I first fell in love with United at the ripe old age of 5.
It came about through an innocent interaction with my Nan, who lived next door and I adored, I went back to her house after school every evening and spent endless hours and days with her, sitting by the fire.
One night, she was screaming at the radio or the tele, I was 5, I can’t remember which specifically but a United game was on and she was going ballistic, shouting and roaring like a lunatic.
My childish mind enquired why and she explained it was Manchester United that were playing, they’re her football team, they have Irish players that play for them, she loves the club and if my Nan loves something, that’s enough for me.
I realised my Dad was a Red also, very soon after and the greatest love of my life took bloom as I took on a psychotic addiction to everything MUFC.
I turn 40 later this month.
35 years of living, breathing, dreaming about United.
From the first game attended with my Dad, without whom I wouldn’t have been able to realise my early dreams of seeing the reds play in the flesh, to forming and running an official MUSC branch, to having a season ticket, initially East Upper, subsequently Stretty Upper and as of next season, W210.
I’ve travelled all over following United, the length and breadth of the U.K. and Europe.
It’s more than an addiction, it’s more than a love affair, it’s an indescribable consumption of one’s self, that can only be lived to understand.
Throughout those 35 years, like any other red I have dreamt of playing football in the United shirt.
Walking out of the tunnel to the Stone Roses, listening to Alan Keagan announce our arrival on the pitch as we stepped onto the hallowed turf of Old Trafford.
Today, that’s exactly what happened.
As I mentioned, I run an official MUSC Branch, and through this I deal with the club weekly, around ticketing for our members, around the running of the branch, in Microsoft Teams calls with the club, endless emails, you get to know the staff there in the MUSC department quite well over time.
An opportunity for a Fans Pitch Day arose last season, I was unsuccessful in that ballot, like most reds are in the away ballots every other week!
A few weeks back I got a phone call to ask me if I wanted to play today, as you can imagine the answer was a very short yes and so it came to fruition.
We got to walk around the pitch pre match, having a chat, taking a few pics, letting it sink in that shortly we’d be togging out in the dressing room and lining up to walk out, to that famous music.
It was a surreal experience. I can now say I have played a match on the pitch that I’ve watched my boyhood heroes play on, that I visit so many times a season over the years, that I’ve stood in the stands mesmerised by, today it was me and 21 other reds across 2 teams that lined up to take each other on, it still feels strange saying it.
The match itself was a cracker, our side got beat, I got done up a kipper in goals but their centre mid who has to have been a ringer, he stick a hat trick of screamers past me, I never stood a chance, even with my David De Gea-esque camera style dives, which may be more like the reportedly slow doves of current keeper Andre Onana, my distribution more Onana like though, to be fair!
We went up to the Trafford Suite after full time for some beers and good to wind down after, before departing back to reality, back to not being a person who plays in Old Trafford anymore.
But I have, once, it was a day that realised the dream of that little 5 year old lad in Limerick, looking at his now passed on Nan with innocent eyes as they watched United together on the tele, me shouting like she would, a shared love between my Nan, Dad & myself.
The club often gets stick from us fans, but today is one of those days they get it so right, giving so many reds a chance to experience this, thank you to those that made it happen.
I’m currently sat in the Nags Head, having a pint before I head to catch a flight home again, with a wry smile on my face that nobody around me understands.
I can’t wait to get back home, to tell my Dad all about today.
As for you Nana, I hope you were watching down, I hope you saw that save I made, that one was for you.
I hope you were smiling…
I’m sure you were x
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