Stepney: Reds fans jealous of other sides

September 27, 2005

REDS legend Alex Stepney believes the club's fans are unhappy because they cannot bear to see other teams dominating the scene.

United fans have been criticised by assistant manager Carlos Queiroz after booing Sir Alex Ferguson and calling for the team to play a more traditional 4-4-2 line-up during Saturday's home defeat by Blackburn.

But Stepney, who was in goal when United won the European Cup against Benfica at Wembley in 1968, believes the fans' discontent is born of a deeper frustration.

"When a team has had so much success, people want to see that team winning," he said.

"Chelsea have taken over... Arsenal won it [the Premiership] without losing a game.

Fantastic

"So many things amount to it. At the end of the day United supporters are absolutely fantastic. It [Old Trafford] will go up to 75,000 next year and there's 68,000 at each game.

"Everything you read in the press goes into their heads. Supporters want the good times back."

However, Stepney does have some sympathy with United fans who are not happy with Sir Alex Ferguson's current 4-3-2-1 formation.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "United won everything with 4-4-2, that's the reason why they are saying that. But it's up to the club to change it. United haven't done too badly to be honest."

Do you agree with Stepney? Have your say.

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Anthony, Hamilton, Canada (27/09/2005 at 10:18)

I agree with Mr.Stepney because that's how I feel and anyone who loves the club do have the same feelings. I also agree with Mr.Stepney that United haven't done that bad either. United are still a strong team but football is a cruel game and things do not always happen your way.

Casper Heiselberg, Copenhagen, Denmark (27/09/2005 at 10:25)

Has he ever wondered that it might be because of who bought Manchester United Plc this summer?

Carlos Queiroz, The Swamp (27/09/2005 at 10:29)

Thank you Mr Stepney, told you they were stupid !

Gaz, North Stand (27/09/2005 at 10:41)

How condesening can you get accusing the fans of reacting due to what they read in a news paper, if any of these players, former players or coaches took the time to visit fan forums like these they would know we have had discontent with this formation since the begining but we gave the manager time to prove he was right but that time has now gone. For three years we have failed using this formation at home and in europe which is what it originally stemed from, the formation was a tight formation for playing away games in europe now they are trying to convince us it isn't a negative formation, bit of a contradiction isn't it.

Michael Manuel Ramirez, Downtown Slums (27/09/2005 at 10:56)

The fans who booed Fergie were the (SCOUSE/CITEH Style) classless daytripping muppets.

YOU WANT 442? Go support whichever team KEVIN KEEGAN manages next AND take MILLER and O'SHEA with you!!!

Mick, Manchester (27/09/2005 at 11:01)

Queiroz calls rag fans stupid. LOL, what took him so long to agree with what Blues have been saying for years.

Brian, Blackpool (27/09/2005 at 11:04)

I for one am not jealous of other teams. Daft as it seems to me its not solely about winning. The main reason I've watched United through thick and thin for 40 years is because they've entertained me. Best Law & Charlton, Tommy Doc's 4-4-2 with Coppell and Hill flying down the wings, best of all some of Ron Atkinsons football with Robbo and Norman running the midfield with silky touches from Arnold Muhren.
To be fair Fergies reign has been brilliantly successful partly due to the fact that he has had the kind of financial backing that Busby, the Doc and Big Ron could only dream about!But I for one think Fergie legacy is one of trophies rather than great entertainment. Now the trophies are maybe drying up the lack of entertainment is more starkly obvious. I will of course freely admit that the Eric years where most certainly as good entertainment as anything I've seen, but since he left has it been quite the same? OOPS sorry for going off on one but what I'm trying to say is winning isn't everything and United playing great football is what I really want to see.

Ian, Beswick (27/09/2005 at 11:12)

Yes, that's right it's all jealousy. The three years of turgid football, the waste of our money in the transfer market (hello Martin Ferguson), the nepotism, the Rock of Gibraltar, the press blackout etc, etc... those have absolutely nothing to do with it. It's all the fans fault anyway.

Joe, Malta (27/09/2005 at 11:22)

Of course we remember Atkinson Brian. When he was around, even then United were the biggest spenders in the UK. Results? 2 FA Cups and nothing more.
In one of his last seasons, we managed to throw away a 10 point lead in the league. He also managed squandered millions on the likes of Davenport, Terry Gibson,Alan Brazil. Throughout this years of "entertaining" football, no united striker managed 20 goals a season and the scousers would usually have rapped up the league by March.
Get real!

Windy Miller, Camberwick Green (27/09/2005 at 11:26)

You have 68K at every home game at the moment. When the gap gets to 20 points by mid season youb�TMll start to see the empty seats vacated by the day trippers just as we have at COMS. All those of you who will have cried b�oecanb�TMt get a ticket, mateb�, will get their chance. Or wonb�TMt it be so appealing for you when thereb�TMs not a hope in hell of winning the title?

Norbert Bugeja, Gzira Malta (27/09/2005 at 11:42)

dear alex stepney.... we would be jealous if we were playing well .... being called stupid by an assistant manager who made real madrid the laughing stock of europe and now jealous by a so called legend we support united till the end UNITED FOR EVER

DC, Dublin (27/09/2005 at 12:20)

Ex-footballers really show their stupidity when they talk of how little fans know about the game, 'because they've never played'. I would imagine a lot of fans under 40 play on average once a week (about ten times more often than Saha), so would have some knowledge of it. On top of that, it's not rocket science, is it? Am I the only one fed up of listening to the likes of Niall 'everyone is just SOO great' Quinn and Paul 'oy speyk ve kweens inglish' Walsh? The opinions of columnists and analysts like Guillem Balague are far more inciteful than watching Marsh and Walsh verbally running at each other with pots on their heads, or the BBC 'in-joke' routine.

