Amazing, isn’t it, how a change in fortunes for the Club can affect people’s attitudes.  Up until John O’Shea struck so superbly against Liverpool, interest in the 2007 tour was luke-warm. On the Monday following that 1-0 win my phone started ringing. Suddenly Everyone wanted to go on the trip.  It meant, in the end, having to find extra hotel accommodation and extra seats on the flight.

Once again it was a mixed bag who boarded the flight for Manchester. For some it was their annual holiday, for some it was their very first visit to Old Trafford. These are the ones who interest me most. People who have supported Manchester United – in some cases – for most of their lives, and yet have never had the opportunity to see them play in the Theatre of Dreams. They may never go again, but I always hope that their one visit gives them memories to last a lifetime.

The Arrival

We arrived in Manchester with United already Champions. Chelsea’s failure to win at the weekend had effectively handed United the title. And so this time it was Chelsea who had to form a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge as pretty much a reserve side took the field on the night of our arrival. I’d arranged for the group to watch the match in the Red Café. They don’t usually open for matches mid-week, but when I’d called them the match against Chelsea was potentially still very much a title decider and once I mentioned the size of the group they agreed to make an exception. They’d then advertised locally and there were several other supporters occupying tables on the night.  It was a low-key event in the end, the match being somewhat flat, but it did give the newly formed group an opportunity to socialise and get to know each other.

The Stadium Tour

Thursday morning after breakfast we departed for Old Trafford once again, this time for the stadium tour. While I finalised the booking and collected the tickets the rest of the group descended on the Megastore.  There wasn’t much by way of Champions material on sale there yet, but Angelo, up at Red Star Sports, hadn’t rested on his laurels and had a good selection of shirts celebrating the latest trophy on sale.

Tours of the stadium depart from inside the museum and they are spaced only 10 minutes apart. It’s important to be on time, but we found our tour delayed because our tour guide had been giving an interview for television and wasn’t ready when we were. When he finally did arrive he took off almost with his pants on fire and rushed us straight through to the Disabled Fans section, cutting out the start of the tour in the North stand. We have had better guides. Perhaps he was stressed out by being late and knowing the next party was on his tail, but it took some members of the group who’d done the tour before to remind him of certain pieces of information about the stadium that he’d forgotten to share.

It’s always difficult trying to keep the group together, more especially so when people want “just one more picture”. I suddenly found myself stranded with three others, unsure of which direction to take, when we discovered we’d been left behind. Fortunately I’ve been on the tour many times and, having opened a door and recognising Bar ’58, I remembered where we would find the rest of the party.

Old Trafford is every bit as impressive empty as it is heaving with fans. Empty one is more able to absorb the sense of history and the ghosts of great players who have graced the stadium.  So many changes have been made over the years, and the only structure left from the original stadium is the tunnel, with a sloping floor designed to MAKE players run onto the pitch. It’s quite something to stand at the top and imagine Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor and others waiting to enter the Theatre of Dreams.  Emerging from the original tunnel we found ourselves at the dugout.  Some years ago Sir Alex requested it be raised so as to give him a better view. At the time the camber of the pitch was in any case a problem, but even that has since been lowered.  The tour finishes standing on the edge of the current tunnel.  Firmly shut gates prevent one from standing on the pitch but it still makes a good ‘Kodak Moment’.

Then it was back to the Red Café for lunch, after which the group was free to visit the museum and/or return to the Megastore before the coach returned everyone to the hotel.

Carrington

The visit to Carrington is never taken for granted, or guaranteed. The most important issue is permission from Sir Alex, but he’s never denied it before, so I’m always hopeful. A formal request has to go through the Membership office several months ahead of time and, having been disappointed in their input last season – when we didn’t get to Carrington – this time I used a different approach.  Some of you will have had dealings with Barry Moorhouse when he was Membership Secretary. He is now Player Liaison Manager, responsible for taking care of every little whim, and seeing to the smooth running of their lives as players. Barry has always been a good friend of this branch and was instrumental in keeping the original committee involved in 2000 when the branch was subject to a hostile take-over.  Last year when United visited here, it was Barry who made it possible for some members in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg to attend training sessions.

When I contacted him regarding the visit to Carrington he informed me that Sir Alex was happy for the group to attend training, but the request would still have to go through official channels, and he forwarded my email.  It took several email reminders to the Membership office - and finally a terse demand for a response – always copied to Barry to keep him informed, but at 1pm on the day of departure I was at last given the go-ahead for the group to attend training on “Friday before West Ham”.  

Crisitiano Ronaldo had run away with the votes for Member’s Player of the Year – as he had with every other poll this season – but with the uncertainty of whether or not we would be making a presentation, I had to then find a suitable award at OR Tambo Airport.  I feel it more appropriate to give something representative of Africa, rather than yet another silver tray or glass vase. The gaggle of little boys in this collection are clearly as pleased as we are that we got our trophy back.

