HISTORY will be made at Hilton Park tomorrow when FC United of Manchester play their first game against Leigh RMI, with club officials still unsure of how much support they will attract.
With over 4,000 members and £100,000 pledged in donations since the club was formed in May as a direct result of Malcolm Glazer's £790million Manchester United takeover, the new venture is certainly not lacking backers.
But the first test of whether that sympathy will extend to actually supporting the team on the pitch is yet to come, although chairman Tony Pritchard admits crowds are unlikely to test the 11,000-capacity of their confirmed home stadium, Bury's Gigg Lane.
"We are still largely unsure of the following we are going to get," he said.
"The talk has been anywhere between 2,000 and 5,000 but until we start playing, we won't really know.
"I wouldn't pretend we are going to fill Gigg Lane but even if the crowds levelled off at 2,000, we have found a stadium which suits us perfectly."
Curiously, Gigg Lane does not have any terracing and is not in Manchester either, not exactly in line with the founders' ethos about reclaiming their club for the fans.
But when a proposed ground-share deal with Droylsden fell through, the one-year deal, based on a fixed payment per game, proved to be the best available alternative.
FC United will make their debut at the stadium in a North West Counties Division Two clash with Padiham on August 20, a match that will kick off half an hour after Manchester United are due to complete their opening Premiership home game against Aston Villa.
Before that, FC United have a symbolic trip to AFC Wimbledon, whose own officials have done so much to help the new club through their initial teething troubles, by which time manager Karl Marginson will know whether he has a squad capable of pushing for promotion at the first attempt.
Marginson's first squad includes a link with the past in former Altrincham striker Jonathan Mitten, great-nephew of Red Devils legend Charlie Mitten, plus goalkeeper Phil Priestley, who has UEFA Cup experience from his time at Bangor City.
"I will be unbelievably proud when the team runs out tomorrow," said Pritchard.
"Personally, I have been drifting away from the game at the top end for a number of seasons.
"It is not just about Malcolm Glazer, it is about the players and agents stripping cash from the game.
"I think a lot of people, who support a lot of different clubs, have been in agreement for quite a while that football is reaching the stage where something has to give.
"I wouldn't be surprised if this is the start of it."
Will you be attending FC United's match with Leigh? Have your say.
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Will I be attending FC United's match with Leigh? - YES. Absolutely. As for not being in Manchester, Bury F.C. is an excellent venue for our first home season. Other supporters will be familiar with this ground from United reserve games. Bury F.C. supporters are familiar with us from the same. The ground has twice the capacity of Droylsden F.C. with Metrolink access from City centre and OT for those going to both clubs. No disrespect to Droylsden, but public services to the ground are a bit limited due to the lack of a Train Station and Metrolink. There was a proposed Metrolink to Tameside, but it was shelved in favour of upgrading the London underground to facilitate the Olympics bid. Bury F.C. has Train, Metrolink and buses. There's also significantly more parking space. The ground share will go some way to help relieve the 'Shakers' financial problems. I can remember a few seasons ago their fans standing with collection buckets at the turn styles at OT. If United supporters saw paper money in the collection bucket, it might have been because I was there first. I'm well pleased. I hope the Shakers are too. This should work out amicable to both clubs. Looks like I'm swapping Sir Matt Busby Way for 'Giggsy Lane' this season.
Can't wait for it all to start. Well done to everyone involved for making this actually happen. Good luck to the manager and squad for the new season,let's show the doubters we can make this work!
a story that has nothing to do with Manchester United. can't this little club have their own page? Listed with Macclesfield Town and Rochdale perhaps? I don't see why they keep linking this team with Manchester United, these are the people who have walked away from Manchester United. THEY have nothing to do with US.
FC United of Manchester, playing in Bury, oh the irony of it all!
I'll be there and I'll be bringing along as many mates as I can get to show their support for FC United and their hatred of Glazer and all he stands for.B#10 to get in, stand with your mates and not be told to stop singing, swearing, generally enjoying myself. Bring it on and long may it continue. Flixton away on Boxing Day, doesn't get much better does it?
How easy have these so called die hard Utd fans turned their back on the club? How do they know Glazier is going to destroy the club? He's not stupid enough to splash out that much cash to ruin a club, he's a businessman, in it to make utd sucessful hence making him money. It's about time the real utd fans stood up and get behind the real utd!!
For A.S of Stretford, yes I am walking away from Manchester United, walking away with my head held high and my principles intact, distraught and disgusted that the last vestiges of what was once a club that had a heart and a soul is now a debt ridden corporate toy owned by a man with no concept whatsoever of it's true meaning. I'm happy for you to enjoy your soulless franchise populated by over-paid mercenaries in sterile stadia watched by know-nothing day trippers, I'm more than content with my "little" club and what it represents.
