Never mind Rooney and Ronaldo: the summer has been just as busy over at FC United, writes Tony Howard

While Old Trafford was the centre of national attention over Wayne Rooney's World Cup fitness, his subsequent clash with Cristiano Ronaldo and the future of Ruud van Nistelrooy, it was also a busy close-season at the other United.

In between celebrating their first birthday, FC United of Manchester spent the summer winning their first-ever cup, enlisting a winger called R Giggs and injecting a bit a of showbiz thanks to the inclusion of a Coronation Street star.

FC fans turning up to watch their club's pre-season games were left baffled by a couple of familiar figures; indeed, many were left rubbing their eyes and mistakenly believing that a Manchester United legend had made an improbable switch to Gigg Lane.

At first glance Rhodri Giggs is the spitting image of his brother Ryan, although he plays on the right rather than left and lacks the yard of pace that his older sibling is blessed with. He does, however, look equally smart in a red shirt, he runs in the same arm-pumping style - and takes corners in a similar vein by hitting the first defender with alarming regularity. That aside, Giggs has fitted into the camp well.

As has Sam Robertson, better known as Adam Baldwin in Corrie. The boy with the strange barnet impressed FC United's coaching team during a charity game in May, after which the manager Karl Marginson said: "Mike Baldwin's lad looked good; we'd like to get him involved."

As a result, locals walking their dogs on the field behind the south Manchester high school where FC train can enjoy the surreal sight of Adam Baldwin being put through his paces twice a week by a delivery driver from Ancoats. At least it's taken his mind off the wrangling about his Dad's will. Robertson/Baldwin has gone on to make fleeting appearances throughout the summer with the new FC United reserve team.

Fans hope that the new faces - including the striker Stuart Rudd, who has plundered over 30 goals at other clubs in each of the last five seasons - will soften the blow of losing the talismanic Steve Torpey, who was poached by Halifax Town after an amazing individual performance in FC's impressive 4-2 friendly victory at the Shay.

Torps' place in United legend is assured, however, as it was he who banged in FC's first-ever goal at Flixton a year ago. And he certainly went out with a flourish in his final appearance against Halifax. During FC's inception they were warned by those behind AFC Wimbledon not to get too attached to players as they come and go at this level. How right they were.

United had hosted AFC Wimbledon at Gigg Lane, beating them to claim the Supporters Direct Cup, again thanks to a Torpey special. As a result FC have a nice cup to go in the cabinet alongside the North West Counties Division Two trophy they won in their inaugural season. There was also a game against the landlords Bury at Gigg Lane, where the Reds outnumbered the home supporters by two to one. Bury won at a canter, but the moral victory was with the far more vociferous lodgers.

A week before the league season began FC returned to the scene of the club's first-ever game, and were impressive 4-0 winners against Leigh RMI, who sit three divisions higher in the football pyramid. It was in stark contrast to the 0-0 draw there in July 2005, and offered a marker of how far the club has come since that famous day.

Now fans will hope that, with a couple of new signings and a lad called Giggs running down the wing, they can win their second successive title. And with the mouthwatering prospect of an FA Vase run to look forward to, it's sure to be another eventful season in FC United's short history.

FC United open their North West Counties League Division Two campaign with a visit to St Helens Town on Saturday August 12, kick-off 3pm.

FRIDAY MAY 12, 2006

Whisper it quietly, but it's a year this Friday (May 12) since Malcolm Glazer took over at Manchester United, and, for some former Old Trafford patrons, the doom we felt 12 months ago has lifted to such an extent that the anniversary will be more a celebration than a memorial.

Many of the Reds who refused to grease the American's palms will not this year be burning effigies outside Old Trafford. They will instead be in Leipzig, Germany to watch the club they formed in the wake of that fateful day as FC United embark on their first foreign excursion.

United fans have adapted to many new environments over the past year. No longer do we wonder at the size of the cantilever stands at some of Europe's great venues; we now talk enthusiastically about the size of the bus-stop style stands that adorn the tiny grounds of the North West Counties league. Where once we marvelled at trips to glamorous destinations like Barcelona or Milan; now we enthuse about the enjoyment to be had at places as obscure as Congleton or Clitheroe. Having formerly discussed the quality of the pitches at the Camp Nou or the Giuseppe Meazza; now we heap praise on the patrons of grounds that contain impressive grassy knolls which form the perfect back-drop to watching the game at this level.

