The day after Eric Cantona’s astonishing Kung-fu kick at Selhurst Park in January 1995 I had to attend an all day BBC senior management seminar on ‘The Digital Revolution’. Roy, the deputy head of Children’s TV, a Manc and life-long United supporter came up in a state of agitation about it all and it was the main topic of conversation off and on all day, especially when it became known that I’d ‘been there’ last night. The press coverage had been massive, with the famous still of the infamous leap on every front page. Again I found myself defending Eric, whilst ‘not condoning’ his actions, a phrase one was to hear endlessly from anyone trying to speak up for Eric amidst the wild excesses of public condemnation. I complained about the BBC coverage the night before, but seeing it later on it just seemed part of a wider moral panic. In the end the whole thing was actually deeply unsettling, in ways people who care nothing for sport could never understand. To me United should always uphold what is best in football, skilful, expressive, artistic, creative play that lifts the spirits, and at his best that’s what Eric the King delivered. But United should also uphold the highest standards of behaviour and sportsmanship, and sadly at his worst Eric simply didn’t. Yet to add to this complex of contradictions, I mainly thought, whatever, he’s a brilliant player, a true Red Devil, he’s United, I’m standing by my man…
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Man Utd News 24/7
interestin stuff and deep insight. had me engrossed totally
@Giles Oakley
Take care of your health and Get Well soon Sir.People like you are really are special and your comments and articles are really great to read.Why dont you try writing a book on United?
What a read! brilliant stuff. Actually you can understand why Cantona did it.no one is a fool to kick someone in the stands for no reason.United supporters did a great job standing by him.That abuse has no place in the game.
I guess thats what made Cantona so special.He was an icon.he was very unpredictable and thats why he is still idolised by the United fans.
Also the way you have ended the piece makes it so intresting.Scott please post the next one soon.
People like you are really are special and your comments and articles are really great to read.
Sorry for repeating the last sentence.
I started following United in 2002. So its great to read when someone gives such a detailed account about the major happenings in United’s history and such memorable seasons thatw e have had in the last 20 years
wonderful stuff from Giles. hope you make your very own ‘Inside United’ and have them in the market. take care of your health and do yoga to keep fit
yep – another diamond Giles! I would like to echo AIG Alex’s sentiments that a book written by someone of your ability would be well received! I would most definitely buy it for myself and also a couple of friends! Knowledge about United is an unquenchable thirst of mine (and AIG Alex as well I imagine!) and these perspective pieces are easier to read and identify with rather than a presentation of cold hard facts! People can also relate to fans a lot better than we can relate to the players!
It got me thinking to when the BBC offices relocate to Manchester in the near future, I can imagine the execs running into Fergie at the various upper class restaurants and establishments in the area, perhaps I am being presumptive, but I envisage a few stern glances or possibly words could be exchanged!
Anyway, thanks again for the excellent piece and I hope the recovery is going ok and you find yourself in a good place mentally and physically before your treatment continues in November.
My mate scoered in that Wrexham v Utd game to make it 1-0 to Wrexham.
Dont think he bought a drink for the next week or so, with scousers buying him beers!
@MUGGAZ
hi mate.spot on.infact i am so addicted now iread the reports of the games we have won in the last 3 years(roma,inter,lyon,chelsea,arsenal,liverpool) over and over again on bbc,sky or in the tabloids.i also go to all the players(legends and current players) wiki pages and have read it many times now.i never watched Cantona live on TV but reading such pieces make me realise how great a club United are and about our glorious past and how we have come back stronger from incidents when we people have written us off
@Giles Oakley
What a thoroughly enjoyable perspective you give on the most notorious incident in Uniteds recent history.
No doubt the media age of relentless analysis and pontification was being born at this time and the looping footage of the incident and self-appointed experts who surfaced were too quick to condemn and sensationalise thereby contributing to and ensuring Cantonas unfair punishment.
This was of course in their interest as further news coverage and opining on the sentence would be another payday for the unqualified legal minds of the TV pundit couches and phone- in omniscients.
It is interesting to read again how you pointed to the Gregg incident which had not been recorded by TV cameras and therefore was of no interest to the media as a precedent for considering what action would be appropriate. To their logic, if it cannot be shown on TV it cannot be proved to have happened and therefore is an irrelevance and inconvenience to their slant. This is solipsistic at best and probably a corruption of due process. Cantona could well have been locked up as a result of the bloodlust and synthetic outrage of the media. That would have been the biggest crime and not the minor civilian incident that actually took place all those years ago.
Well done again Giles it was a great read.
@ Read Carefully what I said
Bloody hell mate, it would appear as though Giles masterful account of the event has brought out a non-whimsical side of you! sooooooo many four syllable words!
@AIG
It must be frustrating to have this thirst for knowledge and be soooo far away! I found it annoying when I grew up in Australia, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that Manchester United were one of the main reasons I re-located to England!
@Muggaz
Lucky you. I say in India.thats very far away.it is my dream to watch United play at OT.i had toured Uk back in 1997 but i was just 8 then and not a United fan.Infact i started watching the game in 2001 and now i watch all leagues but of course the United result to a large extent determines how my next day will be.if we win i am so confident doing anything.you can say United has become an interral part of my life.i remember fairing very badly in an exam the day after we were beaten 3-0 by milan in 2007.couldnt think of anything else but about United
@AIG
Yes, that same day fortunately I was in Costa Rica on holiday, and we were trying to find a bar that had coverage of the game, it was during the rainy season though, and Costa Rica is notorious for it’s power shortages during that period, the game was about to start, we found a radio station to listen to it (albeit in Spanish!!) and then the power went out for 5 hours, and I had no idea about the result… I was a little distraught when I learnt of our drubbing, but I was on holiday, so it wasn’t the end of the world!
The first time I went to OT to watch the lads was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life, and I wish you all the best in acheiving that dream of yours! It was surreal, because although I had never been there before, my links to the club through my family and my passion made it feel like home, and I am sure you will have a similar experience!
i have just been told off for not doing any work for 15 mins, awesome read Giles
fuck me all this should be put into a book. excellent read.
@Muggaz
Thanks mate.i actually plan to go next year in the summer(in India) maybe in April or May.Hope i can watch us lifting Number 19.That would be an some experience.My cousin brother just went to the UK for higher Studies(University of Birmingham).He is as big a fan as me.Infact when he was here we have spoken in most matches on the phone for the whole 90 mins in the last 2 years.When we spoke United never lost a game.And i remember we watched the 2008 Final together and we won.We couldnt watch the 2009 final as he had gone for the screening and i was not well and hence could not go.
@Muggaz
I know mate. I have taken myself off for a talking to. I hope it wasnt a case of schizophrenia as I would hate the voices in my head to belong to some brainy know- all fucker.
If I was schizo I would like the other voice to be a bit like Peter Kay as it would be better than having one of those angry geezers always telling you to stab the milkman with a screwdriver .
Giles unfortunately I can’t read this just yet as I am in an Internet Cafe but will peruse it as soon as I get back to my b & b!
Aig – Alright mate. Such a shame you never got to see Eric play, cannot begin to say what he brought to the team. The atmosphere that October at Old Trafford for his return game was out of this world. Even better when he slotted the pen in and swang from the stancheons!
Giles….top story …very good read….. sorry to hear you are poorly me old fella … get well soon .
giles, top read again m8 can’t wait for the next instalement, get well soon pal.
RCWI is back to normal!