Every Manchester United fan should know what the Green and Gold campaign is about by now, if you don’t where have you been?

Ben Foster has only just joined Birmingham City from Man United but he has already had his say on this campaign. He believes that it could affect the players on the pitch. He has also taken what could be considered as a parting swipe aimed at the United fans.

“There's maybe too much made of it by the supporters. They are obviously passionate about Manchester United, but sometimes they need to focus on supporting the club a bit more than getting carried away with the technicalities of who's in charge.

“Personally, I think the Glazers have always put money in to Manchester United to buy players when needed.

Having said that, I don't think the manager needs to buy too many players there anyway. They have a lot of good youngsters coming through the ranks.”

“However, it's a bit of a distraction when the fans are chanting at every game.”

The Green and Gold campaign is all about making an impact, the chanting and the scarves is getting the campaign media attention.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I get what Foster is saying, it might affect the players but the Glazers have to go! The club is in over £700 million worth of debt and it’s only going to get worse and something has to be done about it. The fans are only doing what they can to save their club.

It was the comments that followed that surprised me. Most United fans have backed Foster and to come out with something that sounds like a swipe is a shame.

Foster went on to say that he is looking forward to playing in front of the Birmingham fans, who will support the team.

“They are fans who are always going to get behind the team and it is nice to know I am joining a club like that.

“They are not the kind of supporters who boo the team off.

‘“At the bigger teams some fans expect too much sometimes.

“Whereas at Birmingham the fans are very happy to be involved in the Premier League.”

It could of course have come across totally wrong and he didn’t mean it like that at all.

It is being reported that in Kenya an Arsenal fan has repeatedly stabbed a Manchester United fan, over the current Premier League standings. United currently sit at the top of the table, with Chelsea close in second and Arsenal in third.

The United fan named as 19-year old Abubakar Baishe was stabbed by a 20-year old who is not only his schoolmate but also a relative. He was stabbed in the left side of his abdomen after United’s win over Liverpool on the 21st March 2010.

The doctor who has performed a major operation on the United fan has said that he is ‘currently out of danger’ and that ‘his condition has greatly improved’.

The youngsters dad Mr Baishe has said: “This is mere childishness as we adults cannot turn on each other with a knife; not for the sake of the English Premier League going on in a far-away continent.”

“But my son took it just as a mere debate usually exchanged by die-hard fans across the globe, only for his colleague to turn his anger on him with a pen knife he was carrying.”

Lamu police boss Augustine Kimantiria said:
“We are working hard to catch up with the main suspect, who is still at large.”

Abubakar Baishe is now recovering from surgery in a hospital in Lamu District. It is now believed that the unnamed 20-year old has fled to Tanzania.

A year ago it was reported that an Arsenal fan had killed himself after Man United knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League.

This is ridiculous, things like this shouldn’t happen. I get the passion because I feel the passion but that doesn’t mean that I am going to turn round and try to kill someone because another team is higher in the table than United. Like Abubakar’s father said, it’s just childishness, doesn’t make it right.

Man United have confirmed that they will be freezing season ticket prices for next season after much speculation that ticked prices would increase.

On ManUtd.com the club confirmed that the price of attending a game at Old Trafford for season-ticket holders would stay priced at £27 to £49 for adults. Over 65’s tickets stay at half of price of an adult ticket, but there is a cap of £20. Children’s tickets also stay the same at £10. Season tickets will continue to cost from £513 to £931, not including tickets for the Champions League or Cup matches.

MUST (Manchester United Supporters Trust) have said that this it their first victory against the Glazers.

MUST Chief Executive Duncan Drasdo has been quoted as saying:

"This clearly demonstrates the power supporters have when they come together as a unified group.”

"We know from sources inside the club that the Glazers are very concerned about the growing Green & Gold campaign which has seen the membership counter on the Manchester United Supporters Trust website increase from 36,000 two months ago to 145,000."

"The campaign is only two months old but this is an incredible victory at such an early stage and will undoubtedly be a huge boost to supporters."

I have to agree that it is the first victory, how likely is it that the ticket prices would have gone up if there wasn’t the green and gold campaign? I think there’s a good chance that they would have.

Ahead of Liverpool’s visit to Old Trafford on Sunday, police have warned both sets of fans that if anyone refuses to surrender alcohol then they will face prosecution.

