FC UNITED have defied the cynics to establish themselves as a thriving force in Manchester football - and the new club's board says: "This is just a start."
The doubters predicted that disillusioned supporters who gave up the glory of Manchester United and set up their own club in the Moore and Co Construction Solicitors League would slink back to Old Trafford shortly after the new season kicked off, leaving behind a handful of diehard fans and a struggling team.
And yet, six weeks in, the rebels top the Second Division of the North West Counties League - as it is traditionally known - averaging nearly four goals a game, with a membership of over 3,000 and an average crowd higher than that of Macclesfield Town and only just short of Bury, whose ground they share.
FCUM are in the process of taking on two full-time staff members, are selling out of replica shirts, scarves and badges, and are already developing plans to expand the club with junior and ladies' teams, as well as putting out roots into the community.
Phenomenal
The success of the club has been phenomenal.
When the newly-formed team played its first game, a friendly at Leigh RMI in July, no one knew what would happen.
Estimates of the expected crowd ranged from a few dozen to around 800. Instead, 2,500 showed up.
Supporters fed up with inflated Premiership prices, aloof players, poor atmosphere and stifling stewards have flocked to the FC United banner. The club's formation was a revolution not entirely sparked by the Glazer family's Old Trafford takeover.
And Andy Walsh, one of the leading lights of the FC United movement and now acting as general manager until the post is filled, says there are plans to keep growing.
"The crowds have been maintained and built upon," he said. "In fact, our indications are that more people are going to be coming to our games.
"We are starting to gel on the field, although the manager Karl Marginson has not been entirely happy with the level of performance.
"But the feedback we get tells us that supporters have been so enthused by what they have seen on the pitch, and experienced on the terraces, that they intend to bring more friends and family."
It is off the field that FC United have been a real revelation. Their away support has been bigger than that of some Premiership teams this season - and the supporters at Gigg Lane's Manchester Road End claim to be the noisiest and most colourful in the country.
Low profile
The men behind the scenes try to maintain a low profile. The board of 11 has a rota which dictates who has to do the "flesh-pressing" in the directors' lounge that week, and which luckier souls get to sit or stand with their friends and family.
All of the board members were elected by the membership, and Walsh says that they see their role as converting the wishes of the supporters into reality.
Many within the North West Counties League were sceptical. Some felt FC United would not even make it to the start of the season, others were fearful that they were some kind of hooligan army about to wreak havoc from Daisy Hill to Darwen.
Those fears were intensified at the first game, when some fans threw beer cans on to the pitch at Leigh and a steward was assaulted.
But the supporters addressed that problem, there have been no incidents since then and the police have begun scaling down their presence at their games.
Stand
"The police have begun to accept that our crowds are boisterous but friendly," said Walsh. "We have plenty of Bury stewards, but they seem to enjoy it as much as the supporters, even joining in the songs and banter. Our fans police themselves."
FC United was founded by supporters who refused to compromise their principled stand against Glazer, many giving up their season tickets.
And their principles were bound to rub raw against some in the non-league pyramid - the FC United board refused to sell tickets for a sportsmen's dinner because it was men-only.
The league, far from taking umbrage, agreed that it was an out-moded concept and is now planning to replace the event with one which is open to all.
Walsh says that the immediate aim of the club is to keep the momentum going and consolidate their supporter base - but there are plans for the future.
"We have a team of people, led by a couple of board members, looking at community work and how we can develop it, including forging links with local junior clubs and schools.
"Eventually we want to develop teams at all levels and age groups, girls as well as boys, and a ladies' team, but how much we do will depend on finance and the will of the supporters."
Will FC United continue to grow? Have your say.
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You know it makes sense :P
Stuart - you are doing us proud with your coverage of the club.
We'll continue to grow and thrive with writeups like this and Monday's "Inside Out" on BBC1.
Thank you.
I'd just like to thank Andy, Jules and the rest for all their efforts these last few months. It wouldn't have happened without them. I'd like to thank them for allowing me to fall back in love with football. The most fun I've had at football since the late '80s. Long may it continue.
Who can sell all the programmes,
the hat and scarf maaaan
and bring hap-piness-to-the-dis-enfranch-ised?
Andy can...
FC Utd has touched a nerve with all MUFC supporters all around the world. Just as Manchester United hasa global following, so does FC. It gives you something to focus on in the fight against Glazer and has brought REAL football and PASSION back to the game.
Like many, on the 12th May 2005, I thought my love affair with Football and Manchester United was over. Glazer had given me no option.
How wrong I was, in match going terms FC is the best buzz I've had for litterly years!
Well done to the board.
FC United of Manchester have given me the chance to enjoy football again and take my kids for B#2 each for great entertainment. I will always Love MUFC and will go as long as I can afford it but I cannot get my kids in as well - where's the future in that?
