Half And Half Scarfs, A Sad Symbolisation Of Modern Day Football

Half and half scarf seller at the Manchester derby

Astonished, ashamed and disappointed, these are just a few clean words I can conjure up to decribe my feelings about the growing popularity of the Premier League half and half scarf, it's a sad symbolisation of how football, and supporters in general, have changed over the last twenty years or so.

Half and half scarf sellers are now reaping the rewards of travelling supporters who attend their teams home fixtures, the scarf is purchased as some kind of medal of honour to symbolise their day out, I'm sure the words 'Day-Tripper' will sound very familiar to any supporter who attends home games of the elite clubs in the Premier League.

Look up the definition of 'Day-Tripper' in the dictionary and it will tell you that: 'A day-tripper is a person who visits a tourist destination or visitor attraction from his/her home and returns home on the same day', sound familiar?

Attending Manchester United home games over the last 18 years, I have spotted my fare share of these characters, not surprisingly it's something that has become more popular as the club have become more successful. 

The Hillsborough disaster in 1989 changed our match day football experience as a supporter, the introduction of all seater stadiums had a knock on effect, some will argue for the better, some will say for the worse, the argument for safe standing sections has recently gathered momentum with many voting in favour of the idea that has proved successful and popular in Germany. 



"Get your half United half Liverpool scarfs"

All seater stadiums limited how many supporters teams could have in a stadium, this affected the price of tickets that has gradually risen each year pricing your average local man, woman, or family, out of attending games on a regular basis.



The top teams in the Premier League, in particular Manchester United, also tapped into the corporate market, making certain areas in the stadium business meeting areas where company's wine and dine clients hoping to clinch or maintain business deals and contracts, this has had a huge effect on the Old Trafford atmosphere. 


Success on the field will always attract new support from people in other country's, Manchester United's success over the last 20 years has attracted support from all over the world, Manchester United is no longer a football club, it is a brand that has tapped into a global market making it the most profitable sports team in the world. Forbes estimates Manchester United is now worth $2.23 billion, 19% more than No. 2 Real Madrid, which is worth $1.88 billion.

Football has changed incredibly over the years, there are lots of factors that have contributed to a change in our overall home match day atmosphere, 10 or 20 years ago, half and half scarf sellers would have been laughed at and probably kicked off the forecourt outside Old Trafford! It's the sellers of these repulsive items that are laughing all the way to the bank, as travelling day trippers snap them up.

Half and half scarfs have always been a popular item on the continent, in particular when your team is playing in a European competition, I can certainly except a person buying a scarf that is half, for arguments sake, Barcelona and half Manchester United, it's something to look back on in years to come, but a Premier League one is wrong in my opinion.

At Old Trafford this season, I've witnessed people purchasing half and half United/Liverpool scarfs, and half and half United/Manchester City scarfs, something I consider to be a crime as passionate Mancunian United supporter, why would you want a rival teams name and crest around your neck?

It's simple really isn't it? The clientele that the half and half scarf sellers have exploited, are the thousands of supporters who attend Old Trafford for a day out, supporters who turn up expecting to be entertained, they view football as some kind of show, they're probably attracted by the Old Trafford 'Theatre of Dreams' slogan!


Man City day-trippers photograph Rooney celebration

I can hear the laughter of Manchester City supporters who will probably think this is hilarious, you're not immune from the half and half scarf debate! My sources tell me that there is an ever growing army of overseas support attending the Etihad these days, and they love the half and half scarf accessory too!



This was probably most evident in this seasons Manchester Derby when Wayne Rooney scored and slid on his knees to celebrate in front of the City home supporters, the proper hardcore support were suggesting via a visual wrist action that one masturbates, a few v-signs were also aimed in Rooney's direction too, but the far eastern men on the front row with half and half scarfs on scrambled for their cameras to take a picture of the Manchester United players goal celebration! These supporters were clearly not regulars at the Etihad, this was a day out for them.

As much as the majority of us detest Premier League half and half scarfs, we can only painfully accept that they are a sad symbolisation of how football has changed, this is our modern day game of football, we adore our team and worship the players, but don't you just hate certain elements of our match day experience?

@KevinAshford7

(Whats six foot long and keeps a dick warm?   ........................................... A half and half scarf!!)

City Take Pride From Old Trafford Battle

It was Frankie Goes To Hollywood who famously sang the lyrics 'When Two Tribes Go To War', on Monday evening, that's exactly what happened under the famous floodlights at Old Trafford as the Red and Blue tribe went head to head in the Manchester derby.

The media, and obviously in particular Sky Sports, tried their best to hype this game up as much as possible prior to kick off, but this match was never going to be as great a spectacle as last seasons meeting at the Etihad, many viewed it as one team looking to wrap up a record 20th league title, and the other playing for pride.

