Feb 04
Glazers, Gill, Some Red Knights and Lots of Lies
One more phrase I wanted to add to the title [but thought it would make it too long and unwieldy] was ’some perspective’. The Times reports that Manchester United’s bonds are among the worst performing in a ‘benign’ market.
But more distressing was David Gill’s comments, earlier this week, calling United fans’ protests ‘ridiculous’.
Here’s a sample:
“I would appeal to the fans to be sensible and get behind the team,” he said. “We are a very well-run club and given what’s happening at other clubs, people should be proud of what’s happening at Manchester United. It [a protest] serves no purpose and it won’t change a thing. [Milan] will be a tough game and we can’t afford for the fans not to be there. Let’s not have ridiculous protests of that nature.”
Now for a person who gets paid over a million pounds a year it’s only expected that he would toe the party line. However, to show utter disdain, treating a decision taken by the supporters (with much deliberation) like it never really mattered, shows a complete lack of understanding of ground realities. What makes this shocking is he was opposed to the takeover in 2005.
Gill hasn’t been alone in this. Ferguson expressed similar sentiments a week back.
This, however, brings up a wider concern for United fans (and football fans in general): how does one really succeed in overthrowing a regime bent upon sucking the life blood out of the club, first and foremost, and then worry about on-field success almost as an afterthought? The official line trotted out will obviously point to a period of sustained success since the Glazer takeover. But supporters were opposed to the takeover when it happened back then and now — success or not. Where other fans embraced foreign ownership from day one (refer: Liverpool), United fans — the vast majority — have vehemently opposed the takeover. Once the hostile takeover happened, it gave most of us little choice but to give them the benefit of the doubt — the alternative being to sit grumbling along as United swept all that was before us on the pitch. And for a while the murmurs died down to a whimper.
Success can do that.
Things have changed now, and I wouldn’t want to go into how this happened, because that part has been done to death over the course of this season. The protests — the green and gold campaign — have grown out organically and caught every United fan’s fancy: this is, by the way, a wonderful thing that must be celebrated. The protest planned ahead of the Milan game is obviously a stand against the Glazers, not the team. Even a half-wit, who chances upon back pages of broadsheets in England, would get that much. How hard is it for someone supposedly astute as David Gill to grasp this?
But setting aside David Gill’s comments, where do these protests leave us now? Nowhere really. We as fans can voice our displeasure, scream at the top of our voices, unfurl LUHG banners, at the risk of getting frisked away by stewards, but the status quo will remain for a while at least. Fans under single ownership like the Glazer regime have little leverage until they decide to vote with their feet. But that would go against the grain of being a supporter. The principle is to support the team regardless of the goings on in the board room. Everyone giving up season tickets [hypothetically assuming it would create the first series of semi-populated Old Trafford matches in the league next season] would be counter-productive to the team we so love.
Voting with our feet is a cliched and idealistic solution simply because football is an addiction. The owners know fully well that fans put up with a lot of shit to support their club. No one in their right minds would put up with so much exploitation in any other sphere of life. It’s what make this a unique situation. Indeed, every fan has a tipping point, when he realizes he’s had enough of this. I know a lot of United fans who have already given up their season tickets after being OT regulars for over 20 years. But would a league title at the end of this season, wash over this new-found enthusiasm among fans to protest against the ownership? We’ll need to wait till May for that.
But what of a supporter-backed buyout of the club? This is once again tricky because, regardless of the money supporters raise to buy out the club, [which, by the way, is a tall ask considering its value] how much more does one have to put into the running of the club? How well can one trust the new representatives [presumably elected by supporters] to efficiently run the club? Ok, don’t answer that: supporters love the club, surely they’ll run it well, no? Well, then refer to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia — all victims of fiscal mismanagement throughout their history; all supporter-run. I don’t mean to pour cold water over this endeavour, mind. My personal opinion: supporter-run football clubs would work if the club is not in debt after a buyout. And I honestly hope this solution somehow works out for us [magically, I would presume].
Finally we come to the idea of the ‘Red Knights’ mooted lately, which is really a mysterious consortium of ‘United fans’ who want to buy out our club from the Glazers. One of them is the owner of Bet Fred, a betting company, and he is supposedly a United fan.
Now I won’t have a problem with this kind of a takeover if I am convinced they will run United as well a business as (or better than) the Glazers, without sucking the amount of money the Glazers did. But these people are investors at the end of the day. I am not prepared to believe they won’t look for a sizeable return on investment.
In our efforts to drive the Glazers away we should be really careful to whom we handover the ownership. Which is why a proper understanding of the plans of future investors need to be calmly heard out. New owners — who are not the Glazers — don’t automatically translate into brilliant owners; refer Portsmouth. Which is why I would ask all supporter associations [if you are all reading this] to investigate the background of any other potential investors to ensure they have the best interests of the club at heart to the extent that:
1. yes, they might have a profit motive, but they won’t saddle the club with unmanageably large debts;
2. they would reinvest a bulk of the profits (if not all) back into the squad.
But despite all this, it’s ridiculously hard to judge intent of ownership. And it’s even more difficult to dislodge an existing ownership.
Supporters of most Premier League clubs these days, sadly, are stuck between a ditch and a dirty puddle where owners continue to spray muck on their faces [in the form of annually increased ticket prices] without a semblance of accountability. And despite media and public sentiment more sympathetic to these paying supporters, there’s very little one can ultimately do in the face of privately owned establishments other than hope they get sold to someone more understanding. Small mercies…
Some good reads:
United Rant: 10 Point Plan to Oust Glazers and Lies, Damn Lies, and David Gill
Related items from Red Rants:
- Glazers: Manchester United is not for sale
- David Gill gets top role
- United plan an Evil Empire of Online Domination
- David Gill’s “Out of Context” Cop-Out
- Roy Keane on leaving Manchester United
Tags: Opinions/Columns
February 4th, 2010 at 9:17
That was a little depressing, I can’t belive the mess we are in financially.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:19
I wonder if this was the glazers plan from day one, or did it evolve into this when the credit crunch really affected them? I want to believe the latter but my guy says the former.
February 4th, 2010 at 10:02
First they will ignore you…..Second they will laugh(poo poo )you…
And finally they will settle
All Snowballs start little……They are monitoring…Sales….Bums on seats….Interest rates…..Bonds not performing……They need to take notice this is not stopping…until these carpetbaggars are out!
February 4th, 2010 at 10:25
The Glazers no nothing about football, couldn’t give a fig about how WE finish up as a club as long as they come out of this with bank vaults crammed with cash. The hardfaced bastards are even SELLING green and gold kits, scarves etc etc etc in our OT Mega store. Any United fan who buys from the Mega store those things is a Glazer PALM money greaser! LUHG. With regards to Fred Done he is a UNITED MASSIVE – and I am surprised you don’t know that RR? Fred is localborn and bred, with a heart that always bleeds United. The other Red Knights are also United massives, who love the club till they die, and are not going into it to kill us by bleeding us dry as the feckin Glazers are doing!
