to a draw away, Sam Ashton United’s Goalkeeper saving a penalty. In 2015 the women’s team won the Greater Manchester Women’s Football League Division 1, just a few of the honours both the first team and women’s side have won, along with the under 21 team who finished runners up in the North West Counties Development League, Premier Division 2018-19. Our Academy Team regularly see success at A and B team levels. Crowds over 6,000 were quite regular at FC games in the early years when we shared Burry FC’s Gigg Lane ground. Average attendances were around the 3-4,000 mark but in recent years have dropped, as expected, off to around 2,000 which for non-league football is still astounding. Our away support is large, again for non-league football and very vocal. It is like watching a microcosm of Manchester United back in the seventies, minus the violence. Our supporters are welcomed almost everywhere, with the exception of West Yorkshire police who, for some reason appear to hate FCUM, or anything related to Man Utd. Probably because they are Leeds fans!

FCUM home games kick-off at the traditional time of 3pm on Saturday afternoon unless expedient circumstances outside the club's control dictate otherwise. Away fixtures also, whenever possible which is most times, kick-off at 3pm on Saturday. Occasionally this is not possible due to police objections. For example, if Manchester City are at home on the same day. Fuck knows how they would have coped back in the seventies when FA Cup ties often drew Man Utd and Man City at home on the same day. Man Utd would have crowds of 50,000 while City around 30,000 so how the modern constabulary would have coped with the whole of Manchester taken over by rival fans, especially as this was United fans era of violence! But cope they did, only just at times, but nevertheless most of these games both inside and outside Old Trafford and Maine Road went off without major incident. These days they cannot, it appears, manage a couple of thousand well behaved generally FC United fans. 

Sometimes, on police instructions, we have to play our away games on a Sunday, but at least 3pm is the time as a rule. The exception to this was an away game at Guiseley FC was ordered by some West Yorkshire Chief Constable to be played on a Sunday at 12 noon, thus avoiding fans the chance to have a drink. He cited the fact that Leeds United were at home on the Saturday and he did not want, essentially, Man Utd fans clashing with Leeds fans. The fact that there was some distance between Elland Road, home of Leeds United, and Guiseley’s ground, 13 miles to be precise, did not appear to enter the equation. He ordered the local pubs not to open, though some publicans defied this, opening a little early to facilitate the huge travelling support. This was done clandestinely and the pubs in question shall remain nameless. 

FCUM are a living example of how supporters can run their own football club without the parasites of big business who put the interests of business over and above those of football. We do not want the likes of the Glazers or any other greedy business people, who have ruined the game at the so-called highest level. Remember the late great Matt Busby’s words: “if the interests of business ever take preference over those of football the game will be in a sorry state.” Well that sorry state has come to pass, I just hope future generations of FC United fans, after our generation are no more, do not allow it to happen here!

This season just gone a new European competition was launched for non-professional and semi-professional teams across Europe to compete in. It is the Fenix Trophy, and on Saturday 11th June FC United became the first winners of this prestigious trophy, making us, in true United family tradition Champions of Europe. Goals from Ali (Alister) Waddecar in the twentieth minute and Joe Duckworth on the fortieth minute beating Prague Raptors 2-0 in Remini, Italy. United took a travelling army of around 1,000 fans to Remini and you can bet your last quid a good piss up would have been had by all. The game was delayed starting for twenty minutes to allow FCUM fans on a delayed flight to get to the game for kick-off.

The Fenix Trophy is built on a formula divided into two phases, a group stage and a final eight. The competitions final eight took place in Remini over Friday 10th June and Saturday 11th June in Remini and was an occasion for football friendship. “We are there to make friends, not Millionaires” is an adage at FC United. The competition is a ground breaking sporting event initially promoted by the Milan based club, Brera FC. It is for non-professional clubs, each one paired with a charity partner, chosen for their exceptional social, historical and cultural distinctiveness and the competition is UEFA approved. This was the inaugural year and FC United of Manchester the first winners. Let us hope we can do in this competition what Real Madrid managed in the early years of the European Cup!