The Etihad is plastered with the motto 'Pride In Battle', and after this display they can certainly take pride and physiological confidence from the fact that they lived up to that saying at Old Trafford.

United did have spells in this game but failed to really test City keeper Joe Hart, and as the minutes ticked away it was City who grew in confidence knowing that nothing more than a win would ultimately end their chances of retaining the Barclays Premier League trophy.

With the scores level at 1-1 following goals from James Milner and a Vincent Kompany own goal, the match was finally poised for the last half an hour. It seemed United were content with sitting back which invited a wave of City attacks, the introduction of Sergio Aguero on 71 minutes signalled Mancini's intentions as they looked for the goal that would keep their slim chances of being crowned champions again alive.

In the 78th minute Mancini was rewarded for his positive formation change and substitution, as Aguero drove through the United defence before unleashing a shot into the roof of the net that left United keeper David De Gea with no chance of saving.

City must have been expecting the usual last 10 minute onslaught towards the Stretford End from United, knowing that a draw would be of more use to the Red side of Manchester, but that threat never materialised and it was the blues who inflicted United's first defeat in 18 league games.

Some United supporters will view this result as a set back, maybe even delaying the inevitable, but don't completely dismiss the threat from the Noisy Neighbours, we all know what happened last season when United surrendered an 8 point advantage with only 5 games left to play.

If United were to drop points against Stoke and West Ham away, which look like tricky fixtures respectively, a win for City in their next couple of matches would see the gap cut in City's favour, add to that the fact United still have to face Arsenal at the Emirates & Chelsea at Old Trafford, who knows what could happen then as memories of last season start to creep into the United players minds?


@KevinAshford7

Rio Owes England And The FA Nothing

Patriotic, idiotic England supporters, have got their knickers in a twist regarding Rio Ferdinand's decision to make himself unavailable for representing England in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro, following a recent call up by manager Roy Hodgson.

Rio Ferdinand owes England and the FA nothing, but all week pundits and ex professionals have been having their say on the Rio matter, the majority of them condemning Ferdinand for his decision to turn down the opportunity to join up with the England squad claiming that its unforgivable to turn down your country's invitation, but why?

Ferdinand and the FA have previous when it comes to being treated unfairly, so why should Rio be bullied into representing his country just because some people think its unforgivable and unthinkable to turn down the opportunity?

The circumstances regarding the way Rio pulled out of the squad were a bit strange, I'm sure Roy Hodgson would have had some kind of assurances from the Ferdinand camp, that if he called up the player, he would be ready to answer the call and help out his country in their time of need.

So when the news broke that Hodgson had called Ferdinand back up into the England squad last week, it must have been a huge slap in the face when he discovered that Ferdinand was in fact, unavailable to play due to his strict and intense training regime at Manchester United.

So where did Ferdinand's decision to turn his back on England come from? My guess is that his club manager, who has had a personal agenda against the FA that stretches back years, put a fatherly arm around Ferdinand and began to explain just how unfairly the association have treated the player over the years.

The first personal battle between the FA and Ferdinand kicked off when the player missed that drugs test back in 2004, England were due to play Turkey in a Euro 2004 qualifier. The FA made the decision to drop Ferdinand from the England squad on the strength of it, without Ferdinand having a fair hearing or trial, they basically judged the player before a verdict had been concluded.

It's a decision that divided the England squad at the time, Gary Neville was so angered by it he considered going on strike and not playing for England. Neville said "This was never a case of trying to get Rio off the hook. He was wrong to miss the drugs test. At the very least he was daft and forgetful. He was going to get punished for it. My point was that the FA must wait until the hearing to punish him. For me, it was a clear case of judging before the evidence had been heard".

It was Ferdinand's fault entirely for missing the drugs test, but dropping him from the squad reflected badly on the player. Imagine for a moment that the recent race row between Rio's brother Anton and John Terry, had a similar punishment by the FA and Terry was dropped from the squad immediately following the race allegations and the television evidence, that we all clearly seen, it would instantly suggest that the FA were handing Terry a guilty charge.

John Terry was not dropped by the England squad, and although a race row and a missed drugs test are entirely different issues, the seriousness of the John Terry allegations were much stronger  compared with Ferdinand's, and what did the FA do? They stood by John Terry, or 'Mr England' as some of us know him by.

As the Anton Ferdinand and John Terry race row heated up, what happened to Rio Ferdinand? He was dropped from the England squad for "Football Reasons". Rio was dropped from the squad to shield John Terry, it was an unbelievable statement by the FA, but they acted quickly to put out the flames by getting their 'Yes Man' Roy Hodgson to explain to the media that it was his choice to drop Rio and not the FA's.

In 2012 Roy Hodgson travelled on a London tube train and was asked a few questions by England supporters, on the matter of Rio Ferdinand returning to the squad he replied "It has got to be the end of the road. He is pushing 34 and hasn’t played for England for a long, long time." 