February 4th, 2010 at 10:31
The media are full of the things I just mentioned in the post comments above, and I see why you want us to be cautious RR in future dealings and ownership – and I know we cannot take everything we READ as true, but in the case of the Red Knights, the guy heading the talks has come out himself and talked openly about it – so very upfront. As for the Glazers, Gill and even our beloved Fergie – they have lied thru their back teeth, and fans are getting SICK and fucking tired of the secret society running OT! We want Fergie to come out and be upfront and honest. We can respect that? Or am I being unrealistic???
February 4th, 2010 at 10:33
PS – I still think SAF is the best, even if I don’t understand him sometimes!
February 4th, 2010 at 11:00
@CraigMc: The guy who spoke is the broker. His job is to act as the takeover broker. He is not the investor – even if he’s a United fan. Other than Fred Done we don’t know who else is in this group of investors right now.
February 4th, 2010 at 11:35
Of course the ‘Red Knights’ could fuck things up, but as I type that sentence it just seems ridiculous compared to our current ownership.
Let’s just define what the ‘Red Knights’ are.
Fred Done doesn’t claim to be a United fan, he IS a United fan. Anyone who’s ever heard talksport… there’s a scouse guy from their HQ who talks betting on one of the shows, and often has tales of having to hide from his boss when Liverpool loose or United win because he is unbearable about it. Like a real red. BetFred didn’t sign on to be official betting partners of United this season in protest at the Glazers, and he refused to take up any of the bond issue because the Glazers are ‘toxic’.
He has a personal fortune of £510mil, and once lost £1mil on a bet that United would finish above Chelsea in League 2004/05!
These ‘Red Knights’ aren’t a bunch of business men who’ve got together to own United for some profit reason. They are United fans who are business men who have seen up close and fully understood the bond issue booklet, and are as pissed as we are at what is happening to their club. The difference is they have the money to do something about it.
If I had £50million, I’d be one of them.
MUST’s involvement would indicate that the end game is fan ownership. We pay a membership fee ala Barca et all each year, and whatever that raises is reduced on the Red Knight’s ownership. The club is run out of it’s own money, which we make enough to be able to do comfortably. It costs £20mil to run for President every 2 years, and everyone who runs has to put that money into the United pot win or loose.
Barca is owned by 156,366 members, who pay 150 euros (£130) a year, and a random selection of them each year meet with the board and vote on decisions. Every 4 years there is a presidential election, and every adult member gets an equal vote.
February 4th, 2010 at 11:46
BREAKING (my heart) NEWS on SkySports:
Owen Hargreaves removed from United’s Champions League squad
February 4th, 2010 at 12:37
Fuck……………………………
February 4th, 2010 at 12:50
@Traverse: and this just a few days after Fergie personally challeneged hargreaves to be fit by the milan game
i think his england career is over by now
February 4th, 2010 at 14:46
@RMJ: It is too early to say that its the end of his England career. He is only 29. And I believe if Eduardo (Arsenal) and Alan Smith can play after fatal injuries, then anyone can play.
February 4th, 2010 at 14:57
@CraigMc: Is that true about the green and gold merchandising? I heard a rumour about it last week but didn’t think the Glazer’s were that daft. There again I wouldn’t put anything past them.
February 4th, 2010 at 15:44
End of day: Business is business. Invest X, you expect Y return over N years.
Difference: Motives! Glazers (bastards, bastards, bastards) want to maximize short-term gains — sucking us dry now… Red Knights (supposedly) want to maximize long-term gains — focus is on-field success over many years.
LUHG! LUHG! LUHG!
February 4th, 2010 at 15:49
@CraigMc: Looking at manuth.com the ONLY green item (besides goal-keeping shirts) was this green/white hat
Maybe its different in their OT store…
February 4th, 2010 at 16:23
@Cyclops-Red: I saw some reports in the press mate – that’s all I can say. I didn’t visit the megastore at OT during the games I just went to see. The press were mumbling about it, but only those visiting the Mega Store can confirm or deny!
February 4th, 2010 at 17:09
@CraigMc: Right. I’m off to visit the megastore, tomorrow, dressed undercover as Osama bin Laden
LUHG
February 4th, 2010 at 19:00
Nice read RR, but I take exception to your feeling about the Red Knight’s and their qualifications to run the club. First off, my feelings on that are simple. If you are in the middle of a jungle and sinking in quicksand, you do not ask about the qualifications of the individual(s) who breaks off a branch and extend it out to you in order to help extricate you out of the death pit. Secondly, I fully believe the Red Knight’s look to buy the club as a temporary solution until qualified and vetted buyers show up willing to buy the team. The Red Knight’s aren’t just looking to buy the team, there biggest concern is to get rid of the debt. And for that I think their intervention is a good thing. To question their motives is not right after what the Glazer’s have been doing to the the team. I’d take ownership of the team buy the Mafia over the Glazer’s.
February 4th, 2010 at 19:15
@Traverse: I for one haven’t got a problem with a club being owned in the fashion that Barca and Real are. Why on Earth would I hate that? Look at the historic success of those two teams and the players they are able to afford as well, the fanatical fans they have and the world wide support they have. Like united they are international brands. The one knock about these teams is the assholes that are elected as Presidents for the club. A better way has to be decided on how to run the club under this kind of management. Madrid keeps buying players and raping teams with their money but they do not win anything. Why? Because the people in charge up high haven’t got a clue about football. They make bold promises to get elected but they have no concept of what it really takes to run a team. At least Barca shows us that they are capable of running a fine ship because their elected officials leave the player purchasing to those who are running the team on the field.
At the risk of insulting Madrid and even Barca fans and shareholders, let e say this. United would never ever be allowed to run itself like the Real Madrid circus because my experience on this blog and reading around the net shows me that United fans as a whole are much more intelligent supporters than Madrid fans are. Madrid fans may be louder and more expressively passionate, but they are also seduced easily buy star names and blind promises where United fans truly understand the game being played and understand that building a team with chemistry is the real trick. Knowing that about Mancs leaves me with great hope that a publicly owned team would succeed. No doubt about it. We are smarter than Scousers and Toons and we certainly are wiser than most london football fans.
That’s my opinion for what it’s worth. A team like this needs to be run by the fans so that it ensure every dollar it makes in profit, is reinvested back into the team first and secondly towards it’s shareholders. Owning a club like United is not about personally making money. It’s about ensuring the club is always financially strong and can always afford to push the envelope in the pursuit and development of it’s players and youth programs, and it’s stadium and training facilities. The less corporate the team becomes, the better off we all will be.
