United Thread 2015/16

[East Level 2]

1999.... Here you go. It was because as reigning CL champions of Europe they were much too big to play is shitty domestic trophies!
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-united-withdraw-from-fa-cup-1103601.html

The rags entered but withdrew at the request of the corrupt clowns at the FA who thought their participation in the World Club thing would help England get the 2006 World Cup. They didn't know the ultra-efficient German FA was paying bungs to ensure they'd get the nod.
The rags withdrew which is why one of the 2nd Round losers got re-instated. Had the rags (or even the FA) planned it from the start then they wouldn't have entered in the first place.
This was probably the first of many instances where the FA has fucked their own competition, culminating in 5-00pm kick-off times to sell it to more countries ignoring inconvenience to supporters and the latest nonsense about scrapping replays.

 

[Vienna_70]

You can make that 52 if they get to the final.

An absolute f***ing disgrace!

It just shows how the TV media in this country suck up to the Rags.

Err...

53.

 

[Silva_Spell]

http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/20...-united-plan-to-appoint-ryan-giggs-as-manager

http://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/20...ggs-or-a?_ga=1.108382276.776087704.1456109520

They really don't want Giggs lol

 

[Newman Noggs]

The rags entered but withdrew at the request of the corrupt clowns at the FA who thought their participation in the World Club thing would help England get the 2006 World Cup. They didn't know the ultra-efficient German FA was paying bungs to ensure they'd get the nod.
The rags withdrew which is why one of the 2nd Round losers got re-instated. Had the rags (or even the FA) planned it from the start then they wouldn't have entered in the first place.
This was probably the first of many instances where the FA has fucked their own competition, culminating in 5-00pm kick-off times to sell it to more countries ignoring inconvenience to supporters and the latest nonsense about scrapping replays.

This is the official version. At the time I was writing an article on the devaluation of the FA Cup for publication and wrote to David Davies, a united fan who was head of the FA (some things never change), asking him directly whether it was the FA asking the rags to go or the rags telling the FA they were going. I can't remember the exact words but the first letter drew something along the lines of "the FA was pleased to see Manchester United in this prestigious competition" so I wrote again saying that it was a simple question and please could they answer it. He wrote back saying "the FA knew that, in the event they won the Champions League, Manchester United would not be entering this year's competition". It avoided giving an answer but gave the lie to the version trotted out about the rags having to be forced against their will and for the good of the nation.

 

[Shirley]

This is the official version. At the time I was writing an article on the devaluation of the FA Cup for publication and wrote to David Davies, a united fan who was head of the FA (some things never change), asking him directly whether it was the FA asking the rags to go or the rags telling the FA they were going. I can't remember the exact words but the first letter drew something along the lines of "the FA was pleased to see Manchester United in this prestigious competition" so I wrote again saying that it was a simple question and please could they answer it. He wrote back saying "the FA knew that, in the event they won the Champions League, Manchester United would not be entering this year's competition". It avoided giving an answer but gave the lie to the version trotted out about the rags having to be forced against their will and for the good of the nation.

Was there anything stopping them fielding a reserve/youth team?
Always wondered why they didn't.

 

[Newman Noggs]

Only the rags and the FA will ever know what really went on unless someone in on it spills the beans. My guess is that the rags said "we're going to this money-spinning tournament" and a sympathetic FA, rather than have them field a reserve team, saw the opportunity to piggy-back their popularity and make it look as if both were doing the great English public a favour. The press being what it is, they were, of course, only too pleased to accept the official line. Any dissenting voices were quickly dismissed as mere quibblers and off they went.

 

[1961_vintage]

You can make that 52 if they get to the final.

An absolute f***ing disgrace!

It just shows how the TV media in this country suck up to the Rags.

They make programmes to generate revenue. That means they need to attract viewers. Broadcasting the rags attracts viewers. Don't see the problem myself.

 

[East Level 2]

Only the rags and the FA will ever know what really went on unless someone in on it spills the beans. My guess is that the rags said "we're going to this money-spinning tournament" and a sympathetic FA, rather than have them field a reserve team, saw the opportunity to piggy-back their popularity and make it look as if both were doing the great English public a favour. The press being what it is, they were, of course, only too pleased to accept the official line. Any dissenting voices were quickly dismissed as mere quibblers and off they went.

That is true, but the rags still entered hence the "golden loser" ticket (Darlington I believe). Unless the rags and FA were trying to fix things to allow them to play in both.

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

They make programmes to generate revenue. That means they need to attract viewers. Broadcasting the rags attracts viewers. Don't see the problem myself.

I agree with you unless it's on the BBC. I would guess many of those 50 games were on the BBC. I don't know if that stat is correct but if it is, a bit more populism and a bit less rag-pandering wouldn't go amiss.

 

[1961_vintage]

I agree with you unless it's on the BBC. I would guess many of those 50 games were on the BBC. I don't know if that stat is correct but if it is, a bit more populism and a bit less rag-pandering wouldn't go amiss.

Selling the rights to the rag games helps them to generate funds so that they can produce top quality drama and nature progammes for which we are renowned around the world.