Rio's call up has desperation written all over it, why call up a player that you claimed had reached the end of the road? Why call up a player who is clearly not in your plans to be in the squad that will travel to Brazil next year for the World Cup?

So why call him up now Roy? Yes, that's right, you're down to the bare bones in central defence and after all the water that has flowed under the bridge, you thought a phone call to one of the best centre backs this country has ever produced, who is still doing it at the highest level for his club side, would be enough to tempt him back into your squad to help you out, help out an association that has treated him unfairly in the past?

I personally believe Ferdinand would have answered England's SOS call, he must have given Hodgson some assurance that he wanted to again be involved in the team. It's just unlucky for England that Sir Alex Ferguson managed to have a few words in Ferdinand's lug hole and make him see sense in this situation.

Rio Ferdinand owes England and the hypocritical FA kretins absolutely nothing, England's loss has, and will continue to be Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United's gain, I'm just disappointed that Rio Ferdinand didn't speak his mind and tell us all the truth regarding his England u-turn. I wonder if the powers at the FA will sit up, take notice and learn anything from this situation? Probably not.


@KevinAshford7

Why Don't Supporters Give Youth A Chance?

Why are some Manchester United supporters so trigger happy shooting down emerging talent from the youth academy set up? Why are some so quick to dismiss youth, insisting on bringing in overseas players instead?

Expectations have been set high since the influx of the famous class of '92, an extraordinary talented set of players who come through United's famous youth development who, like the Busby Babes, shaped the way our club is today, chapters in the history of Manchester United Football Club.

Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phill Neville and Nicky Butt were the six who Sir Alex Ferguson put so much faith in, and it paid off hugely as United dominated the 90s with a backbone of youthful homegrown talent, but are supporters now too quick to judge today's talent because they try to compare them to the the '92 graduates? 

It's something I have been thinking about for a while, supporters who write off young English players when Sir Alex is clearly trying to bed them in to the first team set up, it's something that goes on at clubs all over this country. 

Since the class of '92 the names Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Jonny Evans and Darren Fletcher instantly spring to mind as products of the youth development system who attracted unfair criticism, some supporters wrote them off as 'not being good enough', also comments like 'He's will never make it here, he's not United class' could be heard shouted out from some sections of the terraces, I wonder what their opinions are on them players now?

Recently, Manchester born youngster and lifelong supporter of the club Danny Welbeck has come in for the same fickle taunts and comments that the Old Trafford Kretins love to dish out, but why? 

He's a player who is clearly not the finished article, but you can see that with continued guidance and development he is going to be a class act, he's a player who wears his hear on his sleeve and will give everything for the club that he clearly loves, he's living a supporters dream, playing for the club he supports.

More concerning is that supporters seem to think that because the club has not paid a fee for the player, they should be replaced by an overseas player who they are willing to put more support and encouragement into, I really don't understand that? Why do they lose patience so easily with players that are trying to break into the first team?

For arguments sake, let's just say that Danny Welbeck did not come through the United youth development scheme, he was purchased from a Brazilian team for a fee of £15million, and we change his name to Daniel Welbeckinho, I guarantee that some supporters would view him totally differently because a fee was paid and because of his nationality, those supporters who have already wrote Welbeck off, would now claim that Brazilian Welbeckinho needs 'time to adjust to our style of play' or say that 'he will come good', 'he just needs a run of games', 'it's Fergie's fault for playing him out of position'.

A prime example of a player who gets that type of affection from fans is Anderson. Signed for a fee believed to be around the £30million mark, he's had 5 seasons at Old Trafford now, and after constantly disappointing and showing no signs of improvement season after season, he gets the 'next season will be his season' wild card from those on the terraces, Danny Welbeck or Tom Cleverley would not get the same patience from supporters, why? The two English based players will always give 110% commitment, something I would sadly have to question about Brazilian Anderson.

Anderson's Manchester United  career could be compared to a game of Monopoly, for 5 seasons now he has made his way around the board contributing very little but collecting £200 each time he passes go. This is a metaphor, he obviously collects a lot more than that!

Another English based player who has been plagued by criticism is Michael Carrick, he was not a product of the United youth set  and was purchased for a fee of £18million, but he seems an easy target when things are not going well, although my opinion is that he would be one of the first names on my team sheet. 

Again, like the Welbeck name and nationally change thing, if for arguments sake we had signed Carrick from Spain, and his name was Miguel Xavick, I believe supporters would embrace his performances and say that he 'oozes class', it's wrong but it does seem that some people are highly critical and far too quick when assessing English talent, it's seems there is a strange obsession with overseas players.

You only have to look back to that famous assessment by Alan Hansen in 1995 when he claimed "You can't win anything with kids", Manchester United went on to win the double and dominate English football also achieving success in Europe too.