February 4th, 2010 at 19:49
The reality is that our debts are consuming all our revenues leaving insufficient funds to stay competitive. If the red knights get rid of all our debts, then we will become profitable again without needing to sell our major assets. And that will mean that someone else will want to buy us and this time we can make sure the sale is to someone responsible who can pay in cash, rather than borrowing to buy us.
February 4th, 2010 at 19:52
Sooooooo… Chelsea just bought their way out of the FIFA ban… somehow Kakuta was never contracted to Lens when Chelsea approached him (he “signed” with Lens in 1999) — wonder then why they had to pay Lens to get him??
Smells like russian corruption (no offense to any non-corrupt russians!)…
February 4th, 2010 at 20:05
@Cyclops-Red:
,
February 4th, 2010 at 20:15
@Traverse: I’m actually a bit relieved.
Not because I don’t like Hargreaves, I think that at even at half his peak (which he was most of the time he played with us, tbh) he’s a very valuable player to have.
But looking at the history of players coming back from injury, they’ve always needed TIME to make their bodies and mind accustom themselves to regular football.
No spring chicken examples:
+A 24 year old (best age to come back from a serious injury) Cristiano Ronaldo back after his ankle problems. Needed about 2 months to get form back.
+Rooney and his metatarsal/thigh/foot/(insert usual Rooney injury) which are infamous for stopping his scoring form. Same thing for the young Giggs.
+SAF sold Stam after he thought he was not the same player after coming back from injury – admitted he was wrong but still Jaap would have needed time to get his form back.
+Rio and his back.
What’s even more worrying are te sounds coming from fergie himself that Hargo has a quote: “psychological barrier” to overcome.
Sorry to say this grog, but this sounds every bit like Saha.
Better to have a versatile Delaet in place of an unfit Hargo. (I would have preferred Diouf)
As usual when I’m doom mongering, I’d love to be proven wrong though.
February 4th, 2010 at 20:24
@NicoQB: Isn’t Diouf included in the squad?
February 4th, 2010 at 21:37
@Grognard: As long as I know nothing about this mysterious consortium I feel I have every right to hear what they are about.
I am not casting aspersions on them. I am saying that the supporters, in their fight to get the Glazers out shouldn’t just throw the club at anyone blindly. We may think the Glazers are the scum of the earth but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to sell the club to good people who may however not be good financial managers.
So far all I’ve heard is a group of benefactors who are United fans. I don’t know any names other than Fred Done, who by most accounts now is a confirmed Red.
I need to know more about the others, which is why I will continue to question who they are and what they have to offer. Haste is never good even in the most desperate situations.
February 4th, 2010 at 21:46
@Traverse: If MUST are fully involved in this then I am all for it. If they understand the Red Knights’ plans fully, I will trust them.
February 4th, 2010 at 21:47
@Grognard: I don’t think that is what they intend to do. I think they want to offer the Glazers enough to go but initially the £500m debt will stay with the club. Shares will then be offerred to the fans to start to clear this debt. I still think this is better than having a sugar daddy owner in the long run, its certainly better than having the Glazers.
February 4th, 2010 at 22:06
@Grognard: Sorry, that last post was for Colver.
February 4th, 2010 at 23:04
Right this is moi, excuse French
.Seriously and with out smiling.
For anybody that wotches my post’s I have a great sense of fun, wind up maybe, expect a quick snappy reply.Trust this lad’s I am as Red as anyone on this Great blog.
For me and I aint no financial expert, but what i do is read other peoples views and opinions, some say it’s Kosher, some say it’s a Buggers muddle.
I am totally confused now, just read so much contrivance.
If and that’s not gonna happen if I were interested in purchasing a buisness , No1 get a independent auditor to scroll over accounts, profitable or not? Current status in league within it performs.Analysis of company and assets.
I Still have a feeling some subs have a odd agenda to bring down what aint broken.Many call a lad like me sticking my head in sand, ok that’s cool.All i will say and RR on this blog said it brilliantly, becarefull
lads what you wish for.
There are many Sharks out there. If you go with a betting man, think on.
Reading all financial gobbildy gook kill’s me.
? traverse u getting yer blockage of OT up and running.
?at most lad’s now u dont know if my seat at OT already arranged.
If i continue reading this financial crap, ? why bother.It’s cheaper to call the Samartians. Although in fairness from RR links to E mail get at em, I spent 2 hours, ranting, guess what no reply.
I know this may appear a stupid rant, but honest its not a wind up.Just one real mad Manchester United lad in total confusion.
Anyhow lads lets not miss the big prizes that are in our grasp.If we call down the Glazer, make sure you still shout like fuck.
Comon you Reds. one very reluctant poster on this issue.
February 5th, 2010 at 0:21
@NicoQB: Hargo is done. When you are scared to put weight on your legs and make cuts and turns, then you are done. Only Hargo knows exactly what he’s gone through and I think he should face up to the fact that he is finished because he has put this team and it’s fans through the ringer waiting for his return. It aint happening so lets move on. As for Saha, that guy was scared to play after breaking a nail or sneezing. He was gutless to the nth degree.
February 5th, 2010 at 0:23
@Red Ranter: I see where you are coming mate but frankly, throwing the club to Satan himself is a better choice than the Glazer’s. After all, they are the Red Devils.
February 5th, 2010 at 0:25
NicoQB, you are right about Hargreaves. After being this patient, throwing him into the deep end would be an error of judgement. From the sound of it he is lacking in confidence-many sportsman after being injured for that length of time end up with psychological blocks.
The best thing would be to give him some reserve action when he is feeling up to it and then aim to have him join us for the pre-season with a view of making a contribution for us next season.
February 5th, 2010 at 0:29
@Grognard: welcome to my world of postive.you could be taking more serious m8, yer last 3 post’s games before the match” i got a bad feeling about this” mind you are so downbeat. leave lil NicoQb
February 5th, 2010 at 0:35
and the wee bitch thinks he got a growler, or as it was said on here a Polar Bear, ERM no a pure Scots lad wired and funny, plus magnetic.
February 5th, 2010 at 0:37
nite boys lets stuff The Sailors, my crystal balls still say 8.1
February 5th, 2010 at 0:59
@NicoQB: Yeah alot of internet chatter that this just means it’s not worth risking him in such high paced high stakes matches at the behest of someone who deserves a place, like De Laet (whom I would rather play than Neville)
February 5th, 2010 at 1:01
@Will: Yeah he replaces Welbeck.
February 5th, 2010 at 2:09
@Scotjimland: After talking to some relative parties, not as of right now, no…. but if the Glazers aren’t willing to listen to the Red Knights then people have been quoted as saying that ‘fans voting with their feet’ would help if they end up not selling 50,000 tickets or something. I’m starting a website at http://www.unitedagainstglazer.co.uk/ where I will start charting every iota of information on removing the Glazer curse….
