Been reading your mutual appreciation society comments on these pages. One point is you are railing against the megalith that is capitalism and should be applauded. Then stone me, isn't there a link on the FCUM web site to a FCUM Merchandise page? More faces than the town clock - and every one of 'em miserable to quote the Royle Family. Bringing the game back to the working man, my backside.

If there is a market for merchandise, it would be foolish not to cater for it. especially as all the profits will be ploughed into the team, club etc, rather than to repay a speculative and greedy gamble of a family only interested in themselves. Forza FCUoM

AP Gigg Lane - In response to the announcement of the Manchester United statues of Best, Law and Charlton, FC United has announed they will be erecting a papier-mache statue of Andy Walsh in front of Gigg Lane. But only if they can get permission from their landlords.

I take it the merchandise is being sold at cost then and not for profit? No of course not. For shame. Ploughing it back into the team - ah, I see, buying the title then. Shouldn't you call yourselves FC Chel$ki of Bury then?

THE BEST TEAM WON ,ANOTHER GREAT ADVERT FOR NON- LEAGUE FOOTBALL ,GO ON FC BRING THE FA VASE BACK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH WEST ,OH AND BY THE WAY US SALFORD FANS ARE NOT GLAZER RENT BOYS ,JUST UNITED FANS THAT CHOSE TO KEEP THE RED FLAG FLYING HIGH

Salford red. At last, someone who has an opinion of the match. I don't like the 'glazer' thing either as I'm all for freedom of choice. It's only happened at Salford matches so I guess it's to do with bunch who can't respect other people??TMs right to choose. Have a great time in Glasgow and I hope if another team get promoted its Salford.

'fc in vase cracker' would'nt quite have put it like tht

Joel. Your bait's off, mate.

Joel from Tampa, yeah yeah whatever you say. come on Eddy and Bryan we havn't heard from you two yet

Merchandise is sold to fans who own the club anyway and the profit goes back into the club not the pockets of fat cat business poeple with no interest in football and not to shareholders.
If that money is partly used to improve the team so what, what do you expect, the club has ambitions and the fan base to realise them without ripping anyone off (we the fans decide our own admission prices)
And by the way there is no way that we pay as much as some of the grossly exagerated figures suggested by some people with an ulterior agenda.
Some people just continue to sling mud regardless of whether there is any truth in it.
Non of the opposing teams we play seem to have a problem with a visit from FC and fact that the money they make from these games can keep them going for two years.
As I have asked the anti FC brigade on on here before and suprisingly not had any replies to.
Why do you spend so much time and energy in bad mouthing a non league club?
What harm have we done to you?
Is there something wrong with people enjoying their footaball at affordable prices in a great atmoshere?

Salford Red - I thought going into this match that Salford could once again square things in terms of rationality and reality but since the club failed to do so, you are now sulking it with the FC Fans?? Becoming one of them because they beat your club? I will now administer the end-all-and-be-all of statements: Go and cheer for Chelsea glory hound.

No, not baiting anyone. Just asking genuine questions about the how this thing came about, the principles behind it and how come they are not being adhered to. There are parrallels to be drawn with certain clubs much higher up the food chain. If that makes uncomfortable reading, I make no apology and suggest you follow pub football where there is a genuine sense of togetherness and certainly not for profit principles.

we are happy as we are 'joel' of tampa bay. Please keep your patronising suggestions to yourself. Although if I may make a suggestion, perhaps you should stick to american football. The buccaneers seem to be struggling badly this year

It is not for profit you fool. All cash received from any source is reinvested in the club. Written in the IPS constitution of the club. But don't let the facts get in the way of a good fantasy eh?

Of course it is for profit. I ask again, is your merchandising sold at cost? No it is not, it is sold with with margin. This profit is then ploughed back into the club where you use the funds to buy/pay better players. This financial muscle allows you then to behave no differently from Chelsea - ie at your level of football, with the funds available you have first pick on all/any players. That is the point I am making and given the words in your constitution and the principles involved in your decision to split from MUFC, surely all that goes against everything you purport to stand for. I do applaud your principles etc, they are extremely noble in this age of consumerism. However it does not detract from the fact that whilst you will all undoubtedly be successful as a club, you will have not achieved it as per the terms of your constitution. To be fair, ecconomically it would be impossible, so you were doomed to fail from the outset. Make no mistake though, I do admire your stance. Don't believe everything those in charge tell you.

the only 'surely' Joel is that you are talking circular nonsense. Why are you so hung up on the word 'profit'? Would you be more comfortable if we were to use the term 'fund raising' which is what many not-for-profit charities do? However you wish to define FC United and its constitution, I would have no problems if ultimately we could compete with the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, owned by members and where moneyraising activities benefit the club and fans by keeping the team successful and the ticket prices affordable

The audited accounts are a matter of public record. Why don't you have a look and come back and tell us what the board are lying about? FCUM is a club in the true sense of the word, owned and run by its members. The Chelsea comparison is worthless.

