PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[KS55]

Our family were all moss side / fallowfield blues and with the exception of our mam all were regular match going blues at some point, all Catholic from Irish Catholics and never once was religious divide ever mentioned, even at school in Wythenshawe ( though 70% red ) nobody ever said you should be red or blue as your Catholic......... until one day the blacksheep uncle ( one of them ) of the family turned up and spouting shite

Never mentioned at grammar school in ardwick either

Mancs never saw a religious divide between City and the rags.

 

[KS55]

Nice one no one is suggesting members of the catholic faith, from Collyhurst Moston, Leve, or Dublin even cannot support the best club in the world. Simply that Utd have strong ties and historical connections to the Catholic Church. I believe all faiths
Muslims, Jews, triffids, whatever are welcome at our blue church !

What about Jedi’s?

 

[Karl8]

What about Jedi’s?

Don’t they go to the swamp in Trafford ?

 

[KS55]

Don’t they go to the swamp in Trafford ?

The last census I put Jedi as my religion and enough people did for Jedi to make the list of British faiths.

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Mancs never saw a religious divide between City and the rags.

Seem to remember singing "Celtic, Rangers" over and over on the kippax in the 1970's. Not sure why we did, but again I seem to remember half and half "bob hats" with "City/Rangers".

Don't see those hats or hear that chant now, obviously confined to history:-)

 

[eyalluvitt]

Mancs never saw a religious divide between City and the rags.

Very much saw it in my house, I supported City as United was for Catholics and other ne’er do wells,

 

[Karl8]

Very much saw it in my house, I supported City as United was for Catholics and other ne’er do wells,

I recall press criticism during the 1980 s of Peter Swales, with the press complaining that Swales only offered free tickets to local Protestant schools. I do not know if that press allegation had any basis in truth, but certainly it was an allegation that was made… I went to a Protestant school and recall our football team would regularly receive free tickets to attend games at Maine rd. Looking back, I think it would be a great pity if the kids at the Catholic schools, or other schools too, were not gifted tickets as we were.

 

[Matt Diablo]

Can't wait for this fukin thread to be locked

 

[Newman Noggs]

Jesus. Never realised my dad and brother were Catholics

 

[Chris in London]

Barry Venison never played for us…did he??

No eye deer

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Am I in the right thread for the financial stuff?

Only if you've been to church within the last 7 days.

 

[Cookieproof]

I remember him lowered down from the stage roof tentacles on a glass chair and him singing Let's Dance?

Memory might be playing trick on me, though?

Cool as fuck.

Yes, that happened. I remember it well, as he also sang my favourite song at that gig, "All the Madmen."

 

[DiscoSteve]

so. no news then. and for the record I am an atheist - i.e. all religion is bo110x.

 

[AlexWilliamsGloves]

In N Ireland in the 80's City was seen as a protestant team and Utd a catholic team and it weas reflected in various areas of the "country" / demographic

Growing up in Belfast in the 80s and 90s, I have never heard of or been aware of this

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

They are…

Manchester United does have notable Catholic connections, though these are cultural and historical rather than institutional. Here’s a breakdown of the main Catholic associations with the club:

1. Irish Catholic Support Base

• Irish immigration to Manchester in the 19th and early 20th centuries brought many Catholic families, especially to areas like Collyhurst, Miles Platting, and Harpurhey.
• Manchester United, based in the industrial and diverse heart of the city, became popular among Irish Catholic communities.
• This is similar to Celtic’s founding in Glasgow to serve Irish Catholic immigrants, though United did not have a religious mission

2. Catholic Players and Legends

Many of United’s greatest players were Irish Catholics or came from Catholic backgrounds:

• George Best – Northern Irish, raised in a Protestant area (Cregagh), but had strong ties with both communities.
• Denis Irwin – Devout Catholic from Cork, Ireland.
• Roy Keane – Catholic from Cork; educated in Catholic schools.
• John O’Shea, Liam Whelan (a Busby Babe), Paddy Crerand – All Catholic and from Irish backgrounds.
• Shay Brennan – Born in Manchester to Irish parents; first post-Munich debutant.

