Most people know television presenter Rachel Riley as the co-host from Countdown. Many of our readers will know her as an avid Manchester United fan.
Riley insists she will no longer be able to support United if and when they bring back Mason Greenwood.
The 21-year-old has been suspended by the club for the past 18-months because he faced charges including attempted rape and assault until the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced six months ago that the case had been discontinued.
Greenwood has remained suspended by United while the club conducts an internal investigation. The announcement on the striker’s future is expected next week.
The Athletic revealed that chief executive Richard Arnold planned to release a video to club staff and supporters detailing the reasoning behind his decision to reintegrate Greenwood two weeks ago.
That plan was postponed.
With United opting to drip-feed information into the public domain – prior to Richard Arnold’s final call — fans are becoming frustrated by how the club has handled the situation.
Riley, a lifelong Red, insists she will no longer be able to call herself a fan once Greenwood officially returns.
“I won’t be able to support United if Greenwood remains at the club,” Riley wrote via Twitter. “We’ve all seen and heard enough. Pretending this is OK would be a huge part of the problem
“It would be devastating for my club to contribute to a culture that brushes this under the carpet. I really hope they do the right thing.”
I’m with Em, I won’t be able to support United if Greenwood remains at the club.
As an example, when it comes to VAWG, less than 1% of rapes reported to police lead to conviction.
We’ve all seen and heard enough.
Pretending this is ok would be a huge part of the problem. https://t.co/0tCPVooXdt
— Rachel Riley MBE 💙 (@RachelRileyRR) August 17, 2023
I have been to events in the past where Rachel helped raise money for a fellow Red after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. There’s no harm in famous Reds, or fans with large platforms, voicing their opinions on important matters.
There’s a feeling Riley won’t be alone.
Even if Erik ten Hag wants Greenwood back, there is a risk that even our own fans at Old Trafford could derail the connection between the team and the fans which he built over the past season. As a result, the mood could also affect the rest of the team and its performance.
Just say United fail to replicate our home form of last season. We then go to away games with their fans chanting about one of our players being a sex offender and we end up with a mediocre season because of a decision that should come down to United’s ethical standards internally.
It’s been the worst kept secret in football that Greenwood is coming back and it’s going to hurt so many of our fans, inevitably leading to outrage and toxicity.
I hope that good sense prevails.
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Ahhh, the hysteria of the Very Self Imagined “Perfect” Younger Generations with their Virtue Signaling!! Especially nowadays in sports!! No One Else But Those In Hysterics Deserves A Second Chance At Redemption!! I find that breathtakingly Selfish And Hypocritical!! A young man, barely out of his teens, possibly made a grave mistake, and now there is no possibility for a chance of redemption for him, with the hypocritically virtue signaling media. I have not seen any of the allegedly incriminating videos, but I do know this (and the first four are unadulterated facts, not opinion; the fifth and sixth are my opinions):
1). The crown did not have sufficient grounds to even continue the prosecution (according to the Crown Itself);
2). The Lady, who was allegedly aggrieved, forgave, reconciled, and had a baby with this kid, now a young man (according to the media);
3). The alleged witnesses against this young man have all backed off of testifying against him, even the females among them (according to The Crown);
4). As far as I know from what the media is reporting, this is this young man’s first eggregious mistake (according to media reports).
5). He has already been serving time within his own self-made prison for his mistake. I wonder how long he would have gotten under The Crown’s conviction? We will never really know because the case was dropped (is that considered an exoneration by The Crown?).
6). It seems that none of this, figures or factors in, at all, in the figuratively bloodthirsty, and to my mind wrong, thinking of today’s younger media types!!
What?!? No Man Gets A Second Chance, with virtue signaling young activist reporters after losing his cool and allegedly hurting a female? Not even when the allegedly hurt female and all of her female witnesses forgive the man and more?!?
What we have her are “Perfect” Activist Young Reporters who have Large Global Media Platforms, with which They Air Their Opinions Not Facts; Very Irresponsibly Wielding Both As If They Were Spiked Maces!! One in each hand!! They are seeking vigilanty Vengeance!! Not Justice!! This Is Happening Despite The Facts That The Case Was Dropped And The Alleged Victim Forgave!!
To my mind, this is mob hysteria at a much greater level than small-town mob hysteria!! This is Literal Global Media Mob Hysteria, against one who is essentially a kid who allegedly made a “first time” bad mistake. Could It Be Because He Is Black?!?
Just so you know, I really don’t care for the kid, not since he became a first “teamer”!! And No, I Am Neither Black Nor Soft On Crime!! But I would like to see the man given a second chance at redemption; let the “Perfect” young media activists see if he even deserves that before they go about Vigorously destroying the next 50-60 years of his life!!
I’ve commented elsewhere on this, so just to say: no, Rachel, you won’t stop supporting United, as that’s not possible. They’ll annoy you, infuriate you, upset you, bring you tears…..and bring the great joy possible. “ And Solskjaer’s Won It!!!!”
Sorry, m’dear: it’s for life. And possibly beyond.