February 5th, 2010 at 4:53
@Scotjimland: Honestly m8, if I could understand what the Hell you are writing, I would reply. I just can’t make sense of your shorthand and slang, sorry.
February 5th, 2010 at 4:55
@Traverse: Good for you mate. Well done.
February 5th, 2010 at 5:23
@Traverse: Good stuff, mate. But why aren’t you mad at the authorities as well?
Until regulation is put in place about how these type of hostile takeovers can be legal in the first place, it really just leaves the door open for the next group of vampires to take the place of the Glazer’s.
I would urge you and all other UK based fans to ask your MP’s – why this is all allowed to happen?
I think the Glazers will depart when it ’s not economically viable to practice in an unfriendly economic enviroment. The protest with the feet of the supporters will only work if it is massive and sustained. The acts of Parliament will shoo them off in a blink of the eye!!
February 5th, 2010 at 8:16
@Grognard: I gave up on reading his posts long ago. He just isn’t interested in writing English. Now I just save myself the hassle and skip over his posts.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:22
@Johnsom33: When I read his writing it reminds me of when I’m listening to Fergie.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:12
Looking at Chelsea’s fixtures, their second-last game of the season is against those thieving retards from Merseyside. Now, someone please tell me what are the chances of them throwing that game away just so that we dont get our deserved 19th. Knowing Rafa, i wouldnt put anything past him especially if, by then, they would have nailed down the fourth place.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:54
@Traverse: good stuff. looking forward to the site.
fear of fan power is what made gill come up with that interview, seems like its pricking the right places, we should continue with the anti glazer match.
i got most of my friends who support man utd to joing MUST and be enlightened on the glazers evil acts, we decided not to spend any cash on united merchandise till glazers are out.
LUHG
February 5th, 2010 at 11:09
@Traverse: Point 38.With out a smile on my face.Well done you.I truely do hope you have success.
Although this might be my negativity kicking in, dont you feel your pissing in the wind.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:16
@Johnsom33: If you dont understand my post’s agreed dont read them. You wrote to me a while back quote” I am not trying to be a Asshole, is English your first language”
Listen and hear this, YES.
All i was trying to convey there are different views of the financial situation out there.If you just like to be dragged along like a Sheep and follow, with out doing your own thinking research, carry on.
? how the fuck can you say you dont read my post,s and make such a ludricous statement.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:22
@Grognard: M8 Yes I may sound like SAF. I am way way younger. My pop at you was this.Prior to each Match on here you say”I have a bad feeling about this” What I am trying to convey, Is if you keep shouting negativity as sure as God made little green Apples it will happen.Just not my way.Yes I do read your post’s carefully, but I arrive at my views through reasoned balanced thought.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:44
@Scotjimland: What ludicrous statement did I make? All I said is that your post are incredibly hard to read because of your use of “text type”. How that makes me a sheep I’m not quite sure. Also if you read the grognard post I was responding too you will find that he has a hard time understanding you as well.
So from here on out we have two options. You can either start writing in legible English so I can read your posts, or you can continue typing like you do and I will continue skipping over your posts. Either way I’m happy.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:03
@Johnsom33: I am not going to get into a debate over my style of writing.If you dont and clearly you dont read it carefully.Tough Tit’s.Point 42 re read it yourself.If it’s aimed to start a Bitch fight,I have better things to do.Plus without massaging my own ego, a lot of people enjoy my post’s on other Blogs for there postive nature, humour,and cutting edge.
I will continue writing the way I do.End off. As long as you are happy, Just dont let your Nurse’s find out you have access to a Computer.
February 5th, 2010 at 13:35
@Scotjimland: Remember that there are a lot of readers on here that do not speak English as their first language. When native speakers have trouble getting some sense out of what you write, imagine the struggle we’re going through to make sense of it.
I tried to read your first post because I like to know everyones opinion, but seriusly I gave up halfway trough because I could not make any sense of it.
February 5th, 2010 at 14:13
@Scotjimland: Maybe, but the wind is heading Glazers way
February 5th, 2010 at 15:19
@Redrich: I am furious with them. Richard Caborn (Minister for Sport), Richard Scudamore (Premier League Chief Executive) and Brian Barwick (FA Chief Executive) all have questions to answer. They sat down and met with the Glazer curse before the take over and chowed down on their remeasuring smiles, and nodded furiously to whatever they were told.
At no point did anyone seem to ask where the money was coming from! If they had asked then they would have either found out they are borrowing £700million and then moving it to the clubs books and it should have been blocked. How these people managed to pass the fit and proper persons test is beyond me.
February 5th, 2010 at 16:16
@Scotjimland: Hmm that’s funny, another poster just said they have trouble reading your posts. Maybe the problem isn’t with me…
I find it funny that when your responding to me about this, you actually take your time and write complete words, sentences and thoughts. Read your last two posts directed at me, then scroll up and read the others you posted… Notice the difference?
February 5th, 2010 at 16:22
Capello has fired John Terry. Whose next for captain… Rio? Rooney?
February 5th, 2010 at 17:21
Fabio Capello’s statement says that when he picked Terry as Captain he picked a vice captain and a 3rd choice. There are no reasons to change. To me that would make Rio Ferdinand England Captain, and Steven Gerrard Vice Captain.
That would also mean we have appointed our first black permanent captain. Good job England!
February 5th, 2010 at 18:09
Just what I thought, just what he deserved
February 5th, 2010 at 18:14
It’s perfect news for me, as an England supporter who would hate the image of Mr Chelsea lifting the World Cup in June.
February 5th, 2010 at 18:22
@Traverse: I think for Englands part, it’s much better to have Ro as the England captain. Unlike Terry, he actually has experience lifting a World Cup.
And for a United player to do it in June as well, magnificent! 
February 5th, 2010 at 18:36
@Scotjimland: Well you are going to have to get used to it mate. I will say whatever comes to my mind and if it’s negative, well so be it. As you know this blog is for everyone and it’s not a positive points only blog like some out there. I speak the truth and I speak honestly. I am not always right but I do feel I am sincere with with my feelings and thoughts. Whether I am positive enough for you is not really a concern for me. No disrespect to you mate, but I am here to voice my feelings on United. When United offer me nothing but positives to talk about, believe me, I will be nothing but. But right now there are negatives as well as positives. Our team is playing better on the pitch but financially, the club is going through a very bad time. To not talk about the Glazer’s influence and black mark on this team would be doing a disservice to all who care about the team. I am not the kind who believes in the see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing mantra that many who follow the team support. So either get used to my comments mate, or just ignore them. It’s up to you as to which way you go.
