Hard-Core Fans, I must say, many times utter really stupid and discriminating things about other United-fans. And I will never ever agree with that.
But. I also admire them; deeply. The fans that day in and day out watch the team train in lousy weather, watch them play in-different opposition from time to time, travel with them to the far corners of Europe, bleed with them when the boys show really poor dedications (like on last Saturday), roar their approval when they beat teams like Deportivo last year in world-class displays, and so on.
Nothing is like a home-town fan. That is so true. I know that for myself. In my home-town, which is Larvik in south of Norway, we have basically 3-4 teams in the centre of the town. In the beginning there were only 2 I think. None of them will probably ever make it big. And in many ways, these small Norwegian clubs reminds me alot of clubs like Newton Heath and the early versions of Manchester United. Clubs basically built up by people whom play there for fun and after work. We have a railway-track that almost split the club "Fram" (named after a Norwegian sail-boat built by the famous Colin Archer, whom was a friend of Nansen, whom again "discovered" the North Pole) football-field in two. And this railway also reminds me of Newton Heath. And people there, at this club, and in all the other local clubs, sell hot-dogs and mineral water to make the club financially survive. They prepare the field so it can be played on, and so forth.
All-in-all this must be much like it was in the really old days in Manchester. Heart and soul, people. And in a strange way, the world's most famous and rich club, still have fans that remember these days, or have relatives that remember the past. And even though I very often verbally battle with you people, know that I am very grateful that you are there, and very much admire you. I also hope you admire me, living in another country, another world, and still bleed with you, when OUR club takes a beating.
Yours very private peewee.