Manchester United fans – where in the world are you?

With Sir Alex Ferguson’s side doing their latest bit of PR in Cape Town, we wondered: exactly where do Manchester United’s fans come from?

They boast that they have the biggest following on the planet but is this true? Certainly, shirt sales in Asia appear to back up the theory. And supporters turned up in their droves to have a kickabout with Rio Ferdinand during his recent charity trip to Nigeria.

Everybody’s heard the cruel taunts about United fans not coming from Manchester – now’s your turn to hit back.

Take part in our simple poll and let us know in the comment box below where in the world you are from.

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Comments

[Kev]

Football is rooted in working class traditions. In the early part of the 20th century most English people worked on Saturday morning and finished at around midday. This gave them a chance to get some lunch and then go to the game, which traditionally kicked off at three in the afternoon. At a time without extensive transport and no Sky on in the local boozer this would mean your local club. That's why many football fans are a little disdainful of those who choose to support clubs they have no apparent root with. Added to this is the over-riding sense that some people choose clubs who tend to be successful. Football is about losing as much as it is about winning, as I often remind my nephews (both under ten). They support Fulham. And they live there.

[DL]

"It's true United fans don't come from manchester, ive live in Hale for 12 years and rarely see a united fan. It's a sea of blue round our way.Stockport is also blue sometimes the traffic jams on the way to the match stretch all the way to Eastlands, this never happens when united are at home"

I suppose that will be because they are all of to support their local team Stockport County will it? The posting above just shows how blinded some people get in their attempts to denigrate their rivals.

The fact is that we now live in a world where people no longer stay where they were born, and have access to sport and other forms of entertainment on a global level. No-one says that an English person should not go to a Hollywood blockbuster film, but only watch a locally produced one, or that you should only read books by a local author, or shun an impressionist exhibition, because the majority of the artists are not local - so why is there this stupid notion that you should only be allowed to follow your local team? Why, if you have the misfortune to be born somewhere where there are no decent teams (or, in the case of Cornwall, for example, even any league teams) are you to be condemned by some accident of birth to not being allowed to support a team that plays good, exciting football? Why should you have to settle for mediocrity? Further, what happens if, as I did you move around the country - I was born in East Anglia, grew up in the West Country, was at Uni in the North East and now live in London. I settled on Utd in 1969 - 70, because my brother did. I go to every game (although I do own up to missing the game in Saudi Arabia last winter), home, away and in Europe. I do a 400 mile round trip to every home game, and relish (not) the 6am starts when we have a lunch time kick-off, or the 2.30am returns after a midweek match (and am really looking forward to Newcastle away at 8pm on a midweek day!) Does the fact that I do not come from Manchester make me less of a fan? - of course it doesn't. It would, in fact, be a damned sight easier to follow my local team - but you can't switch allegiance once you have made that choice.

I am fortunate - I can go to games. However, it makes me angry to see people sneer at other fans if they don't go. Some people cannot afford to, or have committments that may make it impossible. Again - is someone less of a film buff because they choose to watch Film4 rather than go to the cinema?

Whilst I am passionate about my club, think nothing beats the atmosphere of a live game and enjoy the terrace chants about other teams, at times, we do all need to sit back, think, and grow up!

[Alex]

I am from stretford, a mile down the road from Old Trafford. United are lucky to have such global appeal and a huge international fanbase, but it is still the local fans who turn up week in and week out to support their team. I am sick of the stereotype that Old Trafford is full of cockneys and foreign fans, its true there are a few, but as noted before this is due to United's success and appeal.

[Andrew]

I am a neutral fan from the USA. I know all about United's history, the proud tradition of playing beautiful, winning, attacking football. The legends of Matt Busby, The Busby Babes and the modern legend of Alex Ferguson.

All I know about Liverpool is that they haven't won the league since the back-pass was outlawed and ruined their plan of world domination through dull football (the Liverpool way).

I know Liverpool disgraced England with their fans antics and got the English teams banned from Europe. Despite being American I can see why Man U are adored around the world and Liverpool are just nowhere near that level.

[Dave]

i'm 35 and remember my dad and me counting the number of city and utd shirts in manchester each time we went in to town in my childhood. there was usually a few more blue than red, but normally pretty equal.

these days it's different. you see more utd shirts. stands to reason - people, especially kids, are proud of wearing the replica top of a team that wins things (and before you reds start up about having 'pride' in your club, i say that having had a season ticket for 18 of the last 20 seasons). it also helps when your shirt is a decent style, made by nike! but, of course, after two decades of success for utd, during which time city have been down in third tier, there's going to have been a shift in the balance.

[Mike]

four times more united fans in manchester than city?! ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[Tom]

Im a Man United fan from Manchester and there alot more United fans in Manchster than city fans. the reason people like to think all of our supporters are out of town reds is because we have supporters from all over aswell as alot in Manchester id say its 70/30 to United fans in Manchester. Manchester Is Red

[David Collins]

I am a Londoner and a Manchester United fan since 1963. During the 60's they played the most attractive football and attracted a huge fan base across London. After United won the European Cup in 68 half of my school were probably supporters, they had become a national club team. Moving on to 1999 at the Nou Camp I was surrounded by United supporters from Namibia, Scotland, Canada, Home Counties, London and believe it or not Manchester. It stuck me then that United were now the International club team. We had a great time that night and will continue to have a great time supporting our club Manchester United. No carping from supporters of a different club is going to make any difference. The club is going to continue producing great teams and playing great football. If any team can eventually compete with United in terms of success and fans good luck to them, I will continue to support my team.

