Post by missunited on Mar 31, 2007 0:10:12 GMT
Welcome to the 11th edition of Republik of Mancunia: The Paper. Been another busy month for the forum, and as we’re nearing its first birthday (ok so it’s still nearly two months of that mark, but still) we’re pleased to see we still have new members signing up to the site. For those of you who haven’t already seen it, we have added a new competition to the site. You can win Money Off Merchandise and all you have to do is recruit new members for the forum. Click here for full details, and the competition will be running for three weeks. Of course don’t forget about the other competition we have going here at Republik Of Mancunia, where you can win a gorgeous Republik of Mancunia Hoodie.
If you’re interested in writing for the paper, whether it’s a review of match/player of the month, a full-length article or maybe a little piece on a particular game you like, drop Scott The Red a PM. And remember once you’ve contributed to the paper four times you get your very own Official Contributor button added to your profile!
Finally, for anyone who might not know, you can now add your favourite player to your profile, so if you haven’t already done it press that button to modify your profile!
Now, Lets get down to business as they say, once again the paper has been split in two parts because of the amount of good submissions we have this month.
Member Of The Month
This months member is Atsis, not only did he sell his belongings to visit Old Trafford in the past but this Christmas he took a picture for all of us of a Christmas tree decorated in United shirts. For these reasons and for being a regular and sensible poster, congratulations on being Republik Of Mancunia’s member of the month for March!
Interview
This months interview is with one of our regulars and funniest members, not to mention last month’s member of the month marrymeheinze
Real name:
Lawrence Flinn. One for my army of stalkers lol.
Where are you from:
Worsley originally.
Who is your biggest inspiration:
I wish I were more inspired.....in football I suppose it's Gary Neville, in (attempted) comedy it's Bill Bailey, in life in general I tend to make my own way unfortunately.
What would you like to be better at:
Sex, football and working.
If you could ask anyone, living or dead, a question, who and what would it be?
I'd ask Socrates why he was such a twat but then I'd congratulate him on the last joke he ever made.
What is your all time favourite film?
This is a hard one. I really like Gladiator and the Big Lebowski....and Leon. I'll go for the Big Lebowski.
If you won the lottery, how would you spend it?
Booze.
One job in the world, what would it be?
Beer taster. Can you see the recurring theme yet?
What’s your biggest ambition in life?
I wanna be happy. I'd like to open up a jazz bar in the south of France with one of my mates as well.
What’s your greatest ever achievement?
Dunno. It will be passing my bloody exams at uni but I suppose currently it's probably fixing my radio when I was 12.
What’s your biggest regret?
Being ill during the only week of my life where I had a really hot girl chasing me.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Hopefully so rich I'm just about to retire to the Mediterranean. Probably lying in a gutter.
Who do you hate most: City/Liverpool/Leeds/Arsenal/Other
I'll have to go with Liverpool. They're delusional scum with stupid accents and too many children.
Ideal, realistic signing you think Fergie should have made this summer, but didnt?
Owen Hargreaves. Sorry to be boring but I can't see us winning the Champions League without him.
Whats the best game you've ever been too?
I don't go very often but every time I do we seem to win 3-0 in some very one sided matches. I suppose I'll say my first ever game where me and my mum sat in the Stretford End and she got chatted up by the guys in the row behind us. We beat Tottenham 3-0. Can't remember what year it was.
Who's your favourite member on the forum?
I'm torn between Red Yank and redom.
Anything else you want to tell us?
Children. Drugs are bad. Mmmkay?
Article
This month’s article is by Adam
We’ll Never Die
“United's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their heart's blood dyed it's ev'ry fold.”
It shrouded all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their heart's blood dyed it's ev'ry fold.”
February 6th 1958, British European Airways Flight 609 crashed after being caught up in weather which had previously disrupted take off twice. The blizzard caused a build up of slush at the end of the runway which was disruptive in the take off and resulted in The Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZU crashing to the ground.
Those on the flight were The Busby Babes, the United players lead by Sir Matt Busby some of whom were sadly killed in the accident. The players killed were: Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor, Billy Whelan and Duncan Edwards.
One of ‘the Flowers of Manchester’, Duncan Edward’s loss was described by Sir Bobby Charlton as “the biggest tragedy to happen to Manchester United and England.”
The blood shed by those players is the reason February 6th 1958 is a date engraved in the mind of every Manchester United fan old and young. It is a date which became a significant one in United’s history but also moulded United’s future.
“Then raise United's banner high,
Beneath it's shade we'll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here.”
Beneath it's shade we'll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here.”
Out of the ashes of the Munich Air Disaster came rebuilding and eventually joy.
Sir Matt Busby and a handful of players survived, Sir Matt survived despite serious injury and being read his last rites twice. The survivors read: Matt Busby, John Berry, Jackie Blanchflower, Bobby Charlton, Bill Foulkes, Harry Gregg, Ken Morgans, Albert Scanlon, Dennis Violett and Ray Wood.