If anyone refuses to hand over an alcoholic drink then they may face a night in the cells or even be handed a £50 fine. This comes after there have been some ‘disruptions’ at some matches at Old Trafford.

Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts, Divisional Commander for Greater Manchester Police’s Trafford Division said: “We will not tolerate alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in public as it is upsetting to the majority of law-abiding people.

“We are committed to making Trafford a better place to live and enforcing this DPPO is yet another example of how we are working to robustly tackle drink-related issues when they arise.”

So in other words- behave yourself on Sunday or there will be trouble.

A survey of 2,000 fans conducted by YouGov has shown that 80% of Man United fans and 70% of Liverpool fans believe that their clubs would be better run if owned by fans.

Man United and Liverpool clash at Old Trafford this weekend, there is no love lost between the fans but there is one thing we have in common. Both sets of supporters want their American owners out of the club.

Liverpool are in £237m worth of debt, if they think that is bad, United are £716.5m worth of debt.
The survey also showed that Man United fans on average would be willing to invest £600 of their own money into the club, if that means that the Glazers would sell up.

The Chief Executive of MUST (Manchester United Supporters Trust) Duncan Drasdo has been quoted as saying: "We know there's a huge appetite out there to change the ownership at United.”

"This [the amount fans are willing to invest] shows there's the commitment and the will amongst supporters to play a significant role in any bid and new ownership structure.”

The Chief Executive of Supporters Direct David Boyle has also had his say:
"Fans are realising that the choice is a simple one - pay someone else's debts off and at the end, those people own it, or buy it yourself."

"These clubs should never have been allowed to be bought on the back of leveraged debt, but if the game's authorities won't act in the defence of our clubs, fans will have to."

If supporters of clubs do have their say then at least you know that the club is in good hands. Supporters will always put the club first, unlike owners. The problem with that though is how do you get supporters to have their say? Do you do a poll with everyone who has a stake in the club?

It’s a difficult one but what I want is someone to run the club who cares about it, can run it well and will not take millions of pounds out of it and bleed it dry.

It is believed that Manchester City’s Michael Johnson was arrested for assaulting a Man United fan, but has now been released on bail. Johnson is under investigation for assaulting the United fan at a nightclub in December, he has been bailed until the 14th April.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said:
"Just after 1am on Sunday 6 December 2009, a patrol car was flagged down and an officer was told a man had been assaulted. The 22-year-old victim reported that he had been assaulted in 42nd Street nightclub.”

"The man had a cut to the face but no other injuries.

"A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, a section 47 assault, and remains on police bail until 14 April 2010 as inquiries continue.

"Two other men, aged 21 and 22, have been interviewed under caution to assist inquiries."

It is thought the 22-year old Man United fan and some other people were singing a United chant, one of the group approached Johnson. The fan claims that he was headbutted, knocked to the ground and kicked while he was down.

Police have seized over 40 Manchester United tickets after a raid on a house after an investigation into ticket-touting on the 28th January 2010.

The police found the tickets, which were for United’s match against Arsenal, which was played on the 31st January. Among the cards were also season tickets and £11,000 was also found at the property in Wythenshawe.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "A number of items, believed to be stolen, were seized, along with a large quantity of football tickets."

A 23-year old man was arrested on suspicion of ticket touting and money laundering. A 26-year old man was arrested on suspicion handling stolen goods and ticket touting. A third man, aged 51 was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, ticket touting and money laundering.

All three men have been released on bail.

It is believed that some wealthy Man United fans are preparing a bid to takeover the club. Football finance expert Keith Harris has revealed that he has been approached by wealthy Man United fans who want to take the club over.

"You sense that the momentum is gathering and this time these fans truly mean it," Harris told BBC Sport.
"I think they are saying that enough is enough, there is too much gearing on this football club and it is unhealthy."

Harris also spoke on the BBC Sports show Football Focus, which was aired BBC1 today.

"We have been approached and if we can lend our weight for doing something for the good of Manchester United and football we will," Harris said.

In this case of Manchester United, of whom I am a huge fan and have been for 50 years, they are playing with an icon of football, one of the most respected football brands in the world and it is in danger.
"Seventy-five pence of every pound that [Manchester United] fans are spending is now going to the Glazers either for themselves or to pay debts."
"If these rumblings become a revolution and fans stop going - as difficult as it is for them not to go - and the pounds stop coming in, there is real peril."

