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Published: 10 December 2001 'LES SEALEY - RIP' by Alison Watt Sealey was a much-loved player at Manchester United. The reasons why were well articulated at the time of his premature death in August this year, but we couldn't get the club to recognise the depth of sadness that so many of us felt. It was suggested United and West Ham (his other main club) could play a testimonial to help his family, but United simply told us he only played about 50 games for us, we can't be giving a testimonial to every ex-player. They can do testimonials to save them having to pay an extra lump of salary to the likes of Ryan Giggs and Denis Irwin, but no chance of one to help the family of one of our best loved players, who never earned a fraction of what Ryan and Denis earn. So we suggested maybe they could facilitate a collection or something to mark his passing when we played the home game against West Ham. As this game approached, I was saddened that nothing appeared to have been organised - no announcements at previous games or via the media, Internet etc. However, my heart leapt as I walked toward the ground and saw people shaking buckets - they did remember after all. I asked one of the collectors was it in memory of Les Sealey and she looked at me like I was mad. It was some charity collection which to be honest I couldn't be bothered with, as I thought it so heartless to choose this week, when we'd asked to be able to honour Les. Like many people, I don't buy programmes, so I had no idea that the club had planned to lay a wreath at half time. That seems to have been the only announcement - half a column in the programme. They seemed to think it was important just before the game to announce the winner of some "chairman for the day" competition and do the dreadful tannoy welcomes to "Johnny Nomark who's 30 today and making his first visit to the Theatre of Dreams". Surely a chance to show respect to Les is more important than that? Couldn't they have laid the wreath before the game? Or maybe told people what was going to happen at half time, so we could wait. Though of course we'd have to wait for the cash-dash draw first, because Les comes after that. Maybe donating the cash-dash draw money to his widow and children might have been a nice idea? So when they finally laid the wreath I was in the loo - totally unaware that it was going to happen. Hardly the way I'd have chosen to remember one of our all time favourite players. I raced back topside as quick as nature would let me, by which time some guy in what looked like a butcher's coat was removing the wreath. How long was it there - 5 minutes? I wonder how many people who were in the ground are still unaware that anything was done? Why does Manchester United plc always disappoint me so much? They own my football club which I love, but we're saddled with these people in charge who are so badly out of touch that they constantly ruin our match going experience with their crass interference. I keep trying to give them credit for attempting to do things right (and in Cuddly Pete's era you have to admit they do try) but almost every time they make such a pig's ear of it you wish they'd go away and stop trying to be nice guys. When they try and fail, you wish they hadn't bothered at all. What they did today was worse than nothing. Les Sealey RIP - Always in the hearts of the fans that loved you. Alison Watt