For all you blues who are for some reason strangely angered and frustrated by the existence of a fan-owned non-league club, here is a little anecdote about your forum legend Phil Gatenby aka Mad Eyed Screamer;
I remember when I had a spare ticket for Morrissey at the Apollo in 2006 and offered it for sale at face value on a Morrissey forum. Someone there emailed me and said he had a mate who was looking for a ticket. So I met up with his mate and sold him the ticket at face.
Got talking to the original guy, who had an email address referring to 'safe standing'. Turns out he was part of the Football Supporters Federation, linked to the Stand Up Sit Down campaign at the time. So mentioned standing, FC, etc etc and we exchanged a few pleasantries about the sterility of the modern game, the importance of standing, how we was a City fan but equally disillusioned with things, shared best wishes etc.
Only realised afterwards it was Phil Gatenby. I had his Morrissey's Manchester book, so at the time, I had felt reassured my ticket was sold at face value, given that it was a genuine Morrissey fan being helped out and not going to be sold on for more.
However, I wish I'd known then what I know now because I would have charged him a fucking fortune.
Incidentally, I've just gone through those emails. Check out this pearler I got on 9 May 2006:
"I have said this before, if FCUM didn't have the United bit in the name I would have jumped ship! I have been watching the progress at a distance with some envy and pleasure."
You could not make it up, really, could you?
You may also remember that at one point he and others wanted to set up his own MCFC version of FC United <a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/blues-fans-plan-breakaway-club-1077850" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ub-1077850</a>
Could it be bitterness (sorry, a clichéd word I know) at this project not even getting off the ground which explains his vitriol towards FCUM? Highly likely.
And with regards to these blokes who broke in to your house Mr Screamer, do you have any evidence these men were FC fans? Were the police involved? Do you have anything concrete at all that they belonged to FCUM in some way or are you just making assumptions?