FA Cup Yawn

[IainR]

It's true Munich is the reason Man U is so popular. Man U were a smallish team until a Liverpool player made them one of the biggest clubs in the world. Had Sir Matt stayed at Liverpool its very possible United would be where City are now.

Man U have also been lucky to be THE team at each of footballs boom periods.

i.e. in the 60's when Best was one of the first football stars that transcended the game. and then in the 90's when Sky's money came in.

In 1992 there were a few clubs who had money, Sheffield Wednesday and Man U were right up there, but through management choices look at where they are now.

I've never understood liverpool fans moaning about glory supporters, when they like Man U have been so popular due to their past successes and tragedies.

Re Preston/Bury/Bolton hating Man U as they take there fans, that's just silly. If it wasn't Man U it would be city, if not city it would be Liverpool. It's the same for any North walean club.

[IainR]

I should also add that you don't pick your club, you are born into it. I was born in Manchester into a United family, when I grew up Liverpool were the team, but you have no say, you get given your shirt and you stick. Some of us are just lucky :-)

[Mark Smith]

Pity us poor sods that were born in Nottingham.

[crowhill]

Not at all, but we're not talking about me - the cities of Manchester and Liverpool have always historically had a rivalry that transcends football. Do your homework on the reason the Manchester Ship canal was built and the respective roles of each city in the slave trade. When the debate was raging about the slave trade, the scousers ran the leading opponents out of Liverpool (it was very profitable for them) and refused to sign the petition, whilst the first major meeting to oppose the slave trade in Britain was in the collegiate church (now the cathedral) in Manchester - and it was packed. From a population of 75,000 at the time, Manchester produced 20,000 signatures.

An interesting perspective and not one I've heard before on the historical animosity between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester... but one that seems to be very biased in favour of the Macunians. While I agree that the animosity transcends football and has its roots in the industrial development of the two cities, I always thought that the basis of the hatred was that during the industrial revolution Liverpool provided the (mostly Irish) labour, the toil, the blood, the sweat and the tears that built the infrastructure of the north west, whilst the spivs in Manchester simply creamed off the profits. Admittedly this is a scouse-centric view but one that's more plausible than Liverpudlian opposition to slave labour antagonising the virtuous Mancs.

[IainR]

Admittedly this is a scouse-centric view but one that's more plausible than Liverpudlian opposition to slave labour antagonising the virtuous Mancs.

Why is that more plausible?

I think its more likely that we hate scousers as they are the nearest big team, they hate us as we are the nearest big team. No near neighbours with big clubs get on. I don't tyhink there's any need to look for some deep seated reason.99% of it is just banter, I tend to get on with scousers as there's always common ground when we meet, well the fact we both hate each other :-)

But lets face it we love it. I miss Leeds being in the league as no matter how much fun it was to see them go down, you'd rather play them than Watford. The derbies are what football is all about.

We all look for the Man U V L'Pool derbies each year as soon as the fixture list is released.

[crowhill]

I don't think there's any need to look for some deep seated reason. 99% of it is just banter

No, there's no need but that's history and it's interesting. The deep seated hatred between Barcelona and Real Madrid isn't just banter. Try telling that to Figo as he dodges out of the way of a flying pig's head...

Why is that more plausible?

Cos I say so .

[IainR]

But Real and Barca aren't near neighbours.

Ok there's other reasons.

People go on about the War of the roses for the hatred between Leeds and United, but TBH that's not a factor for my dislike of leeds, more one Alfe 'I'm going to cry to the papers' Inge Haaland.

[Gravymuncher]

Please don't tell me you're on Roy Keane's side over that???

[IainR]

I wouldn't have been so restrained.

Roy can do no wrong in my eyes, guys a god.

[Feet in the Cowclaps]

I wouldn't have been so restrained.

Roy can do no wrong in my eyes, guys a god.

He should have got a life ban. How he can still be involved in professional football is beyond me.

Though unacceptable, what Haaland did can be seen week in week out on football fields. What Keane did was vicious, premeditated brutality.