It's been Cheadle instead of Chelsea, Nelson instead of Newcastle and Blackpool instead of Bolton (no-one can argue that's not an improvement). It's been a culture shock for some and in the harsh Lancashire winter that engulfed Accrington on a Monday night for one of our visits there, many of us were questioning our sanity. But it's all been worth it. Not least to hear the immortal line that has become the most common question filling the air of Manchester's pubs this week: "What yer doin for Leipzig?"

Not mithered by talk of when Tony will hand the reins to Gordon, Mancunians would much rather discuss how they're going to get to eastern Germany for a football friendly. Perspective, they call it. And why shouldn't we have an end of season blow-out? We've made something positive out of what was one of the darkest days in many of our lives.

I've been asked to write about the ups and downs of FC United this season, and some people have commented that my writing makes it appear that there isn't a grey cloud in the sky. But the truth is that despite the continued sadness at what has happened at our spiritual home, the sun has constantly shone through the snow, sleet and hail we've endured in our first season and it's been a joy. We've gone back to the future by recalling the great experiences of watching football in the past, set in the climate of a club run by fans which would present a very rosy template for tomorrow. And we can be forgiven for harking on about it. We hope our example will show fans of top-flight clubs, who continue to be treated like idiots by their clubs, players and governing board alike, that there is another way. Say, "Enough is enough," and walk away.

We were told by those who'd done similar, most notably Kris Stewart from AFC Wimbledon, that whatever happened this season we'd have one hell of a ride. And he's been proved correct. However, we were fully aware we'd be going to the likes of Flixton, Darwen and Leek - but I doubt anyone, even the most inebriated among us, would have predicted we'd be travelling to east Germany just 12 months after Glazer arrived.

A FLINT man is being given the opportunity to line up against his football favourites after inviting them to play in his home town.

Tommy O’Neill wrote to FC United of Manchester, where he is a season ticket holder, asking them to consider visiting Flint for a pre-season friendly match against Flint Town United.

The club accepted the offer, and the match will take place at the Cae-y-Castell ground on July 8.

FC United was formed in 2005 by a group of Manchester United supporters – Tommy included – who were unhappy with the running of the Old Trafford club after the takeover by American tycoon Malcolm Glazer.

The team has just clinched promotion to the North-West Counties League first division and looks set to clinch the division two title.

They attract a following equivalent to many football league clubs and have received much national media attention.

The day will be extra special for Tommy, as not only will he see his team visit his home town, but he has also been offered the chance to play for Flint in the game.

He said: “At first I spoke to the Flint chairman and he agreed they’d host the game if it could be arranged.

“I wrote a letter to FC United thanking them for their efforts in running the club and all the good experiences I’ve had following them, and added at the bottom of the letter that Flint would be available for a friendly if they could make it. The next thing I knew they’d agreed to come here.

“It’s amazing for me to play against a team I have a season ticket for.

“As a Man United fan, that would never have happened and I’ll probably never have the chance to do it again.

Tommy, 23, head greenkeeper at Mountain Park Country Club in Flint, added: “Its great for Flint. This is probably the biggest thing for the club since Man United themselves played a friendly with David Beckham in the side a few years ago.

“I asked around the ground at the last FC United game and they’re already talking about it. The average away support is around 2,000, which is bigger than some Premiership sides can manage.”

Flint Town United club secretary Mike Gillham said the club was looking forward to a bumper crowd for the game.

He said: “We’re really over the moon about this. This will create a lot of interest locally.

“ We’ll be bringing in extra seating and we’re hoping to get an attendance of around 3,000.

“The proceeds from the game could set the club up for the whole season.”

FC United's season isn't yet over - next week they're playing a benefit game for a fan left in a coma following an unprovoked attack by a gang armed with metal bars

Tony Howard
Friday May 5, 2006

They may have played their final league game and be reigning champions, but FC United's season isn't quite over as they have a further two important fixtures still to play. Following a 2-1 win in the last North West Counties League Two game against Padiham on Saturday, United are now preparing to take on AFC Telford United this weekend, and the following week the club will embark on their first ever European excursion.

Both games are important for different reasons. The significance of the club's continental debut is obvious as they play a friendly in Leipzig, Germany on Friday, May 12 - the anniversary of the day the Americans invaded Old Trafford.

But before then they will travel to Telford for a benefit game to raise funds for a United fan whose football-watching life changed forever, in another sense, just three days after the Glazers landed.

On Sunday, May 15 Jamie Turner was on the way to watch Manchester United at Southampton when he suffered a completely unprovoked attack by a gang armed with metal bars and baseball bats.

