11 Sep 2026 21:46:41
My first United game was 1979, I was 14 and a bunch of us caught the bus from Longsight. In those days it was pay as you entered, sometimes you wouldn't get in if too many turned up.
It was always the Stretford End, sat on the bar with our legs through the railings (remember that? ) so you felt close to the action. A few years later we moved to above the tunnel in the Stretford End which was often scary with the crush of people in a small space.
It was an FA Cup 4th round replay against Fulham, we won 1 nil, with a goal from Jimmy Greenhoff, I remember it snowed. There were only about 40, 000 in the ground, people forget that Old Trafford wasn't always full in those days.
I went to most most home games for about 6 years before becoming more of an occasional visitor, getting to about 10 games a year. Then when the Stretford End was rebuilt in 1992/3, I bought a season ticket. The year of getting soaked in an unfinished stand was well worth it as we won the title the year after, and man, I can't believe we gave those tickets up as they were in a perfect spot.
When Steve Bruce headed the winner against Wednesday, the ball was heading straight for us, happy days. In those days, people actually sat down for most of the game. We then went home and away thriugh the '94 season, when United fans were dotted throughout most awa grounds. How times have changed.
My most bizarre experience was when I got player complimentary tickets from a friend who knew Sparky, I arrived to find Bryan Robson sat in my seat, a steward quickly found me another seat.
I loved going to games, the hum of the crowd, the expectation of what was to come, applauding Paddy Roche for stopping a backpass, taking the p1ss out of Ralph Milne, applauding Colin Gibson sarcastically after another cross hit row Z, looking after opposition fans who found themselves in the wrong part of the ground, it was such an experience.
Nowadays it is so corporate and money focused and the fun has gone. I still get to the odd game and in the main I don't enjoy it. Winning is all that matters, that's what it's all about, but the fun has gone.
I'm probably an old fart but the game has changed so much, and for me, not always for the better.
12 Sep 2026 00:08:34
Ajh, I think that's just a part of getting older.
I remember my father saying all that to me in the 90s.
Your priorities change as you get older, things that used to excite you don't have the same effect anymore. Nothing is ever like the good old days.
You get older and wiser, more cynical, less tolerant, and more resilient. Back then, the fans could relate to the players, and the players could relate with the fans.
Players now, in the main, couldn't care less about the fans or the clubs they play for.
I now wouldn't cross the street to greet any of them. Very few of them inspire me nowadays. I'm not just talking United, it's footballers in general.
Harry Kane is someone I want to sit and have dinner with and talk to.
Rhodri, Mainoo, Haaland, Martinez would be others that I think I'd enjoy talking to. They all intrigue me for many reasons. I'd like to pick their brains on certain things and learn about certain sides of their character that I admire and identify with.
12 Sep 2026 01:49:11
Haaland is a good shoot, Ken, I think. Very underrated character.
12 Sep 2026 06:55:06
AJH, my story is similar to yours. The difference being, growing up in the late 80's, early 90's, I split my match days between Utd and Hereford Utd (getting to Manchester on Saturdays was sometimes difficult). The gulf between the two clubs was huge, but the matchday experience was pretty similar in terms of atmosphere.
A few years on, I stopped going to both, due to playing myself at a half decent level, and then getting married and having 3 boys.
2 years ago it had been 20 years since I went to watch either team, and my then 13 year old begged me to take him to Old Trafford. After finally getting some tickets, off we went to Manchester, and blimey, how a matchday experience had changed. Maybe I just picked the wrong game, but it was like sitting in a morgue, no atmosphere, people watching through their phones (someone please explain this), more interested in filling their faces, and God forbid anyone did shout and try and start an atmosphere, people just seemed to stare at them like they were from another planet.
Utd lost 2-1 and, somewhere around £250 later, I was left wondering what had happened.
2 years on, I took my now 15 year old to watch Hereford a few weeks ago. As we drove there I wondered what might have changed, and I'm pleased to say pretty much nothing had, apart from buying an e ticket, and my son absolutely loved it.
There's no way I'll ever grow away from following Utd, but that loyal, friendly, local club feel seems long gone, and I know I'm stupid to compare that to Hereford due to the gulf between the clubs, but if I had to pick which team to go and watch, there's only 1 winner.
12 Sep 2026 07:48:21
My feelings and experience as well, AJH. My first game at OT was in 1972/3 when I was living in Ashford, Kent at the time. The only difference is that I never lived in Manchester, so I invested a huge amount of time and money, with like-minded friends, travelling to OT and away games. TV only for me now. Nostalgic? Yes. Sad? Absolutely.
12 Sep 2026 08:25:07
I was over from Australia and got some "dodgy" website tickets. Ended up next to away Liverpool fans for an FA Cup game. Brilliant atmosphere, but I was sat behind a row of people either spending all the time on phones or knitting!!
Last game was the Stretford End, and it was almost exactly where my season ticket of close to 25 years was.
Sadly, just not the same atmosphere. I put it down to the people who had the passion can no longer afford to go to games, and the fans these days are perhaps a little more conservative.