Caoimhin O’Muraile ☭ On Wednesday 25th January 2023 I received a surprise communique from the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) which I am a member. 

The communique was to inform me, and thousands of other members, of a common enemy agreement reached with the Liverpool supporters equivalent of MUST, the Spirit of Shankly (SOS). It stated that:

Manchester United and Liverpool fans set aside their rivalry to demand action on club ownership”. The fans' organisations have issued a joint statement about the ownership challenge for both our clubs and the need for government to strengthen regulations about who can own a football club. MUST and SOS have joined forces to call for the forthcoming government White Paper on Football to strengthen the rules around who can own and run a football club in England. Matters of particular importance are: “The scope and content of the strengthened Owners and Directors Test, through which the probity and integrity of potential new owners would be addressed as suitable custodians.
The new standards of corporate governance that they would subsequently be compelled to operate under”. Put simply what are the standards required for suitability to own and operate such ownership of a football club going to be?” Will the interests of supporters and culture of football be primary interest of any new owners?

The requirements for supporters to have significant input into how their clubs are run.


Both organisations, MUST and SOS, issued a joint statement, the bones of which are:

By common consent our, clubs are the biggest in English football and with a combined worldwide fanbase of over 200m people, they are wildly recognised global institutions, in fact perhaps two of the most well-known British institutions worldwide.

“It is envisaged the two club’s global profile may attract potential bidders whose primary interests and motivations may not respect the cultural interests of supporters. MUST & SOS believe this should be a matter of importance to governments. If supporters with such rivalries both historically and presently can come together on issues such as this, of common concern it is believed the government must listen and act against unscrupulous aggressive takeovers. Such takeovers such as the Glazers at Old Trafford in 2005 have never had the fans interests or football in general as their primary motivator.

Just as Man Utd fans have major concerns over the Glazers, and have had since their aggressive suspected illegal takeover in 2005, so too now have the supporters of Liverpool got concerns about their owners, Fenway Sports Group. They are not happy about:

since the announcement from the club that FSG are looking for either investors or a full sale of the club, the fans have been kept in the dark about what’s going on with their beloved club.

This has prompted SOS to liaise with arch rivals, MUST. Both sets of supporters see the advantages of working together, as the joint statement implies, against the common enemy. This in no way will dilute the rivalry of the Man Utd v Liverpool games, but it might take some of the hotter moments away which have in the past led to counterproductive violence. The move by both sets of supporters can only be viewed as progressive.

These two sets of supporters, certainly in England, are the least likely to come together as the rivalry dates back to the Industrial Revolution with more than a hint of religion thrown in. In the early years, when United were called Newton Heath Lancashire, and Yorkshire Railway Co whose workers formed a football club the Manchester Ship Canal was under construction. The canal opened in 1894 as did the new docks, and many working on the canal were Irish Roman Catholics labour. When Newton Heath became Manchester United FC in 1902 many of these former Navies and labourers remained and settled in Manchester and Salford and supported this new club. Many secured employment on the docks in the new port of Manchester on the canal many had helped build. This caused competition for work with the dockers in Liverpool and bitterness began to rise. Liverpool dockers accused the Manchester men of taking work from them, while the Manchester dockers accused those in Liverpool of undercutting wages to secure work and undercut themselves. It must be pointed out at this juncture that the Dock owners of both Manchester and Liverpool docks were on very friendly terms, even amusing themselves at the folly these workers were showing in supporting their respective exploiters against their fellow workers. When Old Trafford opened in 1910, just over the ship canal bridge from Salford support for Man Utd was a no brainer for many former navies come dockers.