Bryan Wilky, Droylsden (27/09/2005 at 12:21)

I cant believe old Alex Stepney. What a joker!
Carried for years by the great 68 team and deposed by one of the worst Utd goalies in history. I watched you every two weeks Alex - what about the Pat Jennings goal - short memory matey.
Not jealous - we just dont like average teams after putting money into the club week in - week out.

John, Singapore (27/09/2005 at 12:26)

Well, this is the whole point isn't it? You don't let your rivals get ahead of you and definitely not just roll over and give in to the new kids on the block. I'm still a firm believer that money isn't a recipe to success but Chelsea isn't all about the money. They had motivation, a desire something we have been lacking since .... 1999?? Ferguson is already over and we are getting stale in every compartment. We need to change things around and the way to do that is to get rid of the person at the helm, no matter how good he is. 18 years is seriously a stint too long and in the past, there is a reason why great sides like Barcalona and Juventus remain at the top, they bring in new person and change the complexion things are run and in doing so, revolutionize the team. There are reasons why empire crumble and new governments take over and shouldn't Manchester United do the same?

Mary, Sale (27/09/2005 at 12:29)

Nobody cares what he says.

Big Bird, Salford (27/09/2005 at 12:33)

Fergie, Queiroz out we are playin unattractive football, most of the signings are rubbish, no atmosphere at the ground - your time is up Alex!

Brian, Blackpool (27/09/2005 at 12:37)

Joe in Malta. You miss my point. To visit Old Trafford was a treat. The whole place had a buzz on matchdays from the moment we queued for a spot in the middle of the Stretford End to the journey home. Every player had his own song. Every game started like a cavalry charge as United laid seige to the opposition goal for twenty minutes at the start of each half. Often the opposition survived the pressure and beat us, but you always felt the team was giving 100%. For gods sake I know Big Ron made some bad signings and things weren't perfect, and yes the scousers cleaned up but believe me the matchday experience was 10 times as good as it is today. Despite all the recent success I wouldn't swap those days and memories.

ted knott, droylsden (27/09/2005 at 12:58)

Its not so much jealousy but I think its DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS.Some Utd fans have to accept they cant be the top team all the time and if they followed City they really would have something to moan about not witnessing a major trophy for 29/30 years and constantly being taken for granted by their management.Utd will come through this present adversity because their fans will demand it,with City all we get is EMPTY pledges assurances and relegation dog fights,just be thankful you red fans and consider the City fans suffering!

Joe, Malta (27/09/2005 at 12:58)

You re right Brian. Ironically, the first 20 minutes in the game vs Blackburn reminded me of the era you mentioned. The problem nowadays is that the fans are more demanding and want both entertainment and results. (we are failing in both, by the way). At Chelsea for eg the situation is different, fans do not care about entertainment as long as the team is winning.

Bluemoon, Manchester (27/09/2005 at 13:29)

If United fans cared about entertainment the ground would be empty.

DC, Dublin (27/09/2005 at 13:47)

If city fans cared about their club their ground WOULDN'T be empty.

Mick, Dublin (27/09/2005 at 15:24)

If you're winnning all the time you don't care how the team plays. But if you're gonna drop points every weekend it's nice to be entertained. So I understand why a lot of you are pretty peeved. But, in my opinion, booing your team or manager after the first defeat of the season is out of order. We have no God-given right to finish in the top 3 every year, never mind winning silverware. There are plenty of "big clubs" who finish mid-table. And plenty of under-achieving clubs whose fans always get behind their teams, no matter what happens. I would hate it if United fans got a reputation for throwing their toys out of the pram at the first taste of adversity. We all agree that our team is struggling, we all have different theories about what needs to be done. But hey, that's life as a football fan. We've been unbelievably lucky not to have these sort of worries for the last 10 years or so. The dividing line between winning trophies and finishing mid-table is incredibly fine. It might be our turn to read the teletext at the weekend more in hope than expectation. Fair enough, but don't let's get known as bunch of cry-babies while we're at it.

Frank, Old Trafford (27/09/2005 at 16:02)

Sorry Mick but you're out of touch. The way we win and won is of paramount importance. Winning after playing badly is a consolation but it is absolutely unacceptable and that's the way it should be. If anything we are proud of our heritage of attacking football and I can assure you that Sir Matt would be turning in his grave if he could see the state of our game at the moment. If we play good attacking football the victories will come, they might not produce trophies but at least we're being true to our heritage. The reaction you condemn is not the result of one match but a long, slow painful decline that we have endured for 4 years. This action was not taken lightly by any fan so don't judge it in such a manner. In the 80s booing would be heard for a bad 20 mins or a lack of effort or a bad substitution, it is not a lack of respect but part of the game. we applaud and chher and sing for certain reasons and boo and swear for others it is an intrinsic part of being a football supporter. The blind faith you propose would destroy the game and is for the dreaded prawn sandwich eater.

Stamatis, Brussels (27/09/2005 at 16:23)

For some, being loyal equals being passive. No. The fans have the right to express themselves. And when they donB4t like the football they are watching and/or the result, they make their opinion known and that has nothing whatsoever to do with the titles in the end of the tunnel, erm, sorry, the season. Dont make it sound as if the only known protesting fans in the universe are United fans anno 2005.

WYTHENSHAWE BLUE, MCR(OBVIOUSLY coz im not a red haha) (27/09/2005 at 16:25)

it isnt that youv lost a game wats so upsetting to yous, its that u continuously try to believe man u r still the greatest,but its over now.its the pain of having to accept man u are an average team again thats hurtin the red fans so much.but all good things come to an end.so boys just meet the end and get on with a new image called mediocre.leave it to chelsea and arsenal maybe city.but just stop living in hope that the good times r still ere,theyv gone

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