The vicious attack saw him in a coma for three weeks and his skull broken in two. He was left unable to show any emotion at all - he couldn't laugh, cry, or even smile. He has had to learn how to do even the simplest tasks all over again. Still struggling with his speech, he is currently awaiting an operation to replace a part of his skull.

Before the incident Jamie, a father of two, ran a family IT business having learnt his trade while serving his country in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Without the income from the business and having to give up work herself to care for him Karen, Jamie's wife of 23 years, has understandably found it difficult to cope.

Therefore the two fan-run clubs, FC United and Jamie's local team AFC Telford, decided to help the family with a benefit match.

FC are in a fortunate position to help a fan, due to the large supporter base, and the ethos of the club fits such a gesture. It's sobering to see that in the day and age where moneyed players still insist on staging testimonials that football can still make a positive difference where it counts. A good cause and well worth extending the season for.

For further information on the Jamie Turner Appeal visit the website: www.only1treble.com or for information on tickets for the FC United v AFC Telford game visit: www.fc-utd.co.uk.

A leading expert in popular culture will discuss the impact of the Glazer take-over of Manchester United FC at guest lecture in the University's Jordanstown campus this week.

Dr Adam Brown, a Senior Research Fellow at the Manchester Institute for Popular Culture at Manchester Metropolitan University, will present: 'Not For Sale?: The destruction and reformation of football communities in the Glazer take-over of Manchester United', on Friday 05 May at 11am in lecture theatre 15G13.

This lecture will explore the historical background, fan culture and scope of the oppositional stance taken by many Manchester United fans to the corporate takeover of their club by the US-based Glazer family and will situate the take-over battle within a number of trends, namely:

- The weakening of regulatory regimes
- The reassertion of locality among United's Mancunian fan base
- The formations of fan groups and their radicalisation at Manchester United

The lecture will conclude with some comments about the establishment of a new football club by disaffected and disillusioned United fans in Manchester - FC United of Manchester - and how this relates to notions of fan
community.

Dr Brown currently leads a major research project - Football and its Communities for the UK Football Foundation - and is a regional director of the Positive Futures case study research for the UK Home Office.

He also leads new research on fishing and social exclusion for the UK government and was formerly a prominent member of the UK Government's Football Task Force.

He is on the board of FC United of Manchester and is co-author of Not For Sale; editor of Fanatics! (Routledge 1998); and author of numerous articles relating to football, sport and community, sports policy, and cultural industries.

So the rumours proved to be correct: FC United's team did have an open-top bus-ride from Gigg Lane to the pub 200 yards away. The strictly tongue-in-cheek gesture was the highlight of a great day which saw an amazing 6,023 supporters turn up to see captain Dave Chadwick lift the North West Counties Second Division trophy in the club's final home game of the season.

From the Main Stand it was a sight to behold as hundreds of supporters were still streaming into the ground at 3pm, forcing the kick-off to be delayed. But, as manager, Karl Marginson, said, it has not always been like that. "At times it's like your 21st birthday party all over again," he enthused. "You're scared that no one will turn up!"

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However, those fears have been expelled as the club and the crowds have gone from strength to strength. Hopefully it's because football supporters are finally starting to tire of being ripped off to boost the coffers of the rich.

Kids were again allowed in free on Saturday and their presence in the crowd this season has been particularly pleasing. Not many youngsters in Manchester, Salford and surrounding areas can afford to go to Old Trafford, but those that were at Gigg Lane at the weekend will probably never forget that day for the rest of their lives.

There was also a tinge of sadness, as it dawned on many of us that we may have left Old Trafford behind forever. That pain has been eased by the experiences we've had forming our own club, and now the talk has turned to future open-top bus-rides as we progress up the football pyramid.

This week the club agreed a further three-year ground-share with Bury, so should we repeat this season's success there's talk of the bus travelling further up Manchester Road to the next pub each year before finally making it all the way into town.

With nine divisions still to conquer, wouldn't it be great to celebrate winning the Premiership by taking the bus all the way to Manchester Town Hall and packing out Albert Square for the entire world to see? A dream? Probably, but who'd have thought 12 months ago we'd be joyously running alongside an open-top bus carrying plumbers, painters and delivery drivers 200 yards from a football ground to the pub? Anything can happen in football.

FC United play a friendly at Telford United on Saturday, May 6 to raise funds for the family of injured Manchester United fan Jamie Turner who received serious head injuries following an unprovoked attack at Southampton last season. Anyone wanting further information please visit website: www.fc-utd.co.uk or phone 0870 626 0295

WHEN a group of disgruntled Manchester United fans decided enough was enough and set about forming a club for the fans, they wouldn't in their wildest dreams have predicted the scenes in Bury less than 12 months later.