In 1892 Liverpool FC was formed, two years before the Manchester Ship Canal opened, and their chief founder was a Liverpool Orangeman, John Houlding. Most of Liverpool’s Catholics, in those days, chose Everton as their team as the Orange Order was, and is, a sectarian anti-Catholic organisation. As may be obvious Manchester United’s support in many cases came from a large Irish Catholic pool. Contrary to popular belief, Everton are not a Catholic club but have Methodist roots. They were the preferred alternative on Merseyside to the Orangemen at Anfield. This was a long time ago and I must stress has little bearing on today’s rivalry, in fact the modern supporters, in most cases, would be clueless to this historical data. Some at Anfield do have sectarian views, a tiny minority barely worthy of mention, except they turned up on many occasions to oppose the Manchester Martyrs commemoration march waving LFC and UVF scarves. I again must stress Liverpool FC do not sanction or sell such merchandise. This in brief is the historical nature which is a very brief outline and bears little relevance to today’s rivalry, but moreover are the roots of this rivalry.

As both clubs progressed and Manchester United became successful while Liverpool were languishing in the second division, the rivalry between the two was largely forgotten. After the Second World War Matt Busby arrived at Old Trafford, or what remained of it after the Luftwaffe bombed the docks and the ground is a matter of yards away. Operating out of a shed, Matt Busby built his first great United team, winning the FA Cup in 1948 defeating Blackpool 4-2. As the fifties loomed Manchester United were on the ascendancy winning three league championships in that decade. Matt Busby defied the Football League, and their bastard supremo, Alan Hardaker, and entered the newly formed European Cup, which paved the way for others, including Liverpool, in later years to play in European competition. 

Then the Munich Air Disaster tragically struck on 6th February 1958 stopping the all-conquering Man Utd, nicknamed the Busby Babes, in their tracks. It was wildly felt United could have beaten the mighty Real Madrid that year and lifted the European Cup, something which would happen ten years later. Liverpool, at this point, were still a second division club who nobody gave much thought to. Then, along came Bill Shankly, a protégé of Matt Busby’s, as were many managers in those days, and the two were great friends. What a pity we could not replicate this friendship, while maintaining a fierce rivalry on the terraces.

With Liverpool back as a force the rivalry, minus the historical and religious connotations, was revisited and continues to this day. Often bordering on hatred, this rivalry reaches fever pitch perhaps only comparable with Glasgow Celtic and Rangers. However, now a common enemy has been finally identified and not before time. If somebody had said this to me 50, 40, years ago I would embrace the scousers I would have told them to “fuck off”, at best, reacted violently at worst. The 1984/85 miner’s strike had a huge impact on how I viewed things, including football rivalries. Today a more politically aware me embraces this new direction. It is notable to see both supporters organisations contain those who can remember United’s Matt Busby and Liverpool’s Bill Shankly. I would encourage supporters of other clubs who are concerned to get on board. We must fight back. FC United of Manchester were formed in 2005 over a number of issues and the Glazers were the icing on the cake for these rebel Man Utd fans, still fighting today. To quote the late great Matt Busby who once said, “if the interests of business ever take preference over football” we will be in a very bad place. Well, that is exactly what has happened. I would encourage the younger elements of both clubs to get on board, though whether I would have listened decades ago to the same arguments is doubtful. 

On the bright side, it was unified action by supporters which brought an end to the so-called European Super League, not government action as MUST and SOS are calling for. Many of those involved in these actions, particularly the demonstration at Old Trafford a couple of years ago when United fans stormed Old Trafford forcing the postponement of our game against Liverpool, were of the teenage end of the spectrum.

On Monday 6th February it was 65 years since the Munich Air Disaster. What a fitting moment for two sets of supporters to come together for the common good. We must also not forget this April will see the 34th anniversary of the Hillsborough Tragedy in which 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to remember all those who perished at Munich and Hillsborough. RIP:

United players

Mark Jones

David Pegg

Geoff Bent

Roger Byrne (Captain)

Tommy Taylor

Liam Whelan

Eddie Colman

Duncan Edwards (survived the crash, but died in hospital 15 days later)

Crew Member Captain Kenneth Rayment, co-pilot.

Fellow crew member Tom Cable and Travel Agent, Bela Miklos.

