What colour do you bleed?

Over the next few months, I will be writing a series of articles which will focus on the Indian football fans’s passion for their respective club teams. Not only that but it will also involve removing the “Bandwagon fans” tag and thus establishing that there are many true fans among club supporters here in India because they simply, truly love their clubs. I start the series with my own story. I plan to talk and then present to you stories of other fans from different clubs in the future.

I, today, write to share my experience as an Indian Red Devil, currently living in Mumbai. My story with Manchester United though does not start in any part of India. It starts in a land far away from India. It starts on an island. An island so small, that if you were to search for it on the map, it would require a good amount of your concentration to spot that dot (literally) on the map, the dot which says Fiji Islands.

First Sighting

In 2004, I along with my parents moved to a city called Suva in the Fiji Islands owing to my dad’s transfer there for 4 years. It was on this beautiful island that my interest in the game of football was created. Till then, I was a pure Indian Cricket fan. Then came the night where I watched, what I would later realize, were full highlights of a Manchester United vs Arsenal game.

I had played football before with friends in school and on the streets, but this was the first time I watched a football match at club level. I had always watched the games involving Brazil, Italy and other international teams during a World Cup while growing up, but I was unaware of the club football culture. That night I watched in amazement, as Manchester United came back TWICE from going behind and eventually winning it 4-2.

I simply loved how Manchester United came back and won the game. I was in awe of Roy Keane. I loved how he played his game. The fight, the in-your-face attitude was simply amazing! Then there was Ronaldo. He did lose the ball quite a number of times but I thought he was already a star player, considering the fact that I was new to football. He scored two goals that game, and I loved his “shh” celebration.

I was immediately drawn into the club. Henceforth, I slowly but steadily became engrossed with the club and everything related to it. My acquaintance with it also meant learning about all the troubles that the club went through and how it came back from the Munich Disaster, the Manchester Derby, the rivalry with Liverpool and so on.

As I learnt more about the culture, history, players, etc. I became more emotionally drawn in. Today, I have reached that point where I rejoice, cry, cringe and get nervous whenever Manchester United are playing. The thing I love about my club is that we simply do not give up. We continue fighting till the last minute of the game. Also, if we ever do fall, we get right back up and come back at you. That belief, that no matter what, we CAN do it – that attitude, is what I love the most. And that is why I love Manchester United.

Memorable Moment

I have now supported the club for more than 7 years, and in that time there have been quite a few memorable moments. I have been lucky enough to witness the club win so many trophies and they are all memorable moments for me. The Champions League, for instance, sticks out for it was, after all, an amazing moment.

My most memorable moment though, has to be THAT goal by Federico Macheda. I remember that goal like it was scored just yesterday. Manchester United, who had lost two games in a row, were ravaged by injuries and had an in-form Liverpool breathing down their necks in the race for the English Premier League Title and they simply could not afford to drop more points.

Manchester United went into the game without either Rio or Vidic, the two rocks at the back. Tevez was the only fit senior striker. Welbeck and Macheda were on the bench. Manchester United were 2-1 down, but there were 30 minutes remaining and as a Manchester United fan you tend to get this habit of BELIEVING that we are going to win.

Twenty minutes later, that belief grew even stronger when Ronaldo scored from just outside the box to make it 2-2, his second of the night.

It was all Manchester United from there even though Friedel made saves from Fletcher and Welbeck.

But Friedel was not going to be able to stop the inevitable. Giggs passed to Macheda. Macheda, who till that point, was literally unknown. He, who had scored a hat trick during the week. He, whose first team experience spanned barely 30 minutes. That Macheda, who produced a moment of magic. Turning his marker, curling his shot, went past the goalkeeper and as the ball went into the net, Macheda entered into United folklore. Manchester United would go on to win the title, dropping only 2 points, a nil all against Arsenal, by which time the title race was all but won by the Red Devils. That one turn and curl, was easily one of the biggest key points for that season.

The shot that changed the course of the Title Race in 08-09.

Worst Moment as a Fan

Supporting the club for more than 7 years now, does leave you open to having moments as a fan you wish you could just erase from your memory. There have been quite a few of those and some of them came in the previous season itself. The 6-1 loss to Manchester City, the UCL group stage exit or even the 3-2 loss to Blackburn. Though my worst moment is a different one but from the same season.