On Saturday, however, 6,023 fans watched their FC United heroes pick up the Moore and Co Construction Solicitors North West Counties League Division Two Trophy in their inaugural season before lining the roads around Gigg Lane as the players were driven around the area in an open top bus.

It is a very long time since Bury has witnessed an occasion as big as this, and the impact FC United has had on the town of Bury cannot be underestimated.

Before the game against Great Harwood Town, a sea of red and white descended on Gigg Lane men and women, young and old to witness a slice of footballing history.

FC United appears to be a club that appeals to everybody. The carnival atmosphere is something that can only be generated by such a diverse fan-base.

Shops, pubs and chippies around Bury were all packed as supporters fuelled themselves for a day to remember.

The club's supporters have also been a lifeline for fellow teams in their league, with some clubs estimating that they have paid for three years' running costs through hosting FC United for one game.

Children were waving flags, men were singing their hearts out and the elderly ambled along with a visible spring in their step. This is how you imagine football used to be like before working class families were priced out of the game.

Kids under the age of 18 were admitted free, as the FC United board aimed to reach out to the fans of the future. The gates were thrown open to children who might not normally get to see a game of soccer, something unthinkable in the money-driven game that is professional football.

The kick-off was delayed because of crowd congestion, not a regular occurrence in football games at this level. But, the fans waited patiently for the players, the noise getting ever more deafening.

To a fan, everybody had club colours, whether it was a scarf or T-shirt. There was three stands open and very few spare seats left by the kick-off.

The FC United team was welcomed onto the pitch through a guard of honour formed by non-playing members of the squad and management team.

The game itself, ironically given the team's strong performances all season, failed to live up to the occasion as Great Harwood ended up 1-0 winners.

So the match became something of a sideshow as the United supporters enjoyed singing in the sunshine. They were even helped along by the brass band that provided the half-time entertainment.

The disappointment at losing was soon forgotten when skipper Dave Chadwick lifted the league trophy to scenes of jubilation in the stands.

And, that one moment is something that will live long in the memory of the captain, a self-confessed Manchester City fan!

"I was like a little child on Saturday morning and, to be honest, I just wanted the game to be over so I could lift that title," said Chadwick.

"Words cannot describe how I felt and it is something I could never have expected this time last season when I was delighted to be playing in front of 300 fans with my old club Prescot.

"Then, it was even scarier on the open top bus ride. I didn't know what to expect, but there were hundreds of supporters around the bus when we came out of the ground. I was gob-smacked, and every corner that we turned there seemed to be more fans. I just stood there staring. I got some video footage on my phone, but it is something I will never forget."

And, the big centre-half admitted the sheer size of FC United's fan-base took some getting used to.

"There is so much expectation and you go out wanting to put on a good show every week," admitted Chadwick.

"It did take some time to get used to the noise, because it can be deafening sometimes. It's very hard to communicate with other players on the pitch when you are playing in front of such a large crowd.

"It does work in our favour too though. I know a couple of lads who play for Ashton Town and they admitted that they couldn't sleep in the week running up to the game against us. That is the effect it can have on people. Some players at this level struggle to perform in front of such high crowds, but others raise their game because it's their cup final."
Words cannot describe how I felt and it is something I could never have expected this time last season when I was delighted to be playing in front of 300 fans with my old club Prescot
Skipper Dave Chadwick - a self-confessed Manchester City fan!

Despite being a City fan all his life, the captain also admits that playing for a team in red wasn't an issue.

"I knew Karl (Marginson, the manager) from one of my previous clubs, and when he rang me and asked me to come and skipper the club I didn't think twice," said Chadwick. Word soon got around that I was a City fan, but that wasn't a factor when I decided to join the club. I get some friendly stick about it all, but that's all part of the game. Just to be playing in front of so many fans every week is something I had to grab with both hands."

It's not all about 90 minutes every week, though. The club is becoming more and more active in the community and the players took to the pitch for the title presentation sporting T-shirts with the name of founder member Russell Delaney, who died in November after a long illness, aged 47.

Another founder member, press officer Jules Spencer reckons building relations off the pitch is as important as success on the pitch over the next year, and believes Bury provides key foundations for helping to do this.

Before Saturday's game, club bosses announced that they have agreed a deal with Bury to ground-share for the next three seasons.

"We want to increase our community work and reach out to everyone in the Manchester and Bury area," said Spencer.

"We are keen to keep encouraging children and playing our football at Gigg Lane allows us to fulfil many of our aims.

