ATTENDANCES: Manchester United vs Manchester City – The city is ours

62 Comments

1. December 5, 2012 at 12:16

   Costas says:

   Well, they’ll have one more fan in attendance this Sunday. Martin Atkinson will be the referee.
2. December 5, 2012 at 12:20

   FletchTHEMAN says:

   Scott taking the piss on Cit€y again is it. What could the world be coming to!

   Come on the Reds!
3. December 5, 2012 at 12:23

   FletchTHEMAN says:

   Costas, Martin did give us 6 minutes of Fergie time allowing Michael Owen to score a few years back.
   Sparky will remember that one!
4. December 5, 2012 at 12:28

   Costas says:

   @Fletch

   That’s the only right decision he’s ever made in our games, lol. People talk about Webb favoring United. He has nothing on Atkinson.
5. December 5, 2012 at 12:29

   Jippers says:

   What would be interesting would be the average percentage for each club – I imagine OT is minimum (MINIMUM) 95% full every single week, whereas City is probably more like 80%.
6. December 5, 2012 at 12:41

   jer says:

   Great, but you could have put all these data in graph. would be more interested.
7. December 5, 2012 at 12:50

   FletchTHEMAN says:

   Speaking of numbers.

   15 games played and sitting on 36 points, Exactly level with our points last year having dropped 9 points at this stage.
   Last year we played City earlier so the points included that shocker of a loss. But we still had fewer goals against than this year. Hope we keep bangin them in, but what to do about the leaky defense?

   Hope we see De Gea in goal tonight and on Sunday.

   After 15 games.
   2011/12: 35 goals for, 16 goals against.
   2012/13: 37goals for, 21 goals against.
8. December 5, 2012 at 13:06

   Bobby Charlton's combover says:

   Hopefully on Sunday it’ll be attack, attack. attack. If they score fuck them, we’ll score more.
   We have nothing to lose. Even Fergie was making his excuses before the game by saying that
   we would be stuffed if we didn’t defend better. Mind games of course but theres no point trying to play
   a defensive game and try to break, we need to take the initiative. I only hope and pray that we have a better line up than the one we had the last time at the Etihad.
   DeGea / Rafael / Rio / Johnny / Paddy at the back. This talk of rafael not playing seems pure bollocks.
   Ferguson hauled him off to make sure of his availability on Sunday and he’ll be fired up like a smokin’ gun for the match.
9. December 5, 2012 at 13:11

   Manc Harvin says:

   Brilliant factual article about the attendances. It just confirms once and for all who’s got the most fans in Manchester. But anyone who lives in Manchester knows that the city is predominantly red. Always has been, always will be.

   Do City fans really expect to be taken seriously when they laughingly claim to have more fans in Manchester? Can they produce evidence like that shown above? Don’t they realise that they’re heavily outnumbered at school, or in the offices, factories and pubs in Manchester? For every Liam Gallagher, there’s a Shaun Ryder and an Ian Brown. For every Ricky Hatton, there’s a Matthew Hatton and a Tyson Fury. For every Jason Manford there’s a Karl Pilkington and a Steve Coogan. And so on.

   Most United fans don’t make a song and dance about supporting our club because that’s what most people in Manchester do. By comparison, City fans, being in the minority, feel that they have to be heard.

   It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when this myth started. It was probably early in the Premier League era, which coincided with increased sales of replica shirts for most clubs. United took most criticism because fans in other parts of the country were seen wearing United shirts. But back home in Manchester, did United fans stop buying shirts and stop supporting United? Er, I don’t think so.

   City are desperately trying to be our rivals. When their support comes close to ours in Manchester, and when their honours list comes close to ours, then maybe they will be rivals. In the meantime, every time United lift the Premier League, it’ll be “Are you watching Merseyside” you’ll hear, as the gap between United and their biggest rivals gets wider (19 v 18 and counting). No mention whatsoever of City has ever been sung to my knowledge.