Manchester United staff

Walter Crickmer, club secretary.

Tom Curry, trainer.

Bert Whalley, chief coach.

Journalists


Frank Swift, News of the World and former Manchester City goalkeeper.

Donny Davies, retired footballer who wrote for the Manchester Guardian.

Supporter

Willie Satinoff, a friend of Matt Busby’s perished.

Also, the 97 Liverpool supporters who set out to watch an FA Cup Semi-Final against Nottingham Forest played at Hillsborough, Sheffield, and lost their lives.

🐼 Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist

Manchester United & Liverpool Supporters Link Arms

Caoimhin O’Muraile ☭ On Wednesday 25th January 2023 I received a surprise communique from the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) which I am a member. 

The communique was to inform me, and thousands of other members, of a common enemy agreement reached with the Liverpool supporters equivalent of MUST, the Spirit of Shankly (SOS). It stated that:

Manchester United and Liverpool fans set aside their rivalry to demand action on club ownership”. The fans' organisations have issued a joint statement about the ownership challenge for both our clubs and the need for government to strengthen regulations about who can own a football club. MUST and SOS have joined forces to call for the forthcoming government White Paper on Football to strengthen the rules around who can own and run a football club in England. Matters of particular importance are: “The scope and content of the strengthened Owners and Directors Test, through which the probity and integrity of potential new owners would be addressed as suitable custodians.
The new standards of corporate governance that they would subsequently be compelled to operate under”. Put simply what are the standards required for suitability to own and operate such ownership of a football club going to be?” Will the interests of supporters and culture of football be primary interest of any new owners?

The requirements for supporters to have significant input into how their clubs are run.


Both organisations, MUST and SOS, issued a joint statement, the bones of which are:

By common consent our, clubs are the biggest in English football and with a combined worldwide fanbase of over 200m people, they are wildly recognised global institutions, in fact perhaps two of the most well-known British institutions worldwide.

“It is envisaged the two club’s global profile may attract potential bidders whose primary interests and motivations may not respect the cultural interests of supporters. MUST & SOS believe this should be a matter of importance to governments. If supporters with such rivalries both historically and presently can come together on issues such as this, of common concern it is believed the government must listen and act against unscrupulous aggressive takeovers. Such takeovers such as the Glazers at Old Trafford in 2005 have never had the fans interests or football in general as their primary motivator.

Just as Man Utd fans have major concerns over the Glazers, and have had since their aggressive suspected illegal takeover in 2005, so too now have the supporters of Liverpool got concerns about their owners, Fenway Sports Group. They are not happy about:

since the announcement from the club that FSG are looking for either investors or a full sale of the club, the fans have been kept in the dark about what’s going on with their beloved club.

This has prompted SOS to liaise with arch rivals, MUST. Both sets of supporters see the advantages of working together, as the joint statement implies, against the common enemy. This in no way will dilute the rivalry of the Man Utd v Liverpool games, but it might take some of the hotter moments away which have in the past led to counterproductive violence. The move by both sets of supporters can only be viewed as progressive.

These two sets of supporters, certainly in England, are the least likely to come together as the rivalry dates back to the Industrial Revolution with more than a hint of religion thrown in. In the early years, when United were called Newton Heath Lancashire, and Yorkshire Railway Co whose workers formed a football club the Manchester Ship Canal was under construction. The canal opened in 1894 as did the new docks, and many working on the canal were Irish Roman Catholics labour. When Newton Heath became Manchester United FC in 1902 many of these former Navies and labourers remained and settled in Manchester and Salford and supported this new club. Many secured employment on the docks in the new port of Manchester on the canal many had helped build. This caused competition for work with the dockers in Liverpool and bitterness began to rise. Liverpool dockers accused the Manchester men of taking work from them, while the Manchester dockers accused those in Liverpool of undercutting wages to secure work and undercut themselves. It must be pointed out at this juncture that the Dock owners of both Manchester and Liverpool docks were on very friendly terms, even amusing themselves at the folly these workers were showing in supporting their respective exploiters against their fellow workers. When Old Trafford opened in 1910, just over the ship canal bridge from Salford support for Man Utd was a no brainer for many former navies come dockers.

