zutroy said:
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?
Was wondering when you were going to post this - a friend who goes on your forum cut and pasted it for me yesterday.... happy to comment (rather than delete the comment as suggested by Mick the Red as I am a Mod)
Yes I am a Blue who actually has no issue with FCUM setting up as a team. In fact, surely the fact I state I would have been willing to join in had it not been a Mini Me United team and that I viewed the teams progress positively from afar suggests that my disagreement with the development in Moston was exactly that - the development (or destruction) of Moston, not ''anti FCUM''.
As well as a Blue I have also been a keen environmentalist (voted Green for the last 20 years of being in the UK and been involved with a lot of environmental clean ups and projects over the years with youth groups). The development of the Ronald Johnson Playing Field brought the 2 together and it was a difficult choice but my green vote went over the FCUM vote.
If I was ''anti FCUM'' why did I (and others) suggest three alternative council owned brown field land in MOSTON as other sites for consideration? We took these sites to the three local Moston councilors for consideration. Why would I do that if I was anti FCUM? Why does everything always revolve around FCUM? It has always been ''infamy, infamy, everyone has got it infamy'' when you never looked at the bigger picture and could never see beyond the need for your own stadium.
Our grief was always with the council and their decision to allow the land to be built on - regardless of what was going on the land.
But of course, calling legitimate protesters ''just anti FCUM bitter Blues'' (especially when not everyone was interested in City or even football) was a quick, convenient and easy way to dismiss legit arguments and avoid the arguments put forward.
As for dragging up the MEN story (again) about setting up our own FC City, I'll happily say it again. I was contacted by someone with that idea. At the time I was secretary of the Centenary Supporters Association. He said he was meeting with officials of Maine Road FC and would I like to go along. I said I would out of curiosity (and to be honest I didn't know anything about them). Next thing the MEN call and I spoke about my dissatisfaction with the way football was going etc etc and then next thing the article comes out and I am down as one of the leaders of a breakaway club!
So three of us go and meet Maine Road FC, great run outfit, (though in need of greater finances) already formed, 50 years history etc with a great City connection. I realised on the spot that there is already a club here if City fans want to seek an alternative, with no need to reinvent the wheel. And left it as that, I had no further contact (to this day) with the lad who contacted me or from Maine Road FC. Never even went to a game. So you see, I don't have any bitterness towards ''my project'' not getting off the ground as A) there was no project (certainly not from me), and B) I'd have simply started watching Maine Road FC had I wanted to get involved further.
As for the break in at my house, yes the police were involved. Do I have any evidence it was FCUM fans? It doesn't need Columbo to work out that within a week of it being known my identity as an objector to the stadium that the house gets randomly broken into.... the only words spoken (according to the 2 frightened young women in the house) was ''he's not here'' and not one thing was stolen... so why else did they commit that act? Think about it. 2 scrotes kick out a wooden panel on a door, enter the house, take a look around and leave without taking one thing. Oh. And say ''he's not here''. If they were after a signed copy of Morrissey's Manchester, they could have put a SAE through the letterbox! But you and I know what they were sent for. Rather than dismiss this, it would be nice to hear you say ''If that is true, it was bang out of order''. But as ever, it just gets swept under the carpet with cries of ''show us yer proof''.
There were other things going on too. Did you know that one of the leading people within the NO campaign had letters sent to immediate neighbours saying that they were a kiddy fiddler? (yes the police were involved in that too.)
Cars being scratched outside houses with NO posters in the window. That could have been coincidence, of course. But on a good number of cars?
A few other things from comments I was sent.
To Mick The Red - I actually once did post on your forum (under the name Phill or Phill G, can't recall it was years ago) with a reasoned debate and was banned. Not only banned, but blocked, so I can't even see your comments (unless my mate who has a weekly look informs me), never mind reply! The other thing is Mick, you recently said how much you'd like to meet me face to face to ''put him right on a few matters''. Please tell me if this is with a reasoned debate or with fists? Looked like a bit of a threat to me.... of course, you have the advantage over me in knowing who I am. You could see and recognize me, where as I wouldn't know you from Mick Jones, Brown, Green or Cotter.
Someone suggested I sit at my computer pressing refresh on anything FCUM related so I can post it on BlueMoon. Far from it. I just get sent the odd piece that appears in the media highlighting the things your co-owners get up to. He /she still lives in Moston (and isn't a Blue before you ask) and worries that this kind of trouble will occur in the area when the ground is opened. I'm sure you would agree that is a legitimate concern of his / hers?
Talking of which, any of you care to comment on that Chorley video? I mean, does that make you proud of your fellow co-owners......?