"When we decided to play our football at Bury, some eyebrows were raised. However, it was justified on Saturday when we had scope to let kids in for free. We wouldn't have been able to do something like that if we were playing at a non-league ground.

"The supporters have really taken Bury to heart and the atmosphere that we can generate there is something very special.

"I think the fans realise that we are providing cheap, affordable football for all the family and Bury is quite easy to get to from Manchester anyway. It is only 20 minutes away from Manchester on the tram after all."

From the Bury TimesProbably the biggest catalyst for success on the pitch has been manager Marginson. The former Radcliffe Boro midfielder sells fruit and veg by day, but come the weekend he has moulded FC United's talented individuals into a team.

United has had the luxury of bringing in some top-notch non-league stars, but moulding a successful unit is a test many a manager has failed in the past.

"I am pleased with the way things have gone and how quickly everyone settled down to winning matches," said Marginson.

"It is great to win the league and I'm extremely proud of the achievement. I have old men and little kids coming up to me in the street and thanking me, and I cannot begin to explain how great a feeling that gives me.

"However, there is always room for improvement and I have identified what we need for next season already. I think we have a good nucleus anyway, but we can strengthen in some areas. I know what is needed from playing at that level, and I will just continue to do my best."

Secretary of the league Geoff Wilkinson said: "FC United is unique because of the way it was formed. Most clubs start with players, then get the fans. FC United had the fans, then got the players.

"However, every team comes to a crossroads and the proof in the pudding comes with their ability to maintain and continue playing football when they are not winning things. No club wins everything, just look at the Premier League. However, they have raised the profile of non-league football and other clubs in the league have certainly benefited from their presence."

FC United are going up, and growing up!

Next stop? Moore and Co Construction Solicitors North West Counties League Division One and a clash with Ramsbottom United.

SIX THOUSAND supporters turned up as FC United threw a wild title party at Gigg Lane.

The rebel Reds, bolstered by an estimated couple of thousand Old Trafford regulars, came up with a madcap end to a remarkable first season in which they have proved to be "champions" in more sense than one.

The team suffered its third league defeat of the season, going down to an injury-time goal in a flat, bad-tempered match with Great Harwood, but the result was an irrelevance with the Moore and Co Construction Solicitors League second division trophy already in the bag.

The size of the crowd, which was 6,023, was a far more significant statistic - a clear message to Manchester United and the rest of top-flight football that people will not continue to tolerate being priced out and taken for granted.

At Gigg Lane, the support sang for 90 minutes, and after the trophy presentation and lap of honour, they clogged up the A56 as the team staged a tongue-in-cheek open-top bus ride from the stadium just 200 yards to the Swan and Cemetery pub.

Skipper Dave Chadwick, a no- nonsense centre half and self-confessed City fan, lifted the trophy and then expressed his incredulity at the club's growth from an idea discussed over a Rusholme curry to a club which at the weekend attracted a bigger crowd than half of the games in League One.

"Just one word sums up the season - fantastic," said Chadwick, a double glazing fitter from Wigan whose job has become the subject of a dozen FC chants - "You buy one, you get one free, I said you buy one, he plays for FC" being one.

Dream

"I don't think anyone expected the club to build a fanbase like this. Six thousand people! Playing in front of a crowd like that is something you dream about.

"But here we have a hard-core which has stuck with us right through.

"For a new team to go top of the league straight away and then open up and maintain a 20-point lead, is a credit to the lads, but everything we have done we have done for those fans.

"This time last year if someone had told me that in 12 months I would have a few thousand Manchester United fans cheering me as I picked up a trophy, I would have thought they were on drugs."

Formed just ten months ago, FC United has, in some ways, been the biggest story of the football season, a means by which football supporters can express their disgust at the over-commercialisation of the game. But the bottom line is that supporters have flocked to FC because they can have a traditional day out at the match without emptying their wallets.

General manager Andy Walsh said: "I would have been more than happy with 4,000, but the sight of all those supporters singing their hearts out makes everything worthwhile.

"The lasting memory of the day, and of the season, for me, is the kids who have come to watch live football week after week. Hopefully those kids who watch us will go out and play football as well. We will be setting up our own reserve and under-18 teams next year."

And the club's attitude off the field has also earned them a more meaningful "champions" tag. The main sponsor of the club is the Bhopal Medical Appeal, a charity that is trying to help the thousands of victims of the poisonous gas leak in that Indian city in 1985. FC have recently set up FC United of Bhopal, a sports club aimed at bringing some joy into the lives of children affected by the shocking disaster which claimed 20,000 lives and has left 120,000 still suffering from the effects.