FC United have done what Liverpool and Manchester City failed miserably to do, win a European trophy, making us, at least for this season and as far as English, nay, British football is concerned champions of Europe. No other British side in either the English, Scottish or Welsh leagues have managed this success!

Many said when FC United were formed back in 2005 “they won’t last till Christmas.” Well it is now 2022 and we are still going strong. A Christmas chant by FC supporters: A very merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, we’re FC United and we’re still fucking here. Now the European champions the envy of the bigger clubs, especially one whom the media had earmarked to win the quadruple. Liverpool failed to do this making Man United’s historic treble in 1999 safe again for another twelve months.

Thanks to FC United English football have a European Champion side.

Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent 
Socialist Republican and Marxist

FC United European Champions

Caoimhin O’Muraile ⚽ Football Club United of Manchester is a non-league semi-professional football club competing in the Northern Premier League, Premier division, the seventh tier of English football.

The club was formed in 2005 by disgruntled Manchester United supporters who were brassed off about price hikes, making games at Old Trafford unaffordable for working-class fans, changing kick-off times to suit the television companies and big business - and the straw which broke the camel’s back was the legally questionable takeover of Manchester United FC by American tycoon, Malcom Glazer and his family. His sons, after Glazer’s death, are now at the helm at Old Trafford. 

FC United, FCUM, (MUFC rearranged) play our home games at Broadhurst Park which has a present capacity of 4,700 and is situated in Moston, Manchester. The ground was opened 0n 29th May 2015 and a game against Benfica marked the occasion, a date indelible in the United family history as it marked the date back in 1968 when Matt Busby’s Man Utd destroyed Benfica at Wembley 4-1 in the European Cup Final. The club is organised on democratic lines of one member one vote and nobody, irrespective of wealth, can have more than one vote. The club is owned by its members and a Management Board are elected on a yearly basis to run the club. The team manager is Neil Reynolds who must be congratulated for bringing the lads into, and winning, this year’s Fenix Trophy. 

Most FCUM supporters, that is the older founding generation, (it is important the younger fans are educated in FCUMs origins and cultural, historical and traditional ties with Man Utd) still support Man Utd to a greater or lesser degree, some attending MUFC away games if FC are not playing. Very few attend games at Old Trafford as they do not want to patronise the Glazer brothers. The club tries to keep all the old culture and traditions of Manchester United (Pre-Glazer) along with forging a new identity of its own and play in Red shirts White shorts and Black stockings similar to Man Utd. Our scarves are almost identical to those of Man Utd (often referred to as “Big United”). The club is run on a not-for-profit basis, meaning all monies remaining after players wages, upkeep of the stadium and the Boards expenses are paid out along with loan repayments – an unavoidable consequence of capitalism – are ploughed back into the club. The Board do not receive wages, it is all voluntary work, but they can claim expenses. 

FCUM gained back-to-back promotions in the first two seasons and won the UniBond League Presidents Cup in 2008 the Frank Hannah Manchester Cup in 2018. In 2010 FCUM reached the FA Cup second round proper, holding Brighton and Hove Albion to a draw away, Sam Ashton United’s Goalkeeper saving a penalty. In 2015 the women’s team won the Greater Manchester Women’s Football League Division 1, just a few of the honours both the first team and women’s side have won, along with the under 21 team who finished runners up in the North West Counties Development League, Premier Division 2018-19. Our Academy Team regularly see success at A and B team levels. Crowds over 6,000 were quite regular at FC games in the early years when we shared Burry FC’s Gigg Lane ground. Average attendances were around the 3-4,000 mark but in recent years have dropped, as expected, off to around 2,000 which for non-league football is still astounding. Our away support is large, again for non-league football and very vocal. It is like watching a microcosm of Manchester United back in the seventies, minus the violence. Our supporters are welcomed almost everywhere, with the exception of West Yorkshire police who, for some reason appear to hate FCUM, or anything related to Man Utd. Probably because they are Leeds fans!

