Fc United of Manchester pre season friendly

and only £15 a pop

 

How much is the lager ???????

 

That's at least 1 then. £15 for a poxy friendly.

 

Hello All,

I'm Simon, one of the directors from FC United of Manchester. I thought i'd come on here and say hello and help with details on the fixture on the 5th July.

We're all very much looking forward to welcoming you all to Broadhurst Park and want you to come and enjoy what we've got to offer whilst singing and getting behind your team.

As has been mentioned, tickets are already on sale now via our fanbase ticket account - https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=11818

I'd encourage as many of you that are coming to buy tickets as this just helps us plan better for the expected numbers in terms of stewarding and more importantly food and drink.

Although not been fully confirmed as yet, our safety officer has indicated that we're hoping they'll be no segregation in place which means we can all contribute to a friendly atmosphere together with no sign of trouble and everyone can get the best out of the day. Every club has their own set of dicks but we pride ourselves on self policing and we'll sort out any of our own who are just there to cause trouble. We've managed to host a whole variety of clubs where segregation hasn't been necessary and generally we've a good friendly bunch who'll be happy to have a chat and pint with you.

Our ground holds around 4900 so there's going to be plenty of room for everyone. We've got a large main stand which is seated at the back and has terraced paddocks at the front and then we have a large terrace behind one of the goals (called the SME - St Mary's Road End). Around the rest of the ground there's also plenty of space too if you want to grab a spot behind the other goal or the touchline opposite the main stand.

Ticket prices are as follows

Adults - £15
Concession (65+ and the unwaged/students with a valid NUS card) - £10.50
Youths - 18-21 years - £5
U18s - £3
U5s - Free

These are our usual match prices and these were voted upon by our 2500 strong membership at our AGM last December. I know some may feel that it's a lot for an adult for a friendly but i just wanted to explain that as we're a fully supporter owned football club, predominantly run by volunteers with some paid staff and with no large benefactor to throw money in, we've got to run our club sustainably and we've still got the some overheads and running costs for a friendly as we do for a normal matchday. The prices are the same for all our home friendlies too so we're not targeting your great support for a quick payday. What we do try and do though is keep the admission prices as low as possible for those aged 21 and under. We've not changed the pricing for U18s in the 20 years since we founded too and we offer a season ticket for kids at just £21 which works out at a quid a game.

As well as normal match entry, there's a match day dining/hospitality offer which is priced at £45 and gives you the following

• Enjoy a delicious two-course meal served in the Main Stand Function Room overlooking the pitch. • Access via Main Reception from 12:45pm • Please arrive promptly at 1pm • Meal served from 1.15pm • Pre-match briefing by the Men’s Team Manager at 2.15pm • Digital programme included in the package • A table comfortably seats eight guests. • Car park can also be booked separately (for £5).

This can be also purchased here https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/ChooseQuantity?ticketId=4578&fixtureId=11818

Facilities in the ground

We've got a bar in the main function room serving a variety of beers from Holts Brewery - (their version of Guinness is called Trailblazer is pretty decent). We've also got Inch's cider on tap as well as Cruzcampo.

There's a variety of bottled beers and ciders too as well as some non alcoholic beers and 0% Guinness too for those who may be driving.

There's also a further small bar underneath the main stand as you head towards the large terrace and then underneath the large terrace there's another large bar which also sells real ale too for those who prefer that. In this bar we also hold an event on before the game from about 1.30pm onwards called CYCM (course you can Malcolm - directed at Malcolm Glazer). We have a variety of people that perform there including some unsigned local bands. There's limited capacity in there but plenty of space if you get there in good time.

Food - we do the usual pies etc but there'll also be a fans food option which can be anything from a curry and rice to a hotpot - this changes every game. We also do a bombay sandwich in the snack bar under the main stand which consists of a pie, samosa and mint and chili sauce in a teacake for about £6. We also have open on occasion another van in the opposite corner which does burrittos and loaded fries.