Tribute

And the arrival at Gigg Lane of kit man George Hayden, who - with a couple of colleagues - had cycled to each of the 20 clubs in the division over the previous four days, was another symbol of what FC is all about. He was raising funds for eight-year-old FC fan Alex Croft, from Chorlton, a cerebral palsy sufferer who needs £15,000 for an electric wheelchair.

The team had emerged to collect the trophy wearing T-shirts with "Russell Delaney" on them, a tribute to the board member who worked tirelessly to help FC United get off the ground last summer, despite needing oxygen to combat the effects of the pulmonary sarcoidosis which claimed his life in November, at 47.

The game itself was a non-event, livened only by a red card on the hour for FC assistant manager Phil Power, whose casual flick of the hand at Great Harwood defender Kieran Fletcher brought on a display of histrionics.

Now the club is looking forward to next week's final league game against Padiham at Boundary Park, followed by a benefit match at Telford on May 6 in aid of badly-injured United fan Jamie Turner and the club's first overseas jaunt, to play Lokomotive Leipzig on May 12.

The ethos of FC United was summed up by the trophy presentation as nine-year-old Chantal Adams, from Dunham Massey, accompanied Chadwick to receive the trophy from league chairman Dave Tomlinson.

Chantal won a M.E.N. Sport competition to claim her place in the club's history, and was a fitting winner - she has followed the Rebels from their inception.

Sir Alex Ferguson's knowledge of the new North West Counties Second Division champions might be limited, but Tony Howard and his fellow FC United followers don't mind one bit

Friday April 21, 2006

At last FC United have been crowned champions, sealing their first ever piece of silverware without kicking a competitive ball in anger. The reds were at Clitheroe to play a friendly, while title rivals Nelson and Flixton attempted to catch up some of their many games in hand, but as the news filtered through that both had failed to win, an impromptu party erupted in the unlikely setting.

Clitheroe took everyone by surprise. We left on the train in the morning fully aware that we could end the day as champions but believing it was more likely to happen the following Wednesday. What we found was a fantastic town packed with pubs and even a continental bar with a street terrace that wouldn't have been out of place in Paris. Seriously. What's more, the football club themselves were fantastic hosts and gave us regular updates on the scores from elsewhere.

'FC United? Never heard of them'

Sir Alex Ferguson's knowledge of the new North West Counties Second Division champions might be limited, but Tony Howard and his fellow FC United followers don't mind one bit

Friday April 21, 2006

At last FC United have been crowned champions, sealing their first ever piece of silverware without kicking a competitive ball in anger. The reds were at Clitheroe to play a friendly, while title rivals Nelson and Flixton attempted to catch up some of their many games in hand, but as the news filtered through that both had failed to win, an impromptu party erupted in the unlikely setting.

Clitheroe took everyone by surprise. We left on the train in the morning fully aware that we could end the day as champions but believing it was more likely to happen the following Wednesday. What we found was a fantastic town packed with pubs and even a continental bar with a street terrace that wouldn't have been out of place in Paris. Seriously. What's more, the football club themselves were fantastic hosts and gave us regular updates on the scores from elsewhere.

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So, with 15 minutes left to play in our game due to a delayed kick-off, it was announced that FC United of Manchester were champions of the North West Counties Football League Second Division. Not many of those United fans present would have ever dreamt they'd be singing: "We won the football league again, this time at Clitheroe," to the tune of Down by the Riverside, to which we once sang the adapted original after winning the Premier League at Middlesbrough in 1996. It was a surreal day, but after what we've experienced this season nothing surprises us any more.

At Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park on Wednesday the 2,500 supporters got their first glimpse of the newly-crowned champions as United beat Chadderton 3-2. A banner was unfurled which made reference to Sir Alex Ferguson's ungracious comments last week that he'd never heard of FC United of Manchester or manager Karl Marginson. It read: 'FC United? Never heard of them. Champions 2006'.

The banner will be there at Gigg Lane on Saturday when thousands of supporters get to enjoy another sweet moment in our short history: the trophy presentation. All are welcome, but even though 'Big United' don't have a game, I doubt Mr Ferguson will be attending.

By Simon Stone, PA Sport

Glazer - takeover sparked new club

The founders of rebel club FC United have warned Manchester United their hard-core support is being eroded.

While 'big' United have a weekend off ahead of their do-or-die trip to Chelsea on April 29, the club spawned as a direct result of Malcolm Glazer's controversial Old Trafford takeover are preparing for the biggest day in their own short history.