"It depends on the Glazers' attitude," Harris continued.
"Clearly they appeared impervious to the protests when they took the club over and that was fine.
"They don't go [to watch United] very often, they stay in America but you've got to think their businesses in America haven't done well, they can't have done, because the world in general has not done well in business.
"They are probably highly geared in their business activities in America so, if this is an opportunity for them to take the money and go, I would hope they would listen carefully to that offer, providing the money can be raised and I am confident it can be."

Man United fans have been campaingning for the Glazers to leave Old Trafford ever since they bought the club in 2005 but over recent weeks it has picked up pace.

Man United have released a statement, which read:

"Manchester United is the most profitable football club in the world”
"Last year, on a record turnover of £278m, the club made a record cash profit of £91m. Interest payments were £41m and wages accounted for less than half of the turnover.
"The recent bond issue has been very successful and provides the club with certainty in its interest payments, as well as great flexibility with the removal of bank covenants.
"The cash from the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo is available for Sir Alex to spend and it will be spent on players who are available for purchase and who the manager thinks can improve the squad, not to prove to pundits that it exists."

If this is true then it will be music to the Man United fans ears. The Glazers can say that the club isn’t up for sale all they want but everyone can be bought. They aren’t really Manchester United fans and I believe the club should be in hands of people who actually care about what happens to it.

I guess we will see what happens over the next few weeks and months.

During the Manchester derby last night a coin, bottle and a few other stuff was thrown at City’s Craig Bellamy. The FA are now waiting for the report by the referee and Man United could face a possible fine.

Now I don’t want to condone what the fans did last night because it wasn’t right but why are Man United being looked into and Man City aren’t? During the first leg at the City Of Manchester Stadium a cigarette lighter was thrown at Man United defender Patrice Evra, that isn’t being looked into.

Why isn't that being looked into aswell? It was caught on camera, just in case the referee missed it.


A FA spokeman said: "Once we have the referee's report and asked for a report from the club itself we can establish what, if any, action is merited”.

The fans shouldn’t have done but seriously, at least be fair.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed by Greater Manchester police that 11 men were arrested before the Carling Cup game last night:

A Police spokesman said: "Officers policing (last night's) Manchester derby have made 11 arrests.
"Eleven men have been arrested on suspicion of various offences, including public order, affray and criminal damage."

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: "The arrests we made prior to [last night's] game and the work we carried out with the clubs has paid dividends.
"The vast majority of fans have taken on board our messages ahead of the game, making sure it has been a safe evening and one that can be remembered for the football."

"The low number of arrests on the night is testament to the excellent work of all those involved.
"The vast majority of fans behaved very well and I would like to thank them for listening to the messages we have been giving, to help make the evening pass off peacefully."

Before the clash with Man City yesterday, Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was urging the Man United fans to get behind the team. If you have been on a different world then you wouldn’t know that Man United fans are trying to push the owners of Man United out of Old Trafford.

Fans are not buying tickets, merchandise, cancelling a MUTV subscription, wearing green and yellow, protesting and more. Sir Alex has reacted and he is asking for fans to pull together.
Last night the Man United fans were 100% behind the team and that has resulted in Sir Alex saying that the fans were fantastic.

“I thought our fans were unbelievable tonight,” Sir Alex told MUTV. “When Old Trafford is like that, the players really respond to it. They dragged us home. I have to pay special tribute to them. They were wonderful.”

You didn’t have to be inside the stadium last night to hear what an unbelievable atmosphere there was.

Man United may have gone to the top of the table after a 4-0 win over Hull, mainly thanks to Wayne Rooney but that hasn’t stopped the fans from voicing their concerns. For 90 minutes “Love United, Hate Glazers” and “We want the Glazers out” chants rang through Old Trafford, probably much to the annoyance of Sir Alex Ferguson. The last 10 minutes were the loudest and hopefully on Wednesday at Old Trafford it will be incredibly loud for the full 90 minutes.

In Sir Alex Ferguson’s match day programme he wrote that the fans should stop the protests and show unity. Normally most Man United fans will hang on every word that Sir Alex says, but not this time.

"Some of our fans are clearly unhappy with our financial position, but we mustn't allow the situation to become divisive.
"The danger is that we could be presented as being split, which would be harmful and inaccurate, because I believe the vast majority of United fans are behind us and appreciate the importance of standing together in support of the team.”

Of course the fans aren’t happy with the financial situation, United are around £716 million in debt. United may have been able to raise £504 million in bonds but that will still have to be paid back and it is being reported that United will have to pay an extra £54 million in interest.

