Bitter

[unsworthblue]

Ah yes, bitter! This taunt goes back around 20 years ago or so and was coined by rag fanzine, Red Issue. Along with their portrayal of Jim Leighton as a gap-toothed zombie, these were probably their most memorable contributions to the movement. Oddly enough, I’d known their cartoonist from way back when, but didn’t realise he was their cartoonist. I didn’t even know he was a rag, come to think of it! I only found out when I was introduced to a couple of them in a bar in town one night, by chance; as they were all referred to by nicknames in their fanzine.

They were only just coming into the start of their most successful period in their history, although they didn’t know it at the time. Almost overnight, having just about managed to win the FA Cup in 1990 after Palace had taken them to a replay, the “Fergie out” banners were quickly discarded and the often empty spaces in their ground started to fill up again with fickle fans as the night boat from Dublin and the M5 from the West Country started to look like attractive propositions again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989–90_Manchester_United_F.C._season

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990–91_Manchester_United_F.C._season

Ironically, we find ourselves in a similar position, but with a far better team and Champions League football to look forward to, rather than the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

The rags have always had a knack of picking an FA Cup up every few years anyway, but after beating Barcelona in the Cup Winners’ Cup Final in ’91, miraculously it was as if the previous four or five years under Ferguson had never happened. The kind of airbrushing of history so favoured by the Soviet Union in the old days was wheeled out, while our own bitter tag took on a life of its own as more jumped on it and, it seemed, us too. Aided and abetted by the rags’ friends in the mainstream media who appeared to plunder their fanzines for ‘stories,’ the term became universal coinage: a handy, if ill-thought out, dig at the fans of a team who’d retained a hardcore support of 20,000+ (a significant figure in those pre-Premier League days) in spite of several relegations. We were hardly unique in our hatred of our most local of rivals; this kind of thing happens in every city, town and village in the world, but we alone stood accused.

While the rags were quick to condemn us - that is when they weren’t accusing us of such heinous crimes as living in Stockport and singing nursery rhymes at their games against such illustrious continental opposition as Pécsi Munkás (att: 28,411) or Rotor Volvograd (29,724) - they were getting away with hypocrisy of the highest order. For years they’d hated Liverpool with a passion. With a loathing you couldn’t measure. Even today, ask any one of them why this should be and they’ll tell you it’s because they’re Scousers (although throwing Rooney into the mix does confuse them). Or they’re thieves. Or worse. They might even mention having to build the Ship Canal, but very, very few will admit what the real reason is for this rush of blood to the head: that in their heart of hearts they bitterly resented Liverpool’s dominance, success in the 1970s and ’80 and - more than anything else – the fact that most football fans respected the Liverpool team. When Ferguson talked about knocking them “off their perch,” it hardly scratched the surface… a surface made of 100%, pure, unadulterated bile. However, he’s never emulated Liverpool – or even Busby – by having had a team that was loved or admired by anyone but their own.

But if their apparently inexplicable hatred for Liverpool isn’t enough, they’ve also been bitter about (in reverse order): us and our money, Chelsea’s money and success, Leeds’ success (denying them that last ever chance of being Football League Champions in 1992, but not before a rag fanzine had prematurely proclaimed that they – rather than Leeds – were the champions on the front cover!), and Blackburn’s money and success. If anyone’s bitter it is, of course, them and “Ferguson, with a face like a smacked arse.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpzTv5fHgn0[/youtube]

We all know it, and they must know it. And yes, even those miserable excuses for human beings who never stir from their favourite armchair or pub stool to drag themselves on the often short trip to The Swamp, because they “can’t get a ticket” or “because it’s too dear” or because, as one rag told me on Sunday, “I can’t go because I play at weekend,” after proudly announcing that he’d been in that very same pub when they’d beaten Arsenal 6-2 a mere 21 years ago. It’s some amateur career he’s had then! In reality, Dave from Truro and Micheal from Dublin are sitting where they might have sat, if they weren’t so interested in giving it the big one instead in the nearest tap-room.

In the eyes of the ordinary football fan, the rags are the untouchables – not because of what their team has won or whatever else they may have achieved, but because they are shunned in the way the Dalits or Outcastes have been for centuries in India. In comparison, being called “bitter” is neither here nor there – two decades' worth of Pavlov’s Dog-like repetition by those who purport to support them has rendered the term meaningless to this pair of ears and yet, it is they who are increasingly looking like the new bitters. Once again!

very good Noel,you should go into politics with speech's like that!

 

[BTH]

Now, there's an idea!

 

[marshymcfc]

The difference between the two sets of supporter is stark, On the one hand, and generally speaking of course you have the Manchester City fan. In the past, loyal even though little chance or hope of a major trophy in the next 100 years. Happy to survive and or get promoted, also gained pleasure from success all be it not in the top flight, ie Play off finall in 99, and winning the Championship trophy ( i waited hours outside City to have my photo taken with my son and the trophy at Maine Road). Above all a huge ability to laugh and joke at both ourselves and that of City's plight even through the most darkest of days. In general we have been a happy go lucky, who cares we will always be City type of black humour bunch.
The other lot on the other hand because of the type of big gobbed big headed look at me i am a winner type that the rags attract are totally different. They have a huge need to be looked upon as individual supporters as winners first and formost. They enjoyed taking the piss for decades, winning everything and as say a 35 year ols supporter its all they know. The rich kids with all the toys and accolades you might say. Then the winds of fortune start to blow in a different direction, and they see that maybe, just maybe things may start to be different. No more can they be sure City will fail and fail again. No more can they be sure that they will beat all before them for another 20 years. And not only could the empire start to shake and crumble, it could be replaced by the club that they have poked fun at for decades and decades. That will be a pain to big to cope with, and you will see a side to that clubs support that is as horrid as is possible. Make no mistake Fergaffi and his band are on the run. And who's chaseing the fuckers down??? Ickle shitty City. They always called us the "bitters" fact is we never really were, because i as a blue have it inside me to gain more pleasure watching City ( and i did) in the old third division, than ever i could being a rag. " Bitter" will take on a new meaning, maybe not this year, or even next who knows but it will happen. And i for one can't bloody wait.

Sorry for the RANT........Its passion and from the heart. I love the under dog, and in what ever walk of life be it sport or otherwise it's great when the arrogant fall, and the meek rise to power in an honourable way.

CTID.

Being raised as a blue down south you have no idea how many times I've said exactly this to the glory hunting rags down here. They honestly didn't get why I supported City, they don't look past anything but winning. The great thing now is it's time for me to experience my team winning too!