For those who don't know much about the club, we're a club born out of protest against the Glazers taking over Manchester United 20 years ago. There were many season ticket holders, home and away reds who were totally against what they were about and felt the only way to protest and see change was to without our money whilst they were an owner. Bleed them dry at the source or "not one penny". As you'll there's many who then stepped in and took their seats but it was a matter of principle and whilst the majority of us are still Manchester United supporters and want them to win, we've made a decision not to support the owners financially for the last 20 years. Someone came up with the idea of creating our own club and we managed to do all this within about 2 months and we started life in the second division of the North West Counties (or division 10 in old school money) where we were getting crowds of over 3000 at grounds that were used to holding 40-50 people. They were some of the best times of our story before things got serious and we built our own ground in Moston Manchester. We moved in 10 years ago following a friendly against Benfica.

So the friendly against City is the first of our pre-season campaign which celebrates the 20 year anniversary since the club founded and 10 years since we moved into our own ground. We therefore want to use these games as a celebration of those key dates but also celebrate being a supporter owned club and how football supporters can run their own clubs.

I'm a Bradford lad myself but was taken to Manchester United as a young kid so that was always going to be my team but i've got a massive soft spot for City and i was buzzing for you all when you gained promotion at the end of last season and especially in the way you did. I've got a lot of mates who are City supporters and i know they'll be making the journey across the M62 too. probably to shut me up talking about the club all the time

I'll check in here and then in the run up so if you've got any questions, i'll do my best to answer them but if not i hope to see as many as you as possible on the 5th July and hope you'll all have a great day out in Manchester watching your team and new signings.

 

If you read the post below yours then i can see why they are doing it. Football is a business after all. Got to maximise any potential income.

 

I mean what would the Glazers charge?

 

Same old story

If you don’t want to pay £15.
Don’t go.


Plenty will though.

 

Thanks for the in depth information. Very much appreciated.

As you are probably aware being from Bradford, we are generally a very friendly bunch who love the banter with opposition fans. As you say, every club has its dickheads, and we have a fair few who normally travel to localish league games. I'm sure we can police any of them who may travel over on the day, although I can never recall any trouble at a friendly before.

 

Crikey even I can't see into the future. Bleating away won't convince most. Or will it? Seems you will be going?

Who really cares? Anyone got any tissues?

 

Who's bleating? I'm not going but its nothing to do with the price, i'm not available that day. They've already stated why they are doing it, £15 for a couple of hours entertainment these days seems reasonable.

 

Wow, it's been 20 years?

Crikey.

You might just have tempted me to make the trip, thanks for all the details.

 

Don't be dragged in by the propaganda from these charlatans. Money disappears quicker than a Boris backhander.

"Making friends not millionaires" unless you're from Yorkshire.

Not a fan, but go see for yourselves.

 

Sound like one of them nose out of joint United fans.

Been a few times and found the club a fantastic achievement of a group of fans who had simply had enough (of the regime that fans are heavily criticising to this day!!!).

You mustn't like....putting fans front and centre, being supportive of their local community and a feel to the club that is notable on matchday, of game days with live music, or even having loads of bar staff so you get served quick, of having a ground steeped in respect to their love of United, of fans taking back a semblance of control to their football, who have a love of the non league to rival their love they had for United.

"Propaganda"....utter claptrap

 

Just don't like being called a Yorkshire *@?$.

Not how you make friends is it....

 

Well that was comprehensive,thank you for taking the time to write it,and good luck for the coming season.

 

For those who take kids, the £5 entry for mine makes it £25 for the 3 of us which is completely reasonable I'd say.

I'll probably head over.

 

£15 is not a problem so long as we get to see all the new signings if fit and not just a load of kids / trialists.

 

It will be the first team. It will be a standard first pre-season game with 2 different 11s in each half, the only youngsters that will play will be any we need to cover for the usual early season knocks/strains that we don't want to take a risk on like how Goodman played against Chorley last season.
The only games that will be the youth team are the ones the club have advertised as a City XI.

 

And you would have to travel from Asia to get a ticket.