@KevinAshford7

Will The Real Danny Welbeck Please Stand Up

Take a bow Danny Welbeck, you deserve all the credit you receive after a sensational performance in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against the famous Real Madrid, the real Danny Welbeck stood up, this was a statement to all those supporters who have questioned his performances and lack of goals.

It was the biggest game of Manchester born Welbeck's career, his selection baffled a few people prior to kick off, but it was plain to see early on that he was selected to do a job, and didn't the boy do well?

His endless running had the Real Madrid back line on their toes, they didn't get a moments peace as Welbeck chased down everything and constantly asked questions of the Spanish champions, a friend of mine who I watched the match with referred to him as a "nuisance"! I'm sure that would have been the verdict on the Longsight lad from the Madrid defenders too!

Welbeck has come in for some unfair criticism recently from supporters and the media due to his goal scoring record, what do you expect from a player who is being played out of position on a regular basis? Hes covered the left and right side of the midfield and hes a striker. Welbeck is adapting and changing his style of play because he simply wants to play for the team he grew up supporting, his willingness to adapt makes him a fantastic asset to the squad.

Supporters can be so fickle, Welbeck comes in for some harsh criticism on social media and Manchester United forums, last night proved that he is capable of a big performance at the highest level. His team mate Javier Hernandez knows how to find the net, but Welbecks all round game is far more superior to the Mexicans, speed, hold up and link up play, pace, and he's not bad in the air either!

In a world where supporters and managers are obsessed with bringing in over seas players to our Premier League, how refreshing is it that a product of the Manchester United youth academy should grab the majority of the headlines following the 1-1 with Real Madrid? A player that is United through and through and would probably run through a brick wall if Sir Alex Ferguson asked him too!

The Santiago Bernabéu experience is part of Welbecks development as a player, the confidence he will take from that performance will give him more belief in himself.

What a time to start showing your quality too, at a time when United are chasing three trophies like they famously achieved in 1999, with a strikeforce that has been compared to the current crop of attacking options.

@KevinAshford7

Could Sir Alex Have Saved Gazza From Self Destruction?

Gascoigne pictured before leaving for Rehab

The shocking images of Paul Gascoigne on the front of this weeks tabloids portrayed an ex football genius who has sadly struggled to cope with life after the beautiful game.

Arguably the most gifted English player of all time is now in America undergoing rehabilitation for an alcohol addiction that is threatening to bring the former players life to an end prematurely.

If Gazza had been protected better and looked after when he hung his boots up, could he have been saved from attempting to self destruct? Would Sir Alex Ferguson have been able to keep him on the straight and narrow if the player had signed for Manchester United in 1988, after verbally agreeing to join the club before deciding to join Tottenham Hotspur because they offered to buy his mother and father a house?

Gazza has never shied away from the fact that hanging his boots up was the start of his problems, once adored by millions, he turned to alcohol to try and achieve the same fix of euphoria that he got from playing football, sadly this was the start of his decline.

Many believe that Gazza should have been offered some kind of role within the Football Association to keep him busy. He has so much experience of the game and talent that he should have been able to pass on his experiences of his playing time to the next generation of footballers coming through, sadly this never happened, but would it have happened if Gazza had chosen Manchester instead of London?

Choosing Manchester in 1988 would have meant that Sir Alex Ferguson would have been in charge of managing the player, a manager who has proved over his 26 year spell with the club that he has the credentials to man manage superstar talents who have diverse personalities, could Sir Alex have provided a long term structure for the player that would have seen the ex genius still working at Manchester United's Carrington training complex in a coaching role? Would he be an ambassador for the Reds working regularly on Uniteds MUTV channel keeping his mind focused?

I'm obviously talking hypothetically, but I believe that there is no doubt that Gazza would have been a success at Old Trafford, his spells at Tottenham, Lazio and Glasgow Rangers have proved that.

Manchester United would have been a fantastic fit for Paul Gascoigne, the supporters would have adored him, the manager would have acted as a father figure towards him and most importantly, the club would not have turned their back on him when his time as a player had ended like the FA did. A player who gave so much for England should have been looked after far better when you consider the problems he has faced.

The Paul Gascoigne situation is very similar to that of the late George Best, both were a genius with a football at their feet who also had an alcohol addiction, lets hope that Gazza can fight his demons and his self destructing ways before its too late.The recent shocking images of the former player, who looks a lot older than the 45 years that his birth certificate displays, are not the images we want to remember him by. 

Hopefully he is back on the straight and narrow soon and we can replace the recent alarming images of him with past iconic ones, like his eyes welling up in Italy at World Cup 1990 following a booking that would have ruled him out of the final if England had progressed.

I can't help but wonder if things would have turned out different for Paul Gascoigne in the long term if he had made the switch to Manchester United and worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, we will never know.

