A warm FC welcome to Ben Deegan. I well remember him playing (and scoring !) against us at Ashton last season. I was well impressed - he is very skilful for a big lad. I'm sure he'll love it at FC. No doubt there'll be a song for him before he has even kicked a ball !

FC United - the pride of South Korea. Ridiculous! Isn't this supposed to be a local community club?

Good replacement for Kyle. With Marsh & Lomax there as well we should be a threat up front..even more so if we can hang onto Roca & Wright out wide. How long is it to the new season??? Can't wait!

2 hearts but the Seoul is one....you could not make it up. Is this the grass roots football you bought into or the rampant commercialism that you walked away from?

Are they trying to tap into the Asian markets?

It's a bit of an odd one this. I don't suppose every Fcer will be able to afford this one. I do know this all expenses paid trip that isn't costing FC United fans a penny as the entire trip is covered by sponsorship. I have also been told that it is the Korean team who want FC United to keep the details of the trip quiet even though the date, time, opposition and venue details were on the FC United website for weeks before they suddenly disappeared. So I guess I better wait until there is an official announcement before I post more details. What I can say is that while the FC United team are chopping down on dog kebabs other Fcers will be at Butlins in Minehead supporting Eric Cantona.

That's right folks, Football legend Eric Cantona is leading the French beach football team to Minehead in July. The competition will see a select band of Europe's footballing giant's battle it out on the sand as part of the Beach Soccer Euroleague, staged at the 2,000-seat purpose-built stadium in Minehead. The cost of staying Butlins in Minehead over the corresponding period start from £95 per person for a three-night break. Here are the competition details.

This will be the first time England has played host to a leg of the BSWW Euroleague. Seven of the worlds best International teams will compete over 3 days and all 8 matches will be shown live on Eurosport. The matches will take place Fri 17 / Sat 18 / Sun 19 July 2009 at Minehead (3 games per day). Here is the program of games.

Friday 17 July: Germany v Azerbaijan - 2pm, France v Switzerland - 3pm, Czech Rep v Hungary - 4pm. Saturday 18 July: Czech Rep v Switzerland - 2pm, England v Germany - 3pm, France v Hungary - 4pm. Sunday 19 July: Switzerland v Hungary - 2pm, France v Czech Rep - 3pm, England v Azerbaijan - 4pm. Ticket Prices - £10.00 adults / £5.00 Children per day: £25.00 Adults / £10.00 per child – 3 day ticket: (Kids under 2 go free!) Initially offered to residential Butlins guests.

Viva la France! Come on Eric

Vegas blue, you never let us down do you ? You can be totally relied upon to spout utter drivel about things you know nowt about. Terry, you are another. Let me clarify for you. The club who have INVITED FC over there have suffered themselves due to the money-obsessed game we have today. They were bought out and relocated on an island many miles away, so they formed their own club. They then established links with AFC Wimbledon, and, through them, FC United. They originally wanted Wimbledon to go over also, but they had a prior commitment. It has nothing whatsoever to do with any kind of commercialism - purely a meeting of fan-owned clubs from different parts of the world. You should try this fan ownership - it's great ! Sure beats relying on some fat cat walking in and buying any success you might have.

Here's a good news story for a closed season. FC United has been declared winner of the 2009 Promotion of Co-operative Values and Principles award

This Co-operative Excellence award identified the club as having made a significant attempt to further understanding of the co-operative model through the promotion of co-operative values and principles.

If FC United has the honour of being the first football club to win this award, it is because our members decided they wanted a club in the true sense of the word; an organisation fully owned and controlled by its members. We did not want to go down the road of being another football club owned by the few for the benefit of the few. Our constitution in particular enshrines that we exist for the benefit of the community as a whole rather than any narrow interests. For this reason the club is proud to have received this prestigious award.

An independent judging panel declared that FC United was: “most deserving of greater recognition for the work that they do promoting co-operatives and the values of co-operation.”

As a result the club will also be put forward in November for the Global Awards for Co-operative Excellence, to be awarded at the International Co-operative Alliance congress. The alliance has 800 million co-operative members and to be nominated for a global gong ahead of all the Premier and Football League clubs in England is a great achievement.

Update on my last post. Promotion of Co-operative Values and Principles Award
FC United has been declared winner of the 2009 Promotion of Co-operative Values and Principles award

This Co-operative Excellence award identified the club as having made a significant attempt to further understanding of the co-operative model through the promotion of co-operative values and principles.