Speaking of FC United fund razing, here's one I will be partaking in. The Development Fund Draw. A special '200 club' is to be launched with the aim of boosting the Development Fund, which will be used to develop the club and the facilities that we need. The draw is in response to requests from a number of supporters who have asked about ways that they can help contribute to the Development Fund. With an absolute maximum of two hundred and fifty entries the draw represents a great opportunity to win the star prize of a brand new BMW. Each entry to the draw can be taken by an individual, a couple, a group of supporters, a company or other organisation. Entry to the Development Fund Draw is to be taken for a minimum period of twelve months. There will be three ways to donate: a) Weekly, monthly quarterly or annually by credit card b) Monthly quarterly or half yearly by standing order c) By cash or cheque in one or two payments. I will be going for option b). How it will work: Each entry will have a chance to win the star prize of a brand new car plus the monthly prizes and you will know that the proceeds are going to a good cause. The draw entry fee is ¿¿5 a week and whilst this is a significant financial commitment it is less than the price of a couple of pints a week or a packet of twenty cigarettes; so as well as helping build the club you could be improving your health and give yourself the chance to win any of the fantastic prizes. The deadline for entries is currently planned to be December 29th, with the first monthly draw taking place on January 13th. The final draw, when the lucky winner will have a choice of a BMW 1 series car, is planned to be carried out in December 2007. Prizes will include:- A BMW 1 Series car from Williams BMW - A Passage to India for two ¿¿" two weeks in a Goa resort - A trip to The Forts of India for six ¿¿" Bury¿¿TMs highly rated Indian restaurant - A ¿¿100 voucher to spend at the FC United shop - A meal for four at Brambles Wine Bar, Bury - For a school near you? A life size model skeleton from EASI Trading - A ¿¿300 voucher for Hair products & highlights from Tops Hair Salon - Gym Membership for two at Fitness First - Two ¿¿100 Vouchers for Celebration Cakes from Newmans¿¿TM of Radcliffe - Two Cases of Assorted Wines from Winecellar UK - A Cognac Italian leather briefcase/laptop-case from Tony Perotti.

Joel. I suspect you already know this but the fact is that FC Uniteds fund razing activities are no different than any other club at this level. We are just more successful at it than most. Comparisons with Chelsea are a bit misinformed to say the least. What sets clubs like FC United, AFC Wimbledon, AFC Telford and the new Runcorn Linnets apart from the rest is the way the clubs are owned and run. That is key in safeguarding against fans being exploited by unscrupulous owners for now and in the future. A better big club comparison would have been FC Barcelona. As for allegations of corruption, I think most fans in the know are well aware of the handful of loud mouths who have failed in their bitter campaign to bring us down by spreading propaganda. There is simply too much momentum behind the fans club for us to fail and our accusers know it.

Folks, I owe you an apology as it seems you have gotten me wrong with the jist of my argument. I am not for one moment saying there is corruption in the club. All I am saying - and to be fair, am yet to be proved wrong (and am more than happy to be wrong, as I have said, I think what you are doing warrants more coverage, plaudits and merit) - is that I am interested to know how in real terms your situation is different to any other club. I understand the constitution, I understand the break from MUFC, however, my untrained eye is seeing that it is profiteering ie goods and services sold to the customer at a cost + x% basis, that is keeping the club going rather than the noble Socialist principles you are aiming at. This is the tennet of most every professional club. Where you differ is that rather than creaming off the profits for shareholders et al, you claim it goes back into the club - which is a fundamental leap forward in my book. However it doesn't detract from the fact that the fans are paying more than cost and are being targeted via merchandising in order to put your club on footing similar to that of a very rich, dominant club, shall we say. Isn't this exactly what MUFC are doing to their customers? Is Mr Glazer not charging MUFC fans at a premium to plough it back into the club (albeit to service debt rather than the establisment of the clu, thouhg principally it is the same thing - ie club has a need ergo fans pay for it)? I hope that explains myself a bit better and I apologise again if it doesn't. Look forward to your responses and please again don't think I am trying to denigrate what you have done. I just think there is an element of smoke and mirrors about certain aspects of your consitution etc because it is simply impossible to achieve in this capitalist/consumerist world and I think you should be honest about it.

Forget the words profit and fund raising. A more scientific expression is surplus value. As for Salford red it didn't take him too long to show his true colours did it. Happy Ammies or hamsters running around the same old wheel as lemming FC. No wonder FC's second kit is in alluring white. More reverse gears than an Italian tank.

Joel. I think is so much nicer knowing that the money I choose to spend is creating employment for local people with all the profit going into the club, without some freeloaders using that profit to pay of their debts. What glazer is doing is making lots of money out of fan by creaming tens of millions of the top so that the fans will in effect buy the club for him. I argue that we should be buying a club for ourselves and to that end he will never get one penny of my money. Less you fotget United was in the black before glazer and now the club is 660 million in debt. As for our right Socialism its over rated. I go for "a club from the fans, for the fans and by the fans". I can't remember who said that but I agree. Viva la revolution, come on FC.

Good post Joel but if Free Red wants to pay money into his local Coop Society he should at least be getting some stamps for his dividend every time he "shops". Here's me thinking this was all about football but now its about keeping local people in work. I just hope he's so charitable when it comes to buying a Big Issue.

I don't collect stamps and yes, considering 27 members of staff have been given the boot at OT creating jobs is important. And I do give to big issue sellers only I leave them with the paper so they can make more money. I also pay money to Age Concern, The Bhopal appeal fund and give to beggars. Why? Have you a problem with that.

Free Red you are without doubt a living saint. Do you walk on water as well? I shall have to take a look at the FC crowd photos to see which fan has a halo and golden glow surrounding them. You don't minister to the sick and needy as well by any chance do you?