In 1892 Liverpool FC was formed, two years before the Manchester Ship Canal opened, and their chief founder was a Liverpool Orangeman, John Houlding. Most of Liverpool’s Catholics, in those days, chose Everton as their team as the Orange Order was, and is, a sectarian anti-Catholic organisation. As may be obvious Manchester United’s support in many cases came from a large Irish Catholic pool. Contrary to popular belief, Everton are not a Catholic club but have Methodist roots. They were the preferred alternative on Merseyside to the Orangemen at Anfield. This was a long time ago and I must stress has little bearing on today’s rivalry, in fact the modern supporters, in most cases, would be clueless to this historical data. Some at Anfield do have sectarian views, a tiny minority barely worthy of mention, except they turned up on many occasions to oppose the Manchester Martyrs commemoration march waving LFC and UVF scarves. I again must stress Liverpool FC do not sanction or sell such merchandise. This in brief is the historical nature which is a very brief outline and bears little relevance to today’s rivalry, but moreover are the roots of this rivalry.

As both clubs progressed and Manchester United became successful while Liverpool were languishing in the second division, the rivalry between the two was largely forgotten. After the Second World War Matt Busby arrived at Old Trafford, or what remained of it after the Luftwaffe bombed the docks and the ground is a matter of yards away. Operating out of a shed, Matt Busby built his first great United team, winning the FA Cup in 1948 defeating Blackpool 4-2. As the fifties loomed Manchester United were on the ascendancy winning three league championships in that decade. Matt Busby defied the Football League, and their bastard supremo, Alan Hardaker, and entered the newly formed European Cup, which paved the way for others, including Liverpool, in later years to play in European competition. 

Then the Munich Air Disaster tragically struck on 6th February 1958 stopping the all-conquering Man Utd, nicknamed the Busby Babes, in their tracks. It was wildly felt United could have beaten the mighty Real Madrid that year and lifted the European Cup, something which would happen ten years later. Liverpool, at this point, were still a second division club who nobody gave much thought to. Then, along came Bill Shankly, a protégé of Matt Busby’s, as were many managers in those days, and the two were great friends. What a pity we could not replicate this friendship, while maintaining a fierce rivalry on the terraces.

With Liverpool back as a force the rivalry, minus the historical and religious connotations, was revisited and continues to this day. Often bordering on hatred, this rivalry reaches fever pitch perhaps only comparable with Glasgow Celtic and Rangers. However, now a common enemy has been finally identified and not before time. If somebody had said this to me 50, 40, years ago I would embrace the scousers I would have told them to “fuck off”, at best, reacted violently at worst. The 1984/85 miner’s strike had a huge impact on how I viewed things, including football rivalries. Today a more politically aware me embraces this new direction. It is notable to see both supporters organisations contain those who can remember United’s Matt Busby and Liverpool’s Bill Shankly. I would encourage supporters of other clubs who are concerned to get on board. We must fight back. FC United of Manchester were formed in 2005 over a number of issues and the Glazers were the icing on the cake for these rebel Man Utd fans, still fighting today. To quote the late great Matt Busby who once said, “if the interests of business ever take preference over football” we will be in a very bad place. Well, that is exactly what has happened. I would encourage the younger elements of both clubs to get on board, though whether I would have listened decades ago to the same arguments is doubtful. 

On the bright side, it was unified action by supporters which brought an end to the so-called European Super League, not government action as MUST and SOS are calling for. Many of those involved in these actions, particularly the demonstration at Old Trafford a couple of years ago when United fans stormed Old Trafford forcing the postponement of our game against Liverpool, were of the teenage end of the spectrum.