February 5th, 2010 at 19:06
@Scotjimland: See , you just don’t get it mate. Several people on this blog have already complained to you about your writing style and you still ignore their wishes and concerns. This blog is not like a lot of those “other” blogs which allow the lowest form of life on them to create havoc and chaos. This blog is not just for passionate United fans, it’s for intelligent ones too. We here discuss the issues and joke a round but we do so by respecting each other in the process and we do so with the best English we can muster. Some come from countries where English is not the first language and frankly, they are far easier to understand than you.
Mate (not M8, which personally gets on my nerves) I’m sure you are capable of of writing proper English. You are a Scot and although I find some Scots like Fergie a little hard to understand at times, they are certainly all capable of reading and writing the Queen’s English, I’m sure. Why not try to accommodate the masses here who wouldn’t mind reading your posts and getting to know you better without making it a real chore to go through your post and without you replying back with a backhanded defiant comment and attitude. I know for a fact that Red Ranter has also warned you and voiced his concern over your lack of writing etiquette on this blog. So frankly, that warning alone tells me mate that you should think twice about whether you are going to do things your way or conform to the proper standard on this blog.
You talk about offering a positive nature, humor and a cutting edge. Well honestly, I have seen very little of it because your comments are not legible nor coherent. Secondly, adding code, slang and Gaelic to the proceedings isn’t helping your cause. I would prescribe to KISS. “Keep it simple Scotty). Try to write proper English and then maybe more of us will agree with your humor and cutting edge thinking. Right now I cannot say I agree with you or disagree with the way you are thinking because I cannot understand your writing. So either conform to the masses on this blog mate, or “Tough Tits” on you. Seriously, all of see enough wise cracking smart asses in our everyday lives. We do not need them showing up with their dude comments and slang on here. You are a devoted fan of United? Then learn to talk to other fans with respect and proper communicative etiquette as this is not the XBOX Live live chat room or gaming forum.
February 5th, 2010 at 19:22
@Johnsom33: Personally mate, his problem is the problem with many young people on the Internet today. They have created this lazy slang lingo to communicate yet they do not realize the the majority of the world does not communicate like that. I mean how lazy is a person who cannot find the split second to write the word “mate” but has to abbreviate it with “m8″? This kind of gibberish has always been a pet peeve with me as is being called “dude” by some of the younger people out there. I am older and perhaps a bit square, but I do not believe that communicating properly should be compromised because of certain people’s lack of proper English skills or their plain modern day pop culture induced laziness which has butchered our native tongue. Just drives me crazy. I also hate guys who come on here and text of an iPhone or cell phone because they offer little other than abbreviations and frustration to those of us who communicate properly. Look at how much I write and the fact I can type a long paragraph in no time at all. I am not a trained typist but I still remember the rules of English as they were taught to me and I take pride in proper grammar and spelling for the most part.
February 5th, 2010 at 19:26
@Traverse: It looks like Rio is the man. I’m happy for Rio but then again, I think Rooney for me was the right choice. He is the present and the future for England as well as his club and he has a way of leading by example. Rio for me has declined a lot in the past year and his injuries make his place uncertain come World Cup time. I personally think a more solid pick due to availability and dependability was Rooney, Gerrard or Lampard. Hell, if he was to start more, I’d be more than happy to give the armband back to Beckham who wore it with pride and carried himself with dignity.
February 5th, 2010 at 20:09
@Grognard:
I hope you feel better for getting all that out of your system.Oddly I read it fully, digest it, but wont take it on board.I am my own Man, I have my own style wether you like it or not.
M8 he may not even travel, and probably will play if he does at best a cameo role.
The Boss of this Blog, rapped my knuckles the other nite for Language problem’s.I accepted that, with grace.You however have to tell me some 6 hours later to” fuck off” in your mature debate form.Makes sense eh!.
Grog in the short time I have enjoyed this Blog I have witnessed you head bashing a few lads,Traverse,Craig Obertan etc etc.If you call that mature and reasonable debate then fuck me pink, I must not be in the real world.
M8 when you discuss football you are much more worthwhile reading rather than acting like a School teacher, playground bully.I sorta imagine you as a young child having your pencil case stolen and never quite got over it.
On too your point regards David Beckham as England captain.
Bye the way I dont own a X box.
February 5th, 2010 at 20:36
@NorwegianDevil: M8 if you care to join the blog you might gleen more.Snipers from afar is not the way for me.Have the courage to explain what you do not or did not understand.I will enlarge happily.IN English French Gaelic.Jokin The boss( As in RR )has told me and everyone else to communicate in English. On this blog I will toe the English only line.
Tell me please what do you think of our chances against Pompey? I see Kanu is back at Fratton park, that’s a serious threat
February 5th, 2010 at 20:48
@Traverse: I hope so. M8 i tried your link when you posted it, I wanted to join in, its a Blank page with A anti Glazer banner point 38.Hope you dont find that difficult to understand.
The problem I think on here, RR puts up some great links, some lad’s just dont take the time or effort to read them, but are happy too fire off there views. End off Rant. away to Boozer to get Jaked, opps Pissed
February 5th, 2010 at 21:20
@Scotjimland: Frankly what was wrong with your first post was that there was no red line through your post. Word for word I understood everything (Even the slang), but because it lacked any form of coherence it was very hard to understand without making a considerable effort.
I’m also sure that if my language skills were worse than they are I would not have been able to make any sense out of your post even if I tried.
The reason I pointed it out was not as much for my own benefit but for followers of this blog that are not as fluent in their second or third language as I am.
If you keep writing as you are now I have no problems with you what so ever.
Over to lighter topics.
if we do not (as SAF so eloquntly put it) batter them I will be seriously pissed of. If you compare our current form agaist that of Pompey then it should be a no brainer. 4-1 “m8″.
The only way I can see them treathening us is if they play Kanu
Oh and btw “m8″. I’ve been following this blog almost from the beginning so I cared to join this blog a long time ago.
February 5th, 2010 at 21:30
@Grognard: Using a phone is no excuse. 90% of my post come from my iPhone. Now I don’t have perfect grammar or puncuation, but my post are readable.
February 5th, 2010 at 22:13
@Johnsom33: Not that i care to correct you, yer a Eedjit.( Idiot) The word you try to say I think, is Punctuation.
Leave it m8 u made your point, you wanna be a cheer leader type character.
Re read, The moderators links. Then read mine. Kosher mean’s ok. Buggers muddle, dreadfull mess.
February 5th, 2010 at 23:21
@NorwgianDevil: red line? What do you mean. I cross it all the time. And RR lets me do it, SO FAR. What I was trying to convey its just total confusion. I am not stupid. I read all links to various sites, blah blah.
M8 some lads Alledged financial experts say all is good at the club, some say it’s gonna go pear. M8 I am just a simple Scots lad.I dont like to read financial crap, but I do. That was the Samaratain joke. Just breaks my heart, reading that shite. Everybody needs a glimmer of hope. That’s why I hold the Players in huge esteem, during this very shit awfull time.