   It’s a pity we can’t educate the journalists sat down in their London offices, who print such rubbish about support for United & City in Manchester. A quick response of “I take it you’ve not been to Manchester then?” should do the trick.
10. December 5, 2012 at 13:12

    Costas says:

    @Fletch

    And with a more successful Ch.League campaign this time around.

    Personally, I tend to look at the respective fixtures from the previous season instead of the first 15. So if you replace Wolves with West Ham, Bolton with Reading and Blackburn with Southampton, we had 2 extra points in these same 15 games last season. Something that we can improve on if we win at the Etihad on Sunday.
11. December 5, 2012 at 13:27

    FletchTHEMAN says:

    Costas, Cheers mate. Hope we do get a result on Sunday, it would really put pressure on that money launderers.

    What happens every game since Hughes is that they foul our lads mercilessly for the first 20 minutes knowing that the ref won’t be eager to start handing out bookings. Nani was useless after that and had to be subbed off. But the sending off of Evans was the game changer. Balottelli clearly made a meal of it, but there was plenty of food on the table for him….

    http://www.soccerclips.net/videos/evans-red-card-during-manchester-derby

    Hope Evans makes amends this year!
12. December 5, 2012 at 13:30

    Redbilly says:

    Interesting g article and responses. Facts speak for themselves rather than urban myths. The fact that so many support outside of Manchester and the UK. Irks and feeds into the myth. It’s more noticeable these days due to the I Ferber a d blogging where as even a de are ago the registration. , globally , was not so prolific. This criticism of united is, without doubt based partially on jealousy plain and is
    Simple.

    City can’t fill their stadium as it exceeds their local fan base, or at least those willing to pay for a game. Afterall, fans from Manchester wether red or blue come from the same socio economic groups so where are they?. Foreign supporters? All top clubs , united. , Chelsea , arsenal and bar a for Instance, all attract foreign fans. Maybe they even have a few themselves. I know they have glory hunters .
13. December 5, 2012 at 13:57

    Jesper Olsen 11 says:

    The article claims that the word on the street is that City fans think that we’ve only had big crowds since the premier league started in rubbish; I’ve never heard them say that.

    They argue that none of fans come from MAnchester (which they know isn’t true) but I’ve never heard them say that we’ve only had big crowds since the premier league; why would they?

    Thanks for clearing up, with evidence, what everybody already knows; are they also claiming that they’ve won more silverware too?

    Ridiculous article
14. December 5, 2012 at 14:20

    Gentlekez says:

    @Manc Harvis u said it all.
    With or without atkinson we will bash there ass.
    De Gea
    Raf Rio Johnny Patrice
    Fletcher Carrick
    Cleverly Rooney Young
    RVP
    Hope is a good line up
15. December 5, 2012 at 14:39

    dazbomber says:

    In the 1990S I ran a kids football team in Salford 80 kids 79 United shirts 1 city shirt.Spot the Idiot
16. December 5, 2012 at 14:43

    Redbilly says:

    Dazbomber- haha
17. December 5, 2012 at 14:46

    Xyth says:

    @FletchTHEMAN

    On that fateful day lasy season, we lacked a bit of quality up front. If we had had someone like scholes in the first twenty minutes, we had enough good positions to create something. As it was, we kept choosing the wrong options and got nowhere. Until they scored we were the better team and then had chances to equalise, one fell to Evans himslef. He was very foolish to bring the idiot down. Even two goals down with 11 vs 11 we would have hoped to go on and get something. In anycase it would not have been humiliated as we were.

    The only way lads can make amends for that, is to get a result this Sunday. I hope they will be positive and start strongly. I don’t think our defence can be as bad as it was last Saturday. They surely must be dejected (do mercenaries get dejected?), and we should kick them while they are down.

    If we go on to win, I cannot see them catching us again.
18. December 5, 2012 at 14:55

    parryheid says:

    As long as they leave the flags behind this time it will hopefully end well.
19. December 5, 2012 at 15:12

    LUFCWhite says:

    Do people still actually care about who has more fans in Manchester? From the amount of time’s I’ve been to Northern England’s second city, I’ve seen as many Man City fans as I have Man United.