With all under-18s being admitted free, there is every indication FC United will again shatter the North West Counties League attendance record at Gigg Lane on Saturday, when Great Harwood Town are the visitors.

The attraction is not the actual football but the presentation of the Division Two trophy and the chance to engage in some mutual backslapping after an astonishing debut campaign.

Launched from the shell of an idea initially raised in response to Rupert Murdoch's attempts to buy United in 1998 and constructed in less than two months, in some senses, FC United are the biggest story of the season.

Average attendances of just under 3,000 - with a peak of 4,328 for the January visit of Winsford - mean match-day interest in 'little' United not only eclipses that of every other non-league club in the north-west but some established Football League outfits as well, including their landlords Bury.

It would be a major surprise if, in 12 months' time, the FC United phenomenon was preparing to sweep through the Unibond League, and, while the fledgling club will not be permitted to play in the FA Cup next year, a tilt at the FA Vase will be attempted and who is to argue the club will not be one of the first to grace Wembley's magnificent arch.

Ten miles down the road at Old Trafford, the response to FC United's success ranges from grudging respect to outright hostility. Either way, the men who launched the new club are convinced they are having an effect on their mammoth neighbour.

"I am not naive enough to think David Gill is looking at us wondering what we are doing right and he is doing wrong but I do hope it is registering that Manchester United's hard-core support is being eroded," said Jules Spencer, formerly chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association and a founder member of FC United.

"United is run by accountants. As long as they are filling the stadium, they won't be bothered by 4,000 of us watching non-league football.

"But the signs are, within a couple of years, it will hit their radar because it is the hard-core element within any club's supporter base who will stand by them when they are not being successful."

In defending himself against charges of hypocrisy - accepting the Glazer shilling after previously decrying the American's business plan as 'too aggressive' - Gill questioned why he should be forced to give up working for the club he has supported all his life, in turn querying how FC United's followers and just give up on the Red Devils and turn their allegiance somewhere else.

The truth is, they haven't. They still follow Manchester United with a passion. They just do it from a distance.

"I am still a United fan and I hope people still look upon me as such," said Spencer.

"I just prefer to spend my Saturdays in a slightly different manner than I used to.

"It is a weird feeling because I want the team to do well but I feel so much resentment towards the people running the club.

"When they were knocked out of Europe there was the torn emotion of acute sadness at your team getting knocked out of the Champions League but part of you was thinking 'I wonder if this can affect Glazer's business plan and speed up his exit'. It is difficult to reconcile the two situations in your mind."

Spencer has vowed not to set foot inside Old Trafford until Glazer has gone and his pre-season intention to watch at least one away game had to be abandoned as his commitment to FC United started to eat into his time.

If the past 12 months are anything to go by, those plans will have to be shelved again next season as the most high-profile example of a supporter-run club in England goes from strength to strength.

"The speed of FC United's growth has taken us all by surprise," said Spencer.

"We knew there was an appetite for something like this but never could we have envisaged attracting 4,300 to a game.

"We are not claiming the moral high ground in any sense. We exist to provide people with an alternative, either to Malcolm Glazer or the escalating cost of tickets which is pricing so many families out of the Premiership.

"The key thing is, in everything we do, the supporters will have their say. Nothing, from deciding whether to have a sponsors name on a shirt, to the existence of the club, will be done without their agreement."

A sizeable crowd watched FC United clinch promotion

FC United, the club formed by disillusioned Manchester United fans after Malcolm Glazer's takeover, have won their first promotion.

They defeated Chadderton 4-0 at Gigg Lane - their 25th win in 33 games - to secure promotion from the North West Counties Second Division.

A crowd of 2,788 saw Karl Marginson's team take the lead through Steve Torpey before Robert Nugent headed the second.

William Ahern and Rory Patterson completed the scoring for United.

The club have not yet won the title but seem certain to do so and Marginson was delighted with the progress his side have made.

"When you look back as far as trials day in July it is amazing how far we have come," said Marginson, who had to cut short the celebrations because his grocery round was due to start at 4am the following day.

"The planning for next season probably began about four months ago.

"We have to enjoy what we have achieved but then look at the next challenge."

FC United of Manchester have secured promotion from the North West Counties Second Division in their inaugural season. The club was formed by rebel MUFC supporters angered by the Malcolm Glazer takeover, and the Gigg Lane club have taken their division by storm.

FC United of Manchester have secured promotion in their very first season.