@Kevinashford7

Wigan Away (Featured In Red News Issue 197)

Red News Issue 197

Its 9am on New Years day 2013, previously only 5 hours ago I was dancing around my kitchen with the wife to the sounds of the Stone Roses and the Smiths celebrating the start of the new year. My head hurts and I'm not entirely sure why I set my alarm to go off at this ridiculous time on a bank holiday, then I suddenly remember that its Wigan away today.

My old man sorted the tickets out through Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi who is a frequent visitor to Old Trafford whenever his team are not playing. On match days my dad works at United on the car park and in exchange for a good parking place at the front, we get 2 tickets for Wigan away every season so fingers crossed they stay up this season!

In no time at all I am showered, clothed, fed and ready to make my way to Piccadilly station in time for the train. I call at my mates house on the way, he looks exactly how I am feeling! We then meet our other mate at the train station who has clearly got his New Year priorities correct as he has a plastic bag full of cans with him for our journey!

On arrival at Piccadilly train station in our tender state we are a little confused as to why there are no United supporters knocking about, in fact there seem to be Bertie's all over the place? I'm getting a little anxious because my only job was to check the train times and inform my mates what time the train was leaving at. A City supporter in a half and half scarf visually tells us that they are playing Stoke today and another quick glance up at the digital arrival monitor confirms to us that the influx of City supporters around us is because the train from the Stockport line has just arrived at Piccadilly!

We get on the train and there is not much of an atmosphere, its very subdued as most people are obviously still recovering from the New Years eve celebrations. There is just enough time for us to sink a couple of cans and chat about past away day experiences before we arrive in Wigan.

As we are getting off the train I get a call from my dad who tells me to hurry up and make my way to the stadium as he has us "Golden Tickets", this means we can drink in the players lounge before and after the match, "I'm having a bit of that" I said! My mates at this stage had stopped for a toilet stop at a pub near the train station so I told them I would meet them after the match to travel back to Manchester as we were not sat together in the ground.

Players Before Kick Off 

On arrival my dad come out of the players lounge to give me my ticket and we went in for a few swift pints before making our way into the executive seating area in the main stand. I had a quick glance around to establish where the United supporters were gathered, it wasn't hard as they were the ones making all the noise to my left behind the goal, our full allocation had clearly been taken up for today's game.

Its away days like this make me think back to just how vocal Old Trafford was on a match day, the days before the corporate sections, prawn sandwich munchers and day trippers diluted our home atmosphere. The United faithful were in full voice as they rummaged deep into the United song archives to sing a wide variety of terrace chants passionately, they were all in great spirits and I found myself sat in the Wigan end a little devastated that I was not part of it. Although I was there to watch the team I adore I found myself looking to my left at the travelling support on many occasions to see what was going on and what song they would sing next, the atmosphere they were generating was brilliant.

Players Celebrate RvP Goal

I constantly found myself tapping my foot and muttering certain songs quietly under my breath as I tried to get involved, I was proud of the United supporters that day who sang throughout the match, I was proud to be a Mancunian. I even overheard a Wigan supporter say to his mate just near me "those lot have not shut up all game"! It was in stark contrast to the Wigan supporters who had bothered to turn up for this game, if this had of been a church service they would have been applauded by the priest for behaving quietly and staying in their seats throughout the service!

The match finished 4-0 and will be remembered for a moment of brilliance from van Persie and the United supporters who created a carnival like atmosphere inside the stadium. We made our way back to the players lounge in the hope that maybe a few of the United players might show their faces. The Wigan players all walked in about half an hour after the game and sat with their family and friends, no sign of any United players. Then Darren Fletcher walked in, I was instantly shocked by his gaunt and thin look which are the effects of his chronic bowel complaint, my dad even doubted for a minute it was actually him. I have seen him on the television but to see him in the flesh makes you realise the amount of weight he has lost during his difficult time.

Darren Fletcher & Me In The Players Lounge

I'm not one to pass up on a photo opportunity so I made my way over and waited for him to finish his conversation with the person who he had come in to talk too. He then looked at me and I asked if I could have my picture with him, my dad took the picture and I told him that I hoped to see him back in the first team soon to which he replied "thanks", before saying "I better get off before the team coach leaves without me".

I then get a text off my mate who tells me they are in the queue for the train, I say my goodbyes to my old man and as I get outside the ground I ring my mate who tells me they have now boarded the train, I knew that it would take me 10 minutes to get back to the train station running, so I told them to go on without me and silently prayed that there was another train later on.

I make it to the train station and to my delight there are United supporters all over the platform which obviously means that another train must be arriving soon, when it does I make my way into the first carriage and stand at the front watching the train fill up with everyone in high spirits and singing. I notice an innocent looking couple at the front of the train who's faces drain and drop as they realise that the train has just been taken over and invaded by a gang of alcohol fuelled football supporters celebrating! Its not long before the 'Kicking a Blue' song gets going and some reds stand on their seat proceeding to beat the roof of the carriage for a drum sound effect. At this point a train conductor walks on, takes one look and walks back off! His face was a picture, I'm sure that he said under his breath as he walked off the train "Fuck this"! A sarcastic applause and cheer is followed by everyone singing "We're Man United We Do What We Want"!

