Chanting happens. Anything to wind up the opposition fans, and its mostly bad taste in good jest, and during the game.

A mins applause just isnt appropriate for what happened that day. It was a dark day for football worldwide, and it will be remembered with heavy heart.

Finally, I remember United playing up at Sunderland in 2000-1 (again) and audibly you could hear the United fans singing ‘City’s going down like a Russian Submarine’, which was a reference to Kursk. When City went there in December, the Sunderland fans started singing it too. I also recall Middlesbrough fans singing ‘United, United, United’ at Maine Road a couple of years after that. I think half the time its just to wind opposition fans up, there is definitely an element of that involved. The fans who have perhaps sang about Munich probably have done so from habit and rarely think about what happened in 1958.

I’d like to think that all City fans would show respect, most of them seem to think (judging by the M.E.N. Site comments) that there is a media campaign to make us look bad. They have cited that the silence for George Best was observed largely impeccably, but for the intervention of visiting Liverpool fans in November 2005. If any City fans read this, pay attention to what I just wrote, because I don’t want you thinking I am being completely critical.

It would be foolish to deny that there is an element that sing derogatory songs about the crash, virtually any home fan who has been to a game with City visiting would tell you that in the since the turn of the decade really. I think in City’s programme in 2000-1 there was a piece that made the national papers because they said a song about Munich was in the top 3 City chants, slamming the programme editorial.

Look at some of the comments on youtube whenever City have beaten united and there is almost always a reference to it, though whether one can compare the typing behind a computer and singing at games is another story, and/or whether alcohol is involved. I think small elements in the South Stand at Eastlands do it although I can’t speak much for the away games anymore.

I particularly recall an incident in May 2005, we had beaten Villa 2-1 away and four of us had gone to the game, two of whom I didn’t know particularly well. Off memory, one of the two started singing and slagging off the United fans who were catching departing trains after a home game (I think against West Brom), using that particular word and was cautioned by a copper, who admitted to being a United fan. You can imagine being a Policeman, not suggesting he used it in his judgement, but how he felt inside and how he had to act professionally.

Anyway, those are just a few of the things I have experienced. Of course it still exists out there otherwise it wouldn’t make such a big fuss. Even City requested a minute’s applause. That said, I think a lot of blues feel that this issue is being dragged out of all proportion.

I say a lot, because there are 40,000 odd at Eastlands most weeks, a tiny fraction of that sing and it is the majority who feel vilified by the press here. I went to Old Trafford last season but, having moved away now, will not be going, but I know if I was, I would observe it impeccably and I think 3,000 will do the same. Trouble is, as somebody quite rightly pointed out on the MEN site, if 2,999 do, and 1 doesn’t, that 1 will cause a storm among City fans who DO observe it, then the United fans will pick up on the fuss and whole thing will be ruined, by a miniscule proportion of the decent fans.

City’s attendances picked up during 2003-4 in the new season, I think a few people crawled out the woodwork just for the aesthetics factor back then, but somewhere between 28,000 (div 2 1998-9) and 40,000 of the fans are what you associate that is good about us, loyal and generally with a long-suffering, honed sense of humour. The type of fans to snap up 7,000 for Bramall Lane on Sunday.

Really hope that everything goes well on the day, it will be poignant and United will be very fired up with the atmosphere surely. I haven’t seen City win there in my lifetime but I very much hope the silence is observed and I hope that statistic changes.

As for Fergie having a pop at Rafa, I don’t think so.

Think about it – why would Fergie want Rafa to go? Potentially Liverpool might get a better manager. Fergie has Liverpool exactly where he wants them and all the better to defend Rafa and hope that he keeps his job.

Chris
http://www.EliteSoccerCoach.com