Nobody's taking the moral high ground, because I'd still feel exactly the same way even if it was my own club. I've got Manchester United supporting mates who share the same opinion insofar that they believe that Martin Edwards saw this as a good opportunity to raise United's worldwide profile. & when you put yourself in his shoes, I suppose it was too good to turn down. Because who knew when such an opportunity was going to arise again ? There was a possibility that United could have gotten a tough away draw, & got themselves knocked out in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Edwards & Ferguson would have been well pissed off seeing Bayern Munich take their place in the WCC, & grab all the rewards that went with it - It's this - 'we're the victims here' - that doesn't sit too well with a lot of people. Just because your owner & manager went on a media PR campaign to try & smooth the waters, it still doesn't mean their words were not a load of bollocks aimed primarily at appeasing their own supporters, many, who were just as miffed as non-United supporters.
It's anyone's guess as to who instigated the whole thing. But it certainly screams out to a lot of 'non-blinkered' people, that it was a cosy little arrangement, in which The FA, & Manchester United, stood to gain quite a lot.
