One rule I've always tried to live by in life is that if you dish it out, then you should be able to take it. From someone who spends a lot of time taking the piss out of others, for me it's important not to take myself too seriously all of the time.
In the years ahead, if events unfold as I hope and increasingly expect, it is a mantra that united fans should try and emulate as much as possible.
I remember hearing that a significant number of united fans were in the Luton end when we were relegated in '83 notwithstanding the fact that their club were playing the same day. That seemed to mark the beginning of nearly three decades of, at times, highly puerile derision, gloating and scorn at our expense.
united fans ringing phone-ins pretending to be blues affecting gratuitous use of the word "massive"; songs about Curly Watts and floodlights; dismissive talk about 'Noisy Neighbours' and a 'small club with a small mentality'; united players refusing to refer to us by name - claiming as they comically still do that Liverpool was, is, their big game; the club endorsed banner which was a byword for a complete absence of grace and dare I say it, class; their fans organising a party to mark our 30 years without a trophy.
All these things were there to serve the purpose of self-amusement, but they were also designed to act as a means of asserting a sense of superiority over us. A snidely way of reminding us about who, in their eyes, was boss.
These are things that I took issue with at the time, but largely took on the chin. I hoped and prayed that the dynamics would change, but in my heart I never thought that was anything other than a fantasy.
And now we find ourselves on the cusp of the boot being on the other foot, at least to some extent. If things continue to develop as they have in recent months I will do my utmost not to descend into the same petty, bitter, small time antics that united fans did for all those years, but equally I will never forget the vindictive way we were spoken of and to, by many united fans merely for supporting our club.
On that basis, they shouldn't expect anything other than an uncomfortable ride from me and many other blues and if they have any character about them, it is something they should accept with a degree of good grace and humility that was all too missing when they assumed we'd always be second best.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
