UNITED WE STAND - DIVIDED WE FALL

It is vital at this most testing of times that we do all we can to keep the United family together.

NEW SEASON - SAME GOAL

Some people will have made the heart-wrenching decision to give up their Season Tickets for the coming season, others will have given them up long ago. Many can no longer justify the expense of season tickets, and others will be attending on a match-by-match basis, watching other games at MUST Chubb Club screenings or with their mates in the pub. Others will have renewed and will continue to wear Green & Gold, awaiting further developments from the Red Knights. More still will just want to watch the football and not have anything to do with MUST or the campaign, although many of those will still be glad to see the back of the Glazers.........

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to either the way we choose to follow United, or the way we choose to support the ongoing campaign. We’re all in this together. And the one thing that unites us is our passionate devotion to our club.

This is the driving force behind MUST’s ‘One Love’ campaign - and it’s a theme we’ll be building on throughout the coming season. Whatever our differences, we all love Manchester United and we have to be tolerant and respectful of our fellow supporters. No group of supporters this large can ever hope to agree on everything, but we can all agree that in this shared love we are part of a worldwide community with something truly special that brings us all together.

This season may prove critical, not only for United but for the whole supporters movement. Two of the Party political conferences in September will be held in Manchester and Liverpool just as our two teams face off against each other, and we have events planned in London for October to continue to put pressure on the Government and football authorities. Our campaign to try and persuade the sponsors to intervene on the fans’ behalf will also gather pace as the season unfolds.

We face this coming season bigger and stronger than we’ve ever been in our 12 year history. And, crucially, we’ve now established an ongoing working relationship with a group of people in the shape of the Red Knights who can help provide that missing ingredient that has been so sorely lacking in all that time - the financial clout to finally deliver supporter ownership.

It may take time, but we remain committed and so do they. We’re going to be criticised by sections of the media, as well as by some within our own support. This is of course inevitable and just something we’re going to have to take in our stride, remaining confident that our cause is just and one worth fighting for.

There is still much work to do to win people over to our vision for a supporter owned club, and to explain how new financial mechanisms would help deliver an increasing stake in the club for supporters over time, as well as lay out just how any new governance structures would truly involve loyal supporters at the heart of the club.

We’ve still got some way to go, but we’ve been at this long enough to appreciate that we’re closer now than we’ve ever been. What we need now more than anything is the patience, resourcefulness, energy, passion, commitment and nerve to see it through.

United fans are in the process of making history and we hope that MUST members will continue to play their part.

It won’t be easy - but then nothing truly worth fighting for ever is.

Have you read these items too?

[1] The Red Knights - update

[2] Green & Gold - New Season. Same Goal

[3] United We Stand - Divided We Fall