If FC United has the honour of being the first football club to win this award, it is because our members decided they wanted a club in the true sense of the word; an organisation fully owned and controlled by its members. We did not want to go down the road of being another football club owned by the few for the benefit of the few. Our constitution in particular enshrines that we exist for the benefit of the community as a whole rather than any narrow interests. For this reason the club is proud to have received this prestigious award.

An independent judging panel declared that FC United was: “most deserving of greater recognition for the work that they do promoting co-operatives and the values of co-operation.”

As a result the club will also be put forward in November for the Global Awards for Co-operative Excellence, to be awarded at the International Co-operative Alliance congress. The alliance has 800 million co-operative members and to be nominated for a global gong ahead of all the Premier and Football League clubs in England is a great achievement.

Wow ! Don't you just love "This Thing of Ours" ? Truly a "peoples club" and not just one like city and Everton who just proclaim themselves to be. Despite - like most people - wondering back in 2005 where this FC thing would take us, I am now immensely proud of what the club has become. Very much community-orientated, principled, yet such good fun too. Well done FC ! To those who just "don't get it" about FC I say - your loss. You really don't know what you're missing.

Reading some of the comments from those currently commenting on the good things the Glazers have done for United, I don't think we're losing out much from the ones who don't get it. One commented "...we owe the Glazers". Couldn't have put it better myself.

I am proud to anounce my 2008/2009 SEASON-END Awards!!! 1) Worst Attempt at Unbiased Journalism: Winner - Stuart Brennan 2) Worst Attempt at writing interesting and non-sleep inducing posts: Winner FRED READ 3) Worst attempt at sports plagiarism - copying a real club on a very small scale and putting yourself in charge : WINNER A.Walsh 4) 2008/2009 Funniest Poster on the MEN site: WINNER : Vegas Blue 5) Worst Attempt at pretending to be interest in non-league footie, while eating and breathing PL Footie on her tele. WINNER: Lady Barnjohn.

Wow, Walnut ! You really think you are funny don't you ? Fact is, you are incredibly boring and predictable. And about as funny as being lost in Liverpool. Why don't you give YOURSELF an appropriate award ? Gullible Numpty of the Year would do quite nicely I think. Here is a man who probably sang "Not For Sale", then quite happily spends all his hard-earned to help fund the debts of an American billionaire. Despite thousands of lifetime reds being no longer able to afford to go, and Manc youth never having known the joy of going week in week out, you still blithely proclaim your loyalty to the money men. Muppet.
As for my "pretence" of being interested in non-league, well, if going home and away with FC for the last four years constitutes a pretence, then I am guilty as charged. As for the telly, don't make me laugh. I don't have Sky on principle (they can dictate to YOU when your team plays if you like, but not me or mine) and I only occasionally watch MOTD these days. Have you noticed that apart from OT and one or two other grounds, nowhere is ever full these days ? Ever occur to you that there are people all over the country who can no longer afford to go ? Wake up Walnut and get real.

FC United have been drawn against Ashton United away in the FA Trophy on 17th October and will play either Sheffield FC, Winsford or Flixton away in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. Flixton v Winsford is the Extra Preliminary Round tie, the winners of that play Sheffield away in the Preliminary Round.

Trash Walny lunatic post count on FC United: 947

Apparently there are 20,000 predicted to watch this match in South Korea. I can't see many of the fans going but it will be an experience for the players who would probably never get to play abroad in front of a crowd like that if they played elsewhere at our level. It's great for them that this invite has been sent to us.

FC United are finally able to confirm Bucheon FC 1995 as the team we are playing in Korea Republic (South Korea) on Saturday 18 July.
Bucheon FC 1995 have announced the game formally and sent us the links (see below) but unfortunately they are all in Korean and Babelfish can only do so much. What is clear is that this is a big game for them and they have told us they are expecting a crowd of up to 20,000!

There certainly seems to be a lot of anticipation among their supporters and a translation of their fans site at http://www.bucheonfc.net/ appears to say:
"World Football Game Dream Match 2009 - Bucheon’s first wish will finally come true. Spectators in the stadium filled with a similar story with us and with a foreign football team to play. July 18 our hope is real."

This is an amazing opportunity for FC United and we’re honoured to be able to feature in a game against a fans-owned club with similar founding principles to our own. Bucheon FC 1995 were formed in 2007 when their club Bucheon SK was taken over, moved to an island off the south coast and had their name changed to Jeju United. Not surprisingly, with a story like that, Bucheon FC 1995 have forged a friendship with AFC Wimbledon and it’s through that link we received this invitation.