The songs never stopped on that train back from Wigan, song after song after song, just like at the match that day. A Wigan supporter with an official training ground top on had tried hard to keep himself to himself on the journey home, he departed us at the Bolton stop off with the sounds of "You're going home to shag your sister" still echoing in his eardrums! It was all harmless banter! By the time I got home that evening I sat down and thought to myself, great away day, great result and a great start to 2013.

Panoramic Picture Of The DW Stadium

@kevinashford7

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United Make Statement With Dramatic Manchester Derby Victory

The 164th Manchester derby was settled with an injury time winner from a player many predicted would win Manchester United the 2012/13 Premier league trophy. In the 92nd minute Robin van Persie scored a free kick that could end up being a pivotal moment in the race for the title between the Manchester clubs, one thing is for sure, on this evidence the Premier League trophy is staying in the North West.

It was a fascinating spectacle watched by millions in 200 countries worldwide and it didn't disappoint, you simply could not take your eyes off this game, the two City rivals showed passion and raw emotion.

The decision by Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini to drop Carlos Tevez and start with Mario Balotelli handed their rivals the upper hand as the Italian failed miserably to make any kind of impact on the match, his body language suggests he is not happy, his manager must have felt let down by his performance.

City dominated the early possession without really troubling or testing David De Gea, it was soon clear that United had adopted a counter attack style of play at the Etihad, looking to use the width of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia in their quest to win this game.

United were ruthless and clinical when they made the breakthrough in the 16th minute, Robin van Persie had dragged City captain Vincent Kompany out of his comfort zone and he got too close to the Dutchman as the ball was played into him, van Persie sublimely cushioned the ball off his chest into the path of Ashley Young who exploited the space in front of him. Young found Wayne Rooney who managed to roll the ball into Joe Harts right hand corner leaving the England number one glued to his goal mouth unable to react.

City again started to probe but it was United who extended their lead after good work again using the width down the right hand side this time, Rafael cut a ball back to Wayne Rooney who arrived late in the penalty area to smash the ball under Joe Hart. The keeper picked the ball out of the net for the second time in 29 minutes yet to make a save in the match.

The score line at half time probably flattered the reds slightly, there was not much in this game but United had been clinical in their finishing.

For the 52 minutes Mario Balotelli was on the pitch it was like City were playing with 10 men, the introduction of Carlos Tevez changed the complex of this mach completely and gave Uniteds defence something to think about.

The game changing incident come when United had a goal ruled out for offside that would have killed off City, replays showed that Ashley Young was onside when he tapped in a magnificent effort from van Persie that had rebounded off the post after excellent footwork in the box to open up the space for a shot. City. It was the wake up call City needed and they responded by pulling a goal back when Yaya Toure scored after a brilliant double save from David De Gea, the atmosphere in the Etihad exploded in to life as City sensed the comeback was most definitely on.

Tevez was pulling all the strings for City and looked like a man possessed, his endless running and menacing movement meant that Uniteds defence would have to be switched on to prevent the threat of the Argentine.

City pulled level with 4 minutes of the match left when Zabaleta was left unmarked on the edge of the United area to drill home the goal which looked to have snatched a point for the blues. Zabaleta showed that City's mentality has dramatically changed over the last few seasons by instructing his team mates to retrieve the ball from the United goal and get back to the halfway line, the momentum was with City and they wanted the 3 points.

In injury time United substitute Danny Welbeck pressurised defender Gael Clichy in to conceding possession, his pass found Rafael who was clipped by Carlos Tevez presenting United with a free kick and a chance to test Joe Hart with what would be the last opportunity in this epic Manchester derby.

Joe Hart looked undecided on what his goal line position would be as a 3 man wall waited for van Persie to take the free kick, the Dutchman curled the ball with his lethal left foot which took a deflection off a pathetic attempt by Samir Nasri to block the effort, the ball deflected just enough to sneak into Joe Harts right of the goal sending the visiting supporters in to raptures, United had earned 3 points, opened up a 6 point lead over their rivals and had the bragging rights of the City.

The game was held up following ugly scenes after the goal when a City supporter decided to try and get up close and personal with Rio Ferdinand who had received a cut above his left eye after supporters threw coins at the United players who celebrated in front of the visitors section. The players celebrations looked like an outburst of emotion and passion after experiencing heartache on the pitch at the Stadium of Light last season when they were informed that Serio Aguero had scored in similar circumstances to this derby match to confirm City as Premier League champions.