The fact that Sir Alex has come out and publicly said that he is concerned means that the fans are getting somewhere. This campaign is only a week old and is starting to get some high profile attention.

What Is Being Done?

Green and yellow scarves have been flying off the MUST stalls and right now they are like gold dust. MUST have ordered many more scarves ahead of the match against Manchester City on Wednesday. I have had a few emails asking for information on where they can be bought.

Green and yellow scarves by clicking here (Manchester United Supporters Trust get commission):

You can buy green and yellow flags by clicking here (Manchester United Supporters Trust get commission)


You can also buy the Newton Heath retro shirt by clicking here.

One of the plans is to hit the Glazers where it hurts. Don’t buy official merchandise, don’t buy tickets, if you already have a ticket then don’t buy food, drink, match day programmes, etc. Unsubscribe to MUTV and MUTVonline. It is being reported that the Megastore is going to start selling retro Newton Heath shirts, don’t buy them from the official store, get your stuff from MUST. If you do buy from the official store, the money goes to the Glazers, if money isn’t going into the club then that will mean a loss of money which will hopefully lead to the Glazers selling up.

Tomorrow a group of fans will be standing outside Carrington Training ground from 9am. The more people who can go, the better.

This isn’t going to go away anytime soon, hopefully it will grow and grow. We already have (at the time of writing) 25,888 members on a facebook group, which you can join here.

A big thanks to Joe Hoyle for the images.

The Belfast Telegraph are reporting that after Manchester City’s fortunate 2-1 over Man United, a Man United fan was shot following an argument with a City fan.

It is believed that the Man United fan was shot in the heart after a slanging match after the game. 22-year old David Latimer was walking home from a pub with his girlfriend and a mate at 1am when he was attacked.

Cllr Robert Dowds said: "I am aware some local people were concerned about noise coming from that area at late hours. On occasion there is an element of anti-social behaviour." 

"Anything can happen in this world. It may very well have been that's the case [that it could have been because of the football result]," he added.

"One of the shotgun pellets is lodged in the wall muscles of David's heart" a family member said. "Originally the doctors didn't think it was bad but now they're saying it's touch and go.
"We've been with him all day and he's in and out of consciousness. We're devastated by this. He went out to watch a football match with his girlfriend."

"What kind of animal shoots a 22-year-old just because he gets in a slagging match?"
"They're very upset (David's family) over this. We'd ask anyone who knows the person responsible to pass on whatever they know to the gardai." 

"The doctors have gotten a lot of the pellets out but they don't want to touch the one trapped in David's heart."

"This is just a nightmare. David is a real happy-go-lucky young fella. He enjoys a pint, but he's never done anything to deserve something like this." 

Anyone with information on the attack is asked to contact Clondalkin Garda Station on 01 6667600 or the Garda Confidential helpline on 1800 666 111.

Hopefully he gets well soon.

Last night I told you about the plan for Man United fans to wear green and yellow to protest against the Glazer ownership. Just a quick update to let you know that this plan is going ahead, it’s a bit late in the day for tonight so it will go ahead for the Premier League game against Hull this Saturday.

Man United were originally Newton Heath, their strip colours were green and yellow. Full credit for this idea goes to Chatmaster at Red Issue.

If you want to support the campaign to show the Glazers that Man United fans won’t stand and watch them run the club into the ground, wear green and yellow, NOT red!

Green and yellow scarves by clicking here (Manchester United Supporters Trust get commission):

You can buy green and yellow flags by clicking here (Manchester United Supporters Trust get commission)


You can also buy the Newton Heath retro shirt by clicking here.

Ahead of tomorrows all-important first leg tie against Manchester City, Man United fans are going back to the clubs roots. As a symbol to show the Glazers how we feel, United fans are buying green and yellow scarves.

The Glazers are putting Man United into financial difficulty and it has to be stopped now before it goes too far. Man United are now in millions and millions of pounds worth of debt and it has to be sorted, now.

For any of you who don’t know, Man United were originally Newton Heath, the colours were green and yellow. The idea behind this will show that the fans are United and TV camera’s will also pick it up. The more press attention this gets the better. Many people are used to Man United’s red, white and black, green and yellow will definitely get the attention.

Since it is a bit late in the day to let people know, this will mainly be going ahead for the Man United game against Hull this weekend.