AYE laddie we gotta Baterrrrrr them( Pompey) and hope Arsenal Baterrrrrr, the Chelschavs
Nothing will change my view, never, we can do this lads.19 league titles, 12 in my life time. As u typed No brainer!
Come on you reds
February 6th, 2010 at 0:34
@Scotjimland: First off, I never told you to fuck off. If you are too immature to take some constructive criticism, then that is not my concern. As for rapping people’s knuckles, Craig and I have been friends on this blog for over three years. We had a disagreement and that was that. Who are you to come on here and make it out to be something it isn’t. Mind your own business mate. Red Ranter has warned you and rapped your knuckles, I have complained to you, Red Rich has, Johnson has and others yet you want to beat to your own drummer.
Talk about being thick. Go ahead “m8″. Let it fly and lets just see how long it will be before RR reaches his boiling point and deletes you for good. Personally speaking, no skin off my teeth because frankly, I am still trying to figure out if you actually offer anything substantial to this blog in regards to debate or theories? So far I see a lot of gibberish, verbal diarrhea and Gaelic poetry which means sweet fuck all to me. As I see it, your neck is in the noose. Whether you want to swing from it is up to you.
February 6th, 2010 at 0:39
@Johnsom33: That’s because you are not lazy and obsessed with shortcuts and abbreviations that make sense only to the lazy kind of deadheads that use them. Compliments to you for not falling into that trap mate. It honestly drives me nuts the way some people have turned texting and the Internet into an alien language that’s not from this planet. Sometimes I think I am reading things from Middle Earth.
Seriously though, can you imagine the kind of extra effort it takes to type “mate” as opposed to “m8″? What, it must take at least a couple extra minutes of a person’s time eh?
February 6th, 2010 at 0:44
@Scotjimland: “So far”. Exactly. Don’t be too surprised in the near future if you do not get a rude awakening. The issue hear “m8″ is that if you actually offered something entertaining, intelligent and tangible to this blog, he might be willing to reconsider deleting you. Instead, you snub your nose at him and people like me who are basically telling you to smarten up and therefore, I really do not see you having a long tenure on this blog, unless you wake the frak up and quickly.
February 6th, 2010 at 0:53
United’s flag is deepest red,
It shrouded all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their heart’s blood dyed it’s ev’ry fold.
Then raise United’s banner high,
Beneath it’s shade we’ll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We’ll keep the Red Flag flying here.
We’ll never die, we’ll never die,
We’ll never die, we’ll never die,
We’ll keep the Red flag flying high,
Because Man United will never die.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:12
Whispa m8s, its not important. All i think in my heart and soul just wishing for a Great WIN. Com on you Reds. did i wind up a loser. comon feel the Noise at OT.
As i told you, stick to football comments. re run yer comments.DO U understand a network. PMSL
February 6th, 2010 at 1:13
@Traverse: WELL SAID. hang our heads and bow.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:35
@Scotjimland: Look I’ve had enough. Please write coherently — ie. spend a little time reading your own comment before you hit submit. In comment #64 where you responded to Grognard, you actually wrote a series of sentences that I could understand. So it’s not like you are incapable of doing so.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:36
@Traverse: A date we’ll remember forever.
Hopefully we can hammer Pompey in remembrance and celebration of those lives lost!!
February 6th, 2010 at 1:40
With this kind of game against Pompey, everything is in our favor. EVERYTHING. I know anything can happen in football but it won’t stop me from having very high expectations as this is a great chance to boost our goal difference. I want at least a 3 or 4 goal-margin victory when all’s said and done but I especially want to see goals early in the game, so at least 2-0 by half time.
I want us to play with such hunger that there is absolutely NO chance of having to make excuses after the game if we even come close to dropping points. I absolutely hate excuses in football (AKA Rafa). We can’t leave anything up to chance, because that is exactly what the opposition (Portsmouth and others) will be looking for.
I hope SAF doesn’t use 4-5-1 like he had been recently, but I suppose I don’t really care as long as we win handily. He’ll probably use some fringe players (to keep up with his seemingly random team selection) as this game isn’t the hardest of games are there are harder games coming up that merit a rest for some of the first team. (However, we did have a full week or so in between matches.)
February 6th, 2010 at 2:00
@Scotjimland: First I’m a follower now I’m a cheerleader. Do you care to explain?
February 6th, 2010 at 2:03
@Johnsom33: Leave him alone, and perhaps he’ll go away!!
February 6th, 2010 at 2:06
bottoms up post 77.
I promise to behave soon, maybe when i am dead or 19.
Soz RR, I cant stop laughing
February 6th, 2010 at 2:07
thats me . off to kipper, aka bed
February 6th, 2010 at 2:24
@Red Ranter: RR, this guy is obviously playing interference with your Blog. He’s disrupting most of the conversation with inane chatter and unreadable drivel – and apparently, he’s getting a big kick out of doing it!!
February 6th, 2010 at 2:27
@Scotjimland: Well good luck on that. That’s your last post on here. Good bye son.
February 6th, 2010 at 2:28
@Redrich: It’s quite evident now in his latest post. He won’t trouble again. The great Stalin purge is in effect.
February 6th, 2010 at 2:36
@Red Ranter:
Thank you, comrade!!
February 6th, 2010 at 2:44
This will be an interesting fixture. Portsmouth will park the bus, and this will be a very different test from City and Arsenal. It will not be an open game and instead we will have to break them down. On current form you would expect a goal or two from Rooney so we should have no problem.
What we want to do is build some momentum. We need a long run that takes us past Milan, puts pressure on Chelsea to slip up, and if that happens who knows what could happen!
We are not the best team in Europe anymore, and probably not the best team in the league either.
However on our day we can still beat anyone, and in players like Rooney, Nani and Giggs we have matchwinners….while our defence is still strong.
The real question is whether our players can continue to rise to the occasion.
Interestingly so far this season we have done better in the big matches than last season. Hopefully that trend will continue. Although I wonder how we will survive the knockout stages of the Champions League without Ronaldo. Rooney has yet to transfer his blistering domestic form to Europe, and this is something he will have to do if we are to have a chance.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:26
@TurkishRED: @colver: I think the interesting factor in this game is the formation we play.
Does SAF go back to the 4-4-2 just because we are playing a weak team or does he continue with the 4-5-1, that’s been so successful for him lately??
For me, the 4-5-1 is more efficient. We’re using our full compliment of outfielders (which happens to be MF heavy) and not try to pair Rooney with the lesser skills of our remaining forwards. (Berbatov; low energy, offers little to our power/fast break efforts. Owen; little left in the way of clinical finishing. Macheda; too green around the gills to be a factor.)