    This debate has been done to death, people who still engage in it are dull.
20. December 5, 2012 at 15:23

    Redbilly says:

    LUFC- if you came from a footballing city you would understand
21. December 5, 2012 at 15:24

    FletchTHEMAN says:

    LUFC honestly, you don’t have a single clue do ya?
    Maybe we should excuse LUFC for the moment. When was the last time Leeds played in a derby of any scale? erm…. hemmm……. ahhh….. Right…. the early 90′s.

    Move along then…..
22. December 5, 2012 at 15:32

    LUFCWhite says:

    “When was the last time Leeds played in a derby of any scale?”

    We don’t really have a local derby, never have done. Any clued up Man United fan will tell you that you’re our historical rivals, followed by Chelsea.
23. December 5, 2012 at 15:38

    wayne says:

    LUFC one thing for sure no one gives a fuck about Leeds small time cunts tried to stay on pace with the elite of football and ended up going bankrupt.You should run off now and go and get all the championship updates,who you playing this weekend?
24. December 5, 2012 at 16:00

    FletchTHEMAN says:

    Leeds? O right ……. the feeder club!

    Thanks for the memories! Eric Cantona, Alan Smith, Brian Greenhoff, Gordon McQueen, Joe Jordan, Andy Ritchie, Denis Irwin, Lee Sharpe, Rio Ferdinand…..

    Were there others?

    To be fair to LUFC, their club do have fair right to have 3 stars on their crest.
    As opposed to the bitters, who actually do have 3 meaningless items on theirs .

    Cheers
25. December 5, 2012 at 16:12

    LUFCWhite says:

    I love it when Man United fans say “no one gives a fuck about Leeds, you’re a fucking small club!” yet your fans sing We All Hate Leeds Scum more than the many many other clubs who do. And if we’re going to give other clubs digs about debt…well, how’s Glazer doing?

    And you’re welcome FletchTheMan, and cheers for Gordon Strachan, who helped us steal the title from you!
26. December 5, 2012 at 16:26

    FletchTHEMAN says:

    LUFC Cheers…. And so he did mate…. just!

    And cheers for the title….. Counting ….. 21years ago was it? But then we took Cantona off ya and put an end to all that nonsense. Nipped in the bud as it were.

    Must be feeling your oats after that stunning win away…… Huddersfield was it? Tough game then??
    Enjoying your football on Friday nights are ya?
27. December 5, 2012 at 16:30

    King Eric says:

    You have to laugh at these bitter cunts, Anyone see that mug Lescott run to the away fans last night and throw his shirt into the crowd? Err you LOST the game and embarrassed yourselves in Europe Joleon you cunt making out you were big time and had won the group. Smalltime little club.
28. December 5, 2012 at 16:34

    King Eric says:

    Manc Harvin – Is Karl Pilkington a Red? Ha didn’t know that pal. Shaun Ryder says in his book all his family are Reds and to an extent he is but not massively into it like the rest. Ian Brown and Mani certainly are.
29. December 5, 2012 at 16:47

    Redbilly says:

    King Eric- hello mate . Carl Pilkington , one funny man. Re Lescott throwing the shirt. What made me smile was the look of sheer joy in the city fans faces when they grabbed it. Completely forgot about being dumped out with the worst English club record.
30. December 5, 2012 at 16:52

    Pal Ghai says:

    yep
31. December 5, 2012 at 16:59

    Pal Ghai says:

    Hello Amigos
    Very pumped up for the derby.The lead-up is getting exciting by the day and i wish we spank this blue nosed cunts to give me the bragging rights at work on Monday.
    Contrary to popular belief,i think it will be a cagey affair this one and makes for a dour draw if Fergie goes defensive.My wish would be to see an attacking line up and see how it pans out.City are not watertight at the back and if we can strike a balance between attack and defence,then me thinks we will be 6 points by the end of the day.
32. December 5, 2012 at 17:17

