The close season is a totally different world for me. I can get initially excited by Wimbledon and the Ashes, but the inevitable disappointment both tend to bring English fans usually kills it. For me, far more than supporting our nation, following United is what it is all about.
We have the fixture list now and with nine teams from the North West represented in the Premier League this year our mileage will take less of a pounding than ever. This is both a good and a bad thing.
One of the top things about following a team is getting to visit new places en masse to cheer them on. I was too young to remember it, but when United went down in ‘74 my old man and his mates went to every single away game we played in the second division.
Towns up and down the country did not know what had hit them. Thousands of Reds would swarm an area determined to cheer on the mighty Man Utd. Many still regard that season as one of the best ever as a fan.
When the Champions League draw is made in a couple of months I am sure we all want to avoid another trip to Celtic. Equally, I am hoping for some new climes to explore on the continent. Watching United away in Europe is a great experience and the excursions the fans have made is an important part of the club’s fabric.
As I await the start of the new campaign I find myself locked in a cage, reading up on United stats and history the same as usual. This year I have had the great pleasure of finding a new book that covers in amusing detail the antics of our fans overseas.
Ian Hough’s Perry Boys Abroad delves into the adventures of some of our more colourful supporters. He ties in the history of Manchester’s music and fashion cultures with the evolution of the club’s fan-base during the ’70s and ’80s.
Scattered through his sharp social commentary, there is also a wealth of anecdotes on the scrapes some of United’s lads have gotten themselves into. Rather than being another biography of the club, it charts the rise of guys like us who will do anything just to get to see the team play.
Fortunately, Ian is not only a good writer but a top bloke to boot and would like to give one lucky fan the chance to get a copy of his book for free.
If you are interested please e-mail aeonhuff@gmail.com with the answer to the following question:
Can you name the 5 Manchester United managers to have won a major trophy?
Follow MarkjPayne on Twitter.com
The Perry Boys Abroad is available from Pennant Books
Comments
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Posted by MACTONY on 07/11/2009
Hi Mark Payne,
How are you and your family? hope your are doing pretty well.
Please my dear, can you do me a little favor.
Sometimes i like to write to people i love so much
but i can not just because i don't have their EMAIL AD. so could you please assist me because
i know you can do it. I would like to have WAYNE ROONEY,VIDIC, FERDINAND RYNE GIGGS email ad. Sometimes after excellent displays during match i wished if i can speak with them, i believe with
you that problem is over now.
Looking forward for you urgent reply.
Mactony
MANUNITED4LIFE.
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Posted by Priyank on 07/11/2009
Any one read "Return of the Busby Babes"?
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Posted by john bailey palm beach florida on 07/13/2009
SAF statement on withdrawal from inward transfer market brilliant.I bet he wouldnt want to manage the egos in Madrid.to give the young talent a good shot at success is sound management together with the enormous experience of the senior staff .Good luck SAF you are incomparable as a club manager
Posted by 10CENT on 09/04/2009
hey i am fan of the most important team of the world Man united so, i have question do u think Man u can win the new season champion league ? because i can see some space we need to cover for the first 11 players and still Alex doesn,t seems to me he car for that.
Posted by Rio Ob on 03/03/2010
I believe that Man Untd will be able to win The Primier League and Champion Cup W Rooney has a great form so there is no problem for Manchester to do it once again.I live in Ukraine and I cannot afford buying Mancunian kit if someone can lavish one I would be thankfull
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Mark Payne writes about football for a variety of media outlets. He reported on the 2010 World Cup for Australia’s ABC network and worked at one of the FIFA fan sites. He has been ESPN’s Manchester United correspondent for four years. His writing attracts a worldwide following and in 2011 this blog was nominated for an award. To contact Mark for football discussion e-mail him on markpayne.editor@hotmail.com at any time. He wears lucky socks on match days.
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