[Edgar]

I live in the US and I can tell you that as soon as someone tells me that they're a United fan I lose all respect for them because as I have seen over the years is that if you ask them if they became a fan before or after 26 May 1999 they will 9 times out of 10 tell you after. None of them know about the history, about the tradition about the city, about the culture. I know nothing about it either because I have been a Liverpool fan since I was eight years old (1998). The main reason I watched them most and ended up falling in love with them is because of Owen, however I DO know about Shankly, I DO know about Paisley, I DO know about Billy Lidel and his commitment to the club. I know that Liverpool Football CLub is an institution for the people. There is no other reason why Anfield shakes all of Europe. It is the bond between the fans and the club. If Manchester United fell from glory into mid table mediocrity for years you would see how those American ManU scums would drop their Ronaldo shirts and pick up their Walcott shirts. Its LOYALTY that you have to look at, not geography. How can you American ManU fans know so little about a club you say you love?

[Paul]

Im from Salford, yes Mancester has alot of non local fans but the support in the north is huge, every pub is packed on gameday, the stadium is always a sell out and everyone shows full support. If people from outside want to support United thats great, it just cements our position as the number one club in the world!

[RAY GATT]

Although I was born in Islington, N. London, I was brought up in Malta and I've followed Man Utd since the age of 10. I am now 51 and I certainly would not call myself a glory hunter. In my younger days when D1 matches where not shown live, on a Saturday afternoon my friends and I would be all sitting around a table listening to BBC world service via BFBS, listening for results and the last 20-25 mins of the chosen game live. Not all of us where Man Utd fans. You had Arsenal, Liverpool, Forest and so on. All my four sons follow United as well, but they followed my passion.

[ron]

Israel. Since I was a child in the early 70's. fly few times a year. Been in Barcelona, Moscow etc.
"United is Life, all the rest mere details."

[philip]

Live Liverpool, because it is a great city (despite traditional rivalry between the cities), but hold United season ticket because they play the best football on the planet, with or without Ronaldo.

[Stephen Griffin]

I've watched United since 1945.
Went to every game when they won the FA cup in 1948.
They played home games at Maine road in those days.
Saw them score 9 goals against Anderlecht in pouring rain at Maine road in the European cup.
Saw Bobby Charlton when he only played in the reserves.
I could go on and on.
I live in Michigan U.S.A, since 1968
I still watch them on FSC here.

If you support a team because they are good then you are a glory hunter. simple.

[Ged Burton]

Bit of a pointless poll this, but I am loving reading the comments of Reds all the world. Great to see so much passion for our club in places like Burma and KL.

I was born in Blackley, North Manchester in 1973. I went to my first game when I was 3, my Dad took me to watch United V Chelsea at OT.

I've been a dedicated fan ever since and say 100% that there are more United fans in Manchester than there are City fans. Fact!!

Red Army...

[RIchard]

Manchester United has a huge fan base in Manchester. More people support Man Utd in Manchester then they do City. The success of Man Utd over the years has made them a super club which of course attracts supporters from all over the world. The fact the world is a bigger place than Manchester obviously means that there are going to be more supporters of Utd from outside Manchester than there are who live there.

[mike percy]

was born near old trafford but live in canada watch EVERY GAME OFMANCHESTER UNITED they are number one.

[Juv]

Calling foreign fans glory hunters is very unfair. I have supported Manchester United since I was 9 years old. Everyone else around me supported either Chelsea or Liverpool. And anyway if the same poll is carried out for other clubs you would get similar results.

[Karel MAdeira]

Hi,

I am from Gibraltar and I have been a Life long fan of Manchester United. They are simply the best team in the world and i tend to go at lest 3 times a season to Manchester to watch them play. Scholes a world class player.

[Josh]

***I live in London and have supported Man U since 1968. My Dad hates football so we never went. I went to school outside Manchester where I got grief from Citeh fans and Salford reds alike, so it comes with the territory. Funny thing is, over the last five years or so, I know more London based Liverpool fans than United fans. All of these of course were glory hunters in the 1980s....when most of them were in their teens/twenties! And in London, the number of Arsenal fans from the home counties or Spurs/Chelsea fans from South East London keeps growing....What's the difference***

I've pasted that from a so called Manchester United "fan" who posted in this article. It makes me laugh, because he calls his team "Man U" which is incredible disrespectful and relates to a former Manchester United player rotting in his grave... but hey ho, glory supporter, wouldn't know that would you?

[Olumide]

I was born in london, and I hate arsenal, hate chelsea, hate tottenham, don't give a damn about fulham, west ham and all those other london teams (okay, I can say I once had a little love for millwall, I am a Lewisham lad), but i mean, I started watching football when United were the ONLY team in England (1998). Nuff Said!

[klblue]

Why do foreign fans are labelled as glory hunter? What is that supposed to mean?What about people like me(Malaysian and supports Manchester City.)32 years,won nothing.where's the glory?

[lee in Manchester]

Tom,you really do speak utter utter tripe my friend,to judge support by the number of United shirts seen on the streets is laughable at best.Children will always support the flavour of the month and want to wear the colours,United fans are obsessed with numbers and 80% of these fans have never even been to watch United!Do you go to the game Tom or use that much used phrase by United fans that you cant get tickets-which actually is a myth to excuse yourselves of not actually being a real supporter.

[Diogenes]

Who cares where the united fans come from? This really is lazy silly season journalism - couldn't you find any dumb transfer rumours to report on?

I'm an Arsenal fan and I've never lived in London (I inherited it from my grandfather). So what?

I've met fans of EPL clubs all over the world (most strangely there's a Pompey supporters bar in Thailand), most of whom will never even see the country their team plays in. And yet they still care deeply about whether their team wins, schedule their weekends around 3am kickoffs, and scour the internet for news.

If that doesn't make them proper fans in your eyes, well you're a sad little person who needs to feel superior based on something as stupid as geography.

I do wonder how many of the Man U fans will show up to OT when the club goes bankrupt and goes down to the Championship.