FCUMUFC OK
I am now a FC United fan after supporting Man United for 30yrs + home & away but don't feel i have changed club, now that might seem a strange to thing to say but until you've attended an FC United game you probably won't understand my point. All i can say is when i went to my first game i was a bit unsure as to how i would feel after it. I walked away from the ground with the thought 'thats my united'. If the one side of my club that is called Man Utd continue (which i doubt) under Glazer then fair enough but i know i could never go back because FC United are Man Utd to me, not a separate club with a separate identity but a side of the club in which the true traditions will be carried on but without the mistakes that unfortunately have taken place at OT. If Newton Heath LYR would have started as a supporter owned club i would still be going to OT, it was unheard of at that time but for me it's the way forward now. This is my personnal view but Newton Heath LYR changed its name to Manchester United FC & then to FC United of Manchester. I love FC United, always have for the last 30+yrs & always will, thats how i see it.
Sick of listening to the fan next to you on the mobile phone while the match is on at OT? sick of the lack of atmosphere at OT? sick of paying ridiculous amounts of money to see mediocre football, old trafford needs an enema....big style. "Ohhh i might not get another season ticket if i dont pay Mr Glazer hundreds of pounds to renew it!!................Hey wake up an smell the coffee my brothers and sisters....your season ticket will as much use as railtrack share in the next few years. If you want change vote with your feet not with your heart. If you want Glazer out you have to do it now. Support FCUM and Join Shareholders United.
I really feel as though I have a new lease of life. Thanks to everyone involved in the setting up and running of FC and also to Stuart Brennan and the M.E.N for giving the club a voice. Long may it continue.
I have seen the future. And the future is FC United. Without doubt the best thing to come from Manchester since the last best thing.
Marginson's red and white army!
Fantastic article!
The whole FC United experience has been amazing so far, why did we put up with being told to 'sit down and shut up' for so long in the Premiership?!
Altogether now...
Under the boardwalk........!!!
Another fine piece of journalism by a journalist that has taken the time and trouble to research his story thoroughly. Just a couple of points. I understand the membership is now over 5000. The fans that threw beer cans on to the pitch at Leigh and had an altercation with a steward numbered less than twenty. I believe they were invited to leave by people who knew them. I haven't seen them since. I spoke one of the two policemen at the Castleton game and his son has been going to FC United games. I've taken my kid to every game, but I wouldn't if I though there was going to be any trouble.
Tony T (London)...its Marginsons fruit and veg army!!(he's a wholesale grocer).
Life is RED.
I'm delighted that things are going so well and that FCUM has established democratic principles. I'm increasingly alienated from big time football and though I cannot offer much support from Australia I have started to support my local team - South Hobart.
Les Crompton, Hobart Tasmania - Come on South Hobart! A pre-season friendly next summer between South Hobart v. FC United sounds good to me. All the best for the season Les.
Pure rubbish. Absolute Rubbish!!
Questions I would like answered: Why didn't the author mention that FCUM plays in a league where some teams RECORD attendences are less than 100? Why does this poor product continue to receive a "free pass" in the press? Hopefully "THIS IS JUST A START" soon becomes "THIS IS ABOUT TO END."
Go away please!
always a pleasure to read what stuart writes, and nice to see him supporting a team that stands up to the prostitution of manchester culture.
Many thanks to Stuart Brennan of MEN who the only journalist who has bothered to put pen to paper and write about our matches.
If its o.k. with every other FCUM fan i vote he does the first official book on FCUM.
Life is RED
RED RIVS, SALE - Good call. I'll buy one Stu if you do.
Is Stuart a writer for the MEN or the official FCUM publicist?
As for the attendance figures: Flixton was alledgedly 2000+. Leek was alledgedly 2500+ as was Padiham. All very convenient "round" numbers. Yet Ecceshall was 1978, Winford a "rounded" 2200, Blackpool 2266 and Castleton 2473. An attendance figure for Ashton Town was not even reported because it was so low. Was "freebie" day a result of the low attendence at Ashton town? Will the low attendance at Gigg Lane this Wednesday be reported?
The Tommy bloke in Tampa. You go away! This is our local news paper. Who the hell do you think you are telling use to go away you ignorant pig.
Tampa tampa - hope you're not on a diet like the 30% of your fellow septics who are OBESE tommy boy - cos you got to eat all those words about low attendance . 3000+ !!!!
Oh Tommy from Ardwick. How ignorant you prove yourself to be.
"The Ashton attendance was not quoted cos it was so low" - Is that so Tommy? Because a quick look on any relevant website shows it to be 1424. Leek was 2590, not 2500+ and Winsford was actually 2220, not a "rounded" 2200.
Anyway, you clearly don't want the end to be nigh for FCUM because then you wouldn't have anything to talk about.
Ignore the tampa saddo. His bile gets bigger as his predictions get poorer. Before the Oldham game he was predicting falling crowds. but we're now past the 3000 mark. And growing. Great stuff and wonderful atmosphere and entertainment, worth walking, cyling to or by tram train bus or car. Sheer magic. And no amount of pathetic name calling, idiotic insults or untruths are going to stoo us now. Go FCUoM