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red11.org Supporter Article

Published: 10 September 2000 Me and Manchester United by Rebecca-Claire…or Becki! Living in East Anglia, getting to Manchester would be undoubtedly difficult. Oh yes, plus the fact my Father works in Bath, my Mother doesn't drive and there is no Manchester supporters round my area for miles. Being 15 is annoying. Year 11 is real tough so far (It has only been 4 days!) and I can't join the MUFC supporters club because my Father says I can't tell I am 16 (That is 4 months and 5 days of sadness until my sixteenth). Plus the fact I am a GIRL! Yes, sexist boys and girls believe only MALES should like football! I mean, that is the spanner in the works for me. I watch United (or in some cases listen) EVERY single match. I know all the players at the club and staff and go up to Manchester whenever possible. I have supported the Red Devils since I can remember, which would be around the 1989-90 season when I was 5. While all the youngsters in my class were more interested in watching 'He-man' and 'Thundercats' or 'My Little Pony' and other typical children's programs, I liked nothing better than to sit down on as Saturday afternoon with my dad and watch the football. I used to ask him about all the players till I knew half the squad, and as I got older my knowledge broadened. As I approached 7 and 8 the boys in my classes started to take an interest in the great game. This excited me till I realised that they weren't supporting Manchester United, and Norwich, Leeds and Arsenal instead. The boys constantly picked on me, taking the mick when United lost. It was a living nightmare for a youngster, but NOT ONCE DID I EVER THINK OF STOPPING UNITED SO THEY WOULD STOP - I was too addicted to the Manchester lads. Sadly this carried on all through my Primary school life, and in 1996 when I moved up to Secondary school I was hoping that being more people there I would find a United fan somewhere! Alas, there were some scattered around in various years but they are what you call ' part-time' supporters and only cheer on United when they are winning and couldn't give a damn when they had a bad spell. (Not often though!) They hardly knew anything about the history of the team, the squad and the matches they had played. Again, the feeling of rejection at an early time was setting in. Anyway, so here I am, in Year 11, still supporting the best team in the World. I decided to ask Barry if I could write an article about Manchester United (My ambition is to become a Journalist for MUFC) and I choose to write about my feelings toward bullies that taunt United fans at school. People still pick on me saying I'm 'masculine' because I love football, and more so Manchester United. The aim I want from this article is not to be known, just for other females out there that are having a hard time because they like football and some small-minded people think its 'abnormal' Yes, the taunt may hurt. In have had people come up to me shouting obscene chants about the Munich Air Disaster, and let me tell you NOTHING hurt more than that. Providing you don't react to the taunts, the bullies are the ones with the problem - not you! Keep ignoring them and eventually they will give up…and SHUT UP! (Especially when United win trophies!) Hopefully, Barry will let me write another article, providing you like this piece (!) because I would dearly love to write more for the United supporters. I'm really interested in the Busby Babes too, so if I so if I do get to write another piece it will probably were about the team that will never is forgotten. Just remember- IGNORE THE TAUNTS! At the end of the day you can escape from the mindless idiots by watching United win. That holds, as you all probably know much satisfaction and just think of things to come next time the people you know are teasing you! J Hope you enjoyed this piece and that it has helped somebody out there with how to curb 'taunts' See you soon I hope Rebecca-Claire…or Becki! LIFE LONG MUFC FAN!!!!! Supporters Articles Index