Formed in 2005, the 'breakaway' club have cruised through North West Counties Second Division and confirmed their first step up the league ladder with a 4-0 win at Chadderton. The result was FCUM's 25th victory of the season from 33 league games and look certain to secure the divisional title in the forthcoming weeks.

The club have received plenty of media coverage following the controversial decision from many loyal United supporters to 'break' with their old club. Crowds as high as 4,328 have flocked to Gigg Lane in opposition to the Malcolm Glazer takeover and the commercialisation of the beautiful game.

"When you look back as far as trials day in July it is amazing how far we have come," said manager Karl Marginson, a part-time grocer.

"The planning for next season probably began about four months ago. We have to enjoy what we have achieved but then look at the next challenge."

Something of an ongoing battle between many United supporters and FC followers has continued throughout the season. Whilst some fans have attended games at Old Trafford and Gigg Lane, some MUFC backers have accused those who jumped ship as being traitors and anti-FCUM banners have even been spotted at European away games.

ManUtdWeb made the decision to remain with Manchester United Football Club despite our opposition to the proposals of the Glazer takeover and the growing dominance big business holds over football. However, we'd like to congratulate FC United of Manchester on their successes during the inaugural season. Whether the momentum on and off the pitch can continue next season remains to be seen, but good luck to 'little United' in the North West Counties First Division.

15/04/2006.

"Their average attendance this season has been just on 3,000- the sort of figures some League Two clubs struggle to match."

FC United, the team formed by Manchester United supporters opposed to the Glazer takeover, have won promotion in their first League season. A 4-0 win over Chadderton on Wednesday confirmed that they will play in North-West Counties League One next season and in all probability FC will be champions of Division Two as well.

Nearly 3,000 turned up to Bury’s Gigg Lane ground to cheer them on, a considerable achievement for a team that had no players in July. Their average attendance this season has been just on 3,000- the sort of figures some League Two clubs struggle to match.

So far only two League games have been lost and in 33 outings FC United have bagged 106 goals. There’s every possibility that the club will be the team to beat again next season, because playing in front of these crowds should attract a lot of quality non-league players.

For the most part, FC retain a lot of goodwill from Old Trafford fans, although the appearance of a few anti-FC banners at Manchester United matches shows that not all Man United fans are prepared to support both clubs. At the moment there’s no need to divide loyalties as FC still remain 5 promotions away from the Football League.

'When I broke the story that rebel Manchester United fans, alienated by the pending takeover at Old Trafford by Malcolm Glazer, were planning to form a breakaway club there were some people who dismissed them as crackpots.

Fourteen months on, FC United of Manchester are champions of the North West Counties second division.

And it seems even the suits at the so called Theatre of Dreams are now having nightmares about what is happening 12 miles away at Gigg Lane.

Last week, when given the chance to acknowledge the achievements of Karl Marginson and his team, Sir Alex Ferguson walked away from a press conference in some embarrasment.

I also understand the commercial department of the self styled biggest club in the world were less than impressed about the local rag devoting the back page to FC United following the 4 -1 win over Chadderton which sent them to within nine divisions of the Premiership itself.

There was apparantly even a veiled threat made to the paper that they would have their accreditation for United games removed if they continued to report a story which gives every football fan in Britain belief that sanity will one day be restored to the game.

FC United have pulled in average gates of 3,000 - more than many football league clubs - and their founders and supporters should be lauded for carrying out their threat to walk away from the most glamorous club in the country on principle.

But lets be honest, even if they win promotion for the next nine seasons, they will never rival Manchester United. So what is driving all the paranoia at Old Trafford?

Perhaps its the fact that while the Glazer clan talk about Manchester United being "a great franchise" the two words at the forefront of the other United are Football Club.

Maybe they're worried the local council may offer FC an open-topped bus parade of the city. More likely its the fact that while Old Traffords capacity will increase to 76,000 next season, United continue to lose their soul.

Last week the club confirmed our exclusive that ticket prices will rise by 10 per cent and more next season as the Glazers attempt to raise enough cash to meet the debts they took out to complete their takeover.

Why should a father break the bank to take his kids to the game when hes got Sky and can get his fix of live football bt shelling out £7 for adults and £2 for Under-18s across the town at Gigg Lane?

That is the crux of the matter. At a time when the Glazers are desperate to maximise revenue streams they know that by doing so they risk sending more alienated supporters to the other side.

The Glazers obviously thought the battle was over, but it continues. Not only can the rebels raise a glass to their success on the pitch, they can also toast the fact that they have bloodied the nose of the United establishment.

There's no longer only one United.'