If we only have one good forward, then so be it. Lets fill the rest of the side will those willing and able to bring us success and put the whole idea of dual strikers on hold until we have,…. at least 2 decent strikers!
February 6th, 2010 at 3:32
@Red Ranter: Thank god he’s gone. I’ll admit I took a few shots at him, but more than one person asked him to write coherently. He refused to change his ways and now he is gone.
It’s funny because I’ve been posting on here for 2-3 years and I notice people pop up on here and post alot, but it’s never sustained. Either they are booted or they just fade away, but the regulars stay consistent.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:32
@Redrich: 4-5-1 is pretty pointless against a team who will be playing 1 striker. It’s better to play 2 strikers for penetration purposes… we’ll need a sly Berbatov flick to unlock both a 10 man defence, followed by the floodgates. I’d go with:
VDS
Rafael Vidic Evans Fabio
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani
Rooney Berbatov
If Ando is still on Leper Island, then Fletch or maybe even Gibson.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:46
@Traverse: I disagree, the pressure that a 5 man MF will put on a “parked bus” is much greater than the efforts of 2 CMF and PERHAPS the participation of a motivated 2nd striker.
With Nani being so effective of the right, this would be a great game to blood Valencia in a more central role. Here try this:-
PIG
Rafael-Vidic-Evans-Evra
Park-Fletcher-Carrick-Valencia-Nani
Rooney.
February 6th, 2010 at 4:25
Rio as the new England Captain. What you think – good or bad??
The motivating factor alone has to gob-slap him into the belief that he now has to perform to that high standard. But beyond that, he must think that a straight-and-narrow life style is requisite in maintaining his new heights.
Good for Rio, good for England, good for United!!
February 6th, 2010 at 6:58
@Traverse: SWEEEEEET!
February 6th, 2010 at 7:00
@Scotjimland: You should dress up like an American female high school cheerleader because that’s what you sound like.
All this rah rah shite is awfully boring. Haven’t you got something more interesting to contribute other than the cheering section?
February 6th, 2010 at 7:02
Damn, it’s early!
I see you guys have been busy on this site while I was away, lots of stuff happend. Scot got banned for the way he writes?
February 6th, 2010 at 7:02
@Johnsom33: What? The guy is very confusing mate.
February 6th, 2010 at 7:05
@Redrich: I think we need divine intervention for that by the name of Red Ranter. Seriously, RR needs to look at this guy and ask himself if this guy is worth the trouble and if he actually contributes an ounce of interesting content to the blog or just diarrhea?
February 6th, 2010 at 7:05
@Traverse: Respect bro, respect. Pure genious! Even though I wasn’t alive when it all happend, I can feel and understand the pain which occured because of their death. RIP Busby Babes, never forgotten!
February 6th, 2010 at 7:07
@Red Ranter: Good riddance to bad rubbish. Well done mate. Not an easy thing to do in most cases I’m sure but I have a feeling that deep inside, you kind of enjoyed terminating him.
February 6th, 2010 at 7:08
@Red Ranter: Those poor White’s lose another one.
Reds Forever! 
February 6th, 2010 at 7:09
@Red Ranter: Oh and late me thank you for that also RR. Unlike some of the guys who have been nasty on here, this guy was just irritating like Nile Virus mosquito.
February 6th, 2010 at 7:12
@Johnsom33: Really has to go down as one of the dumbest idiots to have ever appeared on the blog. It’s like he felt like the Teflon Don John Gotti. Nothing he does will get him in trouble and no punishment would ever stick. Now he is forever in Purgatory wondering in his pea sized brain just what the Heck happened here and why? What a berk!
February 6th, 2010 at 7:15
@Redrich: I think 4-5-1 is working for us and Rooney seems to be playing well in it. With Owen out of form and Berbatov favoring his leg, I think Fergie will choose to send Scholes, Fletcher, Carrick, Park and Nani out there again. Maybe he will try Nani on the left side for a change and bring on Valencia to see how the two of them do at the same time. Can Nani continue his impressive form on the left side?
February 6th, 2010 at 7:17
@Redrich: Good for him but I honestly have doubts whether he will be healthy enough to be a part of the England contingent. I suffer from a chronic bad back and his condition will probably only go away with surgery, and there are no guarantees either. Can he complete the rest of the season and early England training without going down? I still think Rooney or Gerrard would have been smarter choices.
February 6th, 2010 at 9:05
@Grognard: I don’t take pleasure terminating people. It just annoys me when people don’t get simple instructions. I don’t have a problem with people who genuinely make an effort to write even if they write poorly. People like Scot know fully well how to write and choose to intentionally write like that and actually get a kick out of it.
It’s a strange world.
Also, to everyone, he’s gone. So, let there be no name-calling here. Let’s move on to better things, eh?
February 6th, 2010 at 9:09
@Johnsom33: I think many people just move on to other things. Life and stuff, I guess. Who knows? The internet is usually full of people who are always on the lookout for content. So there’s always a chance people jump from one place to another.
February 6th, 2010 at 11:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aIbmSFVcw4
RIP
February 6th, 2010 at 11:43
I am not the most articulate just Jimscot whatever his name made me look like Wordsworth, thank God he has gone.
February 6th, 2010 at 11:46
Also it is the anniversary of the Munich air disaster we lost 23 people on that flight, lets hope the boys do the business today.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:04
@Stephen: What do you mean ‘he has gone’? Surely he has not been banned for being a bit lippy and Scot’s crazy???
February 6th, 2010 at 12:08
@Red Ranter: I don’t agree with his gone-ness! Just because he doesn’t write the Queens English – jeez!
Whatever became of just ignoring folk who take the piss eh? Too much over-sensitivity in the world today.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:11
@Grognard: You mean Gerrard the physical harmer, who rough’s up a DJ for not playing a disc he wanted played – that GBH fucker – no thanks! Hargo would have been perfect for that job IF he had been fit Groggy!
February 6th, 2010 at 12:12
@Grognard: NO,I think he has proven his best position is RMF.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:19
@Johnsom33: Mmmmmm nobody should get banned for the way they express themselves mate. If he is a rah-rah boy – so what?, most of the United party liners are the same. Scot doesn’t express it so eloquently as them, but I think he was probably seeking just to PISS off all the bloggers here who gave him a hard time, and became all sanctimonious on him. It worked as well, you finally got him banned.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:47
@CraigMc: Sounds like it bro, I hope Nani starts again on the right I do feel for Valencia but Nani is the guy in possession of the shirt and he should keep it. People say Nani should start on the right to let Valencia play why? Nani has been played out of position there so why should Valencia if he has to play.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:48
@CraigMc: Hargo has had it mate.
February 6th, 2010 at 13:10
I am chuffed for Rio he does deserve it, but I do question his fitness making a player captain he has real injury worries is a risk but I am pleased that Terry has been stripped. He is a scumbag and a bad ambassador foe English football, we have a bad rep around the World enough as it is and this is the best for the good of the game in our country.