    Northwalesred says:

    @King Eric

    Can’t believe the bitter who caught that shirt didn’t wipe his arse on it and throw it back. They were absolute shite, just hope they play like that on Sunday.
33. December 5, 2012 at 18:16

    evisu says:

    From the games i’ve seen this season, OT got more empty seats than last couple of years. But nothing compared to city, big games like Real/Dortmound and still empty seats.
34. December 5, 2012 at 18:20

    Joffrey Baratheon says:

    Yea City were absolute shit last night. Mancini is full of shit going behind this smoke screen that they need to adapt to Europe. Toure and Tevez are former winners, Silva, Ageuro, Nasri, Dzeko all have had experience in it previously. 3 points out of 18 and no wins even a group as tough as that is a pathetic return given the money he’s spent and the players he has. This is the poorest the top teams in the prem have been for a long time. Hard to see past the big two German sides and of course Spain’s top two for the champions league but we’ll always have a chance in a cup competition especially with our strike force. If that Chelsea side could win it last year then anyone bloody can.
35. December 5, 2012 at 18:28

    parryheid says:

    Cant see anybody who will beat United in this competition,we are a totally different animal in a straight one v one knockout situation.
36. December 5, 2012 at 18:35

    Joffrey Baratheon says:

    Well Dortmund are playing absolutely brilliant football but if we were to meet them at some point I’m sure we could stifle them and bring them down to our level with our experience and know how and scrape are way through unconvincingly, a bit like they did to us in 1997.
37. December 5, 2012 at 18:36

    Bobby Charlton's combover says:

    @Joffrey – It’s not the players that need to adapt, it’s Mancini and if they get beaten by us at the weekend
    then they’ll give him his P45.
38. December 5, 2012 at 18:40

    parryheid says:

    United happen to be very good over two legs of the knockout stages,and will master any team at it particularly if we catch the second leg at Old Trafford.
39. December 5, 2012 at 18:45

    Daniel88 says:

    beating a dead horse, yeah, city dont have alot of fans, you really need to take less notice of net whinos.
40. December 5, 2012 at 18:59

    Joffrey Baratheon says:

    Bobby, I think it’s pretty obvious that there is unrest at City and I think Mancini could be gone by the end of the season. Don’t hold me to this but for some reason I’m feeling strangely confident about Sunday’s game.
41. December 5, 2012 at 19:13

    mansuy united says:

    Even before the surge of statistics above, and elsewhere on the blog, twas a myth I could not believe. What city could possibly hold a club like MC closer to their hearts than MU? Granted, I’m most familiar with the clubs’ recent history–but I’ve done enough amateurish digging to realize that, despite City’s periods of success in the past, MU has always the fabled club espousing the virtues so brilliantly embodied by SAF. Common sense tells me that human beings would always be drawn to a club like MU, one that I myself was inexplicably drawn to–though that does make my account biased. I have since realized why I love United, but had no idea at the time of my courtship, so to speak, why I was so enamored.

    Anyway, all this to say: Glad to see some facts back up what I, as an outsider, know in my heart to be true. Long may it continue that generations of newcomers are drawn into the fold and able to experience all the joys and triumphs we are vicariously privilege to. Long may United go about things in their particular manner, creating great men, not just great footballers–creating legends. Long may our noisy neighbors remind us why we live and breath MUFC, and not some watered-down, over-funded (although recently often brilliant to watch) clone just down the road. Long may we realize that men who build from the ground up, and honestly with their own hands, are those worth revering, are those worth watching on Saturday afternoons, and are those worth supporting on those same afternoons and at every interval in between.

    Long live Sir Alex Ferguson. Long live United.
42. December 5, 2012 at 19:23

    Proverb says:

    How on earth does anyone in their right mind assume that manchester is blue if they can’t even fill their shit hole in a supposedly, biggest game of the clubs history
43. December 5, 2012 at 19:31

    SHINJI THE NINJA says:

    Im old enough to remember black and white telly, steam trains, tin baths and………………………….LUFC

    Whatever happened to LUFC ?? – I suppose Liverpool and Leeds will soon be each others biggest rivals….and equally irrelevant to Manchester United and other big clubs.