That moment involves a dramatic comeback in injury time. It was engineered by a Manchester side, just not the right half of Manchester(well atleast for me it was not and neither for all the other Reds). It was Manchester City and their two injury time goals against QPR on the last day of the season. The two goals in four minutes that took the title back away from United and right back to them.

It was cruel fate for United fans, who now probably understood what the Bayern Munich fans had felt on THAT night.

It is the worst I have ever felt as a Man Utd fan. It hurt a lot. Losing the title on goal difference does that to you.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 13: Sergio Aguero #16 of Manchester City celebrates winning the title as the final whistle blows during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad Stadium on May 13, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Favourite Player

Now this is a tough one. I tend to love almost all the play from thers that have played for us. There are a few exceptions to this rule; like Carlos Tevez – who I dislike, Obertan and Gibson who I never really considered “MUFC” quality.

My favourite player is the one who has been a loyal servant of the club for a long time. He has spent his whole club career at Man Utd. He is one of the best CM’s to have ever graced football. He is tries to stay away from the spotlight, but lets his feet do the talking on the pitch.

He is none other than, the Ginger Prince. He is the Sat-Nav of Manchester United. He is none other than, PAUL SCHOLES.

I consider myself lucky that I got to watch the game of such an outstanding player before his retirement. Only one more season of Scholes now.

It makes me really sad knowing that a player of his stature will never be seen displaying his skills again for my club. It makes me sad to know he won’t be there next season.

My Connection with the Club

Being a fan from India, it is not easy for one to stay connected with the club. Living thousands of kilometres away from the club’s home, it is also not logical to travel there for every weekend game. Hence, for any foreign Manchester United fan the solution lies with following the club through Television, Social Networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, the Club’s website and other Manchester United websites such as rednews.co.uk, stretfordend.co.uk, therepublikofmancunia.com, etc. Following fans on twitter, who go and actually watch the games Live and live in Manchester, helps you understand to an extent the atmosphere that surrounds the club.

Here in India, more specifically Mumbai, Manchester United fans have their own club, where they get together on match days for a live match screening. They sing together, drink together and eat together, creating a stadium atmosphere. I have not been lucky enough to be able to go to one of their screenings as of yet, but surely I will plan on doing so.

I do, though, follow the club as I mentioned above. This is not restricted to the first team, but also the Reserves and the U-18′s and news related to them like development of players, new players signed, etc.

My loyalty to the club is strengthened by my principle to always buy original Manchester United Jersey. It was hard convincing my dad to spend so much of his hard-earned money but I stuck to my principle. One jersey and a calendar later, I feel proud and took a vow that when I start earning, my collection of originals is only going to increase.

The Manchester United store in Mumbai

Watched the club Live?

This is one of the things that when I am asked, sadden me to no end. I have seen games on television and also sometimes videos shot by fans of the games on youtube, and really wish I was part of it too. Times like when we won the league, the Aston villa game, THAT rooney goal, etc. I just envy those who are able to go and watch the game and truth be told I am jealous of how lucky they are. If there is one thing that separates a local Manchester United fan, to one who lives in a foreign land, it has to be this. No matter, how much you try and recreate the feel by getting a few Manchester United fans sing together, the feeling of watching it LIVE in the stadium is just Two Worlds apart.

Hopefully one day, I can feel that atmosphere when the team is bearing down the opposition, or when we are coming back from a goal down and win via a last minute winner. That remains a dream. A dream that I plan on fulfilling in the next five years.

The “Bandwagon Fans”

This is one of the main accusations that rival fans from the local area point at fans of other clubs, who do not reside in the club’s locality. This in my opinion is sadly not true. I would initially like to point out that I do not agree with branding “all foreign fans” as Bandwagon fans.

The theory seems to be that if you do not go to the stadium and watch the game you are not a fan of the club. This is a wrong accusation made towards global club fans. There are many people, I am sure in England, who cannot afford the ticket prices to a game. Would you also call them bandwagon fans?

The fact is, the club has true fans abroad as well, who follow the club with passion. Fans who stay up late at night, till 3am at times, just so that they can watch their club play Champions League Football. I have known an Arsenal fan, who did this right before one of the most important exams in a students life: His 12th grade boards.

I have stayed up late nights to watch Manchester United games, when possible, without worrying about school or exams.

Also, we contribute a lot to what the club earns. Whenever a contract is up for renewal with any company, the club points to the number of fans that it has around the world to get better deals.