Some of the Busby Babes (the young team tragically affected by the 1958 Munich air disaster) were Irish Catholics, particularly:

• Liam “Billy” Whelan, who was a devout Catholic and reportedly said, “If this is the end, then I’m ready for it,” as the plane took off.

3. Sir Matt Busby’s Catholic Faith

• Matt Busby, United’s legendary manager (1945–1969), was a devout Catholic of Lithuanian-Scottish descent.
• He was awarded a papal knighthood (KSG) in 1972 by Pope Paul VI.
• Busby’s values of discipline, compassion, and unity resonated with both Catholic and working-class traditions.

4. Fan Culture and Identity

• Some Catholic fans, especially of Irish descent, saw United as “their club” in contrast to Manchester City, who drew more from traditional English Protestant neighborhoods — though this was more subtle and localized, never an overt sectarian rivalry like Celtic vs Rangers.
• In the 1960s–1980s, it wasn’t uncommon for United to have supporters clubs in Catholic parishes, especially in parts of Ireland, Northern England, and Scotland.

Conclusion


While Manchester United has never been officially or institutionally a Catholic club, it has strong historical ties to Catholic communities, particularly through:

• Its Irish supporters and players.
• The faith of influential figures like Sir Matt Busby.
• Its appeal to working-class Catholic populations in Manchester and Ireland.

Hope this helps clarify and demonstrate that United ARE historically a somewhat catholic club..

And yet the strong Irish communities of Moss Side, Levenshulme, Gorton, Withington, Fallowfield were dominated by City fans and so was my Catholic School. Chorlton was split 50/50 and the Catholic Polish community in Brooks Bar mostly followed City. This was in the 60s and 70s. Your analysis is exaggerated.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

As someone who was born and bred in Collyhurst in the 60's, what a load of fuckin bollocks

My dad’s Irish Catholic family in 1940s Collyhurst were half Blue half Red. And so we’re all their pals.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Nice one no one is suggesting members of the catholic faith, from Collyhurst Moston, Leve, or Dublin even cannot support the best club in the world. Simply that Utd have strong ties and historical connections to the Catholic Church. I believe all faiths
Muslims, Jews, triffids, whatever are welcome at our blue church !

Are you from Manchester? The rivalry has always been about Geography in Manchester rather than religion. You can’t possibly compare United to Celtic.

 

[levets]

Well theres 12 of us who go to City from Collyhurst, Moston, Blackley, Levenshulme and Longsight all of us catholics and of southern irish heritage.

Same here

 

[Karl8]

Are you from Manchester? The rivalry has always been about Geography in Manchester rather than religion. You can’t possibly compare United to Celtic.

Did I compare Utd to Celtic?. I don’t recall that. Yes, I’m Mancunian born and bred, Having started life in
Ardwick, then moving to Collyhurst , Burnage, and Levenshulme. Whilst I did not compare Utd to Celti, given both clubs connections to Catholicism, Celtics being much stronger (I’d suggest,)…I can understand anyone that would compare them. Are you a Manc ?

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Yes, Mancunian born and bred, Having started life in
Ardwick, then moving to Collyhurst , Burnage, and Levenshulme. To be honest, I don’t recall comparing Utd to Celtic, However, given both clubs connections to Catholicism, Celtics being much stronger I’d suggest,…I can understand anyone that would compare them. Are you a Manc ?

Withington born and bred. Not many Reds there when I was growing up to be fair. I always think the religious thing had died out by the 60s. All my family are Irish and certainly United were huge over there. But the Mancunian branch were mostly City. The Gallaghers were not the only Blues in Burnage. Funnily enough I remember Burnage High as a Red school but there were lots of City fans at Catholic St Marks where Noel and Liam went. Wythenshawe was split in those days but is mostly City these days according to my pals in the area.