    Leeds are dead and Liverpool is in the throes.

    Happy Christmas
44. December 5, 2012 at 19:32

    Dela says:

    Since I’m Irish and don’t live in Manchester, I don’t hear arguments about who has more fans in the City, so it’s an interesting read.

    What I find really funny about City fans mocking United’s foreign fans (or other fans in the UK) is the policy of their owners is to try to emulate United. Didn’t they say in 2008 that Manchester City could be bigger than Manchester United in the world? Haven’t they tried to reach out to fans in the United States? Wasn’t there an absolutely hilarious article on their website that tried to groom new (presumably glory hunting) fans?

    What does the blue side of Manchester think? That Sheik Mansour will fund their club with welfare checks even if they can’t fill their own stadium and continue to be ignored by international football fans, unlike Manchester United who probably gain a fan every few seconds?

    News flash, people overseas don’t like Manchester City. They don’t like what you are trying to do, buy the European Cup. Chelsea did gain some international support when Abramovich took over, but only for ONE reason.. just ONE…. Jose Murinho. People like HIM. Meanwhile, when they look at City they see a crowd of mercenaries, a circus clown like Balotelli, a money-grabber like Tevez (who City fans STILL welcome with open arms) and owners connected right to the abu dhabi royals with sponsors that are also connected abu dhabi royals.

    Contrast that to Manchester United. We have owners that a lot of fans don’t like, but every single penny spend by MUFC on wages, players, stadium upgrades or whatever else is EARNED by Manchester United. No billionaire is writing checks for United out of his own (or his country’s.. ) resources, and United don’t spend hundreds of millions of pounds.. ever. We were SHOCKED when van Persie was paid for, and even at that, Fergie would only hand over £24 million for him.. I bet City would have blasted out £35 million or more for him no questions asked.

    The two clubs couldn’t be more difference in how they conduct themselves, and that makes a difference to your prospects of ever reaching United’s heights, because people overseas don’t censor pundits on TV when they talk about teams. Here in Ireland for example, the pundits covering the champions league games ripped City not just for their dire performances, but for their intentions, their back room crap, their average manager and his completely to man manage and so on. Only in the UK are you even suggested to be a “great club”.

    That is all
45. December 5, 2012 at 19:37

    SITS says:

    Scott – you should use the graph I did last year!
46. December 5, 2012 at 20:15

    Tourist says:

    Does it really matter whether fans outside of Manchester support the club?
47. December 5, 2012 at 20:15

    King Eric says:

    Red Billy – Hey up mate, you well? Ha I know the look on the City fan’s faces and reaction was embarrassing!
48. December 5, 2012 at 20:17

    King Eric says:

    NorthWalesRed – Alright pal. Ha I know. I would be fucking disgusted if United lost the group in that manner then one of the players ran over to the fans and threw his shirt to us. Small time isn’t the word!
49. December 5, 2012 at 20:25

    King Eric says:

    Dela and Shinji – Ha top posts.
50. December 5, 2012 at 21:10

    mm says:

    I think that the real reason that United have had the biggest gates going back to the forties is the location of the football ground. Trafford Park had hundreds of thousands of men working Saturday mornings as part of the normal working week. Finish work, go and sink a few and then watch the match.
    Not a romantic notion, but true nonetheless. There is a totally different clientele at OT these days.
51. December 5, 2012 at 21:24

    Redrick78 says:

    King Eric, right with you there, ‘small time isn’t the word!’ ha ha it was embrarrassing! As our famous song goes, “THIS IS HOW IT FEELS TO BE CITY , THIS IS HOW IT FEELS TO BE SMALL”

    Role on Sunday, I’ll be singing that loud and proud!
52. December 5, 2012 at 22:55

    mansuy united says:

    Tourist — In the context of this blog post, no. In the grand scheme of things, yes.
53. December 5, 2012 at 23:04

    Goat Peticoat says:

    Why were United playing at the Etihed tonight. They changed the seats to red but left most of them empty, they never could fill a stadium.
54. December 5, 2012 at 23:44

    mikec says:

    Not really sure why all this who’s got more fans is such an issue but while the league games are sold out for both clubs it fair to say that both have had poor attendances for cup games 30,000 emty seats at OT in league cup.
55. December 6, 2012 at 08:49

    Dan says:

    That shows that you had a higher attendance, well done. What it doesn’t show is anything about the city, and the number of individuals who come from that city.
56. December 6, 2012 at 15:08

    19Times says:

    Its all gone quiet in the Leeds End!………………..Dickhead
57. December 6, 2012 at 17:16

    Jon Phillips Rose Hill says:

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
58. December 6, 2012 at 21:27

    K_Stand_Red says:

    @Manc Harvin

    Summed up perfectly!
59. December 6, 2012 at 22:44

    Scott the Red says:

    Dan – You think fans were travelling from London in the 40s, 50s and 60s?
60. December 6, 2012 at 23:01

    ian gornall says:

    Wow brill reading you are a bunch good uns well done .We have had them all ‘Duncan edwards Bobby charlton Denis law George best Le king keano bryan Robson Giggys Scholesy Beckham Plus all the other hundreds that i cant think off. Brilliant piece thanks …..
61. December 7, 2012 at 08:36

    MCFCforum says:

    Strange that the majority of the comments have little to do with the article in question, and are simply there to bash each other with whatever the poster can think of …

    I do not dispute that United have a bigger average attendance than City, in the same way I do not dispute that England has a bigger population than Scotland, or that an elephant is bigger than a wombat – kudos for pointing something patently obvious out to the masses; there would be something very, very wrong, if The Etihad/CoMS/Maine Road had been getting bigger numbers than Old Trafford.

    However, let’s go back to 1947, shall we? Where did United play then? You know, don’t you?

    But why did they get higher attendances? Well, you know that, too – but does everyone else? City, you see, did everything they could to help their neighbours after the war: they promoted their games, they gave them first refusal for matches, and they gave them everything bar the home changing rooms on derby days. They charged a fee of course (£5,000 per season + 10% of gates) but this was never paid. Ever.

    Similarly after the tragedy of Munich, City used their entire matchday program for the following game for United, and offered United their own players so that they could continue in the league. Neither did they care what UEFA might punish them with, after the organisation insisted that they take United’s place in Europe – City point blank refused, for, they said, it would be disrespectful to United.

    How about we go back to the 30′s when City petitioned for United because of the emergence of Manchester Central? City got Central kicked out of the league to save United. Or how about 1902 just before United came into being? City tried to help by giving the owners money – it was too little too late, admittedly, and Newton Heath vanished.

    City also allowed United to compete in Europe in the 50′s when floodlights were needed, because OT didn’t have them. Without these many games, United would not have been able to compete, and therefore would not have become the force they did. United’s biggest ‘home’ attendance for a European game? Yup, at Maine Road.

    The point of all of this is: why bother with this article? OT has been bigger than City’s stadium(s) for decades. So (going back to the beginning of this post) they definitely should have had bigger attendances – perhaps if you had done this as a % of capacity, the numbers might not look so favourable (although City have had some piss poor low crowds in the past). But I suspect that that would not allow a (utterly pointless) stick to beat someone with, which ultimately was the point of this piece, yes?

    Support your club, cherish your club, be thankful for your club – don’t make yourself feel better by creating an article for the sole use of bigging yourself up when it is unnecessary. There are way too many idiots on the internet (on both sides) who get off on this sort of thing.
62. December 9, 2012 at 04:46

    danhbk says:

    How is our average League position in the 2000′s 2nd when we won the league 6/10 times (2000,2001,2003, 2007,2008,2009). 60% is the majority so our average League position is first… poor mathematics there Scott.