Despite the crash a Manchester United team made of reserves beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0, the team’s season was poor in the league but still they showed the ‘United spirit’ and gallantly reached the FA Cup final, unfortunately they were beaten 2-0 by Bolton.
The following season, Sir Matt Busby made a return and built a second generation of Busby Babes this team included a young George Best. The second generation of Busby Babes went on to win the European Cup in 1968 beating Benfica 4-1 in the final. Survivors of the crash Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes were amongst the European Champions.
Setting the tradition of youth, courage and success the Busby Boys kept the Red Flag flying high in the memory of those lost Manchester United still keep to those traditions today, traditions built by Sir Matt and continued by Sir Alex, those traditions have been responsible for much of Manchester United’s success.
“We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll keep the Red flag flying high,
'Cos Man United will never die”
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll keep the Red flag flying high,
'Cos Man United will never die”
The attitude of “We’ll Never Die” has never left Manchester United and until this day some of Manchester United’s greatest successes have been thanks to last gasp victories from the jaws of defeat.
Until this day Manchester United always believe, always go on and that’s thanks to that great belief that we will never die, one of the distinctive banners on the Stretford End says “MUFC – Est. 1878 – We’ll Never Die”.
In the season of 1995-96, United trailed Newcastle by fourteen points in the race for the Premier League and that attitude clawed it back. In the same season to seal the Double, United beat Liverpool thanks to an Eric Cantona goal with minutes remaining in the FA Cup final.
This attitude can be summed up no more than in the 1998-99 season when in various games United came from behind to win. In the early stages of the FA Cup versus Liverpool, the Champions League Semi Final versus Juventus and in the final Premier League game versus Tottenham in which United came from behind to win just to name three.
The one that sticks in the memory of all football fans, not just Manchester United’s, is the Champions League Final versus Bayern Munich when with two minutes remaining Manchester United turned a 1-0 reverse into a 2-1 win thanks to stoppage time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
This attitude has never deserted the club and it all stems back to the tragic incident in Munich on February 6th 1958. The attitude that sums up a club that through all the tragedies has wallowed in the success that has brought envy from not only England but the whole of Europe, an attitude which makes Manchester United the club and force we are.
How one song can sum up the traditions and history of a club is amazing, from the heart breaking downs to the teary eyed highs, “We’ll Never Die” or “Red Flag” as some may know it does just that.
So when you hear the Stretford End roar out:
United's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their heart's blood dyed it's ev'ry fold.
Then raise United's banner high,
Beneath it's shade we'll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here.
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll keep the Red flag flying high,
'Cos Man United will never die
It shrouded all our Munich dead,
Before their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their heart's blood dyed it's ev'ry fold.
Then raise United's banner high,
Beneath it's shade we'll live and die,
So keep the faith and never fear,
We'll keep the Red Flag flying here.
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll never die, we'll never die,
We'll keep the Red flag flying high,
'Cos Man United will never die
Remember it’s more than just a song, it’s what this great club stands for and what some have died for. It’s a club whose traditions and history builds the foundation for what is sure to be an as successful future and that’s ‘cos Man United will never die!
Match Of The Month
This month we have decided to do something a bit different and we have two write ups on the match of the month, do all fans really think alike?
The first write up is by Atsis
At the beginning of every season when the fixtures list comes out, there are always a few games that we, as United fans, look for straightaway; amongst them the derby, Arsenal, Chelsea and last but not least Liverpool. This is the one special game that we always look for at first. Whether it is home or away, this game has a rivalry that goes beyond the borders of the northwest. Despite very few players nowadays being from both regions of Manchester and Liverpool, the tension, the passion and the hatred is as strong and present as ever. Not to mention the rivalries that have now been grown into the fans of both club internationally.
The scenes that marred last season's F.A.Cup tie at Anfield as Alan Smith was in the ambulance leaving Anfield were disgusting and shameful, yet not much was taken into account by the F.A, not to mention the behavior of the Liverpool fans when they came to Old Trafford for their F.A.Cup semi-final versus Chelsea. Yet all this was just spraying more fire on the already burning flames of hatred that has kept growing between both clubs, which was emphasized more than ever when Gary Neville celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans at Old Trafford by kissing the United crest when Rio Ferdinand scored the last minute winner in the clash between both sides in January 2006.
This season however, things have been a bit different. United have been at the top of the league since the start, and have very rarely let points drops. Before the game, all the talk was about Liverpool being on top form, having just beaten Barcelona at the Nou Camp, and Sheffield United 4-0 at Anfield, the scousers had every reason to be buzzing. Whereas, we were grinding out results, including a hard fought 2 -1 win versus Fulham in which we scored at the last minute, and a difficult 3-2 victory in our replay versus Reading at the Madjeski Stadium.