A lovely day outside and some more hilarity from the fc hater. Drivel but enjoyable reading at the same time, at least we know he still cares bless him.

Dash, cheers for the award, have I won a game for fc united next season?

Are Sky Sports showing the fc united awards evening live from the pub?

Hang on, now it's the double-act, prepare for a barrel full of laughs.

Hey Vegas, you'd better go and lie down in a darkened room pal ! That was TWO whole sentences. One more than your usual postings. Thanks for being such a berk - you give us all a laugh every time you come on. Oh by the way - whereabouts in Manchester IS Staly ? Just asking because we are always told that ALL your fans live virtually within walking distance of the Bitterdome.

Next up, Leek CSOB FC v FC United of Manchester, Saturday 11th July 2009, Kick off 3:00pm. FC United are delighted to announce the first pre-season will be against our old friends from Leek CSOB. It should be a sentimental return to the place where our competitive games kicked off and we’re hoping to see some old familiar faces from that first League game at Leek. Margy says "It will be great to return to the ground where I took charge of my first competitive game as FC United’s manager. I’m going to ask some of our ex-players to come back and play in our team, so we can have a bit of fun, as well as winning the game of course." Stan Lockett from Leek agreed "It should be a good day out for everyone. I'll be ordering extra pies for your fans again." This game is to be played at Harrison Park, Macclesfield Road, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 8LD. This game is pay on the gate. £5 Adults £2.50 Under 16s & Senior Citizens.

Directions: By Car:
From the South: Leave M6 at J15, over roundabout on to the A500, go over the flyover, up the slip road, onto the A50 and follow the signs to Leek. Go straight over the roundabout (Britannia Building on the left) to large set of lights. Go straight across St. Georges Street to top of road to junction, turn left, go down the hill for about a half a mile. The Ground is on the left. From the North: Leave M6 at J19. Take Macclesfield signs. Follow into Macclesfield then take A523 Leek/Buxton signs. Follow these to Leek. Ground is situated on the right as you come into Leek.
From West Midlands: M6 J15. A500 towards Stoke, over flyover, take A50 past Brittania Stadium. After approx 3 miles join A53 signposted Leek. On entering the town, straight ahead up St Edwards St. (Remainder as above). The Buxton Carnival takes place on the same day, supporters who will be travelling through the Buxton area are advised to do so before 12:30pm.

Fc Ladyboy?, why do you consistantly get your knickers in a twist when what are quite humourous comments from our friend Vegas blue and Dash entertain us on a daily basis?
is it because they are irritatingly right?, paticulary in reference to you being a secret slave to sky and Manyou?, or is it the constant reference to pub football and the reality that thats what FC Utd really is that gets up your nose?

answers on the back of a stamp as usual please!

Hey Free Red, why dont you organise a trip to North Korea?, I hear its very nice there this time of year!.

Hey Free Red, how about organising a pre-season trip to North Korea?, I hear its quite nice there this time of year!.

Here we are, there appears to be three on our comedy bill tonight. People respond because 1. It's their right and 2. You all spout drivel that isn't backed up by any knowledge. It's almost like the comments that my Year 1 class come out with, like I can pull a funnier face than you, I have more toys than you, blah blah blah. You post infantile nonsense, most of the time you are ignored, like you would a child wanting attention, however at times you need putting right. So, what information do you have that Fc United of Manchester are a pub team? Do you believe teams in the Unibond Premier are setup, organised and managed in a pub, seriously do you? Respect where it's due to non-league teams, just because you don't watch it doesn't mean others can't. In conclusion, grow up and start posting comments that are worthy of discussion because there are Dukinfield, Dash and Vegas who frequent this board and you are just making yourselves look silly.

Nice one Phil. Those three that you refer to - they are just like the Three Stooges from years ago. Might have been funny once, but very dated and out of touch now. They are a bit like an itch that you eventually have to scratch - irrititating in the short term, but once you have scratched, it's forgotten in seconds. Muppets. They come on here "for a laugh" but the only ones they amuse are each other.
Here's one for you then Berties - Dec 8th 1998 Man City 1 Mansfield Town 2.(Auto Windscreens Cup) ATTENDANCE 3,007. April 25th 2009 FCUM 1 Bradford PA 1. ATTENDANCE 3,718. Does this mean city were a pub team back in 1998 ? And where were YOU 3 ? Does it also mean that FC are bigger now than city were then ?