The final whistle went and Uniteds players celebrated triumphantly with their supporters, the importance and significance of this result will not be clear until later on in the season, but physiologically it is a huge blow to City who surrendered an unbeaten home record of 37 games in the process. United will not get carried away and will look to the end of last season when they threw away an 8 point advantage as a reason to remain fully focused. The difference this year is van Persie, he is the player for the big occasion and has fitted into the Manchester United team like a duck takes to water, he could be the difference this season.


@kevinashford7

The Day I Faced Hostility And Hatred At Anfield

The date was the 18th of February 2006, it was a Saturday, we were playing Liverpool in the the 5th round of the FA Cup at Anfield, this was to be my first experience of a game that is filled with rivalry, passion and hatred, both on and off the field.

The rivalry between the cities stretches back to industrial times when they were both competing for supremacy of the north-west.

The clubs are the two most successful teams in England, they are two of the best supported clubs in world football, they have also suffered tragedy's that unfortunately and distastefully a minority of both sets of supporters like to remind the other about and mock.

Add all this together and the Manchester v Mersyside fixture makes an explosive spectacle both on the field and on the terraces, its a fixture that has a history of trouble and violence, again, both on and off the field.

I was offered a ticket by a friend and obviously could not turn down the opportunity to attend such a high profile match, the ticket allocation Manchester United received would ensure that this would be an explosive atmosphere.

I remember leaving the house in the morning and my dad telling me "watch yourself and take care", sound advice from a man who followed United home and away in 70s and 80s and knew what the Anfield experience was like.

Me and three mates travelled by car that morning, it was about a 30 minute drive. We parked down a side street a few minutes walk from Stanley Park, and proceeded to make out way down the streets keeping ourselves to ourselves, speaking openly between us would have been a big give away to any Liverpool supporters looking to cause trouble as the three of us had Mancunian accents! I suppose we were just trying to be a bit streetwise.

Anyone who has passed through Stanley Park will know that it is a moody place, as we made our way through we spotted gangs of lads on mobile phones obviously trying to find the enemy, they were like birds of prey looking for their morning breakfast as they stood on walls to gain a height advantage watching us like hawks.

As we approached the ground we spotted the away end and made our way swiftly over, supporters of both clubs were trying to pick each other out, its a task made very difficult by some supporters choice of clothing, lots of supporters choose to dress in plain clothes and shy away from wearing club colours to go undetected, it can save you a lot of bother!

As we passed through the segregation it was time to turn and join in singing with the thousands of United supporters who had already got through the mass police presence, its at this moment the adrenalin starts pumping, the excitement kicks in, you cant wait to get into the stadium, you cant wait for the referee to blow his whistle to signal the start of the game.

The rivalry, bitterness and hostility between both sets of supporters is unlike anything else I have ever witnessed or experienced as a Manchester United supporter, the stadium was a cauldron of noise as both sets of supporters reminded each other of past Glory's. No Manchester derby has ever even come close to being compared to the hatred I witnessed during that 90 minutes of football, it was definitely an eye opener!

United supporters were taunting the Liverpool supporters about Michael Shields, the Liverpool supporter who was jailed in Istanbul after the clubs Champions League win, Shields always protested his innocence in the murder enquiry, but United supporters seen it as an opportunity to get under their rivals skin.

I remember looking into the main stand and some Liverpool supporters were not interested about what was happening on the pitch, they were making aeroplane gestures in reference to the Munich air disaster, you could cut the tension with a knife.

The only two thing I remember about the match itself, was that Liverpool won it 1-0 following a Peter Crouch goal scored at our end, and the horrific injury that Alan Smith suffered. It was reported after the match that the ambulance transporting Smith was held up by Liverpool supporters who were outside the ground, they apparently rocked the ambulance and tried to open the doors. This just goes to show the pure hatred between the two sets of supporters.

It was the sound of the referees whistle to indicate that the match had ended and what went on next that I will never forget. As the whistle sounded the stadium erupted as if the trophy had been won that day, but we unaware that Liverpool supporters were in the tier above us until a coin pinged off the concrete floor in front of me, next was a shower of beer, it was time to put my hood to good use! As we looked up the Liverpool supporters had the stewards pinned back and were able to lean over the tier showering us with all kinds of objects which was later reported as urine and feces. Chants of "Munich" were also aimed at us from all directions.

As the stewards and police established control of the situation, a sense of order was restored. Next was the incident that sparked a backlash from the United supporters. The stadium was nearly empty with us still kept in for safety reasons, but somehow a Liverpool supporter managed to make his way back in and run the whole length of the stand making an aeroplane gesture, what followed was a reaction.

A small minority of supporters proceeded to start stamping on the Anfield seats trying to snap them off to use them as objects to throw, the outrage in the crowd was clearly evident as the stewards and police quickly lost control of a situation that had just hit boiling point, emotions were ready to spill.