February 6th, 2010 at 14:21
I gotta say, this Merseyside derby has been firery so far, to say the least!
The sparks are flying, loving the temper.
Some very dangerous tackles though…
February 6th, 2010 at 18:24
@CraigMc: Its not over sensitivity, it was his refusal to write coherent post. Start from his post on this page, then look at his post when he us defending himself. He is more than capable of writing in a clear manner. I wasn’t the only one to mention it, hell I wasn’t even the first, but he didn’t care. RedRanter warned him, and he basically laughed in his face. How you are defending this guy is beyond me.
Grognard put it best “good riddance to bad rubbish”
February 6th, 2010 at 18:34
@CraigMc: Fair point Craig but you have always been a bit too tolerant a person from my point of view, where I am probably too much of a whiner from yours. Seriously though mate, he was irritating as Hell for a number of reasons. First, you could barely make out what he was saying. Secondly, he had a “fuck you” attitude towards people who politely asked him to write better and be clearer with his thoughts. Thirdly, he offered sweet fuck all to the proceedings.
I admit to being an elitist and although this is not my blog, I take pride in this blog for it’s content, it’s administration and mostly the attempt by most on here to offer intelligent and stimulating banter and debate. When one cannot form two sentences properly and when all he does is a really poor imitation of a high school female cheerleader, well lets just say, this blog deserves better. I like to think I am fair but that doesn’t mean that when an annoying fly is buzzing around my vicinity and won’t go away, that I won’t get the fly swatter or my can of Raid and end my misery. He was just a teenager and unfortunately, not all teens who come on to this blog are as fun, interesting, intelligent and as likable as Eddy. Like I said yesterday, good riddance to bad rubbish. I will miss the Gaelic though………NOT.
February 6th, 2010 at 18:38
@CraigMc: Another fair point. I totally forgot about that Gerrard incident. You got me. Scrap him too. Hargo would have been a no brainer except for two things. He is always injured and secondly, I don’t care what England thinks, that boy is Canadian and a Canadian born player should never be captain of England much like a foreign born American can never be President of the USA. It just aint cricket mate.
Now as for captain, the two other choices would be Rooney or Lampard. Both great players and staples in the first squad, and both leaders. I honestly cannot think of a better leader or flag carrying Englishman than Wayne Rooney. Rooney should have been named captain for United and England well over a year ago as far as I am concerned.
February 6th, 2010 at 18:48
@CraigMc: You often have a similar attitude to him Craig. The difference is that you are also capable of some humility, a great sense of humor and your thoughts and beliefs on the game you share and in the process allows us to notice your passion and enthusiasm is coupled with intelligence as well. Call us sanctimonious but not all of us like to be surrounded by drunken stupid bastards at a game who belch and spill beer down our backs in the middle of a deluge of swearing and screaming. Personally I think there are more than enough cheerleader blogs on the Internet to attract and appreciate the likes of Scotjimland. Again, I’d like to think that this blog which is a top ten blog for United supporters has attempted to be something more. Many who come on here for the first time comment on how they enjoy the intelligence and well informed debating on this blog compared to others. Many who rarely comment also claim to continually read this blog even if they are too shy to comment themselves on a regular basis. Why? Because we are not a trash rag blog like “Shoot” that offers nothing of intelligence to readers but pictures and cheerleading. We are like “Four Four Two. The scholars choice for the football purist and for the intelligent football enthusiast. There is no shame in being elitist even if that is not RR’s aim with this blog. I love this place because of the members we have who have something concrete and interesting to say. Otherwise, why waste time reading the juvenile rantings of drunk cheerleader?
February 6th, 2010 at 20:39
@Johnsom33: I support everyone’s right to express themselves in the way they want – even if the way they express themselves does get up some peoples NOSES! ScotJim used to write his posts ok, until some folk started giving him aggravation, then he hit back by playing silly devils with you all. I think that folk should just ignore him if he gets to you – I do
.
February 6th, 2010 at 20:45
@Grognard: As far as I remember, he was pissed off with the naysayers, and yes he is a rah-rah party liner, who doesn’t like his team being criticised I suspect. So when he took some flak on the blog, he decided to hit back with silly inuendo’s and Celtic idioms and expressions. I don’t think any United blog should be ELITIST, because United fans come from all walks of life and educational levels. If we don’t like some folks ways of blogging, just ignore them and chat with someone else – only exception to this rule should be if the person gets personally abusive – which ScotJim wasn’t. The one time people thought he was, he quickly apologised!
February 7th, 2010 at 0:49
just my opinion, but the banning of ScotJimland was harsh, i totally agree with Craig on this. I’m sorry, but Orwells Thought Police comes to mind
February 7th, 2010 at 13:40
@phoenix red:
– hate to reveal my ignorance Phoenix, but who are Orwell’s thought police mate? Please enlighten me, because it’s the 1st time I heard of them 
.
February 7th, 2010 at 15:16
@CraigMc: If you don’t know what the Orwell thought Police is, try reading 1984. An excellent book that in many ways predicted our modern day surveillance society. Though it’s not as bad as the book predicted just yet
It’s about a society where free thought and speech is not allowed and the thought police monitor everything everyone does thorugh two way TV Screens.
Regarding the banning of scotjimland I agree with you that it was maybe a little harsh, but then again he broke the blogs comments policy several times and made it quite clear that he didn’t intend to ever follow it either.
Heres a quote from the comments policy:
Text messaging (sms) lingo: Similarly never — and by this I mean, never — use text messaging (sms) lingo. So, for example, a comment that’s entirely written like, “mkl carrick iz da cool plyr, mez thinkz” or too much “roflmao or lols” would be outrightly deleted. No second thoughts. Use smileys. They convey emotions much better. We don’t mind the occasional “lol’s” or “rofl’s” but too much of that and we’ll start getting annoyed.
Based on this RR first warned him that such language is not allowed on this blog. A warning that he made quite clear that he didn’t give a flying f**k about, and by his actions he really gave RR no choice but to ban him.
February 8th, 2010 at 16:36
@NorwegianDevil: Thanks for the Orwell information mate – and his insights have already happened, and that worldwide
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February 8th, 2010 at 16:52
@NorwegianDevil: Thanks for understanding. I don’t enjoy banning people, and over the past few years I can count on my fingers the number of regular commenters who’ve been banned.
And secondly, freedom of speech extends to the public domain where you as a taxpaying citizen is allowed to express yourself freely. When it comes to a site which is privately owned, you have to play by the house rules. And I’ve never actually constrained people from expressing themselves freely (even allowed most of you to veer freely off topic) as long as you are coherent and not make it difficult for people to understand intentionally.