Can't remember which services we stopped at on the way back but there were thousands of us a mini bus of rags pulled up and yes a you pissed up lad thought he was up for it until raggy daddy advised him there was to many of us if it had been the other way round we know what would have happenedyes....also true.......
Warwick services ....hundreds of city coaches...one red coach of gobby ****s
I know we all like to joke about Hong Kong / Zambian / Cornwall reds etc but if their crowds are 20k higher than ours surely they have more fans in and around Manchester than we do ?
This is so true. I got the train down and it was 80 per cent City. Then I waited at Euston for a mate for an hour. The City fans coming through the barriers from the North outnumbered Rags at least 10 to one. It was bizarre. But the stadium was packed with them from anywhere but Manchester. I think the reason they refuse to allow researchers to see where their season ticket holders are from is because they are embarrassed at their lack of local fanbase.The FA Cup semi-final was the best example. Convoys of blues leaving Manchester. Coach after coach. Barely saw any Utd until south of Birmingham.
It was shocking, but very representative
You should see the traffic jam heading out towards the M6 after a game at the old toilet, little tin boxes all full of southerners . .
More fans in Manchester I'd be dubious about. More fans in Cheshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire who may regard themselves as local almost certainly. We shouldn't underestimate the generations of dedicated rags who live in places like Lincoln and Carlisle who have been season ticket holders for decades.
United are everywhere. I watched the 6-1 game at a pub in Windsor while down visiting friends. Big roars went up as we forged 3-0 ahead. Most of those cheering would be Rag haters as they were still top dogs at the time and everybody wanted to see them beaten. However when they scored their consolation goal, there were equally big cheers and then I realised half the pub was full of local Rags. By the time the fifth went in however, most of them headed away in silence.More fans in Manchester I'd be dubious about. More fans in Cheshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire who may regard themselves as local almost certainly. We shouldn't underestimate the generations of dedicated rags who live in places like Lincoln and Carlisle who have been season ticket holders for decades.
I got called a “Manc ****” at the bottom of Wembley Way by one of their half breeds that day.The FA Cup semi-final was the best example. Convoys of blues leaving Manchester. Coach after coach. Barely saw any Utd until south of Birmingham.
It was shocking, but very representative
Warrington Wigan Bolton Preston Blackpool Lancaster Halifax Huddersfield Bradford Barnsley Rotherham Chesterfield Derby Stoke Crewe Macclesfield Wrexham... are full of Rags and Liverpool fans, all “local”, none of them Mancunians or Scousers, however.More fans in Manchester I'd be dubious about. More fans in Cheshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire who may regard themselves as local almost certainly. We shouldn't underestimate the generations of dedicated rags who live in places like Lincoln and Carlisle who have been season ticket holders for decades.
Funnily enough I was in that place last year for an early pint before cricket....chatted to some guys along with my mate, we were the only ones there, 3 blues Inc me all go, 1 rag didn't go & my mate a Chelsea fan.Let's use a neutral place just outside Manchester to judge.........The Bishop Blaize.....Yes...that salubrious establishment in the upmarket Greater Manchester suburb of Stretford.
Late last year, I was treating the missus to a slap up meal and a pint of cider - £6.50 for burger and drink - I know I spoil her, but a mans gotta do what he gotta do.
There were about 25 people in there - of the people I knew from local area, I counted 7 City fans (4 go to matches), 7 United fans (1 goes to 2/3 matches a season) & 2 Spurs fans (Spurs were on the tele that night).
So - if we take that as a demographic of the whole of Greater Manchester....
Population 2.8million - that means there are 784,000 City fans (448k go to matches every week) and 784,000 United fans (112k go to matches 'sometimes') in Manchester. Surprinsingly, there are 224,000 Spurs fans and 1,008,000 who don't care about football or aren't from here.
I think you shall find this study is pretty darn scientific, and if I weren't so humble I would probably expect to be nominated for a Nobel.
Of the 6 United fans who don't go to matches - they often mention empty seats at the Etihad and have valid reasons for not going to the games such as "it's on the tele", "too hard to get a ticket" and "I'm not paying £50 to watch that sh*t" or simply "can't afford it" or "I've got work". Of course, those same excuses can't be allowed if you are blue.