One United supporter managed to break his seat off next to me and ran at the man who was making the gesture, there was a steward telling the Liverpool supporter to make his way out of the stadium, the United supporter launched the seat like a frisbee, but instead of hitting its intended target it hit the steward knocking him clean out.

A small minority of United supporters then let themselves and our club down by chanting Hilsborough songs at the Liverpool supporter, who police had managed to get a grip of before ejecting him out of the stadium. United supporters were now livid, being kept behind was making a section of supporters more aggressive as they wanted to get out as quickly as possible and confront the home supporters, I was preparing myself for a riot outside, how would we be able to avoid it?

The police tactics worked that day, keeping the United supporters in after the match enabled them to clear all the surroundings of Anfield before letting us out of the stadium. When they finally let us out a group of supporters ran out into the streets fully pumped up full of anger, but the streets were deserted like a ghost town, there was a heavy police presence, but no Liverpool supporters to clash with.

Its unbelievable when I think about the hostility and abuse that was aimed at us that day in 2006 at the final whistle inside Anfield, this was a match that Liverpool had won, judging by their reaction you could have sworn that they had just lost! 

We made our way back to the car undetected and without any bother and were quickly on the M62 heading back towards Manchester. It was a disappointing result, but an experience I will never forget, the rivalry between the clubs is incredible, it will always be one of the biggest football spectacles in world football because of that reason.

Its still the game that Manchester United supporters look most forward too when the fixtures are announced at the start of each Premier League campaign.


@kevinashford7

Witnessing Ronaldo Graduate From His United Football Eduaction Was A Joy

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United as a teenage boy, he departed for the Madrid capital as man. His football education under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson helped him become arguably the best player on the planet, although many would agree he is second to Barcelona sensation Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo joined United for a fee of £12.24million in 2003 from Sporting Clube de Portugal. Unknown by many, supporters were soon to learn that the manager had purchased a player with huge potential and unbelievable talent, but also realised that it was going to take time to work on his all round game.

Ronaldo had the full backing of Sir Alex Ferguson who had the belief that he could succeed at United when he was was handed the iconic no7 shirt, Ronaldo said "After I joined, the manager asked me what number I'd like. I said 28. But Ferguson said 'No, you're going to have No. 7,' and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honour."

I was lucky enough to be at Old Trafford the day Ronaldo made his Manchester United debut as a 60th minute substitute against Bolton. Chants of "There's only one Ronaldo" echoed around the Theatre of Dreams as the crowd welcomed the Portuguese wizard to the field, he didn't disappoint, it's still the best debut I have seen by a United player.

Yes, I am aware that Wayne Rooney scored a hat trick on his debut for United in a Champions League game in 2004. I think for the overall impact and excitement, Ronaldo's debut easily edges it for me because nobody really knew what to expect that day when United's new no7 took to the field for his 30minute cameo. Rooney on the other hand joined the club as an established talent who was no stranger to Premier League football.

Ronaldo's debut was sensational, within seconds of being introduced to the game he had the Bolton back line on their toes as he worked his magic down the left and the right showing that he was confident on either foot. The step overs were a bit of a novelty with the crowd at the time, but they worked and gained Ronaldo that extra yard. 

Ronaldo was introduced to the game against Bolton with United leading 1-0, the match finished 4-0 and its no coincidence that United scored 3 goals whilst the raw Portuguese prodigy was working his magic on the Old Trafford turf. After the match, although he didn't score,  supporters, the media and the manager were all praising 18 year old Ronaldo and the impact he had on the game.

"It looks like the fans have a new hero, It was a marvellous debut, almost unbelievable. I felt his penetration could make a difference for us" said Sir Alex Ferguson after the Bolton game.

Cristiano Ronaldo went on to become a Manchester United legend during his time with the club scoring 84 goals in 196 games and winning every top honour he possibly could. Ronaldo never kept it a secret that his dream was to play for the team he supporter as a child, Real Madrid.

Although United supporters would have been devastated to see Ronaldo leave Old Trafford, I got the impression at the time the majority of fans waved him off saying 'thanks for the memories'. Ronaldo is the only player I have seen leave Manchester United who had not fully fulfilled his potential and hit his peak, his name is still sung proudly by supporters who acknowledge and appreciate what he did in his 6 seasons.

Ronaldo was the conductor of the United orchestra when he discovered how to use his talent to the best of his ability, the impact he made was something we will never recapture or replace, he was truly phenomenal in the famous red shirt.

It's sad to think that he will probably play his best football for Real Madrid, he's carried on his sensational form for his new club and is justifying the decision by his new employers to hand over a world record £80million fee for his extraordinary services .

I'm just glad that in years to come I can tell people that seen a legend of world football in the making, it was a pleasure and a joy watching the boy become a man and watching him graduate from his football education at Manchester United.

Thanks for the memories Cristiano Ronaldo.

@kevinashford7