This game was the biggest obstacle we were expecting to come across in our title run-in. Some of us expected a draw, others had even already counted this as one of those defeats that will happen in every team's run-in, very few expected a win, but one thing's for sure, nobody could ever have expected what was about to unfold during this game.
Few omens, should've given us a sign about what would be. The fact that United have yet to lose to Liverpool when wearing white at Anfield should've given us a sign of things to come (not too sure about this fact, but it’s from the top of my head), but no one would've believed it. For those who pay attention to details, you would notice that almost all premier league captains(at away games), when they choosing the ball or which pitch side they want at the coin toss, choose to score where their fans are sitting during the second half. So when Gary Neville chose United to attack to the Kop end during the second half, something Liverpool obviously are not used to, ( just as United aren't used to not scoring towards the Stretford end in the second half ), you could maybe pinch yourself to believe that something different was about to happen.
The game kicked off, and was pretty even at the start. Very few chances were created by both sides, as they usually are in these northwest derbies. The first real opportunity fell to Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy but Van Der Sar was up to the task and saved comfortably. Nothing better was created following that. Shots from Ronaldo and Daniel Agger were good attempts but were unsuccessful. The closest either side came to scoring a goal in the first half came again from the troublesome Bellamy. He drove Nemanja Vidic out to the left hand side, and used his speed to outpace the Serbian defender at the by-line, until he put in a pass that was inches away from Dirk Kuyt, who probably should’ve made it 1-0 to Liverpool. But it wasn't to be. Just before the interval, Liverpool had another chance to score with John Arne Riise powering a free-kick that went just a few inches wide off Van Der Sar's goalpost, although that can mainly be due to Paul Scholes’ run out of the wall to obstruct the Norwegian’s powerful free-kick. Despite Liverpool slightly being more dominant in a very unentertaining first half, both teams went in scoreless.
The second half began with Liverpool having more intent and more determination to win the game that United did. Inspired by their captain Gerrard, Liverpool thought they'd scored when Craig Bellamy found United's net only to see it ruled offside, when Sissoko flicked on a shot from outside the box. United, at that point, were counting their lucky stars as the score line remained a stalemate. Barely a chance had been created by the visitor in the second half so far, and Ferguson started ringing the changes. Henrik Larsson, the Swede legend, playing his final Premier League game for the club, after his short term loan deal, was ineffective during the game and was replaced by the returning Louis Saha from injury. Carragher's rash challenge on Rooney left the England striker with a gashed knee and he was then replaced by United's Mr. reliable John O'shea.
In the meantime, Liverpool kept attacking, and United kept sitting back, as if playing for the draw. Riise had a good shot, that just whistled over the top bar, but one of the best opportunities fell to tall man Peter Crouch as he controlled Dirk Kuyt's cross from the right hand side, and fired a perfectly placed shot only for Van Der Sar somehow to get his fingertips to it and make one of the saves of the season. United had a huge shout for a penalty when Louis Saha was tripped by Agger in the box, but it wasn't to be as the game seemed more likely to end in a draw than anything else.
With 4 minutes of normal time left to play and tempers rising, Paul Scholes lashed out at Xabi Alonso, and got his marching orders. United were down to 10 men, playing badly, and on the back foot as the scousers kept looking for that goal. We had now entered injury time, with 3 minutes of it left to play, when Ryan Giggs on the left hand side towards the Kop End, was pulled back and the referee awarded a free-kick. Giggs and Ronaldo stood over the ball whispering to each other how they would take it. Inside the box all of Liverpool's players were present. United had few men up. Ronaldo swung it in hard and low, Saha went for it but missed it. Reina lost control of the ball and it fell to........... JOHN O’SHEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He just rifled it into the roof of the net, and the celebrations were unbelievable. United couldn't believe it. Liverpool couldn't believe it! In the 91st minute, of a game which seemed completely lost for United they come out with all 3 points! John O’shea of all people scores the winning goal at the Kop End. The look of dismay on everyone connected to Liverpool was one that every United fan was enjoying at that moment. The final whistle had gone.
Liverpool 0 - 1 Manchester United at Anfield. An unexpected result, especially considering the circumstances! The celebrations that followed were as if United had won the league! Rafa Benitez has still yet to beat United in the league, as Ryan Giggs’ celebrated his 700th game in a United jersey and Henrik Larsson his final one in the Premier League, as United for the second time this season, beat Liverpool.
From a personal point of view, I went absolutely crazy! I lost my voice for the few days that followed! I was watching the game with my cousin ( usual companion for every United game ) and my father ( who was here for a month of holidays , and is usually the most quiet emotionless man ever ) , and we all went mad ! I have never seen my father go that crazy over a United game (since 99)!
The building facing ours complained the following morning that there is too much noise coming out of the building once or twice a week and they would like to know what it's from. And they will know. Hell they will know! We are on our way, to regaining our trophy back, and if the entire neighborhood hears us, if the entire country hears us, if the entire world hears us, they will know that Manchester United will NEVER DIE!