FCUM home games kick-off at the traditional time of 3pm on Saturday afternoon unless expedient circumstances outside the club's control dictate otherwise. Away fixtures also, whenever possible which is most times, kick-off at 3pm on Saturday. Occasionally this is not possible due to police objections. For example, if Manchester City are at home on the same day. Fuck knows how they would have coped back in the seventies when FA Cup ties often drew Man Utd and Man City at home on the same day. Man Utd would have crowds of 50,000 while City around 30,000 so how the modern constabulary would have coped with the whole of Manchester taken over by rival fans, especially as this was United fans era of violence! But cope they did, only just at times, but nevertheless most of these games both inside and outside Old Trafford and Maine Road went off without major incident. These days they cannot, it appears, manage a couple of thousand well behaved generally FC United fans. 

Sometimes, on police instructions, we have to play our away games on a Sunday, but at least 3pm is the time as a rule. The exception to this was an away game at Guiseley FC was ordered by some West Yorkshire Chief Constable to be played on a Sunday at 12 noon, thus avoiding fans the chance to have a drink. He cited the fact that Leeds United were at home on the Saturday and he did not want, essentially, Man Utd fans clashing with Leeds fans. The fact that there was some distance between Elland Road, home of Leeds United, and Guiseley’s ground, 13 miles to be precise, did not appear to enter the equation. He ordered the local pubs not to open, though some publicans defied this, opening a little early to facilitate the huge travelling support. This was done clandestinely and the pubs in question shall remain nameless. 

FCUM are a living example of how supporters can run their own football club without the parasites of big business who put the interests of business over and above those of football. We do not want the likes of the Glazers or any other greedy business people, who have ruined the game at the so-called highest level. Remember the late great Matt Busby’s words: “if the interests of business ever take preference over those of football the game will be in a sorry state.” Well that sorry state has come to pass, I just hope future generations of FC United fans, after our generation are no more, do not allow it to happen here!

This season just gone a new European competition was launched for non-professional and semi-professional teams across Europe to compete in. It is the Fenix Trophy, and on Saturday 11th June FC United became the first winners of this prestigious trophy, making us, in true United family tradition Champions of Europe. Goals from Ali (Alister) Waddecar in the twentieth minute and Joe Duckworth on the fortieth minute beating Prague Raptors 2-0 in Remini, Italy. United took a travelling army of around 1,000 fans to Remini and you can bet your last quid a good piss up would have been had by all. The game was delayed starting for twenty minutes to allow FCUM fans on a delayed flight to get to the game for kick-off.

The Fenix Trophy is built on a formula divided into two phases, a group stage and a final eight. The competitions final eight took place in Remini over Friday 10th June and Saturday 11th June in Remini and was an occasion for football friendship. “We are there to make friends, not Millionaires” is an adage at FC United. The competition is a ground breaking sporting event initially promoted by the Milan based club, Brera FC. It is for non-professional clubs, each one paired with a charity partner, chosen for their exceptional social, historical and cultural distinctiveness and the competition is UEFA approved. This was the inaugural year and FC United of Manchester the first winners. Let us hope we can do in this competition what Real Madrid managed in the early years of the European Cup!

FC United have done what Liverpool and Manchester City failed miserably to do, win a European trophy, making us, at least for this season and as far as English, nay, British football is concerned champions of Europe. No other British side in either the English, Scottish or Welsh leagues have managed this success!

Many said when FC United were formed back in 2005 “they won’t last till Christmas.” Well it is now 2022 and we are still going strong. A Christmas chant by FC supporters: A very merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, we’re FC United and we’re still fucking here. Now the European champions the envy of the bigger clubs, especially one whom the media had earmarked to win the quadruple. Liverpool failed to do this making Man United’s historic treble in 1999 safe again for another twelve months.

Thanks to FC United English football have a European Champion side.

Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent 
Socialist Republican and Marxist

4 comments:

  1. even by your own rigorous standards, this is super stuff. Had no idea about any of it until I read this piece.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ironically Anthony, FC United were approached by, of all fans, a group of Liverpool supporters who were pissed off with rising prices at Anfield. They had ideas of going it alone and sought advice, which I understand was freely given.

    Caoim O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember the 77 minute protest against the club raising the tickets to 77 quid. Good that some common cause existed amongst the notorious rivals.

      Delete
  3. Caoimhin
    Great article ,evokes memories of what football used to be like growing up.

    ReplyDelete