The rebel club appears to have overtaken local Football League clubs Rochdale, Bury and Macclesfield in terms of support, although the real test will come when it plays its first home game, expected to be on August 20.
If all of the members turn up for that game, only Premiership clubs Manchester United, Manchester City, Bolton and Wigan, and League outfits Oldham and Stockport could boast bigger attendances.
The rebel club, which is expected to play home games at the 4,500 capacity Butcher's Arms ground in Droylsden, holds an extraordinary general meeting in Manchester tonight to vote for a board of directors, a constitution and the club badge.
Club spokesman Julian Spencer admitted the steering committee at the fledgling club has been "pleasantly surprised" by the response. The 4,000 are supporters who pledged money and have since paid up.
"Virtually everyone who has pledged and who we have since contacted has come up with the cash, so it has not been a case of people not putting their money where their mouths are," he said.
"We have been overwhelmed by the level of support, and we are still working our way down the list."
That support has come largely from disillusioned Manchester United fans, some of whom have donated the cost of their season tickets after refusing to renew at Old Trafford, while some have pledged to support FC United as well as continuing to follow the Reds.
The latter group will be delighted by the news that 12 of United's first 21 Premiership games this season have been moved from the traditional 3pm Saturday kick off.
There has also been interest from supporters of other clubs who support FC United's principle of standing up to the greed which they believe is ruining football at the highest level - Middlesbrough, Newcastle and even City fans have promised to attend games.
FC United supporters may not have long to wait for their first silverware - the game against AFC Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow on July 23 will be for the Supporters Direct Trust Cup.
Tickets for that game have been subject to "enormous demand" according to the south London club, with 1,500 sold in the first week.
The game is not all-ticket, but FC United supporters have been advised to buy in advance.
Spencer said: "This fixture will hopefully be the start of a long partnership between the two clubs." Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I consider FC United a scab team, with scab players and scab supporters. There's only one United and they play in Old Trafford.
I suspect their attendance could get nearer the 10k mark if the ground was big enough. Like most Reds I know I renewed my season ticket, and have not pledged any money to FC United (none left after the season ticket) but will get to as many FC United games as I can.
Awesome. Well done boys.
sAB WA A TERM EMPLOYED TO NON UNION LABOUR BEING EMPLOYED TO BREAK STRIKES BY TRADE UNION WORKERS! NOT ONLY IS THAT WILDLY INACCURATE IN THIS CASE;A A MEMBER OF A TRADE UNION ALL MY LIFE IAM INCREIBLY INSULTED AT THAT REFERENCE;EMPLOYING SCAB LABOUR IS MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE EMPLOYED BY AMERICAN COMPANIES THAN IN THE UK[BUT TO OUR ETERNAL SHAME IT HAS HAPPENED HERE] GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT BEFORE YOU EMPLOY SUCH EMOTIVE AND INACCURATE TERMS!!
There really are some sad people about-How on earth can it be progressive to play AFC "Long ball" Wimbledon.
Forget it.
Theres only one United and thats at OT.
Who cares about this FC United? There's only one United, always was and always will be.
To get that number of supporters in such a short space of time is phenomenal. There is something going on here, and it sounds like fans standing up to being taken for a ride by football club owners, managers and players.
If the 4000 fans put in as much time & effort supporting the new club as they did when they followed MUFC home and away, then FC United will be a guaranteed success.
Not surprising Manchester is a big city.The new club has had lots of publicity.They could rise to Tranmere Rovers status.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, good luck to 'em. But seeing as FC United now seems to be established as an independant football club, is there any chance you could give them their own section of the website? This section of the website is for stories about Manchester United Football Club. If MEN are determined to publish stories on this member of the North West Counties League (and none of the others - strangely enough) you could at least have the decency to recognise them as an entity in their own right.
who cares about fcu??
go to heck
"Middlesborough, Newcastle and even City fans have promised to attend games." I didn't know this. I won't forget though. Especially if any parasitic freeloaders come in for their clubs. I think all English clubs need to watch each others backs. I don't think the Glazers are the last of the back stabbing monsters.
Thank god! At last we will hear no more from Bones, Spencer,Towle,Longden,Mitten,Walsh and co has they all disappear to Droylesden. YAHOO!!!!!!! We can have our team and our website back at last. Good luck and most of all good riddance.
Lets see how many turn up at Droylesden. After the first novelty game it will be no more than 100 70's lookalikes.
whats FC Uniteds official homepage?
Droylsden please, NOT Droylesden. Lets just get things right from the off, eh.
once again, another pointless story about FC Whatever. why is it within the Manchester United section of this website? and why do the FC Whatever fans still come onto this section?? they have walked away from MUFC, they have nothing to do with us. I'll see the real fans at Old Trafford next season to see united re-claim the premiership!
P.S:- the following comment from the story shows how ridiculous it really is.
"Middlesbrough, Newcastle and even City fans have promised to attend games" Ha ha haaa...
To all you "loyal" Man Utd supporters, just remember that the club is now owned by a Yank from Florida who had never heard of Manchester before. There is nothing to stop him selling O.T. to developers and moving the club over here to play in the MLS; and if it doesn't make money, it will simply become a tax write-off. Sports clubs move to other cities all the time here....there is no such thing as fan "loyalty"....only dollars count. If I'm wrong...show me!
YAWN, yet another story on Manchester United page about some little sunday league club with some ex United supporters going to watch them. So what, I'm sure the new season ticket holders at OT will be very happy to have got their seats :o)
Jethro, the scabs are the ones paying Glazer's debt and keeping him here for longer. Ray from urmston , we'll see boy!Keep the faith lads and let's stick together to get this parasite out of our club. The only ones who truly care about United want these debt-ridden Yanks away from OT.If we only get 3,000 every week at least that's 3,000 loyal, singing lads who care about their club and not just because they are prawn-sandwich eating, day-tripping, non-singing,glory-hunters.We will keep going until we get Glazer out, and when he is gone at least we'll be able to say we did something about it, and didn't just lie back and accept it. Glazer out, it's the only way!
Windy are you one of the city fans who will be tuning up to see FC United? You would have to admit this is impressive so far. Who ever could have dreamt a couple of years ago that United v Wimbledon away in a friendly at Kingsmeadow Stadium would have been so eagerly anticipated?
This Fc United just makes me cry, When I look back at the MC<nich air disaster, all the fantastic european nights at our great stadion not to mention the unforgetable night in Barcelona in 99 ohhh no that is not our history it is MANCHESTER UNITEDS history.
Mick, Dublin Here Here. I want to here about MUFC.
We at Malaysia is 100% behind FC united. would love to contribute in what everway we can.
Last night was a momentous night for FC United fans, a new club is born. Now is the time for Man United and FC United to seperate properly. I would suggest that FC fans form their own website and no longer take an interest in the club they deserted. Finally Mancunians get to Old Trafford a lot cheaper than the rest of us, so less of the poor mouth.
Malaysia Devil.. which part of malaysia are you??.. who give u right to say that we malaysian are 100% behind FC united??.. are you our PM in disguise.. fuk all that moron who said something idiotic like this..