On Monday 6th February it was 65 years since the Munich Air Disaster. What a fitting moment for two sets of supporters to come together for the common good. We must also not forget this April will see the 34th anniversary of the Hillsborough Tragedy in which 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to remember all those who perished at Munich and Hillsborough. RIP:

United players

Mark Jones

David Pegg

Geoff Bent

Roger Byrne (Captain)

Tommy Taylor

Liam Whelan

Eddie Colman

Duncan Edwards (survived the crash, but died in hospital 15 days later)

Crew Member Captain Kenneth Rayment, co-pilot.

Fellow crew member Tom Cable and Travel Agent, Bela Miklos.

Manchester United staff

Walter Crickmer, club secretary.

Tom Curry, trainer.

Bert Whalley, chief coach.

Journalists


Frank Swift, News of the World and former Manchester City goalkeeper.

Donny Davies, retired footballer who wrote for the Manchester Guardian.

Supporter

Willie Satinoff, a friend of Matt Busby’s perished.

Also, the 97 Liverpool supporters who set out to watch an FA Cup Semi-Final against Nottingham Forest played at Hillsborough, Sheffield, and lost their lives.

🐼 Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist

12 comments:

  1. Caoimhin, what is your opinion on the mooted Qatari (albeit private investors) takeover of Man Utd? I can probably guess! I am a member of the Leeds United Supporters Trust. On issues like club ownership, and today's reheated European Super League proposal there is really more than unites football supporters than divides us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just heard, Barry, UEFA are poised to sanction a Quatari bid despite them having a huge financial interest in PSG. This could cause a conflict of interests in European competition. Despite this, if reports are correct, UEFA are poised to sanction the bid!

      Caoimhin O'Muraile

      Delete
  2. You're still living in the past Caoimhin, money talks and BS walks. I'd no idea about the roots of either club but this comes across as not liking other teams to challenge Liverpool's and MU's hegemony ; ownership becomes irrelevant given the money both of you lot have spent on players since the respective takeovers. You can't cry poor so cry against ownership. The money is here and going nowhere. The most City will get is a slap on the wrist, a 15 point deduction next season and a paltry fine. The FA won't dare move against foreign ownership and the money it brings in.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are right, Barry, there is more that Unites us than divides. Unlike the old days when a Saturday afternoon was not a Saturday afternoon without a punch up at a game, Man Utd were top of that particular league, run by the Daily Mirror, today we have a common enemy, the club owners and a crooked system.

    Yes the Daily Mirror ran a league, almost encouraging us, the hooligan league and Man Utd fans topped it week in week out season in and out in the mid to later seventies.

    If United and Liverpool fans can bury our differences which, as I pointed out, are steeped in history, then surely the rest of those concerned about the state of the game can, without losing the tribal rivalry, do the same. While we, albeit on a reduced scale, continue kicking the shit out of each other why should the exploiters worry? Imagine Manchester United fans, Liverpool fans, Leeds fans, Newcastle and Sunderland fans, West Ham and Millwall fans, and Arsenal and Spurs fans all singing from the same hymn sheet. These are the biggest hate games in the English game, they are not the only ones.

    I don't understand how people who do not attend games, have never attended games feel qualified to comment, Steve. You armchair fans are non entities, no relavence or consequence, and, as you said you'd "no idea of the roots of either club" which is why, perhaps, the subject is a little complex for you.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete
  4. As for the mooted Quatar takeover, Barry, it is only a rumour which keeps changing daily, not happy with that either. Their human rights record is appalling and my views on them hosting the World Cup are known. I do not like the modern model of ownership and, ideally, I'd go for the FC United of Manchester model of fan ownership and denocratic control. It can be done, and it can work.

    That said it is unlikely to happen at the so called top level simply because the majority of those who attend games today are from the lower to lower upoer middle classes, petit to middle bourgeoisie, and have a vestted interest in how things are (mis)managed. That apllies at Old Trafford, Elland Road, Anfield, and certainly the Ethihad. It was what is left of the working class at Old Trafford who organised and executed the postponment of the game v Liverpool. MUST and SOS and, I would assume LUST and other fan groups tend to be predominantly, though perhaps not exclusively, working class thus the element of militancy.