No one kept the coach driver waiting on Friday morning and we set off for Carrington on time.  The players are due to start training around 10am and visiting groups have to be on site before then.  Sadly Ian Moss is no longer at Old Trafford and Michael Leneghan was on hand to see that the visit went smoothly.  Barry Moorhouse came down to greet us, but there was no sign of the Manager. We learned afterwards that he’d been busy with interviews for the press.

Surprisingly ours was the only group at Carrington. Usually on the last training day before the last match of the season, the place is crawling with sponsors representatives – often peopled with employees who have no knowledge or care for Manchester United but who are quick to accept the opportunity to boast to their friends.  When the session was over members of the group were able to get signatures and pictures with most of the players.  

Cristiano was given some extra training and so was last to leave the field.  It meant the group could give him their undivided attention! Charlie Cardoso, on his annual holiday, presented Cristiano with his award. As he spoke Portuguese I can’t share the speech with you but I’m sure his words were appropriate. Young Cristiano seemed pleased enough with his latest award but I’m not sure he was that pleased with being jostled for pictures and autographs. The earlier plea to stand in line to give everyone an equal chance had fallen on deaf ears.

But most of the group got what they wanted and it was a happy crowd who were dropped off later at the Trafford Centre where the rest of the day could be spent at leisure.

Saturday was a free day and some of the group opted to go to Liverpool and visit Anfield. The general consensus on their return was that, while the stadium couldn’t compare with Old Trafford, the shop was far better stocked. The Megastore has become … quite boring, in fact, and it’s sad to find the general quality of goods at Anfield far superior.  United seem to be more interested in a quick turnover with the day trippers who aren’t particular about quality.

Match Day

And so to Sunday. The coach was outside the hotel bright and early to transport the worshippers to the Theatre of Dreams. By the time we got there the area around the stadium was already teeming with fans. The stalls on Sir Matt Busby Way were doing a roaring trade in an amazing selection of wares, much of which was now dedicated to the re-instated Champions. Together with their match tickets, the group had been given tickets to the Fan Zone.  This is situated in a large permanent tent set up behind the North stand and it’s somewhere where, if one has arranged to meet up with friends, you can enjoy a meal and/or have a drink while waiting for them. It’s much more relaxing to wait for kick-off in the Fan Zone, and it’s a life-saver if the weather is bad.

You will have seen the match against West Ham. Ok, it would have been nice to get a win, but the title was already won and most of the crowd was anxious only for the final whistle so that we could indeed Get Our Trophy Back.  The players left the field when the referee finally called a halt, and the crowd fidgeted until the announcer asked that we welcome the Barclays Premier League Champions 2006/07. A tremendous crescendo of music and applause saw Gary Neville lead his team of winners back through the tunnel and onto the pitch where a podium had been hastily erected. As Gary and Ryan Giggs lifted the trophy together, fireworks were set off and the crowd went wild.

Being in the stadium for such an event is truly unforgettable. Usually the stadium empties very quickly when a match is over, but on this occasion few had gone early to get a head start on the traffic. Once everyone had received their medal the players proceeded on a walkabout around the perimeter of the pitch to celebrate with the fans. Scarves, hats and other memorabilia was thrown at them, with some players picking up items and wearing them. It’s become fashionable for them to bring their families on this walkabout and it’s wonderful to see fathers holding their children’s hands and waving at the crowd. Some of the small children are obviously nervous of the crowd, but Dad is there to hold his/her hand, so that makes it ok.

Bishops Blaize, up on Chester Road, is the place to go after any match, and particularly the final match when United have been presented with their trophy. Later it was a tired but extremely happy group who boarded the coach for the return journey to the hotel, waving goodbye to Old Trafford as we drove away.

We’d opted for an early start on Monday morning, to give everyone as much time in London as possible to take in the sights, but here I must make mention of the different attitudes of the coach drivers we’d seen throughout the week.  It’s a lengthy 4 hour drive from London to Manchester and it’s made easier – for some – by a coach driver who’s not obsessive about the regulations regarding eating and/or drinking on the coach.  Imagine, then, the dismay of the passengers who boarded the coach bound for London who were subject to a stern lecture about wearing seat belts, and barring them from either eating or drinking on the journey. He may as well have gone down the row with a pin in his hand, so deflated were they. Jim and I left the coach in Stoke-on-Trent, about an hour away from Manchester, but I’m told the driver’s harsh approach was totally ignored and there were no thirsty passengers when they eventually reached the hotel in London.

After an overnight stay and a quick look at the tourist attractions of London it was back home with a host of pictures and (hopefully) wonderful memories to share with friends and family.

With the new season’s fixtures just having been released, those of you contemplating coming on the trip next year can look forward to West Ham – again. Does it matter? We’re not going to see the opposition. Rather look forward to something that every Manchester United supporter should experience at least once in their lifetime:
to worship at the feet of your idols in the Theatre of Dreams. Believe me, there is nothing like it on this earth.