Boring Boring Boring - Its summer the REAL SEASON starts on 13th August
I can't understand the vociferous opposition to FC United of Manchester from some of you lot. If you disagree with the idea then fine but why are you so spiteful and hateful towards a group of Reds who can't stomach Glazer? They don't vent their spleens towards the original Man United so why do you folks get so worked up about the idea of starting a non-commercial club, for the fans, from grass-roots level? What is to hate about that? I think this FC United business is very exciting and is a heartening response to the cheapening and tarnishing of the once-beautiful game. If you haters directed some of the bile you reserve for little old FC United at the big bad snake-in-sheep's-clothing having his wicked way with the original United and milking the fans for all they are worth.
Mike, Middleton, thankyou for taking the bait. As long as you lot are happy. I shall never leave what Matt Busby and the babes that died in munich made so great.
We'll keep the red flag flying high, cos MAN UNITED WILL NEVER DIE!
oh, Mike from Middleton, one more thing. I didn't read anything of your post other than the first line "yes I am walking away from Manchester United". shame on you!
If they were playing in my backyard, I would not bother looking out the window.
Will the paid attendence include the players on the field?
So many silly comments by REAL UNITED FANS, I have been a supporter of Manchester United for over 50 years and the fans of FCUOM have my full support, I will try and attend a game or two myself, I would have gone to OT but unfortunately I now can't afford it. The day there was talk of Glazer wanting United I remember the majority of fans were up in arms, 'not at our club', well then where have you all gone, lost your bottle for a fight have we, your all mouth, pity you don't open it when your in OT.
I have been a regular at Old Trafford since 1951 and went through the dark days of Munich and the highs of 1968 and 1999 but, unfortunately football (not just united) has changed for the worse. How many fans will be cheering Rio this coming season even if he does eventually sign. Be assured, there are other players at OT with the same mindset. And all this tripe about "Glazer is a businessman, he wants the team to be successful" when is SAF actually going to spend the promised B#25 million. We still have no midfield! My season ticket has gone up nearly 40%. What will it cost next year? We should all support F.C. United whenever we can. You never know they might be European Champions in ten years and all the profits will go to the club.
I think it's up to each, individual person to decide what they feel is the right option for them. Although, remember it's not the owners that you support, it's the players that play the game, the manager that's worked so hard for so many years. Not the Glazers.
Its a long way from London but expect the usual band of half wits to turn up for the novelty value ( as in "I was there when we played our first game" - yawn).
Memo to those who object to seeing FCUoM news on the MUFC pages of our local newspaper.
If you don't like it or agree with it, don't waste your time reading and posting about it.
The fact that you do presumably indicates that you have more than a passing interest in it? Or perhaps you feel threatened by this little team?
If there is a great deal of conteampt for FC and their followers, it is the way they have tried(and failed) to win their argument. Their sanctimonious clap trap has annoyed the legions of United fans around the world, whom they despise.
Now that they have betrayed United they still cannot back off and leave the rest of us to stand by this great club.
Good luck to FC United of Manchester.
I will not be able to get to the game, living in Cumbria and not having a car, but I hope to get to the game at Holker Old Boys FC.
Good luck to FCUoM - I'm sure you will enjoy yourselves - we have. Look forward to seeing you all next week.
I attended their duller-than-dirt scoreless draw. The crowd was nothing but the same drunken and bitter anti-American SU and IMUSA yobs who have spent their time protesting all around OT since last season ended.
united are dead and buried its not your club now its glazers you muppets
I have to congratulate FC United for "pulling it off". I hope you do well, after all, you were the real fans of Utd. As for you lot that are knocking them, pathetic! I work with a rag, a couple of months ago he was up in arms, now, he's sunk back into his seat at the swamp and is now so far up Glaziers poop shoot you can't see his feet. I wonder how long it will be before we can play you at the coms in the "Real" Manchester derby?
Jim Moran of Sale, your reference to a "duller-than-dirt scoreless draw" and stereotyping of United fans as "drunken, anti-American yobs" lead me to believe that you are a (1) American and (2) a mark, working on behalf of the Glazers to besmirch the good name of FCUM. Your dirty tricks and propaganda won't wash with the people of Manchester, pal.
Is is compulsory for every anti Man Utd, FC supporter to come from Chorlton
History is made. Forever and a day, United fans will ask 'Where did you watch FC United's first game?'..and 2,500 or so will be able to reply 'I was there'.