    I can only quote again the words of the late great Matt Busby; "if the interests of big business ever take over those of football we will be in a bad place."

    As for who should own, or who would I prefer, to own Manchester United, apart from us, the fans, I really don't know. I will trust MUSTs judgement as they are on the ball, in talks and based on the Warwick Road (Sir Matt Busby Way). I am here in Ireland and do not get over much, or as often as I would like to either FCUM or MUFC. I was, for many years, a home, away and abroad supporter, many a tale I can tell. From Elland Road in the early seventies, battle of Marsh Lane Leeds, Stretford End victory, though Leeds have come on since then, to Valencia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Holland and more in the eighties and nineties, to Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland with FC United earlier this century. Health now limits my travel and, therefore involvement.

    Good to hear you are a member of LUST, and in areas of common interest we must work together or sink.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete
  5. The bigger the entity the harder it is to have direct democracy if that is what you mean by democratic control. I think the trends world wide are towards globalization and centralization. Democratic forms will be required to make it work more democratically.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The trend may be towards globalisation, that is the capitalist world which, for now is what we have, and centralisation.I have never, in adult life, been one to go with the trend if I disagree with it. Too many people swallow the do as your told bollocks, fight back for a better democratic socialist system (please do not bore me with the Soviet model or the Chinese version) and this includes football. I would have thought you'd welcome the initiative taken by MUST and SOS Anthony. Though I must admit, socialism is not on the agenda, the move is progressive.

    The trend, which I do agree with, is for the two traditional terrace enemies, United and Liverpool, to work together. As Barry said, "there's more that unites us" than divides us. Just wish had the energy and health to be more involved, minus the tactics of the seventies.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Socialism I imagine will have to be global or not at all. I am enamoured to the concept of global government, being something of an admirer of Pepe Mujica.

      Apart from the Chinese or Soviet models socialism is for the most part all in the mind. Socialism is what Socialism does. It is not some pie in the sky left equivalent of Heaven, never in the here and now, and always in the future.

      I don't welcome the initiatives for the sole reason that I like to know what it is I am welcoming. I have given neither any thought. It might be progressive or it might be fiefdom making. At present I don't know.

      Delete
    2. Caoimhin, both MUST and LUST and indeed all supporters' groups must combine to condemn the moronic and despicable chanting at Elland Road yesterday on the Munich and Istanbul tragedies. We don't have to like each other but mocking such human tragedies should be as beyond the pale as racist and homophobic chanting. I am glad to read that the PL is organising a working group including the FA, EFL and Football Supporters Association to address and deal with tragedy chanting.

      Delete
    3. Barry - it is pathetic that we are capable of stooping to such shroud waving tactics.

      Delete
  7. Socialism must be international, which is why Stalins disbanding the Commintern (Communist International) was counter revolutionary and set the cause of world revolution, socialist revolution, back indefinately. Too many groups followed, unquestioning, the Moscow line. One such party was tge KPD in Germany and the results of their inactions need no telling.

    As for heavem, I, no more than you, have much faith in the existence of such a place, certainly not in its biblical sense. Socialism I am a firm believer is tge only future for the human race as a whole. Sicialism, with a streak of indelible green to save our home, Earth, is tge only way forward. However, this is hugely deviating from our subject.

    A suggestion, apart from taking this Mancs word for it, to find out more about the initiative in football is contact SOS (Spirit of Shankly) bwtter still become a member. Join the fightback, such as it is, the more the merrier.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete
  8. Other things to do Caoimhin - we get to an age where we have to prioritise in all areas - even what books to read. At one time I confidently believed that any book catching my attention would be read: no longer.
    As for socialism, much like a united Ireland - neither of us will live to see it.

    ReplyDelete